I think there are two reasons I'm going to have a tough time selling you on Miss Maya, neither of which have anything to do with the quality of her first solo EP, if you were wondering. The first is that Maya and I are friends, and by friends I mean we've met a handful of times, but she's going to be one Liz's bridesmaids. So, I suppose I probably lose a little credibility there. The second is that Maya doesn't exactly produce blogger friendly music. It's not weird, genre-bending music that most people are going give you a WTF look when you put it on.
Instead Maya has put together 4 incredibly catchy dance-pop songs (plus one acoustic jazzy number at the end) which, as a whole are the This Refers to You EP. Certainly, part of the reason that I'm dig the EP is my penchant for the odd radio friendly song (in moderation) -- I mentioned the Birthday Sex song the other day, I love the new Sean Kingston '911' song, and I have documented my affection for Lil' Wayne, JT, and Lily Allen on my Best of ____ posts. So, if you're not into that sort of thing, I'm probably not going to convince you.
But, if that's what you're into, Maya's songs have everything that all those artists have (and then some) great production, catchy hooks, and lyrics that tweenaged girls can sing along to. And, while I feel like that might automatically turn you off - as it likely would me, were Maya and I not BFFs - I think that Maya's background as a jazz singer, violinist, musician, eliminates the possibility of her putting out that usual radio drivel.
In fact, if I had one complaint about This Refers to You its that it probably doesn't show off Maya's vocal range enough. Maya has a pantheon level voice - like Beyonce, Amy Winehouse, Adele - and her EP doesn't really show case the full range of her abilities. So, here's to crossing our fingers that we get to hear that range on a future (soon) full length (which someone pays her to record)... and that she finally get's to do a cover of "Valarie" for me...
[mp3] Miss Maya - Let It Go
[mp3] Miss Maya - Take My Time
Maya covers Lily Allen's "Smile"
Pick of the Week #1: Ketch Harbour Wolves
Pick of the Week #2: Rah Rah
Pick of the Week #3: Glasvegas/Animal Collective
Pick of the Week #4: Bruce Peninsula
Pick of the Week #5: The Antlers
Pick of the Week #6: The Darcys
Pick of the Week #7: Ohbijou (Swift Feet for Troubling Times)
Pick of the Week #8: Gentlemen Husbands
Pick of the Week #9: Chris Whitley
Pick of the Week #10: Alela Diane
Pick of the Week #11: K'naan
Pick of the Week #12: TOR/Sufjan Stevens
Pick of the Week #13: Timber Timbre
Pick of the Week #14: Justis
Pick of the Week #15: Hibiscus & Rosehips Compilation
Pick of the Week #16: Patrick Watson
Pick of the Week #17: Olenka and the Autumn Lovers
Pick of the Week #18: The Liptonians
Pick of the Week #19: Sunparlour Players
Pick of the Week #20: Black Hat Brigade
Pick of the Week #21: Howie Beck
Pick of the Week #22: Pink Mountaintops
Pick of the Week #23: Still Life Still
Pick of the Week #24: Hayden
Pick of the Week #25: Snailhouse
Pick of the Week #26: Dog Day
Pick of the Week #27: Ohbijou (Beacons)
Pick of the Week #28: Dog is Blue
Pick of the Week #29: Parkas
Pick of the Week #30: The Wooden Sky
Pick of the Week #31: Bowerbirds
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