Western Oregon Journal

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Nellie McKay spits her share of curses and verses that are as bitter and hard hitting as a shot of gin, a beverage she so aptly but lovingly quotes in several of her songs on her debut album Get Away From Me.

McKay's style sounds like what a piano player, funk band, lounge singer, rapper and Nancy Sinatra would make if they were fighting in a bar. The 23-year-old, English-born McKay uses her acid wit and sense of humor blending dance hall and 'hood. Her raps are surprisingly well-written as in the work of "Sari" singing-"This idealogy of sorry/In part of the liberal theology that's leading us to hari-kari/It's like a mythology, almost Like a malingering ghost-At our own supposed sabotage of the elections at home/"oh somebody phone home!/The American people have spoken!"

Get Away From Me is brilliantly produced with dashingly tasteful sound effects, backing vocals and electronic music, a dual-disc album with enough variety for several records. The little-known McKay is worth a listen and is a well-rounded talent.

Considering the crux of the album, McKay's lines claiming a desire to get married and get a golden retriever are nothing but the sarcastic and also coveys a sense of the absurd America as in the song "I Wanna Get Married" writing: "I want a nice Leave it to Beaver-ish/Golden retriever and a little white house/I wanna get married/I need to cook meals/I wanna pack you cute little lunches /For my Brady bunches/Then read Danielle Steele."

Nellie McKay's Get Away From Me is an obnoxious and jesting answer to the Didos, Sarah McLachlans and Norah Joneses of the world. More like a middle finger to the top-forty assembly-line artists. With that, she and the album are successful. McKay's sophomore album, Pretty Little Head, is due out Dec. 27.

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