Eddie Jason Coven

CUSTODIAN of RECORDS

by Eddie Jason Coven       eddiejasoncoven@hotmail.com

Anna Troy Kept Me Waiting… Waiting For Her Soulful Sound

When you’re like me, someone who hasn’t been in the San Diego music scene for a decade, you hear the names of artists who are the “talk of the town”.  While someone who was an outsider in the music scene, as I once was, told me that “…the music scene in San Diego is very much a closed circuit.  If you didn’t grow up with those people, you can’t get in”.  That was the notion I moved to San Diego with back in 2004, and it wasn’t until a year later that I did finally join my first cover band and also first original act in the area.  But I really didn’t apply myself.  I was too busy with my corporate ladder climbing at Kmart, managing departments, and later entire stores.  It actually wasn’t until I became tired of corporate bumbling, and finally realized my life wasn’t about being a retail manager, or being the computer tech my parents wanted me to be, but being involved in music somehow.  But I still worked retail to get by, not knowing what I wanted to do or how I would go about starting this music career here in San Diego.  It took getting my license taken away to start playing guitar and leave my keyboard at home, and it took getting fired from Target before I finally threw my hands up and said “F@#$% it, I’m gonna do music”.

Anna Troy

Since then , I released my first solo EP, and began playing for other people’s records, and getting myself out there as a singer/songwriting, and eventually hooking up with some great bands and finally getting into the music scene as someone who was just more than Joe from Idaho who just came to town.  But from the first time I found the radio stations I still listen to, 91x, 94/9, KPRI, I have heard about local artists and bands.  And one of those artists that I had always heard about was Anna Troy.  Anna Troy…. Anna Troy… Anna Troy.  I never heard her music though, maybe not knowingly.  But people always told me she was great.  It wasn’t until I hosted the SDMA Nomination party at 4^th & B that I finally got to see, hear, and experience The Anna Troy Band.  But when the PA on the side stage blew a circuit before the bands first song, I only got to hear the  music.  It was awesome, it was blues in form I haven’t heard it in a while, that is, played by an awesome female fronted band.  But yet, Anna Troy kept me waiting for that voice.  Finally the venue got her a microphone, and she wailed.  I got ahold of a copy of her record “Wait Another Day” that night.

When I listened to this record I realized what I had waited for.  A blues band, with modern pop/rock sensibility, and great production.  “Wait Another Day” was recorded and mastered at Earthling Studios by Mike Kamoo, and was produced by Anna herself, with Mike Kamoo and Bart Mendoza.  While the overall record sounds like the music of Bonnie Raitt, the vocals from Ms. Troy harken back to the stylings of a jazz juke joint singer; nice tone, smooth, soulful and sensuous.

My favorite track on the record is Childhood Friend.  This haunting track with Eric Clapton style emotional guitar licks, and that ghostly organ draws you in.  This track makes you stop and listen.  “I miss you like a childhood friend… never thought I’d speak to you, never thought I’d reach for you, but here we go again, I love that man.”  Such soul, such a story to breathe in.

Five tracks on the record were co-written by Greg Douglass, guitarist.  “If You Still Want Me” is a two-steppers jam with the hook “if you still want me, tell me why I’d take you back, honesty is all I ask”.  “The Love We Had” is a sweet pop song that I would imagine Michelle Branch or Taylor Swift singing.  The beautiful guitar work is enough to grab me on this song, and that chorus is brilliant- “you and me mean more to each other than history, more than another, you and I cant forget the love we have for each other”.

The Bonus Track on the record is just a blast.  Written by Bart Mendoza, this two minute wonder called “Can’t Don’t Want To” is punk rock on the rocks with a twist of the swinging 60’s.  I love the chord changes, and the energy of the performance.

Just when I finally got to hear this women that has been so talked about, I find that she’s moving to New York City.  A great career move for Ms. Troy, but a loss for San Diego.  But with such talent, the city by the bay can’t expect to hold her.  While I’m gonna be waiting for the next Anna Troy record, I’m sure we’ll her from her from time to time, but my hope is the next time I hear her its on national television.

Anna is on San Diego’s own Blindspot Records.

For more info log onto annatroy.com or myspace.com/blindspotrecordspdx