Believer: A Quick Review Of The New One From Marina Allen

The debut from Marina Allen is too short, admittedly, but it's also damn good. Candlepower, out on Fire Records on Friday, is the sort of thing one wants to rave about. In an era with a glut of singer-songwriters, the good ones deserve extra attention, and Marina's one of the best I've heard in ages.

"Oh, Louise" sounds like a playful mix of The Roches and Joni Mitchell, while "Original Goodness" recalls the down-tempo gems from Suzanne Vega before she went pop. Marina Allen's voice is distinctive, yes, but she's also tapping in to a rich tradition, and she deserves these comparisons to the greats of the past. "Sleeper Train" reminds me a tiny bit of Nanci Griffith, but this is pure LA pop, not anything country. Allen's voice is just so good here, and on "Believer", that a listener feels comforted and intrigued at the same time. Candlepower is a brief invitation to a great new voice in contemporary adult pop.

Candlepower is out on Friday via Fire Records.

[Photo: Marina Allen Bandcamp]