Nellie McKay - "Obligatory Villagers"

[RedDragon]

Nellie is a singer-songwriter and stand-up comedian. This is her third album. Her first two albums, released by Sony Music, were critically acclaimed. I love her, she's so fun and her songs are really good. The album leaked already.



1. Mother of Pearl - 2:10
2. Oversure - 3:20
3. Gin Rummy - 2:59
4. Livin' - 0:24
5. Identity Theft - 3:28
6. Galleon - 3:22
7. Politan - 4:18
8. Testify - 5:41
9. Zombie - 5:56

www.myspace.com/prettylittlehead

[Punchanello]

A stand-up comedian? Haha, I didn't know that.

[RedDragon]

BLENDER review

3 1/2 stars

High looniness from a spunky New York princess of anachronistic pop.
Reviewed by Ben Sisario
At 31 minutes, Nellie McKay’s third full-length album is half as long as each of her first two. But it’s her most expansive and controlled — as though she’s finally learned, through home-schooling, what couldn’t be forced on her by a major label that tried to limit the song count of prior records: how to cram all her untamed musical ambition onto a single, concise disc. Backed by old-time jazz heavies, including Bob Dorough (the voice of Schoolhouse Rock), she breezes through a suite of Rat Pack–esque whimsy (“Kittens high-hattin’, sittin’ on satin with a host who’s catnip fond”), paranoia from the age of “airport insecurity” (“Identity Theft”) and a pro-feminism song that uses a sense of humor to defend feminists against charges of humorlessness — all set to quirkily swinging arrangements (written by McKay, of course) that could have come from 1960s Broadway. By the time she makes her charmingly goofy exit (“Zombie”), it’s clear she’s learned another show-business lesson: Leave ’em wanting more.

Download: “Oversure,” “Identity Theft,” “Politan”