Soot and Stars
I AM SOOT!
Paula Cole
Out of all the powerful female artist that I discovered in my high school years in the 90's I feel that Paula Cole is the most underrated artist in the group. Despite having huge well deserved success with This Fire, Paula got trapped being remembered as the chick with Dawsons Creek song and one of the hippy Lilith fair bunch! It's sad because she's put out great work all the way up to the aptly titled Courage in 2007. In just those four albums Paula's taken huge strides and hasn't remade the same album yet. In fact, she nearly lost the alternative in Courage and taken a very jazzy route. It works because she's legit and can do whatever she wants with her talent!
Next to Tori Amos, I think that the most intimate soul baring female singer may be Paula. There are times, especially on This Fire where she was so raw in her emotion where it would be a little uncomfortable but it would give me chills nonetheless! Paula was no one trick pony like history would want you to believe! IMO she's one of the most underrated artist I've had the pleasure of hearing! Here are her works:
Harbinger
To be honest, this debut is my least favorite of the bunch. I feel she spent way to much time singing and brooding in her lower register and was far better when she loosened that up in future albums and sang like most people have heard her! Nonetheless, here are some standout tracks!:
These in particular in show Paula's fearless use of everything in her voice (beatboxing, rhythmic breathing, etc.) to get a connection to the music!
Chiaroscuro
[GROOVESHARK]838730[/GROOVESHARK]
Now to my favorite!
This Fire
Track for track I thing this album is a classic and I could post every song. The singles do not do the scope of the album justice and do not display it's depths so I'll leave them out! You've all heard them before anyway even if you don't know it yet!
Here are the real album standouts IMO:
Throwing Stones
I LOVE this song! Such a vicious song that hits hard but has a groove you can ride all the way! I love the mix of piano, drums and Paula's immense vocals which drags you through her range of emotions! Best use of motherf***er ever! I love when profanity is thought out in a song and built up to!
Nietzche's Eyes
You want sincerity in a song! This is it! Paula is so fearless and inhibits this song so much that the rawness can be uncomfortable at first especially at the last :45 seconds! I love it though and it gives me chills!
Me
(The best single IMO)
Hush, Hush, Hush
Two words!
Peter Gabriel!
I saved my thread! Paula did a duet with Peter in a moving song a bout Aids.
Hush, Hush, Hush
I going to wait before doing the next to albums but as a bonus here's a couple more Peter Gabriel-Paula Cole Collaborations!
Don't Give Up
Come Talk to Me
Out of all the powerful female artist that I discovered in my high school years in the 90's I feel that Paula Cole is the most underrated artist in the group. Despite having huge well deserved success with This Fire, Paula got trapped being remembered as the chick with Dawsons Creek song and one of the hippy Lilith fair bunch! It's sad because she's put out great work all the way up to the aptly titled Courage in 2007. In just those four albums Paula's taken huge strides and hasn't remade the same album yet. In fact, she nearly lost the alternative in Courage and taken a very jazzy route. It works because she's legit and can do whatever she wants with her talent!
Next to Tori Amos, I think that the most intimate soul baring female singer may be Paula. There are times, especially on This Fire where she was so raw in her emotion where it would be a little uncomfortable but it would give me chills nonetheless! Paula was no one trick pony like history would want you to believe! IMO she's one of the most underrated artist I've had the pleasure of hearing! Here are her works:
Harbinger
To be honest, this debut is my least favorite of the bunch. I feel she spent way to much time singing and brooding in her lower register and was far better when she loosened that up in future albums and sang like most people have heard her! Nonetheless, here are some standout tracks!:
These in particular in show Paula's fearless use of everything in her voice (beatboxing, rhythmic breathing, etc.) to get a connection to the music!
Chiaroscuro
[GROOVESHARK]838730[/GROOVESHARK]
Now to my favorite!
This Fire
Track for track I thing this album is a classic and I could post every song. The singles do not do the scope of the album justice and do not display it's depths so I'll leave them out! You've all heard them before anyway even if you don't know it yet!
Here are the real album standouts IMO:Throwing Stones
I LOVE this song! Such a vicious song that hits hard but has a groove you can ride all the way! I love the mix of piano, drums and Paula's immense vocals which drags you through her range of emotions! Best use of motherf***er ever! I love when profanity is thought out in a song and built up to!
Nietzche's Eyes
You want sincerity in a song! This is it! Paula is so fearless and inhibits this song so much that the rawness can be uncomfortable at first especially at the last :45 seconds! I love it though and it gives me chills!
Me
(The best single IMO)
Hush, Hush, Hush
Two words!
Peter Gabriel!
I saved my thread!
Paula did a duet with Peter in a moving song a bout Aids.Hush, Hush, Hush
I going to wait before doing the next to albums but as a bonus here's a couple more Peter Gabriel-Paula Cole Collaborations!
Don't Give Up
Come Talk to Me
Oh yeah...I figured as much 
