So the best, most underrated picture of the year definitely has to be In Bruges. What a fantastic film, with fantastic performances. It’s my sleeper pick for this year’s Oscars, and I don’t think anyone sees it coming. But this isn’t a film review - I don`t want to ruin it for you. I bought the DVD the day it came out, and only upon viewing it, did I realize that the soundtrack includes a Regina Spektor song! It’s the song ‘That Time’ originally on her album ‘Begin to Hope.’ Random, but amazing. Or perhaps not so random… Everything in this movie is deliberate, and ingenious. Well, if anything, it`s just another reason why this movie is so good. Now i’m going to go listen to her CD all over again - I have a renewed appreciation.

MP3>> Regina Spektor - That Time

Who doesn’t love a soft female vocalist singing along with the sweet sounds of an acoustic guitar, piano, or in some cases, a harp. If you’re anything like me, there’s nothing sweeter than the sound of a talented female artist doing her thing. Artists that we know and love, like Joanna Newsom, My Brightest Diamond, Feist and Regina Spektor (to name a few) and artists that aren’t so well known like the one’s I’m about to name. This is a tribute to some up and coming female artists that I think we will be hearing a lot more from in the coming years.

Laura Marling

At the mere age of 18, Marling has created quite a stir not only in her Eversley, England hometown, but across the pond, here in North America. I was lucky enough to see her open for Adam Green last month in New York City, and even though many people didn’t know who she was, the performance was great, and I’m sure it got whoever was at the show talking about her. She has a whole bunch of shows coming up this summer, mostly in the UK with 2 more stops in New York City next week.

Check out all of her dates here.

And here is her video for the song “Ghosts” which is off of her debut album Alas I Cannot Swim:

Birdie Busch

This is a new discovery of mine, recommended to me by my friend Jeremy of good musical taste. There isn’t a lot about her out there on the internet (just yet) but I think she has a nice sound, and could be big one day. She has already released 2 full length albums, and I think she may have a third in the works.

Here is a sample track and the best quality video I could find for you, the song is called “Mystical” and the video is called “Go Go Gadget Heart”, both songs off of her latest release, Penny Arcade :

Birdie Busch - Mystical

Basia Bulat

The first I heard of Basia Bulat was at the inaugural Osheaga Festival in 2006 in Montreal. Unfortunately, I just stopped for a few minutes on my way to see Final Fantasy play so i didn’t really get to enjoy her set. If I knew that I would like her as much as I do today I would have definitely made a point of watching her entire set. Along with acoustic guitar Basia also plays the autoharp regularly at all of her shows. And best of all, she is Canadian!

This is a video of her performing “Snakes and Ladders” from her latest release Oh, My Darling, live in Brussels

Holly Throsby

My last up and coming solo female artist is the amazingly talented Holly Throsby, who has gained significant popularity in her hometown of Sydney, Australia and is continuing to gain popularity around the world. She has toured with the likes of Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy, Joanna Newsom and YBP’s first official artist, Devendra Banhart. She has already given us two amazing albums and the third will hit shelves on July 12 entitled “A Loud Call”

Here is Holly performing the song “Spare-Ohs” along with violin/whistler extraordinaire Andrew Bird:

And finally, here is a little taste of Holly’s new album A Loud Call. The song is called “A Heart Divided”:

So, readers, you have some homework to do…check out these artists and then go to their shows!

Until next week…

-The Middle Distance Runner