b. USA. Although she has been compared to artists such as Mazzy Star’s Hope Sandoval, Aimee Mann, and Sandy Denny, the music of singer-songwriter and guitarist Missy Roback is possibly best described as what the Pretenders’ Chrissie Hynde would sound like if she penned acoustic folk compositions with a country edge. While some dream long and hard of a musical career, the San Francisco, California-based Roback stumbled upon a music career. When she found herself unemployed during the late 90s (when a magazine she was an editor for went out of business), Roback took it as a sign that she should try writing her own songs. With the aid of her songwriter/producer husband, Steven Roback (the former Rain Parade bass player and more recently vocalist for Viva Saturn), Roback laid down 11 tracks for her debut recording, Just Like Breathing. Issued via her own record label, Hear Kitty, in 2002, the album featured guitar work from Leigh Gregory (of San Francisco’s chamber rock outfit Mellow Drunk) and Grant Miller (of the ambient duo Mandible Chatter), with American Music Club’s Tim Mooney serving as mixer and Steven Roback producing. The album was a critical favourite, making several Top 10 lists for that year.