Continuing my look at 2004, first by counting down my own top ten albums of that year.

#3 – Rachael Yamagata – Happenstance

An idea I’ve had on the back burner for awhile is a theme week (or two) on my favorite debut albums. Lots of rich material to mine there.

An album that will no doubt make the cut is Happenstance, the first full-length effort by singer-songwriter Rachael Yamagata. This is the only album I own by Yamagata, who has released four more since, and one that continues to impress me nearly 20 years later.

Twelve years ago, I wondered in a blog post why some artists can blow you away on first listen but somehow not enter the stable of regulars. Frequent commenter Dana suggested that tepid reviews of Yamagata’s second album might have scared me off, while occasional commenter Amy wondered if her similarity to Fiona Apple rendered her redundant.

I don’t know if either of those answers are correct, or if it’s something else, but I never did pick up that second album, and I never listened to the third or fourth either. Maybe one of these days.

But Happenstance is still a marvel. It does owe a huge debt to Apple, whether intentional or not, but that’s a great thing in my book. Smart, emotional piano pop with impassioned vocals and intriguing song structure… yes, please!

This album features songs that could and should have been mainstream radio hits, as well as anguished ballads meant for lonely late night headphone sessions. It’s equal parts confident and vulnerable, furious and fun. I can’t recommend it highly enough.