Amy Correia / Ben Carroll July 9, 2005

Correia made waves with her 2000 debut, Carnival Love (Capitol), with its richly melodic mix of mournful tales and whimsical stories. Her background as a short story writer and lover of literature contributes to the emotional depth of her songs. Sometimes the imagery takes her back to a childhood memory, such as the bearded lady winking at a tattooed man in her song "Carnival".

Summoning flashes of Son House, Prince, and Rufus Wainwright, Ben Carroll's distinctive musical style, however, is all his own. He sings with a honeyed voice that is at once angelic and bawdy, subtle and savage, beguiling yet deeply expressive. His album Lover Undercover is a sophisticated and heartfelt first record that firmly places Carroll among the most gifted and innovative songwriters of his generation.

$12; Tickets here