Lissie (Lissie Maurus) is a singer-songwriter from Rock Island, Illinois who moved to Los Angeles to find success as a songwriter.  She did the coffeehouse circuit and joined Lenny Kravitz as support for a three week tour in 2008 then had surprising success on Billboard’s dance chart with DJ Morgan Page’s song “The Longest Road,” which featured Lissie on vocals.  Her first EP, Why You Runnin’, comes out on November 10.

Lissie’s style is mostly indie-pop with a country-folk edge.  Her gorgeous voice is pure and rich, emotional and layered.  It washes over the music and pulls you in.  Her slight twang adds more folk than her lyrics, which are often her weakest point.  The harmonies added throughout are one of the strongest points, giving the songs a nice depth.  Frequent handclaps also add layers to the music and make it seem more personal.

“Little Lovin’” is a catchy, fun song that starts gently and builds to a foot-stomping crescendo.  I love the slow switch from pretty to boisterous.  The melody and harmony of “Wedding Bells” are lovely and soothing, but the lyrics are sappy enough to make me cringe. “Down the aisles someone else you’re walking/Wedding bells will never ring for me/Planned a little cottage in the valley/Even bought a little band of gold…”  Despite that, it is a simple, sweet and lovely song I can’t help but hum along to.  I like the traditional folk nature of “Oh Mississippi,” which makes terrific use of piano and Lissie’s clear vocals.  She adds a dash of soul to the song, belting out the last verse and chorus.  “Everywhere I Go” is generic with an unimpressive melody and uninteresting lyrics, but, wow, does her voice sound great.  The last track, “Here Before,” starts in that same generic vein, but is quickly elevated with haunting harmonies.  Lissie’s vocals are especially beautiful here as she lets the emotion change it from full-bodied to a near-whisper and back again.

EPs are too short to get a real gauge of an artist’s range or talent, but Why You Runnin’ definitely tells you Lissie can sing.  Her vocals have both power and sweetness, with an emotional depth that’s usually hard to find.  This disc’s production is first-rate with a lot of care taken to give each mostly simple song layers and punch.  For a first release, this is some good music.  Lissie is currently on tour with Ray Lamontagne, and I wish she were coming to my area, but I’m sure I’ll see her at some point in what should be a long career.