WEEK 4 - LAKE STREET DIVE

Last week, I gave you a group of musicians driven mostly by instrumentalists. This week, I am introducing a band with a lead singer that will forever change your preconceptions about the capabilities of the human voice. 

Her name is Rachel Price, and she is the lead singer and front woman for the band Lake Street Dive. I will try to hold off on gushing about her incredible talent until I’ve written a bit more about the band and given the other members some well deserved credit, but I just want you to know that I’m currently more excited than a young beagle sharing a crate with lassie. Is that a weird comparison?

Apart from the lead singer, Lake Street Dive consists of Mike Olson, who plays trumpet and guitar, Bridget Kearney, who plays the upright bass, and Mike Calabrese, the drummer. The members met at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, so they know a thing or two about how to make awesome tunes. According to the band, their biggest influences are classic jazz, soul, R&B, and the Beatles. Based on their music, I would say that list is quite accurate. Songs range in style from upbeat jazzy hits to slow, darker blues ballads. Each individual’s contributions to the overall sound of Lake Street Dive are quite impressive. Mike Olson can lay down catchy guitar riffs to back up the vocals, or he can soar into a fantastic trumpet solo unexpectedly. Bridget Kearney’s upright bass playing never disappoints; those walking baselines form the backbone of every song. Finally, Mike Calabrese creates drum beats that work wonderfully with the rest of the parts while providing stellar backing vocals for Rachel Price.

Which brings me to Rachel Price! Born in Hendersonville, Tennessee, Price gained recognition as an impressive vocalist at a young age. When she was eighteen, she received honorable mention at an international jazz vocal competition, and two years later she was a semi-finalist as the youngest competitor in the history of the Thelonious Monk Institute Vocal Competition. Perhaps she reached the zenith of her career when she appeared on House of Cards, season 6, episode 2, singing the national anthem next to Kevin Spacey. Maybe…

To appreciate how amazing she is, you really need to listen for yourself. A video of her singing one of Lake Street Dive’s songs, “What I’m Doing Here,” at a recording session in one perfect take might convince you. Her voice has tremendous depth and power that can even make the band’s more straightforward fun songs sound like musical masterpieces. You can listen to the same song again and again and still be blown away by her voice each time. The woman has a gift.

Lake Street Dive released their newest album, Side Pony, today (2/19/16), so buying the album is a great way to start exploring their music. The band debuted a song off the album called, “Call Off your Dogs,” on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, and their performance wowed the audience. Secure your socks before listening to any of their music.