In Sickness And Health

Bell “Echinacea” (Live on Fair Game, January 2nd 2008) – You are not wrong if you hear this and think, “wow, this woman sounds as though she is positively beaming through this song.” I was there, and she could barely contain her joy, even in a tiny little radio studio. And yeah, if you thought “wow,” you were right about that too. Much like Bjork, Olga Bell sings with a full-bodied passion and enthusiasm that highlights her courage, conviction, and sensitivity. Bell’s tunes are fluid, dynamic things — there’s always a strong core melody, but the shifting tones and structure around her voice emphasizes a sense of physical movement, an alert mind, and emotions that exist entirely in the present tense of the piece. This is remarkably confident work for a new artist — I can’t begin to imagine what could come next. (Click here for the full session — including a pretty amazing cover medley of Radiohead’s “Videotape” and Thom Yorke’s “The Eraser” — and here for Bell’s MySpace page.)