Counting up the stars like any other

For some reason, it's taken me a really long time to get to Nellie McKay. Everything I'd heard about her made her sound like something I'd enjoy - cabaret pop music, sung by a funny, young, daring performer. And though I know she's a love-it-or-hate-it kind of thing, I'm still somewhere in the middle. I thought I'd at least get this track out there, though, because I do like it.

Nellie McKay - There You Are In Me.

Her second record, like her first, is a double album. You've probably heard something about it over the past year - Columbia didn't want to release it in its full form, and McKay refused to put it out as a single record. So she put it out on her own Hungry Mouse, with distribution through SpinArt and Ryko.

The diligence is paying off, as Pretty Little Head is getting some really strong reviews. I have yet to hear the whole thing - I know, this whole post is as non-committal as they come - but I like what I've heard so far. It features guest spots from Cyndi Lauper and k.d. lang, which are pretty audacious choices, if you ask me. It's always refreshing to see an artist who gives it her all as much as McKay does.

You can find Pretty Little Head pretty much anywhere, but you can start here.