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Written by Keke Mullins Wednesday, 11 June 2008 13:58

The young singer has a voice that sounds as though Bright Eyes' Conor Oberst were crossed with Cat Power.

With her whisper-soft voice, Samantha Crain has definitely made herself stand out with her EP, The Confiscation. The young singer has a voice that sounds as though Bright Eyes' Conor Oberst were crossed with Cat Power. She's almost so quiet that the music seems to overpower her at moments, but she holds her place against the background of acoustic guitars and Dylan-esque harmonica riffs.

"The River," the first song on the record, has a background sprinkled with tambourine cymbals as some of the only percussion. The song opens with a folk harmonica riff before bringing in the acoustic guitar. Crain's voice is soulful and wise, sounding far more mature than her 21 years; the slight rasp in her voice gives her a more sullen edge, which could give the song a more morose feeling, if it weren't for the feeling and musicality she puts into it.

The Shawnee, Okla., native describes her musical style as "distinctly Oklahoman" on her MySpace page, playing off her Midwestern folk sound. The combination of her Oklahoman roots with a twist of indie makes her sound completely unique and genuine.

Samantha Crain is on tour with the Midnight Shivers nationally through the end of September. A | Keke Mullins