Brightest Young Things

Some performers exude charm but few do so as effortlessly as our own Lissy Rosemont. Her blend of newgrass has been slowly shifting towards a bubbly old-timey warm center for quite some time and with her third long player, “Jelly Roll,” she seems to have reached her destination. Accented by the horn section from the Levon Helm Band, her banjo picking and sweet crooning have never sounded better – or more assured for that matter.

A quiet confidence allows her to explore the full range of her twirling vocals and more importantly – to loosen up a little and add a playful touch to her performance. It is the difference between a woman singing songs compared to a girl, truth be told. The entire production is assured but retains the twists and turns that come with playing with a stellar cast of comrades. The end result is a sassy and often times sexy presentation. You can see that Lissy’s integration into so many areas of the country music industry the last few years has taught her a thing or two and she isn’t shy about showing off.

Her maturation harkens back to another adopted daughter of DC that had a big alt-country breakthrough decades before - when Kelly Willis became buzz worthy and not only wowed crowds on stage and on television, but also found lots of attention from the radio and even the tabloids (caught with Lyle Lovett while he was married to Julia Roberts – alledgedly of course.)

Hopefully Lissy can avoid the dirt rags and not greet us in printed shame at the grocery store check out line BUT all her other dreams will be realized. Listening to this smooth operating release it is safe to say that she is more than ready.

Come check out the record release for Junior League Band’s “Jelly Roll” at the Rock and Roll Hotel tonight, with Holy Ghost Tent Revival and The Hot Seats opening. I promise couples swaying, sundresses galore and noodle dancing.