I agree with Charlotte Thistle when she calls herself a smart-ass. She has a sense of humor that definitely comes through in her songwriting, but the word “smart” in that colloquialism does double duty. She’s smart, as in intelligent. That also comes through in her songs. I laughed and also thought more deeply later about the issues she raised. She has this one song called “Momma Why” that I particularly liked in spite of its name. I am raising a daughter, so that phrase is one that I’ve heard more times than I thought humanly possible. But this is a song I’d want to hear again, and one I’d recommend to others. She’s wisecracking about double standards, but she’s also making a lot of sense.



The deeper issue is censorship — no, its anti-violence; no it’s prudish, outdated morals. You see, you have to listen through your giggles so you don’t miss what she’s saying. It’s deep but not swaggering around with eye-rolling self-importance.



“I am a songwriter,” says Thistle, “because I hear music in my head and feel compelled to share it with people. I don’t even think I really write the songs — there’s some entity in the greater consciousness that sends me this stuff because they seem to think I have the time to deal with it.” She says her goals right now are paying next month’s rent and making you laugh. A few of her prouder accomplishments are making friends with her mother, graduating from college with a music degree, playing at Bumbershoot, and receiving a nod of approval from Jim Page when she played at the Oregon Country Fair in July.



She hails from Seattle but she is in the midst of a Pacific Northwest tour that includes Idaho, Montana and Oregon. This week she’s in Chehalis for two performances at the Matrix Coffeehouse. Get a preview of her music now at www.myspace. com/charlottethistle. — Angela Jossy



[Matrix Coffeehouse, Aug. 23 9 p.m., Aug. 24 8 p.m., all ages, 434 N.W. Prindle St., Chehalis, 360.740.0492]