-Ink 19

High Desert Torch Songs

When I travel, I stop in at indie record stores and ask for recommendations on local artists. Most often, the clerks point out the local version of the Killers, or whatever the current variety of buzz is. When I was in New Mexico recently, I got pointed to the Shins a lot, but the one person everyone agreed I should check out was Bernadette Seacrest. What makes this unanimous recommendation unusual is that Seacrest is a lounge singer more in the tradition of Billie Holiday than P.J. Harvey. The Santa Fe Reporter described Seacrest’s weekly gig at the Swig saying, “Stylish, tattoo-laden torch singer Bernadette Seacrest could be dressed in business casual for all we care. After all, she possesses one of those rare voices that summons up romantic demons, lost loves and well-made cocktails.” Her debut CD, No More Music by the Suckers, is a sultry, simmering set of original tunes and jazz standards. The Yes Men lay down a spare backing that consists of little more than a rhythm section with horns providing accents. This leaves plenty of room for Bernadette to cast her vocal spell. She effortlessly makes classics like “Strange Fruit” her own while originals like “Cold in My Bed” and “Her Tears Break My Heart” sound ageless.
I missed Bernadette’s performance in Santa Fe, but at least I picked up the CD. The record store geeks up and down Interstate 25 were right. This is a disc worth checking out.