Talking To Strangers

The daughter of Texas bluesman Johnny Copeland puts a little New Orleans in the mix, thanks to Dr. John\'s production of her third album. Although Copeland\'s best known as a blues belter, taking after her daddy\'s declarative singing style, these arrangements nudge her own band\'s screaming guitars aside in favor of keyboards, percussion, and more languid grooves. As a result Copeland explores the softer side of her honey-and-red-clay voice in tunes like \"Happy Valentine\'s Day\" and \"Don\'t Whisper,\" turning in the finest, most nuanced performance of her young career. (Copeland was only 23 when this CD was released in 2002.) \"The Push I Need,\" a duet with Dr. John, taps the classic Hi Records sound, and \"Livin\' On Love\" is greasy funk. The guitars are turned loose for the disc\'s closer, her late father\'s \"Pie in the Sky\" done as a grinding rocker.

There is no weakness here, it is a straight-ahead use of all the strengths of Shemekia Copeland, daughter of Johnny Copeland.