MELISSA FERRICK: in the eyes of strangers

Melissa Ferrick

in the eyes of strangers

© 2006 Right On Records (618106200721)

MA native's 7th release on her own label. A passionate, urgent album produced by Ethan Allen (patty griffin, ani difranco, kristen hirsch) players include: Julie Wolfe(Bruce Cockburn,Dar Williams, Ani DiFranco) Daren Hahn (The Eels, The Brake Mechanics, A

tracks

1 Never Give Up
2 Inside
3 Everything You Get
4 Closer
5 One Year
6 Stuck
7 Rest Now
8 Miss Liberty
9 Easy
10 Come On Life
11 It's Been A Long Time

notes

Melissa Ferrick has the kind of relationship with her audience that few artists are blessed with. Her live performance is fierce and funny, outspoken and vulnerable, passionate and real. The emotional honesty of Ferrick’s first-person lyrics, the force of her vocal delivery and the disciplined fury of her musicianship connects her to her audience with confidence and grace. She’s been gaining fans since her first release at age twenty-two on Atlantic Records. Her next three recordings were released by indie label What Are Records. In 2000, Melissa launched her own label: Right On Records. Her newest album, “In the Eyes of Strangers” is the label’s sixth release.

Always groundbreaking, Melissa recently achieved an industry first by setting up a direct digital download from her website. “For $6 or more, people bought six acoustic versions of the songs that are on the new record,” explains Ferrick. “So half of this record was funded by my fans. One fan (who would like to remain anonymous) donated all of the expenses of the recording studio.”

A full-blown studio affair produced by Ethan Allen (Throwing Muses, Patty Griffin, 60 Ft. Wave), “In The Eyes of Strangers” maintains all of the passion of previous Ferrick releases yet is infused with a new invigorated sense of urgency. With an all-star cast of musicians including drummer Daren Hahn (Ani DiFranco, Eels, Break Mechanics), keyboardist Julie Wolf (Bruce Cockburn, Ani DiFranco, Dar Williams) and friends Tegan Quin (Tegan and Sara), Erin McKeown, Natalia Zukerman and Rachael Davis, “Strangers” marks a personal and professional departure for Ferrick. Her last release, “The Other Side” was a completely self-made project wherein Ferrick produced, engineered and played every instrument.

Non-stop touring and the daily pressures of being one’s own boss had taken their toll on the songwriter before she began recording “Strangers.” “I was so worn down that I just showed up and played,” Ferrick recalls. “This time, because I was so exhausted, I didn’t have the energy to take care of other people which is something I tend to do. This raw state I was in, in hindsight, was a good thing for the recording; the emotional and physical pain I was in comes through.” The result is Ferrick’s strongest release to date- a sentiment the songwriter shares. “It’s the best record I’ve made.”

reviews

Please log in to review this album.

  • In the Eyes of Strangers
    author: Melody

    I love this cd, but then again I have every album she has made and it is very rare that I find a song that I don't love. I can find myself in so many of the songs.

  • In The Eyes of Strangers
    author: Casey

    It is rare that I find a CD that doesn't have a single weak track, or even a weak moment. This is one that doesn't. In these days of "a la carte" song downloads, I find this beautifully insightful, exquisitly balanced CD nothing short of restorative.

  • a new fav
    author: Brookie Love

    One of my new favs! As always, there's never a disappointing moment...and so much to relate to!!

  • i'm hooked
    author: Alfred Hawkins

    you have a new friend in music very cool cd

  • Great Album
    author: angus cooney

    Great Album Keep it up. Angus Cooney

  • The Best Yet
    author: ShyIrishGrl

    We all like a little misery once in a while, after all misery loves company. Which is why we fell in love with those intriguing blue eyes to begin with. But MF has changed her mood, her approach, an her outlook on life and of course portrays this through her music. This is by far my favorite CD she has put out EVER. I have the CD in my car, programmed into my iPod, on my iTunes on my computer ... she's everywhere :) Rock on!

  • this CD rocks!
    author: Carol

    I have all or just about all of MF's CDS and absolutley love this one. Been listening it to at work daily. There are even two happy songs (wow), the fast beat I love, but then there is something extra here - maybe a result of the high production quality and the great session players. Whatever it is keep it up Melissa. And come back to Durham/Chapel Hill soon.

  • The next best thing to an actual Ferrick show
    author: BrianM

    Having followed Melissa since the tour for her first album, I have to say that nothing compares to seeing her live. THIS album comes close, however. The contribution of the talented musicians on this latest release somehow temper Melissa's intensity yet make an album that's overall richer and fuller both sonically and emotionally (if that even makes sense). I just find it accessible in a way that I never found her previous albums (at least not compared to her shows). This is truly her best work. Bravo, Melissa!!

  • supercalifragilisticexpealidocious
    author: aerosue

    Phenomenal work. I've gotta ask somebody to take it out of my CD player as an addiction reprieve ;) in the eyes of strangers is a driving force of music that keeps your head musing on the right track. The album is more refreshing than the first bottle of 7-up off the line.

  • KICK-ASS!
    author: D_YER_MAK_ER

    THIS IS PROBABLY MY 'NEW' FAVORITE MELISSA FERRICK CD...IT'S KICK-ASS!!! :)

  • Melissa can SING and WRITE!
    author: Georgia

    This CD was good the first time I heard it - by the time I got around to my 20th or so time listening to it...I was SO impressed that I told all my friends to buy it!!!! Excellent music and lyrics - keep Rockin' Melissa!

  • very good
    author: Richard Murphy

    I sad to say am a person who takes one song from an artist and hates the rest.I have spent days listning to the words and music .Melissa is a very talented writer and a gets her message across very well ,poetically well sung.I must have liked this CD I bought two more as gifts,and share this CD all the time if I trap you in my car.

  • BEST YET
    author: b

    This is one of her best!!!! Keep Rockin' Melissa !

  • worth buying if nothing else gets across to you out there
    author: michelle

    I'm not fit to review this woman!!!

  • love it top notch melissa!!
    author: laura

    the cd is short but sweet love it she sounds happier then normal

  • like melissa's personal concerts....
    author: margaret

    melissa's new CD hits the mark!! it was very like sitting in a small venue with her and watching her crank her music out; very very true to the personal performance she does on the road. no doubt that this is her best presentation of her work that i've heard.

  • Excellent!
    author: Melissa

    I love Melissa. In the past I've prefered Melissa acostic and/or live but this CD is excellent, I love it! It's different but still Melissa. It was our road trip CD this past weekend on vacation.

  • Beautiful and personal, as always
    author: Annie

    I love all Melissa's albums that I have, and this another winner. The songs "Closer" and "It's Been a Long Time" are my favorites, and my 11 month old baby agrees. He always gets quiet and stares at the stereo when "It's Been a Long Time" comes on. I think it may become our new "nap time" song -- which is an wonderful thing, believe me! I just hope she comes back out to the San Francisco area again soon. I'd love to see her again live, if I can get a baby sitter!

  • awesome
    author: Jess

    Great Cd! I got it as a present for my girlfriend and she can't stop listening to it... wonderfull!! a must buy.

  • Really good, esp. for new fans.
    author: Anon.

    I was familair with Melissa Ferrick from the single Bejing. While I liked that song, I listened to other samples and they just didn't grab me. So one day, I'm lookaing around for new music on CD Baby and I start with the top sellers and I notice MF has a new CD. So I listened to Never Give Up and let me tell you, it was all over in short order for me and that was just the sample. Never Give Up (aside from being an instant 5-star song on my iTunes), could be an anthem for everyone whose dreamed of something different...something better either personally or professionally. And when Melissa yells out "So, come on!!!"...somehow you just believe things are possible. Aside from Never Give Up, other winners include, Stuck, Inside, and Closer, although the entire CD has a nice flow to it. Bottom line: if you like the singer-songwriter genre you won't be disappointed. The CD does have an urgent feel to it and that's not a bad thing either.

  • Awsome!!!!!!!!!!
    author: Leanne

    This Cd was Awsome! I loved every song on it!

  • Amazing!
    author: Alley

    I love the path that MF takes us on in this CD-and, great to hear the effervescence of love requitted.

  • excellent--
    author: jean

    CD baby rocks --I DO love CD Baby--and I love this CD --al worthy songs--more will be purchased!

  • FANTASTIC....Even Better Live! Definitely a MUST buy.
    author: spike

    First time through I wasn't sure about the whole feel of the CD, but the more I listen to it the more I realize the level of musical and lyrical growth since the release of "The Other Side". Just fantastic guitar, drums, bass and keys! The lyrics are once again so intense and revealing. Definitely bares her soul and connects to the listener with feeling.

  • Awesome
    author: Sara

    really great album. songs are poetic, smart and real. Love it!

  • A studio album that's every bit as good as her live shows
    author: Amanda

    I saw her play some of her new songs at a concert a few months ago. When I first played the cd I got the same excited tingles in my stomach that I had at the show. Great cd. Great songs. I love it.

  • AMAZING
    author: Jen

    Another amazing release from Melissa!! Musically and emotionally beautiful- there simply is nothing else that compares to her song writing and heartfelt lyrics..You HAVE to buy this cd...She rules!! Simple as that.

  • Best of the Best!
    author: Meredith

    This is her best CD so far. The lyrics...the music..everything! Worth every dime and more!

  • One of her best but definately different...
    author: Steph

    This CD was not what I expected at all but I love it just the same. The Other Side is still my favorite CD by her at the moment but figure with a few more times of hearing the latest I may change my mind, but it's doubtful...it's difficult to say one that was created with an entire band is better than a CD that was created entirely by herself. Get the CD if you're a fan because you will not be disappointed!

  • Love it
    author: cindy

    I love this cd! It has been playing nonstop in my car since the day I received it in the mail from cdbaby. Every song is great. One of my favorite melissa ferrick albums! She sings right to your heart and soul. LOVE IT!

  • this cd is amazing! melissa is an endless source of music & lyric.
    author: kishana

    i never cease to be amazed at melissa's energy and creativity. this cd is no different. inspiring, affirming and oh so human. she brings us into her heart and mind, so closely sometimes you'd think some of her songs were written with you in mind! get this cd!!!! you won't be disappointed.

  • Amazing! Loved in the eyes of strangers!
    author: Anna

    I'm new to her music, but love her sound and passion in all of her songs- so many I can relate to! We plan to see her in Atlanta in December--! Can't wait!

  • Ferrick comes roaring back with a winner!
    author: Amber

    After a two-year hiatus of touring and falling in love, Melissa has returned with an album which rivals "Freedom" for passion and intensity. But guess what, fans? This time she's got a band! Yep, that's right, on In The Eyes of Strangers, Melissa has fully developed her inner rock star and expanded her usual folk-rock sound to include the keyboards of Julie Wolf and the pulsing drums of Daren Hahn. To me, each Ferrick album sounds like shadowy blueprints for her impassioned live sound, but with this record, she created something which truly stands on its own with, dare I say, a pop rock sound. I'll take you through it, track by track. Never Give Up: In a perfect world, this would be a single for Melissa; it's got a very catchy rhythm. This track is light, peppy and free, and beautifully sets the tone for the record. Natalia Zukerman accompanies on dobro and Tegan (of Tegan and Sara) provides backup vocals. Inside: Formerly a charged but acoustic song, this song is fully reinvented with organ and that marvelous drumming. Listen to the brief organ interlude near the end of the track and prepare to be enraptured. Everything You Get: Erin McKeown provides a fun electric guitar part on this track, but Melissa's vocals are at the forefront. Julie provides "poolymoog keyboard bass" and "clavinet, grand piano". I have no idea what a polymoog keyboard bass but it sure sounds cool. The chorus is joyous, with Melissa questioning "nothing is wrong, maybe that's what it is." Closer: This one also would fit beautifully on radio. The guitar part is catchy and carefree; I think of this song as "Everything I Need" but more grown up. Backing up Melissa's guitar is Julie Wolf on piano. Remember in "E-mail" how Melissa sang "the journey is the destination"? Well, with this track, you actually believe she means it as she sings "with every little bang i get closer" to success, to happiness, whatever; it's up to you judge. The point is that this song reveals a peace within Melissa, a renewed confidence and motivation. One Year: A beautifully, purely happy song celebrating her one year anniversary with her girlfriend. Melissa sings her own backup vocals on this song. Another happy chorus (I'm sensing a pattern here) as she sings "you have my heart and nothing is gonna get in our way". This is the most pure love song I've ever heard from Melissa. Gorgeous. Stuck: Julie's hammond B3 provides flavor to this song. Stuck actually remains pretty close to its live acoustic version, but she sings it with renewed focus. Julie's hammond lends extra emphasis to the chorus that the guitar alone couldn't give. Rest Now: This is probably my favorite song after Inside. It's a beautiful tribute to Chris Whitley and also provides the album title in the lyrics "In the eyes of strangers we will recognize our own hotel vast horizons". Again, drums and hammond give weight and drive to this song. Melissa's feelings shine through beautifully here, given more pizazz by the added instrumentation. Miss Liberty: Wow. Just wow. A searing cover of Dayna Kurtz's song, Melissa's version is a full on jazz/blues rock sensation. It starts soft, and by the middle she's almost screaming as she says "you leave me broken like a spine / split open like a melon that's been dropped from a high high place". The lyrics are superbly fitting as Melissa completely inhabits this song. Julie's organ and Daren Hahn's drums provide a truly thrilling dramatic conclusion to this intense, wonderful song. Easy: Here the guitar is at the forefront, as Melissa sings with the lyrics with that same sense of inner peace. Live, this song used to sound a little bitter; now it appears she's accepted the past and moved on. Come On Life: A songlet without a chorus, this song somehow sounds complete now, as Melissa has fleshed out the lyrics. This one pulls back on all the instruments, which leads perfectly into the acoustic It's Been a Long Time. It's Been a Long Time: As the last track and the only solely acoustic track, this song provides a telling insight into Melissa's state of mind as she suffered from exhaustation earlier in the year and was forced to take a break from touring. In concert, she said, "This is for me, but it's also for you. Thanks for waiting." It's only fitting that the track is last, as it is the most insightful glimpse into Melissa's journey as an independent artist. Particularly insightful are the lyrics, "I can't remember when all this running started/ But it took about 8 years for something in me to slip / I gave all I could give / And then I just kept giving ... my body had up and left". If you listen closely, you can hear a faint tapping in the background, as I assume Melissa keeps time as she sings this song seated. It annoyed me at first, but is now oddly endearing. To sum up my novel, if you've never experienced Melissa Ferrick, this is the perfect introduction. It's the rockiest album she's ever made, and, in my opinion, it's the best.

email

Please log in to email this artist.