Part-Time Texan Vanessa Peters Tours Europe, Prepares New Disc For March Release

By Darryl Smyers Thu., Feb. 12 2009 at 1:04 PM

Categories: DFW Music News

Juri de Luca

Vanessa Peters' MySpace page used to list her home town as McKinney, but truth be told, the former Austin resident spends as much time in Italy as she does in the states--which probably explains why Peters is touring The Netherlands, Germany, and Belgium before her new album is officially released in the US.

Sweetheart, Keep Your Chin Up, produced by Salim Nourallah, is Peters' fourth full-length and it's quite a bold step forward from what's she's done in the past; Nourallah adds just the right amount of muscle to Peters' soft-spoken tales of romantic ennui.

Local folks will have to wait until early March to get a hold of Sweetheart, but I think the wait should be worth it; songs such as "Good News" and "The Next Big Bang" showcase a songwriter with a unique and clear vision. Sure, the music and vocals are definitely Lisa Loeb-influenced, but the songs themselves demonstrate a range and depth that probably justifies Peters' traveling expenses.

Look for a local CD release show sometime in March. Perhaps a good turnout could convince Peters to make North Texas more than a part time abode.