Every once in a while as a voice teacher, I have the chance to work with a student who walks into my studio with a naturally great voice looking to perfect and polish their sound. That’s what I found when Kate Hinote came to me with her beautiful and musical voice.
(I've also done an extensive interview with her on the challenges and joys of being a vocalist and band member on my professional site, Working the Voice.)
Now that Kate and her band, The Blueflowers (formerly Ether Aura) have just released a new album I’m thrilled to plug it here, not only because we’ve worked together, but because it’s an awesome album. (I'm singing along with it right now, I might jump on stage at her next show to be a backup singer!)
The album is called Watercolor Ghost Town (available on iTunes or CD Baby) and the title track sets the mood. Perfectly. You feel like you are being taken to “a little ghost town” as Hinote sings. Her melodic vocals, combined with the infectious twangy guitar, and ambling bass lines, take you on a nostalgic journey.
The rest of the tracks complete the album wonderfully, staying thematically consistent, but with enough variety to keep the music interesting. As a whole, the flow is mellow, haunting, and intriguing.
I have to admit, I’m a sucker for the Hammond B3, (completely underutilized in today’s music in my opinion), so The Blueflowers win me over when the Hammond is highlighted in “I Can’t Stop My Heart From Breaking.” Make sure you check it out on their myspace page.
What I love best about The Blueflowers is how they can take a genre like the 50’s ballad and rework it – without letting it be utterly predictable – taking a chance with bolder arrangements.
For more Blueflowers, check out their awesome indie Americana sound at their upcoming shows and be sure to follow them on Twitter for ongoing updates! @TheBlueflowers
May 8th at AJ's Music Cafe in Ferndale
July 5th at Cityfest 2009 in Detroit
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