Dirty Dollhouse - Vinyl Child / Queen Coyote [CD]

Dirty Dollhouse is the multi-genre music of Philadelphia-based artist Chelsea Mitchell, a folk chanteuse with classical training and a retro-pop composer with a soft spot for the country. After releasing her first lo-fi EP, Married in the Aviary, Mitchell received the Tri-State Indie Vocalist of the Year award, and the lyrics to her song “Nobody’s Daughter” were showcased in American Songwriter Magazine. Joined by light accompaniment for a follow-up EP, 25 Shades saw a departure from traditional folk and embraced a Nashville vibe while 2017’s full-length album Vinyl Child was a mixture of darkly contemplative pop songs and quiet, intimate confession.

Drawing from many muses has produced a uniquely diverse catalog, but it has also made it near-impossible to pin down who Mitchell sounds like. In sultry-toned moments you might hear Nicole Atkins, a soft bird-like peak could make you think of Kacey Musgraves, and a certain belt may summon Brandi Carlile. Though her vocals range from soft twang to unabashedly operatic, it could suffice to say that Mitchell’s songs all fit under the same “singer-songwriter” umbrella as her lyrics weave a diary page to life and her band expands on structural simplicity with subtle grace. As bassist Joshua Machiz, drummer Eric Lawry, and lead guitarist August John Lutz II are now full-time members, Dirty Dollhouse has found a new and exciting momentum, opening for rising stars like Nikki Lane and Amanda Shires and playing to a wider audience.

1. The Last Time