The latest from Paula Frazer

It’s almost Tuesday evening and I still haven’t made it to a record store. A number of highly anticipated releases are out today. New ones from Franz Ferdinand, Broken Social Scene, Depeche Mode, and Beta Band. Oh, and the underrated and under-appreciated Paula Frazer, whose Leave the Sad Things Behind also comes out this week.

I’ve been a huge fan of Frazer ever since her days in the also-underrated Tarnation. While an obvious touchstone for Frazer’s music might be Patsy Cline, due to the woman’s strong voice, her music isn’t just a rehash of country/western standards. There’s a palpable sense of longing and wistfulness to Frazer’s music. Case in point: “Always On My Mind,” which is the opening track on Frazer’s latest release — woozy steel guitar, drunken piano, and of course, Frazer’s swoon of a voice.

For more info on Paula Frazer’s music, go to Birdman Records’ site. BTW, Frazer’s solo debut is currently featured on Birdman’s site, which means it’ll cost you just $10 should you order it through their webstore (and live in the U.S. or Canada). Money well spent, IMHO.