Canadian singer-songwriter Frazey Ford, best known as lead vocalist for the alternative country trio The Be Good Tanyas, has gone solo. After 10 years with the Tanyas, she recorded her own album, Obadiah, last summer in Vancouver, and the final product is a collection of personal songs Ford says were "moved by motherhood, earth and land." The new tunes still live in the realm of country music, but are delivered with a soul singer's punch.
Obadiah showcases smart and emotional songwriting that's bolstered by a rich bed of mostly acoustic instrumentation -- tactful guitarwork is provided by fellow Tanya Trish Klein -- but what makes this music stand out is Ford's incomparable voice. Hear "Firecracker" and "Hey Little Mama" on this week's World Cafe: Next.
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