Star Anna (photo: Hillary Harris) and Chan Marshal of Cat Power (photo: Steve Gullick)
Star Anna’s artist and album recommendation: “Cat Power’s You Are Free is the first one of hers I bought. I was in High School and I had just started playing guitar. It meant a lot to me that the songs could be simple without compromising depth or feeling. This was one of the records that really helped me make the transition from garage band drummer to singer/songwriter.”
About our guest author, Star Anna: As soon as we clicked play to listen to For When We Go (mp3 below), we were immediately knocked out by Star Anna’s voice. It has the same controlled urgency that drew us to Lucinda Williams. It’s experienced, it’s soulful, it’s honest and it has won over a couple of big name fans to help spread the word. Duff McKagan of Guns N’ Roses fame classified her as ‘the real deal’ in this editorial for The Seattle Weekly and Mike McCready of Pearl Jam (who plays guitar on her new album) states that her singing ‘…takes me to a higher place.’ Her first two praise-magnet records won her a Song Of the Day spot on NPR in 2009 (Through the Winter) and she was labeled as one of the ‘Next Big Things’ in On Sound magazine. The new album is called Alone In This Together and it’s on Local 638 Records, the label run by our favorite female North Westerner, Rachel Flotard of Visqueen fame. Buy Star’s album here and check her site for upcoming tour dates.
MP3: For When I Go
(Photo of Star Anna by Vee Sawyer)