Human Behavior – Alyson Greenfield

Alyson Greenfield is a marvelous up and coming singer songwriter from Brooklyn, originally via Alabama.  Her first full LP, Tuscaloosa, released last year, was named for her Alabama roots.  Already gaining speedy recognition, Tuscaloosa seamlessly blends together soulful vocals, bold lyrics, smooth folk sounds and the sometimes rambling roots into one powerful album.

Greenfield’s voice is both sweet and raw at once, exuding more power than her tiny frame would allude to, and her tracks are mesmerizing.  I must have gone back to hear Human Behavior four times upon listening to try and pinpoint just what was so special.  It all is.  Her album is filled with a woman’s honest lyrics in the best possible sense.

Lines like “A body’s just a body, but it’s not just any body, and my body is my body so I kinda care who touches it” from Young Girl In A Music World bringing both laughter and a quiet kick in the gut if catch it out of nowhere.  The same can be said for all of School. Each song delivers it’s own wonderful nuances and melodies, changing the sound as you listen, while still smoothly guided by her voice. A solid debut, it’s easy to see how quickly her recognition is spiking.  I’d recommend checking out her first EP, Six Songs, as well. I’m giving it a 3.5 bee rating.

A few other reasons why she’s awesome:  She covers Coolio’s Gangstas Paradise with a glockenspiel. She has a new song about Captain Planet.  He’s our hero, people! Two of her songs were included in Paste Magazine’s Songs for Haiti download.  And she’s also launched her Dear Lilith Fair blog, complete with title song to highlight all of the reasons why she should be selected for this year’s lineup.

Even without the blog, they’re pretty damn clear.  She’s good.  Her music is beautiful and her voice and lyrics are as powerful on the album as they are live.  Also, Captain Planet!