Rachael Yamagata - Sidedish Friend

There's a back door waiting just for you

If this isn't what you need

"Sidedish Friend" is off of Rachael Yamagata's second album released earlier this month--Elephants ... Teeth Sinking Into Heart. It's a two disc album, with Elephants being the first disc and more like her first album, while Teeth ... has a more rock feel to it reminiscent of PJ Harvey. The album also features Ray LaMontagne on a track appropriately titled "Duet."

After her parents divorce at the age of two, Rachael, born to a German-Italian mother and third-generation Japanese father, was tossed back and forth between her parents. After originally pursuing a degree in French at Northwestern University, Rachael decided to move to New York to study Italian theatre. She eventually returned to the theatre program in Northwestern where she joined a funk band called Bumpus. After six years and three albums, Rachael decided to leave the band and launch her solo career.