Bostonist: Once, twice, three times a Mieka Pauley

I broke out of my food beat this week to post three shows for Mieka Pauley on Bostonist. I have a soft spot for Mieka Pauley. She was my very first interviewee for WERS back in the day, and she made it easy for me. She had brought comedian Baratunde Thurston along, and we all sat on the floor joking around. I enjoyed Thurston's company, but I couldn't figure out why he was there, until halfway through the interview she quietly admitted they were dating. They struck a nice balance: he's talkative and boisterous, while she's taciturn and reflective. It was easy to see how he wooed her with his humor and warmth, and equally easy to see how she attracted him with her heavy-lidded eyes and clever poetry.

However, I still can't understand why Pauley isn't already selling me iPods, and posing in some slightly scandalous way on the cover of a national magazine, and fending off accusations that she's "sold out", and dismissing rumors that she's stolen John Mayer away from Jennifer Aniston, instead of gigging around the country in small rooms and playing to small crowds. Maybe it's because her quiet voice wouldn't carry in a football stadium. She might not enunciate well enough for Sirius radio or NPR. She might not fit easily into mainstream music's pre-made molds of "winsome folk chanteuse" (read: women who are sad about the status quo) or "tough DiFranco-style broad" (read: women who are mad about the status quo). But I'd like to see her get the chance to try it all on for size.

I've got all my stars aligned - and my first piece in the Weekly Dig

I'm excited.

I was excited when I got my first byline in the Globe, but this may be just as fun.

I have a little blurb in the Dig. (I love the Dig.)

It's about St. Vincent, one of my favorite new performers on the indie scene. I saw her at the Middle East upstairs last year. She moves like a female David Byrne - like a marionette with her strings tangled in a ceiling fan. Her voice is at turns angelic and hard, and her stage presence is very gracious. I'm very happy that she and I were able to make it into the very last issue of '07 together.


I had originally pitched a piece on Feist's "The Reminder", but was turned town. Perhaps my editor has heard one too many phone commercials? Anyhow, it's a great album.

So I did this writeup instead. I couldn't fit "marionette with her strings tangled in a ceiling fan" in my 50 word piece, but that may be for the best.

To read the full "Best of 07" list in all of its indie-snob glory, click here.