“Songbird” Rachel Beccaria (pronounced Beck – car – ee – ah)
Singer-songwriter from deep in Humboldt County’s redwood forests on California’s rugged Northcoast. The young artist has had little formal musical training, but has been writing poetry in a personal journal for years. She discovered her singing voice in her twenties and began writing melodies to accompany the words and express the emotions in her poetry. The result is “Songbird,” her debut EP. The music is primarily folk-pop, with a hint of alt country and one pop-rocker. The CD was produced using mostly homegrown musicians and was recorded in a local studio. It’s nice to see that such high-quality music is being created in a remote, rural area such as Eureka-Arcata.
— Francis D., Joseph and Jon Cousins

Jon and Francis recommend: 6, 4, 2, 5.
Joseph recommends: 6, 5, 3.

1. (2:04) The Strength Within — Short and inspirational. A cappella vocals make it seem almost chapel-like.
2. (3:44) Do Anything — Mid-tempo, bouncy folk-pop with a hint of country in the vocals. Clean, crisp arrangement with piano and a nice bass line. Features co-writer Dominic Romano on rich harmonized backing vocals. ***
3. (2:54) A Loss for Words — Slow, rueful, questioning. Fingerpicked guitar, plus mandolin and cello. ***
4. (4:40) Used Again — Melodic pop-rocker. Smoldering resentment in the storytelling vocals. Nice backing vocals. Edgy guitar. Synth. Watch false ending 20 sec. from end. ***
5. (2:46) Unexpected — Soft, confessional ballad with strummed and fingerpicked guitar. Shimmering synth. ***
6. (4:28) Better With You — The first single. Upbeat, toe-tapping road-trip feeling. Great duet with Scott William Perry from Central Point, Oregon. ****