source: Katelyn Epperly's Facebook page

I've mentioned Katelyn Epperly a few times on this blog ... she was a contestant on the 9th season of "American Idol" in 2010 and, in my opinion, had one of the most memorable performances ever on the show with her rendition of Coldplay's "The Scientist."

Anyway, Katelyn finally released a new EP last Tuesday, which you can currently stream on SoundCloud. I wasn't sure what direction Katelyn's music was going to go in -- since 2010, she's done a handful of covers and a handful of original ballads. I think "Southern Gothic" is really the first time she's given us an idea of what kind of artist she might want to be. She's always had a very pretty voice, pretty in a way that you might easily become distracted and allow the subtle power in her voice to go completely unnoticed, but it's there.

I'm not sure I've ever come across a collection of music whose sound is more perfectly described by its name than "Southern Gothic." It's got elements of the South, blues, jazz, and just generally sounds like a live performance you may have heard at a New Orleans speakeasy. It's a little foreboding, a little dangerous, a little sleazy, a little frank and a little vulnerable, while adhering to one cohesive sound. What more could you want, really?