Hopefully Brenda Weiler doesn't read the Budgeteer, because here comes a bombshell: When she played her CD release show at Beaner's Sept. 14, opening act Leane Perius stole the show.
That this young, doe-eyed Duluth schoolteacher managed to upstage her idol should come as no surprise, though: Arguments for global domination are all over her recording debut, "Virginia Wakes."
The album opens with a mature bid for chanteuse of the year, "Blues." Just as Renee Austin fans were "doing the Charlie Brown," this self-evident tune -- cemented by an excellent backing group and lyrics from Mary Oliver's mesmerizing poem "White Night" -- will leave them smiling as they realize that they stumbled upon the second coming.
Things quiet down with "Rose" and the haunting "Dead Body," but they're no less effective.
What comes next, mirroring her performance last month at Beaner's, is the songstress' calling card: "One-Legged Horse." Backed by the infallible Dan Dresser and Sara Softich, the track (and its subtle country cues) is worthy of the beautiful, sprawling soundtrack to "Brokeback Mountain" and, all at once, serves as the spiritual "sequel" to America's golden standard "A Horse with No Name."
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Another way Perius stands out from the crowded sea of singer/songwriters is her uncanny knack for lyrics you won't soon forget.
"Rose," in particular, sticks with you from the first listen: "Maybe it's not the kind of love / I dreamt about when I was 5 / But it keeps me warm."
Then again, considering all the other alluring aspects of "Virginia Wakes" -- delicate vocals, polished musicianship, a rich, warm sound, etc. -- Perius has a lot more going for her than just lyrics.
For more information, visit www.myspace.com/leanemarie .
