Barbara Nesbitt 'The Bees' Self-Release

From the opening seconds of the first song you know your listening to a singer with a powerful voice. Then a few tracks in you know that she's no slouch in the songwriting department either. The title track has bee-like sounds and predominant banjo while there are also songs that rock out more, like Losin' Time. Produced and recorded in San Diego, California by Jeff Berkley, it has a fine cast of players including Doug Pettibone and Mike Spurgat on guitars, Dennis Caplinger on fiddle, banjo, mandolin and more. They play it straight down the line on the country heartbreak of Good For Something. Nesbitt has the kind of voice that readily conveys emotion without moving into the oversung, over-emotive stance of many of today's divas tend to deliver in their vocal performances. Though Nesbitt could easily give many a major label signing a run for their money. This second album from Nesbitt confirms her as a talented all rounder, who like a lot of her contemporaries, needs some exposure to draw a wider audience to her work other than she might get through touring. Give In starts out slow and stripped down before Doug Pettipone's pedal steel adds a layer of atmosphere to the songs sense of defeat. Quicksand has a rootsier dobro, banjo and fiddle sound with Nesbitt's voice still front and centre. The album closes with its only cover, a take on Boudleaux Bryant's Like Strangers, a harmony duet with drummer Bill Coomes that shows another direction that Nesbitt could take, with its less strident vocal it makes a perfect end to the album and shows yet again how much music exists out there that is only looking to connect to a wider audience who would find themselves captivated my music such as this if the opportunity to connect came about.