PURPLE ROOM • Tricia Mitchell

The spark and originality of a great writer coming into her own is immediately apparent and consistent through this Texas debut. We became aware of Tricia Mitchell in our interview this month with Sarah Hickman, who covered two Tricia co-writes on Motherlode.

Stylistically, Purple Room is unabashedly all over the place, but not without the charms of eclecticism. I love the tune "Learn You Like A Book," written with producer Colin Boyd. His playing is not exactly my cup of tea, nor is the sonic atmosphere of the record--much of it sounds like it was recorded on a multi-track cassette in somebody's house, by people with very good songs who play pretty good. Many find that kind of thing endearing, I'm just not usually one of them.

Nonetheless, the open-faced allure of Tricia Mitchell is indeed revealed, and the artist and producer get kudos for that. Besides "Learn You Like A Book," the other tune that Sarah Hickman covered, "Twenty Years To Life" (co-written with the mighty talented Monte Warden, veteran of many cuts including the George Strait hit "Desperately," and several records with the seminal alt-country group The Wagoneers), gets an excellent read here. Another noteworthy departure from that grave tune is "Girlfriend Of The Band."

Milo Deering contributes some very spirited tracks on pedal steel, violin, and mandolin; his pedal steel appearances on "Bobby Joe Plays The Violin" and "Lilly's Verses" bring a new ambience to the sessions.

Tricia Mitchell is curiously self-assured on this debut, and sounds vocally like she has several records under her belt. She's in full possession of her songs, and her delivery is very present. All fans of good songwriting should pick this record up and catch the rise of a new voice. This songwriter is going places. • Frank Goodman

	listen to a clips
	return to covers
	buy it here
	triciamitchell.com
	puremusic home