You may already know Lisa Hannigan as the former female voice behind Damien Rice’s recorded output and live show. She’s been going solo now for a little while, and has one full-length under her belt, but I still feel like she’s been hovering under the radar for way too long.

So, first things first – this isn’t a somber girl-and-a-guitar record. Hannigan’s tracks are lushly put together, featuring all sorts of instruments that work together to create a warm, inviting atmosphere, and her smoky voice fits beautifully on top.

The tracks on her CD, Sea Sew, are largely upbeat; although she shines on slower ballads (see: much of her Damien Rice work), these self-written songs are a nice change of pace. And when she does go for slower, bigger songs (”Teeth”), the magic is still very much there.

Another reason to check her out – she got the Colbert Bump. And, I mean, that’s pretty much foolproof, right?

Lisa Hannigan – “I Don’t Know” [MP3]

Lisa Hannigan – “Teeth” [MP3]

Lisa Hannigan – “Venn Diagram” [MP3]

Lisa Hannigan on MySpace

Buy Sea Sew