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And what of the young Ms. Flatt? She's an idealist and a dreamer, as evidenced off the bat by the liner art. But the music's the key here. There are stylistic changes throughout, but the body as a whole is cohesive and compelling. There's ambiguity, too the disc kicks off with a track called "Sweethearts of Waco." Having been to Waco, I'll let that one go and move on, noting that as openers go this tune fills the upbeat and twangy bill most admirably. "Into the Dark" moves into a vein Flatt seems more comfortable with, slowing to an acoustic coffeehouse feel and delving into, well, the dark, but not particularly deeply. It's a pretty song, and evokes a semi-sweet sense of longing without living completely up to the morbid promise of its name. From these beginnings, Wings of a Butterfly launches into honky-tonk ("When Are You Coming Home"), soft pop ("Lifted a Whole Lot of Weight") and bits and touches of all the above in the potpourri that equals the rest. Flatt's vocals are the instrument of note throughout, showing a soft feminine strength in their world-worn and just the slightest bit weary delivery. The notable exception, vocally, is the title track, where Flatt just flat out channels Stevie Nicks from top to bottom. This is a beautiful song to listen to, even if the wealth of metaphorical possibilities mean I haven't figured out yet what exactly she's singing about. Wings, the wings of a butterfly "Once Again I Sit Here" finds Ms. Flatt sounding like herself again, and this time serving notice that her own voice is as powerful, nuanced and captivating as Ms. Nicks' ever was. This is one of those classic folk songs, centered on the writer, unrelentingly open and introspective. "Beautiful Desert Rose" slows down considerably, as Braun and Standefer lay down one of the most haunting string tracks of the year as both the foundation and alter-ego of the song that's most likely to stick with you from Wings of a Butterfly. There's enough of a Southwestern flair at play to put you in mind of Sonora sunsets while Flatt sings I dream every night of your touch All told, the 11 original tracks here (Hisaw penned cut number
six, "Lifted a Whole Lot of Weight") showcase a developing
talent in a positive light. If folk is your cuppa joe, you'll
love this disc from the get-go. If your own tastes run elsewhere,
you'll find yourself hoping Chrissy Flatt keeps at it. There
are rough edges to be polished, but if she keeps playing and
writing my bet is they'll wind up just edgy enough to cut deep.
Visit Chrissy at www.chrissyflatt.com.
If you're in the neighborhood of the Lone Star capital, swing
by and catch her at one of her local gigs. She's got a shot
at being one hell of a keeper. Contact David Pilot at: tailgunner-at-rockzilla.net |
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Austin, Texas. Capital
of the Lone Star State, home of the Broken Spoke and Stubbs'
BBQ, cradle of dreams and birthplace of careers for independent
minded musicians with stories to tell their own way. The town
has become a legend in its own right, playing host these days
to the annual SXSW soiree that puts the stamp of genuine authenticity
on the burgeoning careers of the bands that fill its bill. But
off in the backstreets, where the spotlight doesn't shine each
spring and the bills sometimes don't get paid, the careful listener
can find half-hidden gems and diamonds in the rough. Chrissy
Flatt is one of the latter, and some of the fastest growing names
in Austin know it. On her debut and self-released Wings
of a Butterfly, Flatt mines an easy-going sort of alt-60s
pop laced with country and rock, backed by musicians as diverse
and talented as Eric Hisaw (produced this disc as well), Ron
Flynt (20/20, The Bluehearts) and Stephen Belans (Beaver Nelson).
Additional backing comes from the likes of Brian Standefer (Alejandro
Escovedo, amongst a host of others), Reckless Kelly founder Cody
Braun, and fellow Austin dreamer Elizabeth McQueen. Definitely
not session players, this crew.
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