BAEBLE SESSIONS: Lissie at The Guest Apartment

Lissie Maurus (though you can call her by her first name) hails from a place where the dirt between your toes is a mighty good thing. It builds character after all, symbolizes hard work, diligence, and the right kind of outlook in life. Rock Island IL; a tiny outcrop on the edge of the state, sharing a border with the mighty Mississippi. And though the sandy haired singer now calls the mountains of Ojai California home, the music of her Fat Possum debut Why You Runnin' channels a born and raised in the mid-west kind of mystique as it rolls through it's 5 jaw dropping tracks.

We're knocking our New Year off right, opening the doors of our comfy Guest Apartment up to Lissie, guitarist Eric Sullivan, and bass player Lewis Keller. Here, over three songs that careen a course of full-bodied rock and roll, sun-drenched country folk, and a little Southern Soul neatly tucked away in the folds, the trio awaken the sleepy spirit of Emmy Lou Harris, Loretta Lynn, and Neko Case as they perform. So shack on up with Lissie. Let she and her band glide you down the mighty Mississippi ("Oh Mississippi"), tell a lamentable tale of the nuptials that will never be ("Wedding Bells"), and shake the apartment planks with a thrilling sing along ("Little Lovin'"). "Why you running?" It's a question Lissie likes to ask with her music. We're guessing it's to keep up with she and her band. They're going places in 2010...fast! - David Pitz