Kim Richey
Richey finds her inspiration in the Southern-California country-rock of Linda Ronstadt and the Eagles, and the folk-rock of Tom Petty and the Byrds. The album is full of Beatles-esque touches, such as the string quartet on "Can't Find the Words," the odd McCartney-esque intervals on "Let the Sun Fall Down," or the open tuning and uptempo, three-part vocal harmonies on "Good." If Nashville labels can keep releasing country tributes to the Beatles, surely there's room in town for a woman who can come up with new Beatles-esque songs. And inasmuch as Richey is exploring the strain of the Beatles' music that comes straight out of the Everly Brothers and Buddy Holly, surely there's a country audience for her.--Geoffrey Himes