Natalie Johnson
I rarely get an opportunity to read other blogs. Not because I don’t want to, but rather because after you find yourself knee-deep in your own blog it becomes increasingly difficult to find the time to give other blogs anything beyond a cursory glance.
There are a few I bookmark and make an effort to keep an eye on though, and one of those is Edinburgh’s Song, By Toad. And no, it’s not because Mr Toad’s Wild Ride was my favorite Disneyland attraction (it was). No, what keeps me coming back is the funny, insightful and frequently curse-laden writing in which head writer Matthew exposes readers to new music.
One of his recent discoveries was singer/songwriter Natalie Johnson, formerly of Monkey Swallows The Universe. She was the lead singer for the now-defunct outfit, but has embarked on a solo career. She’s a little bit country in much the same way Ryan Adams or Neko Case are – which is to say, not really. What do I mean by that ambiguous copout of a description? Just that typical country music flourishes show up here and there, a little twang, but she reminds me more of The Beautiful South’s Jacqueline Abbot than say, Loretta Lynn. Then again, I think the UK sometimes defines country music in a slightly different way than we do here.
No matter how you decide to classify the darling girl, she’s got a lovely voice. Her songs, whilst sometimes sounding vaguely familiar, nontheless don’t feel like boring covers or retreads. I felt an immediate emotional attachment to them, so take that as you will. But do listen, as I think she’s top-notch. If you’d like to hear more, she has several songs up for streaming on her website. You can also buy the single here.
Tags: natalie johnson
