Mia Doi Todd

[Dean Roddey]

In the ongoing effort to expose folks I think don't get the attention they deserve (and because I'm too sleepy to get up and take a bath and go to sleep), this time I present Mia Doi Todd, and her "The Golden State" album.

I really like this one. It's one of those that when I first listened to it, I had a kind of negative reaction, but when I listened again I liked it more, and then I finally got it and I really like it now. It's quite inventive and has some beautiful songs. Her singing style maybe was what it was, but it fits her music and she writes some really quirky and interesting lyrics as well.

The production isn't super-polished, and that probably stands to reason given that it's not a Jonas Bros album that's going to get the big bucks production. But it sounds good and the production is creative, sparse where it should be and thicker where is should be. Some of the songs are just mesmerizing to listen to.

Just as an example of how her lyrics are definitely not the usual stuff, one that has always stuck in mind from when I first heard it is:

I sit down on the bidet
to shower my flower of the decay
that sets in
when she lets in
a guest
for recreation
her slight protest

You ain't gonna get that on the new Miley Cyrus album probably, or even from that I Kissed a Girl chick.

Anyway, check it out. Here's one of the tunes from it (Growing Pains), which is one of the more minimalist ones:

YouTube - growing pains

Here's one not from that album, but also fairly indicative of her more minimalist tunes:

YouTube - Mia Doi Todd - The Way

[dhiltonlittle]

i always liked the track she sang on the first dntel record. check it out if you havn't heard it.

[Dean Roddey]

Glad to see someone else appreciates her. I always find it interesting that there's so much complaining that there's nothing good in the last decade and whatnot, but I think that very few people, if someone takes the time to point out something that is, bother to actually go listen. When someone starts a favorite artist type thread, everyone just posts the folks they already know, and probably few people really look into the artists that other people post that they aren't familar with. And you'll probably see those same people in the next everything new sucks thread complaining.