With the possible exception of Bj?¶rk, Mia Doi Todd may have the most mesmerizing voice of any vocalist alive today. As a classically trained singer, her voice is melodic, operatic, lofty, strong and somewhat strange. Todd is nothing if not unique.
Mia Doi Todd's new album, is entitled "Manzanita," which translates to little apple in Spanish. The name was given by the Spanish conquistadores to a variety of tree in California which to them resembled an apple tree. 'Manzanita' is more upbeat and catchy than Todd's last album, "The Golden State" (2002), but it maintains her signature style of intelligent lyrics and melodic vocals.
On "Manzanita", Todd sings mostly about love, though she does include some political commentary and the usual artistic self-reflection. On "Muscle, Bone and Blood", Todd discusses her flaws and how they affect her love. She softly sings, "I am a selfish monster/cold-blooded and remote/My words are flaming daggers/they send you up in smoke." She speaks the words with an amazing amount of feeling and depth, and the softness of the music behind her lyrics serves only to emphasize them.
The opening track, "The Way" is one of Todd's most political songs. In the first stanza she sings, "the world in crisis; seems like paradise/was lost and won't be found/and all of life is endangered/and on the verge of breaking down". For the duration of this song, Todd rails against government deceit and the use of military force for the sake of oil and money. The song has a Portishead-like backbeat, which, combined with Todd's strong vocals and message makes this song one of the strongest on the album.
Half Japanese and half Irish, Mia Doi Todd hails from California and went to Yale University in 1993. Her first two albums were solos, following the tradition of Nico, Joni Mitchell and Leonard Cohen. They were just Todd, her lofty voice, a guitar, and occasionally a piano. Todd left college in 1997 and moved to New York before spending a year in Japan.
One her third and fourth albums, "The Golden State" and "Manzanita," Todd collaborated with several rock and electronica musicians, creating a very different vibe. The unique sound of the music is an interplay between her airy voice, simple guitar harmonies and the electronic sounds and effects.
Todd has a striking appearance with high cheekbones and dark, curly shoulder-length hair. She dresses in colorful, simple patterns that recall images of a Mexican village. Her looks are in many ways a reflection of her music - simple, beautiful and graceful.
Todd's lyrics can be construed as pretentious because they more closely resemble poetry than music; she has been compared to the poet Sylvia Plath. She uses metaphors, puns and metaphysics liberally, which perhaps contributes to her pretentious image, yet adds an element of lyricism and intellectualism.
In the song "My Room is White," the lyrics seem to be about two lovers and whether they are trying hard enough to make the relationship work. She sings about being caught on the rocks when the tide comes in, and the metaphor is powerful - symbolic of confusion and entrapment.
"Hey, we could fall in love and be happy/What if we do?" sings Todd on the song "What if we do." Having already been dropped by Sony Records, Mia Doi Todd is virtually unheard of at present and sadly will probably never win any real fame.
It's a matter of getting her music out there, and if more people were exposed to her talent, they may very well fall in love with her music. What if they do?
"Manzanita" is one of the most beautiful albums of the year and should be heard by fans of poetry, Bj?¶rk, folk music, trip-hop and indie rock alike.
