Simone White

A gender twist of an album title like this is a nice calling card, but the whole of Simone White's sophomore album, following The American War EP (the title track reappears here), nicely lives up to the implicit challenge. White, accompanied by a good backing group of musicians -- the horn parts alone on the opening cover of Carole King's "I Didn't Have Any Summer Romance" makes the Lambchop and Calexico connections explicit -- puts together a fine set of originals and reinterpretations. Her low-key vocal approach, suggesting everything from a more straightforward Patty Waters to the Dusty Springfield-derived soul of Beth Orton, sets the tone for the accompaniment; the music aims for the contemplative and reflective states of mind, with quiet dramatics like the break and piano-led build on "Great Imperialist State" leading the way instead of explosive sound. Her lyrics can tend towards the pointed, as some of the quoted song titles might readily indicate, but the calm delivery offsets that sharpness in an intriguing fashion. One of the most interesting things about the album is the covering of not one but three different songs by her contemporary Frank Bango and his collaborative lyricist Richy Vesecky, whose series of power pop albums have received a little attention but not much awareness. She makes songs like "Worm Was Wood" and "Roses Are Not Red" her own, in keeping with the understatedly lush feeling of the whole album, a nice tip of the hat to a fellow pursuer of past influences in the modern day. Vinyl freaks will happily note that said version of the album includes three extra tracks not on the CD. ~ Ned Raggett, All Music Guide