Fossils judithstar* Super Joe Music, 2001   Tracks 1: Fossils 2: Always In Trouble 3: Ever So 4: Dirty Feet   Reviewed by Sienna Powers	I want someone to explain the name, I really do. Though the name, judithstar*, makes you think of some aging Marge hammering at a Hammond, the reality is... well... different. This judithstar* -- our judithstar* -- does cool things with asterisks and case. And it's important to realize right away that judithstar* is not a her, but a them: an LA-based duo so newly minted they're still scraping the stickers off their Web site. The sinuous vocals belong to Tracy McMillan -- who will probably have to resign herself to being called "Judy" a lot -- and who also contributes keyboards and lyrics. Brett Lyda -- who no one probably ever calls "Judy" -- is a multi-instrumentalist (handy in a duo) and guitarist. The two forged their talents in November 2000 and played their first live gig in January 2001, performing as Thief River, because they felt they had to have a name. Their PR material is confusing. Describing their sound, it tells readers to imagine "Aimee Mann having a baby with Marvin Gaye. Or Simon and Garfunkel, if one of them was black. Or maybe Erykah Badu, if she was signed to Matador Records." While all of this is immensely amusing, it's not even remotely true. judithstar* packs more edge than Simon and Garfunkel ever did, even when their bridges were heading over troubled waters. There is no whisper of Gaye's Motown vibe or Mann's tragic resonance or Badu's well-articulated pain. In fact, judithstar* would do well to keep comparisons to a minimum: the duo's material, vocal phrasing, musical execution and meandering style are all their own. Forced to reach for a comparison I'd grab at Shea Seger or Alanis Morisette with a touch of Sheryl Crowe. The music is interesting, the musicianship solid and the vocals have the capability of soaring with a stadium diva but opt to patter interestingly with the possibilities closer at hand. Fossils, the four-song EP that is currently bringing judithstar* to the edge of the map, is music to love by: to be in, to fall out of, to orchestrate the act. Fossils is stuffed with music to make the heart sing, with an edge. Gorgeously full-throated and rich and heady like a late summer day, there's polish and finish enough here to belie the duo's recent eruption on the scene. All four tracks on Fossil undulate: a heat-damp cotton dress over gently swinging hips. Beautiful, memorable: perfect if only it were longer. We'll be seeing more of judithstar*, however. Currently touring the American west coast, judithstar* songs have been licensed by the MTV show Undressed and will be included on an upcoming compilation CD, L.A. Femme. As well, the duo are currently recording a full-length album, Two. I predict it will be worth waiting for. | November 2001 Sienna Powers is a writer, editor and visual artist.	Fossils, the four-song EP that is currently bringing judithstar* to the edge of the map, is music to love by: to be in, to fall out of, to orchestrate the act.