Little Window

by Gregory McIntosh Baby Dee is truly an anomaly, a poetess whose effortless performances are stunning in not only her graceful aptitude, but her heartfelt honesty. The dark and troubled hopefulness that permeates Little Window truly fits into no coined musical category but articulates sonically and emotionally every possible definition of gorgeous. The entire contents of the album, Baby Dee's debut, are so incredibly sincere and delicate, yet remarkably fearless and undeniably classy, they carry the mark of a person who simply must create music to survive. Baby Dee holds this album together entirely with solo piano and voice -- save for the two instrumentals that bookend the album, where she trades the piano for an accordion and bird calls -- over which pours her obsession with nature, especially the joyful singing of the morning birds, and the solace she finds in it to ease the horrors of her troubled past. One of the remarkable things about Little Window is that it never feels like Baby Dee is releasing baggage onto the listener, but reinforcing that optimism can always be had under even the most difficult times. Within this optimism is present a murky undertone of the recognition necessary to purge the uneasiness and lay it to rest with some closure. This, aided by the soft and intimate nature of her lovely voice, matures with repeated listening and denotes a powerfully artistic statement difficult not to be entirely lost in.