It’s no news that the music business has some major problems. Record sales are down, music is being pirated, dogs and cats are living together, bla…bla…bla. But, one of the cool things is the opportunities that are now out there for independent artists. In fact, isn’t that where it’s all going? Everyone is now a independent artist. Paul McCartney did a direct distribution deal with Starbucks, then the Eagles did a deal with WalMart. This was just the beginning: Now Metallica is doing cooperative releases with video games and AC/DC is the newest mega band to strike a deal with WalMart. (a company who in AC/DC’s hey day would have never stocked their albums) Hell, Cracker Barrel is selling their own releases. So, where am I going with all this? In theory, the days of the manufactured stars are numbered. It takes more. The audience demands more. If music fans are expected to pay their hard earned money on your music, it better damn well be something unique or atleast be free in a box of Cocoa Puffs. Originality is making a comeback and we need it more than ever. Enter: Leticia Wolf.
I first met Leticia a couple years ago in Murfreesboro, TN. She was opening up for a mutual friend of ours doing a solo acoustic set. (Let me briefly state how much I usually loath singer/songwriter shows and “writer nights”-but, that’s a topic for another time.) Anyway, I ended up running sound and was forced to actually pay attention to what was going on-and I’m glad I did. Leticia commands the stage on a couple levels. First off, she reads the room. A lot of songwriters these days are so concerned with playing their songs correctly that they have no regard for their audience, or that there even is an audience. Also, she bases what she plays and how she acts around the needs of the audience. This caught my eye. Second, she’s talented. Leticia has a great voice-very soulful and soothing. She also works with her guitar, flowing with it as she performs-not just strumming chords to randomly sing across. This caught my ear. Lastly, she’s a great songwriter. In fact, as I have gotten to know her and by working with her in the studio, I have learned she is one of the most adaptive songwriters I know. She’s not afraid to re-think parts and/or lyrics, step up to challenges that you put in front of her, or just trash something entirely-only to come up with something better. This three things are called talent.
Late last year we started getting together in the studio. Eventually we decided that we wanted to record an EP with a full band sound. Since Leticia has played in and out of bands her entire life, some of her writing really leans in that direction. Now the literal double entendre here is that Tish writes around a variety of different themes. This can be great and this can be tricky all at the same time. Recording a selection of songs that weaves in and out of a variety of different genres walks a fine line of confusing you’re audience or giving them a reason to keep listening to your album. In my opinion, and to make a very long story short, I think we came up with the latter.
Leticia’s new self-titled EP is available on iTunes. For $6.93 you won’t be disappointed. You can pick up the enhanced CD (with all the killer artwork and photos) at cdbaby.com and check her out on myspace at http://www.myspace.com/leticiaisdamaged.