Philadelphia Weekly

MUSIC

On the Record

By Bill Chenevert

Add Comment | Comments: 1 | Posted Mar. 16, 2011

Marsha Ambrosius

Late Nights & Early Mornings

(J)

Sounds Like: The Brit turned Philadelphian, formerly of Floetry, drops a proper solo debut full of yearning, emotional vocals and delicious R&B moan-singing.

Free Association: Snap! She covers Portishead and Lauryn Hill; couple album highlights.

For Fans Of: Jazzy Sullivan, Ursula Rucker, songs about break-ups/jealousy.

Lia Ices

Grown Uknown

(Jagjaguwar)

Sounds Like: Pretty run-of-the-mill debut of piano-based singer-songwriter stuff from a Connecticut girl who went to NYU and got hooked up with a label deal.

Free Association: That Justin Vernon guest spot’s not gonna take you far, Ms. Thing.

For Fans Of: Cat Power, Tori Amos x Feist, little girls taking piano at age 5.

Julianna Barwick

The Magic Place

(Asthmatic Kitty)

Sounds Like: Gorgeous, billowy minimalism on the Louisiana-born Brooklynite’s debut of wafting choral loops, spare piano, organ and bass creating heavenly noise.

Free Association: You’d think 44 minutes of this would get old—nope, just more beautiful.

For Fans Of: Panda Bear x Cocteau Twins, Grouper, pagan church.

The Cave Singers