Leah Andreone
Veiled
RCA

Isn't it ironic... Alanis is deep into 13 million sales and Leah is still virtually anonymous. Her first single, the infectious "It's Alright It's OK," received nominal airplay, and her World Cafe appearance was certainly an eye-opener for anyone previously unfamiliar with her. So who is she? A few months ago she was an eavesdropping waitress with an eye for opportunity, slipping her demo tape into the hands of an RCA executive who happened to be eating at one of her tables. He showed up the next morning and promptly signed her.

The resulting debut, Veiled, is a work of pure emotion, showing a vulnerability and recklessness unrivaled by anything I've heard this year (with the possible exception of the new Paula Cole CD). Andreone covers a lot of ground here, from the confessional "You Make Me Remember," which confronts the denial of childhood sexual abuse, to the philosophical quandaries of "Hell to Pay." On the latter, Andreone questions, "If there were no hell to pay, would you still need a god?" Kudos also must go to guitarist, co-writer and producer Rick Neigher, who does a phenomenal job with each. Veiled, an ironic title for such a revealing work.

Joe del Tufo