OK, this is pretty lame and I admit it. The first thing that spiked my interest in BettySoo is that she is Korean American. My daughter was adopted from Korea 5 years ago and we continually try to provide hew with role models who have Korean heritage. So it was that I knew I had to check out BettySoo; after all I know of no other Korean American Americana singers. Then I found out the record was produced by Gurf Morlix in Austin- got me hook, line and sinker! Had to get a copy of Heat, Sin, Water and Skin, released in June 2009.
From the first energetic syllablye she sung on the vibrant opening cut Never Knew No Love I knew that I would know love, with this disc. She has been known for softer stuff on her previous releases, 2005’s Let Me Love You, 2007’s Little Tiny Secrets and a 2007 EP Pretty Girl. Sure, she’s got some soft pretty stuf on this disc. Check out the beautiful Just Another Lover where she asks;
….Am I just another lover to you? Another piece of skin you could get close to you?
Someplace warm where you once fit in, invisible expendable like oxygen
Am I just another lover to you?
Apt comparisons have been made of BettySoo to Nancy Griffith. She wrote all the tunes, handled vocals and acoustic guitars on the disc and is joined by Gene Elders on violin, Todd Wilson on organ and Mail Man Dave on drums. She also notes in the liner notes the “I shouldn’t fail to mention Gurf Morlix played acoustic, electric, pedal steel, and bass guitars, sang, growled, beat and played on many other instruments (including a sitar).”
Whisper My Name is another great ballad, but this disc has more of an electric edge to it than her previous efforts. Besides the opening cut, Who Knows is another electric gem, as well as Get Clean, which adds a nice dose of organ. Although you’d expect a softer voice from BettySoo, who stands just 5 feet tall, she shows that’s hardly the case on Still Small Voice, on which BettySoo’s voice is anything but soft or small!
Asked about her rather different name, she replies “It’s right there on my birth certificate. Soo is my dad’s middle name too. Yep, he’s a boy named Soo!” How fitting. This is one of my favorite releases of 2009, and one you should chech out as well!
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