20) Tori Amos
There are three eras of Tori Amos. There's the tortured pianist/vocalist of her early albums, a rapturous voice belting out narratives as disturbing as they were dreamy. There's the methodical craftswoman of recent years. Her songs are structurally impressive but they've lost all of their delirious passion. Somewhere in between is the Tori Amos who recorded From the Choirgirl Hotel — the rock goddess, the band leader, the chanteuse drill sergeant who wailed out songs like "Raspberry Swirl" and made them sound like sweating. All three are hot, but the choirgirl was immortal. — J.C. |
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19) Jenny Lewis
Recent Jenny Lewis tracks ("The Moneymaker", "Big Guns") have played up the Lewis-as-smoky-nympho-chanteuse thing, but for our money, she was at her sexiest in her baby-faced-gamine days ("Spectacular Views"), when she didn't seem to be trying as hard. Either way, she's got the locks, she's got the gams, and God knows she's got the pipes. Of course, now that every boy in Williamsburg has a perpetual Jenny-boner, it's harder to stake a (fantasy) claim for her love. Get out of the way, Elvis Costello Glasses! You too, Vintage T-Shirt! She's ours! — P.S.
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18) Carrie Brownstein
Though we'd admired them for years, only on what would be their final U.S. did we manage to see Carrie Brownstein and her band, Sleater-Kinney, live. Considering they'd been together for a significant portion of their lives (and were on the verge of breaking up), S-K — and Brownstein in particular — performed with staggering energy and exuberance. Whether it was her onstage grin or simply the quality (and quantity) of her guitar solos, any bonehead in the audience could tell that Brownstein really liked being in a rock band. Which is, surprisingly, a rare and endearing quality. (As well as a sexy one.) — J.B. [ My vote's for Corin, but you win this round, Joe. — ed. ] |
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17) Beth Gibbons
Sultry and saturnine, this flaxen-haired Brit is living proof that blondes don't always have more fun. Whether helming Portishead's sporadic masterpieces or her own solo albums, Ms. Gibbons' siren song makes soul-crushing existential despair positively swoon-worthy. When Beth is on the mic, that monkey on your back is giving you shiatsu. — C.L. |
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16) Janis Joplin
She's been called the Ugly Duckling for a reason: Janis Joplin is just as likely to make a Women Who Could Lift Your VW Bus Off Your Crushed Leg list as a hottest frontwomen list. But she deserves both. With a stage presence for the ages, Joplin made it clear to her fans that the sexy needn't always be the beautiful. — J.M.
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