The Suite: Katie Melua
Posted on 29 June 2009 by Roy Opochinski
http://groovevolt.com/?p=669

If you live in North America and have been following the career of (Soviet)
Georgian-born Katie Melua since the release of her stunning 2003 debut,
Call Off the Search, you would not be mistaken to wonder why the
classically-trained pop singer did not make the same impact in the
United States that Norah Jones (to whom she is often compared) did.

She possesses a soulful voice, is not afraid to venture into both jazzy and
bluesy numbers, and has proven that she can place a hit single on the
charts ("Closest Thing to Crazy"). Unmistakably influenced by Eva Cassidy –
who is one of Melua's biggest influences – Melua followed up Call Off the
Search with 2005's Piece By Piece, which showcased a wider musical palette,
one heavily influenced by the world music scene. That album also topped
the charts across the pond, yet the artist remained relatively unknown in
North America.

Though she needs the North American market much more than it needs her,
Melua has spent some time in the U.S. over the past several weeks promoting
the disc (which hit store shelves overseas in October 2008.) For those who
wondered whether the third time would prove the charm vis-à-vis U.S. success,
Melua's latest studio album, Pictures, is another wonderful outing that deserves
to earn the attention that her previous releases have not received.

If you're looking for edgy tunes, you won't find them here; which is not to
say that Melua's pop is not compelling in its own right. Her singing is
effortless,
but is also more likely to appeal to the adult-alternative listener than she is
to the
top-40 crowd. The reason is simple: Her singing is unadorned by the electronic
remixing that so many lesser singers need. Melua's sound is traditional, and
while
that should not be a curse word, many radio programmers believe that singers
with a voice that does not need to be fixed by Pro Tools, and which is backed by
real instruments will not appeal to young listeners.

You're more likely to hear Melua's music at an art gallery than you are in
a club. Her tunes aren't bangers, they're songs. Songs that tell a story. Songs
that don't rely on an artificially-catchy chorus that has no meaning. Listen to
her
music and the word that will come to mind repeatedly is "beautiful." Her sound
is
both soothing and uplifting without artificial ornamentation.

Considering the putrid state of the music industry in the United States, it is
entirely possible that Melua, who plans to spend the last four months of the
year working on her fourth studio album, and who recently released a live album
in the U.K., may never have a huge hit in the United States. The only thing that
would prove is the depth to which the appreciation of great music in this
country
has fallen. Don't cry for Katie Melua. Her talent is already appreciated
tremendously.
It's a shame that most North American music fans don't know what their
counterparts across the pond learned six years ago.