by Jim Kelly

Who: Janice Hall
What: Superb pop songstress
Where: Ottawa, Ontario
To Contact: P.O. Box 81096, 111 Albert St., Ottawa, Ontario, K1P 1B1; Tel: (613) 234-1550; info@leepmusic.com

Here’s yet another Ottawa songcrafter to keep an eye on. Janice Hall is a 28-year-old singer-songwriter who’s well-known around our nation’s capital, and now she’s campaigning for national exposure with the release of her first full-length CD, Collector’s Item. She gets my vote. Produced by Dave Draves (Julie Doiron, The Wooden Stars), the album is a superb collection of endearing songwriting, charming singing and ear-catching pop-rock arrangements, with help from her excellent backing band The Recoilers. Hall’s singing style brings to mind shades of Liz Phair, with its mix of directness and seeming off-handedness. The first single, “95″, derives its title from the long bus route that bisects Ottawa, and it highlights Hall’s ability as a songwriter to uncover nuggets of insight in our most mundane experiences, from musings on the lives of the people on the bus, encounters with meter maids (“Collector”), or our struggles to get through the weariness that can afflict everyday life (“Cold Coming On”). “I’ve taken to looking around me for inspiration, more than trying to cover huge emotional themes,” Hall says of her songwriting evolution. “I just find it easier to attach something to an experience I’ve had, even if it’s something as mundane as missing a bus,” she says with a laugh. “Everybody can relate to those kinds of things.” Hall hopes to do some more extensive touring this summer, spreading the word while also trying to get her songs to radio. Don’t miss the bus on this one.

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