As a veteran of a number of Greg Laswell performances, it’s rare to see a Laswell show where I don’t walk away with two or three new musical favorites, thanks to his well-picked support acts (see Jay Nash, Anya Marina, Cary Brothers, just to name a few).  More than simply “opening acts,” it often seems like Laswell’s tours are more of a musical revue type presentation, a truly unified collaborative spirit and mutual love of music that unfolds live on stage for all to see.  And it’s been a magnificent experience each and every time I get the pleasure of seeing it.

Laswell adds several more jewels to his crown of great musical support acts with his current tour featuring The Rescues, Harper Blynn and Kim Taylor.

I’m particularly excited to see Taylor – Little Miracle, her current release (and third album overall) that came out in mid-September is one of those great singer/songwriter albums that immediately locks itself into your player (or perhaps your preferred digital listening device of choice) with a sound that’s instantly familiar.  Her vocals have been compared to Hope Sandoval and Cat Power (personally, her voice reminds me a bit of Kathleen Edwards, so it’s probably no surprise that I really like Kim’s stuff), and her musical roots lie just a short trip down the road in Cincinnati, although my buddy Brian will be sad to hear that as far as I can tell, there are no songs about Skyline Chili on this album.

Recorded in a week, Little Miracle is adequately produced but thankfully takes a minimalist approach that fits the music well, leaving the songs themselves plenty of room to breathe. Adding to the appeal of Taylor’s music is the honesty that courses through every second of Little Miracle, something that is all too rare in too much of the music released these days, or at the very least, you sometimes have to dig a little bit deeper to find it.  At 33 minutes, it’s a listening experience that although it is a short one, it feels just right.

But don’t take my word for it – check out Kim Taylor’s stuff for yourself using the widget below and get on out to a show.  Taylor, Laswell, etc. will be in Cleveland on Thursday night for a 9pm show at the House of Blues in the Cambridge Room (the Cleveland show actually is Taylor’s first date on the tour) and there are plenty of other opportunities for you to catch a show further down the road as well – click here for a current list of tour dates.