Leerone

No, her name doesn't rhyme with Zamboni. It's Lee (like the jeans) - rone (with a long O sound - as in rhymes with zone). Leerone. And she's absolutely deadly behind the piano. Her first full length album (she released a debut EP back in 2003) is titled Imaginary Biographies, and it's eleven tracks are piano-rich compositions that remind you that the piano is for more than just classical music and Christmas carols. The comparison that instantly sprung to mind upon first hearing the album was with another woman whose career has blossomed with her straddling a piano bench: Tori Amos.

Leerone's voice just oozes that simmering sensuality which Tori also exudes. It's got a nobility to it that can soar in one instant, yet come back down to Earth and feel infinitely intimate the next. While delivering lyrics a little more down to Earth compared to Tori (although no less thoughtful of meaningful), Leerone's piano fills much of the musical space behind her. Some tracks have additional instrumentation in them, but the piano is always omnipresent, sometimes placing delicate notes here and there (try Happy + Homemade = below), and other times rollicking along (give Share a listen).

Leerone - Happy + Homemade = : Imaginary Biographies

Leerone - Share : Imaginary Biographies

and an older one:

Leerone - No One Around : In This Life, On This Road

Visit her website and become her friend on MySpace.

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Tori Amos - Angie (Rolling Stones cover) : Crucify EP