Vanessa Carlton (A&M)
Okay, so who will be the other four nominees for Best New Artist at next year's Grammys? With Carlton's impressive debut album, the 21-year-old singer-pianist will likely strike a chord with Grammy voters, just as she already has with TRL countdown voters. More accessible than Tori Amos and less angry than Fiona Apple, this piano woman promptly landed a Top 10 hit with her glorious first single, "A Thousand Miles." With its nifty keyboard work, sweeping strings and bittersweet lyrics, it's easily one of this year's best singles.
Nearly as terrific is the disc's opener, "Ordinary Day," on which the classically trained Carlton, who composed all 10 original songs, displays her gift for layering memorable melodies with intricate, challenging arrangements. On tunes that tap into classic rock as well as classical, Carlton also gets to show off her resonant, slightly quirky voice, which she employs with deft phrasing. Her only misstep? A revved-up cover of the 1966 Rolling Stones hit "Paint It Black" that is a nondescript shade of gray.
Bottom Line: Definitely somebody
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