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Patti Scialfa
23rd STREET LULLABY
(Columbia)
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Patti Scialfa carries on the bohemian-soul tradition of Laura Nyro and Rickie Lee Jones. Her voice is a complicated thing, both silken and gritty; she’s probably the only singer who calls to mind both Ronnie Spector and Bob Dylan. Her underrated 1993 debut, Rumble Doll, was singer-songwriter heaven, a regret-tinged yet unashamed confessional about loving, losing, regaining, and finally marrying the man of her dreams (that would be Bruce Springsteen). And the follow-up is worth the 11-year wait. Produced by percussionist Steve Jordan, 23rd Street Lullaby is a confident album, the sound of a woman in full bloom. It’s also a retro concept album, with Scialfa’s songs looking back to her days as a struggling singer in New York. Jordan layers her insinuating melodies with swirls of organ and piano, sisterly backing vocals from Soozie Tyrell and Lisa Lowell, and crisp guitars. It’s a big sound to match the lyrics’ big dreams. From the Nyro-esque groove of the title track to the gorgeous closing ballad "Young in the City" (produced by T-Bone Burnett), Scialfa delivers an affecting glimpse of youthful yearning viewed through the rear-view mirror of maturity.
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