Vanessa Carlton preview

Vanessa Carlton
Park West, Chicago
Sunday, November 18, 2007

Stevie Nicks relishes her role as den mother to younger female musicians trying to hold their own in this big bad boys club known as the record industry. The latest cub taken under Nicks’ diaphanous wing is 27-year-old pianist/singer-songwriter Vanessa Carlton, who had a massive, sugary hit back in 2002 with “A Thousand Miles” from her debut, Be Not Nobody.

After her sophomore effort failed to receive any attention (prompting her to part ways with A&M Records), Carlton is back with Heroes & Thieves (The INC/Universal Motown), which includes a collaboration with her guardian witch.

During a recent taping of the PBS musical series “Soundstage,” Carlton appeared as a special guest of Nicks’ to duet on Bonnie Raitt’s “Circle Dance” and Carlton’s own “The One.” The two showcased an immediate chemistry and rapport indicating an actual friendship — the silver crescent-moon necklace hanging around Carlton’s neck was also a surefire sign of their bond. Nicks doesn’t hand those emblems out to just anyone, right Jimmy Iovine? Unfortunately the same sweet magic emitting from “The One” live is missing on the album version.

Carlton still sings in a nasal upper register and Heroes & Thieves doesn’t stray too far from the “A Thousand Miles” template. “The One” certainly is the stand-out track, while the 10 other selections meld into each other without much distinction or personality other than an overwhelming aura of pleasantness. The title track embodies a Robin Hood-esque feel with a merry piano while “More Than This” closes the affair with an undulating bang. It’s easy to explain Nicks’ affection for Carlton’s obvious talent, and in turn it’s refreshing to see a young female artist focusing on the work rather than inserting herself seductively in the pages of magazines.

— Janine Schaults

Category: Stage Buzz, Weekly