The Good Ship Niemietz Returns

As readers of these pages have long-since figured out, I really like the music of the wonderful Sara Niemietz.  Which makes it all the more surprising that it's been much too long since I've posted a song from -- so long, in fact, that it turns out she has a new album, Get Right.  Most of the songs on it are originals -- either written by herself alone, or with legendary composer W.G. "Snuffy" Waldron.  This is the only cover, Roy Orbison's "Crying."

"Crying" is a difficult song to tackle -- not just vocally, but in its interpretation.  And I think her version is unique and overall very successful, throwing herself into it with a combination of restraint, raw emotion, and (this being "Crying," after all) the obligatory belting, rather than just skirting the surface and merely showing off one's range (which she manages well).  I also sense a maturity in her voice that wasn't there in her previous album, Travel Light, that was a joy for its flowing flexibility.

My only quibble has nothing to do with the song but her website.  For inexplicable reasons, the webpage under the tab for "Music" is woefully empty, leaving out both this new album and her prior Travel Light (which is terrific), as well as most of her videos.  In fact, you can only find Travel Light by clicking on a homepage link to the new album.  Odd.

​That aside, here's the song.  That's Waldron accompanying her on guitar with effective simplicity