Something else about pop music that everybody but me knows?

[barking_iguana]

I was in a restaurant which had the radio tuned to the local soft rock station. I heard a vaguely familiar song (which means it must have been played to death for those who listen to pop more than I do) with a female vocalist and a piano part that sounded a lot like early-80s Billy Joel. I didn't remember Joel ever doing the piano only parts to someone else's stuff, so I looked up the song when I got home.

As I wonder if some of you have already guessed, it was Vanessa Carlton, singing and playing the piano in her own song—A Thousand Miles. Her Wikipedia page makes no mention of her influences. Does she acknowledge Joel as helping to form her style?

Comments

[chemoelectric.livejournal.com]

Who is Vanessa Carlton???? :)

[barking-iguana.livejournal.com]

That's what I said. That's why I looked her up on Wikipedia.

[chemoelectric.livejournal.com]

Obviously I’m not the person to answer your question. :)

[cinema-babe.livejournal.com]

I know of the singer and the song and I never thought of the Billy Joel influence before. She was only born in 1980 according to Wikipedia, so it's possible and probably pretty likely.

[freeko.livejournal.com]

Not that I know about Pop Music, I am more of a rock-n-roller with an affinity for the avant-garde such as my love for Ornette Coleman. She is a talented singer and pianist, I will give her that. But I still think Fiona Apple is far more immensely talented. I still indentify with Fiona's angst ridden tunes, even if I am no longer angst-ridden myself.

There is another song that I recently heard that I love. Its called "Breathe (2 A.M.)" by Anna Nalick. What I love about the song is the confessional quality of the song. That one is also really good.