The other side of the craziest night of my life *updated*

You may remember way back in February when I wrote a rather mean-spirited blog about the craziest night of my life. (Seriously, the entire thing was basically nothing more than out-of-body experience. 70-30, all-man, little fingers, etc.) Well, what I ought to have written about was the charming, lovely, little jewel that I discovered (for myself, not the world) that night.

You see, Tift Merritt is like a little doll. She wears pretty, floaty dresses and has blond ringlets. She plays the piano a bit like my guy - Jackson, that is - and has a truly beautiful voice. Her lyrics are just as timelessly endearing as her style.

I think what I love most about her is how solid she seems. So many female singers and writers nowadays seem like a good gust of wind would blow them and their music right into the clouds. Her lyrics are light and her music is upbeat, but it's also substantial stuff -- there's meat on the bones of her songs, whereas a lot of those recording artists who are so popular now barely have bones. More like some paper-thin skin. None of the Regina Spector breathy girlchild nonsense. She doesn't conform to what seems like the norm nowadays, which is to say she looks like a doll, but not a porcelain doll. There's nothing fragile about her, but she's very feminine and that's refreshing. You mean an artist who is both a girl and not angst-ridden or come-hither? Shocking. Even her songs about being broken-hearted aren't really about being broken. Illustration 1.1:

Gather me in like a rainstorm,
Again and again and again,
Again and again and again,
Again and again again,
I think I will break but I mend.

Her piano is jangling and dance-happy; these are songs you can't play sitting down. Folk undertones, striking notes both bluesy and jazzy with her surprisingly soulful voice, and seeming every bit the girl-next-door that I think she is aiming to be -- albeit the girl-next-door with a real knack for metaphors.

After the show, when we were all Whistle Binkies, she joined us for a bit and I turned to her and told her I loved her music.

"You remind me of Jackson Browne, the way you play piano," I said.

"Oh, my god! I love Jackson Browne!"

We then embarked on a brief discussion of how beautiful Jackson Browne is. And really, isn't he? As Mummy says, "Your favorite topic, Ashley!"

Favorite songs by Tift Merritt:

"Broken"
"Good-Hearted Man"
"Something to Me" (lyrics in sidebar)
"I Know Him, Too."

Anyway, when she came out during the Teddy Thompson portion of the show for their duet, it really was the nicest part of the night. Their voices blended so beautifully together and they both seemed to be having a fantastic time singing together. All I can say is that I'm not really sure how she's managed to fly under people's radar for quite so long. Or rather, my own radar. Either way, she's right in the middle of it, now.


Also, to the Shetlanders, I am so glad that Screenplay 2009 was such a rousing success for everyone and I miss you all very much. I'm stoked that you all had a great time and hope that I might be able to make it to a Screenplay festival someday....! Maybe 2010?