KRISTIN ANDREASSEN: Kiss Me Hello

Kristin Andreassen

Kiss Me Hello

© 2006 Kristin Andreassen (837101218252)

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Big songs for dancing close at a crowded kitchen party. Or for listening, if you care for the sound of open windows, red walls & trumpet spit.

notes

KISS ME HELLO

Well hello. This is me, Kristin.

Kiss Me Hello is the first record that features my very own songs. You might already know some of my work from the bands I'm in (Uncle Earl & Sometymes Why). But this record is the only one that's got MY name on the cover.

When you're mostly known for your work as a member of a band, they call this kind of release a "solo project". I find that phrase difficult to wrap around this particular album, because while I did write the songs, and I sing and play on the record, it really has a full-band sound. And features the contributions of the really great players that I'm lucky to call my friends. Such as...

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THE MUSICIANS

MARK SCHATZ - Producer. He also played bass, fretless banjo & did some whistling. You may know Mark from Nickel Creek, from Tony Rice & Tim O'Brien's bands in the past, or from his current role as Musical Director of Footworks Percussive Dance Ensemble.

SCOTT SENIOR - Percussion. Of The Duhks.
DANNY KNICELY - Guitar. Bluegrass rockstar of Rockingham County.
AOIFE O'DONOVAN & RUTH UNGAR - Harmonies. Of The Mammals, Crooked Still & Sometymes Why (a band I'm also in)
ERIC MERRILL - Fiddle & Viola. A Boston man who kicks the ass of Irish & old-time styles alike.
OLIVER STECK - Piano & Trumpet. Austin physical comedian and wild card of note.
RUSHAD EGGLESTON - Cello. Of Crooked Still & The Wild Band of Snee.
FRANK RUSSO - Drums. Drumming Pro from Towson State University in Baltimore.

With SPECIAL GUESTS Sara Watkins (violin), Del Pushert (saxophone), Kevin Enoch (triangle), Kim Jones (tap dancing), and Eileen Carson Schatz, Neil Knicely & Megan Downes (vocals & body percussion).

We recorded mostly at The Ranch, an old farmhouse in Maryland where I lived while I wrote these songs. It's got an honest, live vibe and good, warm sounds.

I get lots of compliments on the mix & mastering which was done by the great BILL WOLF.


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MORE ABOUT ME

You might be here at my CD Baby page because you've heard of my old-time stringband UNCLE EARL. In that band I play guitar, sing & dance with the great KC Groves, Rayna Gellert & Abigail Washburn. We are signed to Rounder Records. www.uncleearl.net.

Or, you may be here because you're a fan of my other band SOMETYMES WHY, a vocal trio I have with Ruth Ungar (of The Mammals) & Aoife O'Donovan (of Crooked Still). www.sometymeswhy.com.

Or, you may be a part of an even more select group of people who know me from the days of THE JOLLY BANKERS, my all-timey recording collective with Pierce Woodward & Laura Cortese. www.jollybankers.com.

If you're a fan of Appalachian clogging, you may well have heard of my dance group FOOTWORKS PERCUSSIVE DANCE ENSEMBLE. I toured the world with Footworks for four years. Taught thousands of school kids about rhythm and connections between folk dance styles in different cultures. I still dance with Footworks when I can. www.footworks.org.


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MORE ABOUT THE SONGS

This collection comes from the time when I was working as a professional clogger & stepdancer with the Maryland-based touring company called FOOTWORKS PERCUSSIVE DANCE ENSEMBLE. I was thinking about dance and rhythm all the time in that job, and I like to think you can hear that in the arrangements and the songwriting. These songs make me want to clog or swing or waltz or play pattycake or -- at the very least -- sway back and forth for a minute. There are a few tracks that actually feature the sounds of hands and feet, like "Crayola", "Fly", "Dancin' in My Sleep" & "Faith".

"Dancin' in My Sleep" is the only cover song on the album, by the way. I wanted to record this one for three reasons: because it's about dancing, because it was written for me to sing (in a musical I was once a part of), and because it was written by my friend Bob Lucas, an Ohio songwriter who is just plain great at what he does.

I think these songs have a fairly old-fashioned aesthetic. Lyrically, they're not internal or obscure, and I like that about them. You can sing along. You can play along. If you buy the album, you get a booklet with the words in it.


***


LAST WORDS

I'm proud of this album and I really do hope you decide to get a copy sent to your home. I think you'll find something you like on here.

And if you do like it, tell a friend! Since I'm so busy with my other bands, I'm not really out on the road promoting this record. It's just starting to get around thanks to word of mouth, and I'm thanking you sincerely for the part you play in that.


With love,
Kristin Marie Andreassen

reviews

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  • Terrific solo debut for Kristin Andreassen
    author: Mark Wylie

    Like many reviewers of this album, I'd guess, I first encountered Kristin Andreassen through her work with Uncle Earl. This terrific solo album demonstrates her talents as both songwriter and performer. She wrote almost all the songs here and, as you'd expect, she sings, plays several instruments, and throws in a little dancing. Some of the tracks have the old-time country feel familiar to fans of Uncle Earl--"Pale Moon" was on Uncle Earl's "She Waits for Night" album, and is in fact the source of the album title. Other songs draw from different roots, like the jazzy "(Just Another Song About) Molly Brown," or my personal favorite, "Hello Where Are You," which has a blues feel, as well as being a subtle social commentary. This is an album I'll be enjoying for years.

  • kiss me hello
    author: jan mitchell

    I love this CD! Bought it at a gig and foolishly lost it a few months later. Was overjoyed when I finally found a way to replace it and bought several for my friends. Have played mine constantly since - every track makes me happy! Thank you!!

  • Great diversity of musical influence.
    author: Phillip M. Edwards

    My name is Phillip M. Edwards. I am no music critic but only a casual listener of music CDs. I say that to say that I do not have the professional credentials to critic a musical artist. I don't really know how objective I can be whenever it comes to evaluating music CDs that I listen to. I do know though that I have two good ears for listening to music and that I know great music when I hear it. The CD titled Kiss Me Hello of Ms. Andreassen's is just that. Great music! Kiss Me Hello is a collection of music that shows the wide range of Ms. Andreassen's musical ability. This is an excellent CD that not only brings in the great song-writing ability of Ms. Andreassen, but also an eclectic style instrumentality! The instruments used on the production of the songs include not only the traditional stringed instruments like the guitar, violin, bass, but also used are a piano, drums, trumpet, and saxophone. Added to all these instruments is the unique clog dancing ability of Ms. Andreassen on the cover song “Dancin’ in My Sleep” and it makes for one incredible music performance. Kristin Andreassen and her collaborators on this CD show a wide range of musical ability and talent. The musical talent is so wide ranging on this CD that I am not exactly sure what musical genre that this CD fits into. I just know that this CD is a collection of great sounding music. If you like a music CD with an artist who possesses a wide range of musical talent then buy this CD. You will not be disappointed!

  • Tremendous talent, incredible potential
    author: Jim

    I was tuned into my favorite Internet bluegrass station (bluegrasscountry.org) one Friday night when the DJs played “Kiss Me Hello.” I googled, I listened, I bought the album. What a find! Kristin’s lyrics are true poetry, conjuring strong images in the listener’s mind (an airplane contrail is a “scar in the sky”). The songs remind me of John Prine—they can be quirky, they can be “straight,” but they are always fun and there is always a message. The CD is a collection of songs Kristin has written in a smorgasbord of genres. The arrangements, apparently by design, seem understated, but these songs would do very well with a full treatment in any number of genres. I’d love to hear “Kiss Me Hello,” for example, in a full Dixieland arrangement. Kristin has a lovely voice that never misses the note. But I had the feeling that she was just a bit restrained in her singing on the album. No need to be, these songs deserve the full treatment. What this album succeeds in doing enormously well is to showcase a singer-songwriter with incalculable potential.

  • I'm Smitten
    author: Tim

    I am not sure what Kristen's would say knowing there is a middle age man who loves her so. Yea I got the Jolly Bankers, Sometymes Y, Uncle Earl & I've seen her just dance. She's as beautiful as they come. But I'll try and stay objective: Kiss Me Hello is a very strong record of various acoustic styles making the "hit" "Crayola" as good as representative as any song. The bold diverse nature of the record makes it both a pleasure and hard to quite describe, except to say while it doesn't rock out, it can in the right mood rock your world. This is a strong 9 out of 10 record. Solid sound, good playing, a unique and quite wonderful voice, and strong original songs. The lyrics can be a bit too cute, but I like cute, and at times the melody might suffer just a touch from this. But that's only an issue if you aren't smitten with the bold, the beautiful, the smart and the talented Ms. Andreassen which I'll be you'll be if you buy this record.

  • What a great record!
    author: John Penny

    Like many others on this thread, I first came across this record as a result of seeing Uncle Earl do the Crayola song. A short google later I was buying the album on this site! And how glad I am that I did; the Crayola song is, obviously, a highlight, but there is so much to love on this record, from the obviously generous and collegiate attitude of its star to the way in which various different styles all fit together to form a fantastic whole, from the expected (to Uncle Earl fans) old timey string band stuff to the wonderfully mellow jazzy tunes like the title track and the almost rockabilly "Ex Life Calling". A wonderful collection. I'm off to order the Sometymes Why disc now!

  • Kiss Me Hello
    author: Steve

    This is the most fun album. The songs are so fresh and fun, the cd stays in the player continuously, and never a song skipped. Kristin's voice is fantastic, the energy so positive. Its difficult to pick a favorite song. One of the best albums I have heard in years.

  • Fun for everyone
    author: Lori Warrren

    We love Uncle Earl and Kristin's solo album delivers the same fun filled music. Our daughter and her friends LOVE IT...especially "Crayola Doesn't Make a Color for You Eyes". This is a Great recording to introduce your kids to real Americana Traditional Music. Save the American Music... Save the World's greatest music!!!

  • Kiss Me Hello
    author: eric metcalf

    Music is fun again!

  • Kiss Me Hello
    author: bob sitzwohl

    Harmony, diversity and quality; all the things I look for in a great cd.

  • Kiss Me Hello
    author: Barbra Wiener

    I first heard the Crayola song on Minnesota Public Radio and I was writing down the words in the car (of course, I pulled over). Loved the rest of the CD, too!

  • Thanks
    author: Ashley

    I randomly heard Uncle Earl at Bonnaroo & loved Crayola. It was unique and fun (just like Bonnaroo). I Googled "Crayola doesn't make a color for your eyes," and found CD Baby. Your album makes me smile & dance. Thank you for creating! Cheers, Ashley

  • my calf muscles ache a little.
    author: Manda

    'kiss me hello' has inspired much dancing and hopping about. when i heard Crayola on NPR a while ago, i pulled my car over right away and wrote down the title and album name. Kristin's music is quirky, thoughtful, and inspiring. i especially appreciated the section of the cd cover that describes her creative process. thanks! am looking forward to catching a live show sometime!

  • laughter, inspiration, and swing
    author: Pema White

    My family caught Uncle Earl at Bonnaroo, and my 5 year old fell in love with Crayola...I dance with my daughter in our living room to it, we love this album! Thanks for making my family smile and sing!

  • Refreshing -- each song unique, clever and insightful.
    author: Kathy Barber

    I saw Uncle Earl and the Biscuit Eaters at the Birchmere in Alexandria, VA in March. It was so refreshing to see all those young people singing traditional bluegrass with a modern twist as well as their own bluegrass songs -- including a bluegrass song from India and one from China! The creativity and energy, coupled with tradition, inspires confidence that Bluegrass will be passed on and improved from generation to generation.

  • Wonderful music with a great mix of soul and passion.
    author: Rebecca Laatsch

    Our circle of friends "discovered" Kristen from her you tube video of Crayola. We all fell in love and I tracked her down to here. After hearing some of the other songs I immediately bought two copies and shared one with a friend. I have loved the CD and it is a real hit with my entire family. Thank you for producing it!

  • LOVED IT!
    author: Misujerr

    After seeing Crayola and Hello where are you on youtube (search for them, they are adorable!) I had to have more. I like how she describes coming up with tunes while shoveling snow (Like the snow) or stacking wood (Faith.) Very upbeat, happy tunes, git it!

  • Cant wait to hear this live
    author: Joe Slack

    Great Mix of style. Iam impressed. caught uncle eral at winter fest 2007.

  • Kristin's got the whole package!
    author: Lee Huntington

    Having seen (and heard) Kristin and Aoife O'Donovan perform Crayola at MerleFest, I went seeking more. I found this cd mentioned on her MySpace site and went directly to it. It's GREAT! Kristin runs the full emotional gamut from whimsical to way sultry. Just try to listen to Heat without sweating; for various heat inducing reasons. The telephone song rivals Crayola for it's creativity. I'm very impressed and hope this lady get's all the attention that she deserves. Oh, and she dances, too!

  • Love it
    author: Luke Woodward

    I LOVE this CD from start to finish. Clever, poignant, original, beautamous... these are just a few words to describe it.

  • Fantabulous! Anxiously awaiting more.....
    author: kiss me 2

    loved crayola, bought the disc for that alone....didn't expect the level of diversity, talent and layers of sound! pleasantly surprised!

  • Very nice album
    author: Juliet
  • absolutely perfect - I loved it
    author: Ray Andreassen

    I thoroughly loved this CD - I was interested in hearing this because Kristin and I share the same last name but are not related (Andreassen is a relatively uncommon name in the US - not so in Norway) I am glad that this is what drew me to her - otherwise I may never heard it (I enjoy the oldies) The voice range is awesome !

  • So much fun to listen to. Saw you and Uncle Earl live in NH a few weeks ago.
    author: JoAnne Dempsey

    I never listened to so much enegy before. maybe it is because I saw you live just a few weeks back. You have an infectious personality and your talents are limitless. I hope you appreciate the gift you possess to entertain. Love every cut on the CD. Keep 'em coming!!

  • LOVE IT!!
    author: Amy

    i absoutely love the lyrics in the Crayola song....but I can't seem to find any of the lyrics to any of the songs on the web...i really want them because they are soooo cool!! I LOVE THIS CD

  • Crayola is my new favorite song.
    author: Jo

    Heard the crayola song at Wintergrass and loved it!! I was happy to find it recorded. My family enjoys hand-jiving to the song. The rest of the album is enjoyable too.

  • She's Got Rhythm And So Much More
    author: Bob

    Each song calls out for foot tapping and finger snapping, each one very happy or wistful not sappy. I think I'll buy a copy for Pappy! Much of the stuff he listens to is crappy.

  • Diverse, beautifully written and excellently played
    author: Emy

    The music on this CD is so diverse -- there is something for everyone. Kristin's voice is flawless and the musicianship is truly top-notch. This CD will not leave the player for quite some time.

  • Wonderful driven, beautiful!
    author: Daina DynahMight

    I am wonderfully happy and pleased with this CD purchase. After hearing a few songs of hers through MySpace and purchasing the disc I have found a geat new CD for any occasion. Wonderful lyrics, beautiful melodies and stimulating arrangements. 'Crayola' is definitely one of my new favorite songs!

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