Lauren Pritchard - Wasted In Jackson

It would be easy to simply dwell on Lauren Pritchard's interesting bio: born and raised in Tennessee, moved to L.A. to pursue an acting/singing career, ended up as a principal lead in the amazing Tony-winning Broadway modern rock musical Spring Awakening. But we feel like we're just getting to know the 22-year-old singer and songwriter now. Pritchard has become the latest in American, mostly female, transplants to London (see Jesca Hoop, Lissie, etc.) where it would appear the locale -- and critical/press base -- is more open to the smarter, more interesting and left-of-center art-pop that Pritchard explores on her promising debut album Wasted In Jackson (due September 21 in Europe, October 26 in the U.S.).

Starting with with a killer piano hook, lead track "When the Night Kills the Day", co-written with the busy Ed Harcourt and produced by Marcus Mumford (of Mumford and Sons), is a dramatic and gorgeous stunner of song (and video -- after the jump). We're also fond of the  "Not the Drinking", with Pritchard flaunts a bluesy soulfulness to her voice and a compelling mixture of power and aching vulnerability. On the head-turning "Painkiller" there's a subtle intensity that rises perhaps from her theatrical background, drawing the listener in with a depth of emotion and a "look-you-in-the-eye" directness. It's no wonder that Pritchard is the first artist signed by producer/songwriter EG White (Adele, Duffy) to his new Spilt Milk label imprint in the U.K.

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Lauren Pritchard - "When the Night Kills the Day" (from Wasted in Jackson)

Lauren Pritchard - "Stuck" (from Wasted in Jackson)

Enjoy the streams, support and respect the artist, buy the music...

Photo: Linda Brownlee

Photo: Linda Brownlee