Southern Girl

Album Review

Michael Veitch faced a perplexing problem when he embarked on his sophomore album: How can one stand out as distinct among the plethora of singer/songwriters who populate the New England region? His response to this difficult question proved simple — record new material live. This stripped-down approach accomplishes two things: It allows the lyrics to stand out and allows the listener to hear Veitch in a natural setting. It is also probably an economical way to record. All of the songs have been written by Veitch and cover subjects as diverse as the dead-end streets of Las Vegas to the art of returning old love letters at exactly the wrong moment. "Pledging Allegiance" is an indictment of all things American, including the material nature of its dreams. Without being overly direct, the singer protests free trade to Mexico, handgun violence, and the lack of a social safety net for the poor. Other songs evoke the dead-end of the American Dream in similarly indirect ways. "Las Vegas Sand" could be the story of any gambler, or of any "loser." "Running away from that bright lighted curse/Stopping for gas and a little rebirth" aptly describes a person down on his luck and in need of a little salvation. The nice thing about this song and "Bottom of the Bottle" is that they reach for the universal, and don't come off as another singer/songwriter spinning his wheels about personal hang-ups. However, the mood and pacing of many of these songs are similar, and lack distinction. This causes much of the set to run together, while vaguely bringing to mind other singers like Brooks Williams or David Wilcox. Both Southern Girl and Veitch's previous album, NY Journal, have been released on Silverwolf, a small label in Vermont. This release will be welcomed by anyone who enjoys literate songs presented in a simple, straightforward package. ~ Ronnie D. Lankford Jr., Rovi