Gild The Black Lily

Think the high-lonesome style is the providence of old white guys? Will look out Bill & Sonny, make room for this young, black diva from Harlem. In GBL Queen Esther serves up a sound that can be as planitive as all get out but she also deftly adds dashes of pop, R&B and country inspiring Amplifier to proclaim that she "melds roots, pop and R&B in a way that Lucinda Williams, Mellisa Etheridge and Sheryl Crow never could on their best days". Whether she's donning her cowgirl hat in track #1 or going gospel as in #3, the common denominator is her roots in the deep African heritage of Charleson's Lowcountry that provides a soulful experience no matter which style she is working. Pick a track, any track they are all wonderful.

RIYL: Eilen Jewel, Rhiannon Giddens, Gillian Welch

1 Black Cowgirl Song - cry in your beer slide perfectly complements her enchanting vocal styling (med, 3:28)***
2 John The Revelator - hand clapping & kick drum back this powerful rendition of a classic gospel track (slow, 3:33)***
3 The Whiskey Won't Let Me Pray - sumptuous mix of double bass & simple lead guitar for what should become a neo-gospel classic (slow, 3:30)***
4 Oleander - nice mandolin on this old timey track (slow, 3:00)**
5 Take It To the Limit - lovely country/jazz styled cover with great harmony vocals & organ, Henley & co. would be proud (med, 4:35)***
6 Lonesome Road - old time jug band feel (med, 2:27)*
7 This Yearning Thing - vocals backed by acoustic guitar, beautiful in its simplicity (slow, 3:40)**
8 Our Dying Day - Sublime mix of bluegrass & gospel (med, 3:05)***
9 All That We Are - heartfelt country/blues feel (slow, 4:00)*
10 He Thinks I Still Care - straight ahead cover of a country classic (med, 2:33)
11 Wishin on the Cars - (slow, 2:22)
12 I Love You - love song with acoustic guitar & vocals (slow, 3:17)
13 The Whiskey Won't Let Me Pray - acoustic version of track #3.