Karyn Ellis
Hearts Fall
© 2005 Karyn Ellis (634479155819)
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Folk-pop ballads about bittersweet stuff. Her "voice is lovely, the arrangements are simple & clever, and there's an almost rustic quality to the record-likely from being recorded live off the floor-that makes it extra sweet." Amanda Putz, Bandwidth, CBC
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The majority of HEARTS FALL was recorded live-off-the-floor as a trio in one snowy afternoon session at the Staircase Theatre in Hamilton, Ontario, early 2005.
James Thomson (double bass), Tom Howell (piano/violin ) and I (vocals/guitars) played through each song one or two times on stage sans audience (on a Monday when the theatre was dark) while Ian Gibbons (of CampfireDitties.com) captured everything on remote recorder.
Then later that summer, Gary Craig added drums and percussion to the best of the tracks at the Rogue Studio while James Paul sat at the board.
We recorded three more songs (now as a quartet on two of them.) To finish off, we tweaked a bit...redid one guitar solo, jangled some bells and threw in a small choir of humming men.
And that's how this record happened.
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ABOUT KARYN ELLIS
Karyn Ellis sings acoustic folk-pop ballads about bittersweet stuff. Her songs are personal, raw and poetic - with a little lighthearted quirky thrown in, and she delivers a vocal performance that is unmistakable and sweet. Karyn "can envelop you in the warmth of that voice and break your heart at the same time." (Indie-Music.com)
This artist is charming audiences across Canada, appearing at NextFest Emerging Artists Festival (Edmonton AB), Peterborough Folk Festival - main stage, North by Northeast Music Festival (Toronto ON) and places like The Empress Theatre (Fort McLeod AB), Khyber Club (Halifax NS), Reader's Cafe (Dunnville ON) and the Main (Vancouver BC). She's shared stages with Jill Barber, the Silverhearts, Mia Sheard, Ann Vriend and Ember Swift.
Fall 2005 Karyn released the full length CD, HEARTS FALL, the follow up to her 2003 EP, BIRD - a cbc & campus favourite. Following suit, HEARTS FALL appears on CBC playlists such as Here and Now, Bandwidth, The Vinyl Cafe and Radio International and on top-30 campus charts across Canada (charting number 49 on national campus Top-50 in January 2006 and number 19 on the national monthly folk/roots/blues charts in April 2006.) About the record, CBC's Amanda Putz from BANDWIDTH comments: "[Karyn's] voice is lovely, the arrangements are simple & clever, and there's an almost rustic quality to the record-likely from being recorded live off the floor-that makes it extra sweet."
Recordings on HEARTS FALL feature Tom Howell on piano and violin (Justin Rutledge, Kate Rogers Band), James Thomson on double bass (The Hogtown Syncopators, Corin Raymond) and Gary Craig on drums & percussion (Blackie & the Rodeo Kings, Bruce Cockburn). Karyn received a grant from the Canada Council for Specialized Music Recordings for this new album.
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WHAT FOLKS ARE SAYING ABOUT KARYN ELLIS
“Ellis can envelop you in the warmth of that voice and break your heart at the same time.... I've never heard someone sound so childlike and so sensual at the same time..” -- Jennifer Layton, Indie-Music.com
“What a refreshing new voice!” -- NewMusicCanada.com, CBC online affliliate
Karyn "has a very distinct and haunting voice, at times raspy...at others portraying an innocence that cannot be adequately described."
-- Tough Drum Magazine, Peterborough Ontario
... ABOUT HER CD HEARTS FALL
"[Karyn's] tunes are unbelievably charming because they are organic and simple but layered with elements of the sweetest pop conventions ever - conjuring up immediate reminders of what we love about musicians like Tanya Donelly, Hope Sandoval, CocoRosie and Martha Wainwright. Except Karyn Ellis does it her own, clever, beautiful, introspective and quirky way. The songs are both hilarious and lonely. Carefree and nostalgic." -- Dan MacDonald, Upfront Magazine (Canada)
"You simply have to delight in Karyn Ellis' fragile and sometimes oddly girlish voice. Her high tones and jazz-like melodies are reminiscent of Joni Mitchell, but minimal instrumentation and unexpected musical turns in otherwise straightforward songs are just as connected to the contemporary sound of free-style folk." -- Maurice Dielmans, Kindamusik.net (Netherlands)
[Hearts Fall] "is sheer indie delight... there’s intelligence and poetry in the lyrics, not to mention gentle humour. This is not a happy record. But it is one where misery is beautiful, raw and crisp. 8 out of 10" -- Lynne Pettinger, Americana-uk.com (UK)
“Hearts Fall is a first rate record that grows more splendid with every listen ...without a doubt one of the finest in its genre.” --Freddy Celis, Rootstime.be, Belgium
"...such bittersweet pleasures. You can hear Welch, Waits, Amos, Brickell, Peyroux, the Cowboy Junkies and the Be Good Tanyas all rolled up in that one tiny body, that one mournful voice. Superior late night stuff! 4 out of 5"
--Benny Metten, CtrlAltCountry.be, Belgium
Karyn Ellis' "voice is lovely, the arrangements are simple & clever, and there's an almost rustic quality to the record-likely from being recorded live off the floor-that makes it extra sweet." --Amanda Putz, Bandwidth, CBC
... ABOUT HER PREVIOUS CD BIRD
"A beautifully organic piece of work...delivers dig-your-heels-in rootsy pop peppered with delightfully quirky lyrics." -- Shael Risman --RisMixLive.com
“The songwriting carries through to a strong finish. No throwaways, no fillers, no sign of running on creative empty.... I strongly recommend checking it out. She could seal the disc in Saran Wrap and still make something magical out of it.”
-- Jennifer Layton, Indie-Music.com
“I'm sad [Bird] is only 6 songs. I would love to hear more from Karyn Ellis. She's a unique, interesting artist. [The CD] is so artistic and unique that I might just keep it on permanent display in my office.“ -- Amy Lotsberg --CollectedSounds.com
For more information, please see Karyn's website:
http//www.karynellis.com.
reviews
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Karyn Ellis is Canada's Norah Jones
author: John RogersKaryn Ellis has an absolutely beautiful voice and a raw emotional delivery that comes through on every song. From the first time I heard her on the radio through the umpteenth playing of her CD, Hearts Fall, I couldn't help but draw comparisons to the likes of Norah Jones. "Hearts" contains a great selection of songs that will transport you to another time/place. Many of the songs have a great "saloon" feel. It's perfect, "stay-up late, sittng-on-your-porch-with-a-glass-of-wine-next-to- your-lover" music.
What a sweet and enjoyable artist.
author: Dan MacDonald - Upfront MagazineThe songs creep up on you quietly, disguised as lullabies - then flirt with blue grass, walk the indie-folk line with tight rope precision before they softly explode into rich and emotional songs that are nothing short of enchanting. Her tunes are unbelievably charming because they are organic and simple - but layered with elements of the sweetest pop conventions ever - conjuring up immediate reminders of what we love about musicians like Tanya Donelly, Hope Sandoval, CocoRosie and Martha Wainwright. Except Karyn Ellis does it her own, clever, beautiful, introspective and quirky way. The songs are both hilarious and lonely. Carefree and nostalgic. Remember the cool chick in high school, who sat alone in the halls at lunch, strumming her guitar? Everyone had a crush on her because she was intriguing as hell, but had a way of keeping everyone at arm's length, straining to get closer? Then she'd smile and your heart would melt. From the first notes - you'll be head over heels in love. (Read the full article on Karyn's website)
...a very nice CD!
author: Chris Martin - Penguin Eggs MagazineA turn of phrase here, an obscure notion there, instrumentation of subtlety and emotion and melodies you will be whistling before the disc is through its first spin, these are the hallmarks of a very nice CD. Nothing is ever cliché. No song is over-played or over-produced. One gets the feeling that this is a labour of love for the Toronto songwriter and performer. Karyn Ellis is a classically trained vocalist but don't set in your head visions of operatic cleanliness and deep diaphragmed posturing. Her voice dances along the line between cool and quirky without falling onto the wrong side. She comes across rather like Victoria Williams but clearly with her own sensitivity and sensuality. Standout songs like Movie, Four AM Love Song and Sugar Beet define her diversity. This is the sort of disc you are likely to buy several of to spread among friends.
She can make a million shades of blues and reds and swirling violets come out of
author: Jennifer Layton - Indie-Music.comKaryn Ellis is twangy and cool and unpredictable, delivering a CD that is difficult to classify and impossible to resist. I started with bluesy, front-porch country, then expanded the definition to yee-haw-inspiring bluegrass, and stretched the description a bit more to include some shuffling jazz that would not be out of place in a whiskey-stocked Old West Saloon. Then she had to throw in mystic, cold, poetic goth vibes (“Angels in Snow”) and operatic performance art (“Already Home”). Yes, Ellis makes the reviewer’s job a difficult one. But I could never get mad at the girl with the sensually childlike voice and that playfully spirited nature that flows through her twangy songs. She’s got me wrapped around her little finger. So I’ll get her back. So let’s just call Ellis hypnotically brilliant and leave it at that. Nyah nyah. (Full article on Karyn's website: www.karynellis.com)
Refreshing
author: T WeissI love this CD. I first heard of Karen on CKUA Radio. She is the most refreshing sound I have heard for a very long time. She sings for herself and nobody else. Very impressed... bravo!
Pert and amusing singer-songwriting - 8 out of 10
author: Lynne PettingerThis album is sheer indie delight. Well within a long tradition of singer songwriters confessing personal emotional traumas onto disc, Karyn Ellis’ wit, and her promise (which she doesn’t always keep) to ‘write a happy ending’ sets her apart. From the thrown-together old time waltz opening of ‘Lost’, to the soft shoe shuffle of ‘Skippng stones’, there’s something very engaging about her sweet n sour soprano. Green chair shows a Norah Jones softness which nonetheless avoids any blandness, and there’s intelligence and poetry in the lyrics, not to mention gentle humour. This is not a happy record. But it is one where misery is beautiful, raw and crisp. - americana-uk.com
Playful folk songs from Canada
author: Maurice DielmansCanadian singer-songwriter delivers the long-awaited sequel to her 2003 debut, the six-track EP "Bird". Her new full-length CD entitled "Hearts Fall" is full of playful folk songs. You simply have to delight in Karyn Ellis' fragile and sometimes child-like voice. Her high tones and jazz-like melodies are reminiscent of Joni Mitchell, but minimal instrumentation and unexpected musical turns in otherwise straightforward songs are just as connected to the contemporary sound of free-style folk. Once in awhile you hear a slight shift in style, as in the swinging country song "Rain". Accompaniment by pianist and violist Tom Howell, bassist James Thomson and drummer Gary Craig (o.a Bruce Cockburn) is well done and definitely worth paying attention to. (Translated from dutch. Original article: http://www.kindamuzik.net/artikel/11812)
- author: Amy Lotsberg
I reviewed Karyn Ellis' previous release last year. It was an EP called Bird and I remember wishing it were longer. Well, it took two years, but I got my wish when this arrived in the mail. Karyn has a unique style. Especially unique and interesting to me because it borders on county and I never thought I liked country. But I'm realizing more and more that maybe I do. It's also kind of bluegrass-y. Whatever you want to call it, it makes me smile. It's very summery and that's very nice to imagine while I'm sitting in an office building and it's 10 degrees and snowing outside. What's interesting is this was mostly recorded on a snowy day. But it will always sound like summer to me. Karyn's lyrics are very clever, witty and intelligent and that's just how I like my pop music - or country - or bluegrass - or whatever.
Hearts Fall hits all the marks beautifully
author: Rod Nicholson, Scene Magazine (London Ontario)On this, her first full-length release, Toronto's Karyn Ellis surprises and delights. A unique combination of rustic musical textures (stand-up bass, honky-tonk piano stylings, etc.) and a dead-on modern lyrical approach, Hearts Fall hits all the marks beautifully. Her sweet voice is presented wonderfully by the airy/clean off-the-floor production that allows the listener to hear this CD as if Ms. Ellis and her bandmates were playing a few feet away. A nice balance of slowly thoughtful tunes and lively upbeat numbers ensures that boredom is kept at bay throughout. Fine musical interplay by all concerned does this one proud and left me certain that repeat listens will only yield further rewards. Modestly wonderful amongst the prevailing climate of music-biz mediocrity. A
Superior late night stuff!
author: Benny Metten - CtrlAltCountry.beIn 2003 Toronto's Karyn Ellis released an EP entitled BIRD, but it is with her recent CD HEARTS FALL that she has truly arrived on the scene. And how! This 11-track album is brimming with beautiful acoustic folk-pop ballads that sometimes have a touch of country, other times an undercurrent of jazz - all are indicative that she has a bright future ahead. Especially great are those moments when her voice flirts with the deliberately drunken stumbling of pianist Tom Howell, who is known for his work with Justin Rutledge and Kate Rogers Band. "Four am Love Song, Ode To A Wooden Floor" and "Another Sad Song", for example, evoke such bittersweet pleasures. You can hear Welch, Waits, Amos, Brickell, Peyroux, the Cowboy Junkies and the Be Good Tanyas all rolled up in that one tiny body, that one mournful voice. Superior late night stuff! Who will bring her here to our country as quickly as possible?
- author: Tania Anderson
I just wanted to say that I loved, loved, loved 'Hearts Fall'. Brilliant! 'Green Chair' blew me away. I never heard it before today. The full band sound really works. It's still just right.
VERY SPECTACULAR!!!!!
author: Kelly SexsmithMakes me want to neck with my girlfriend. Perhaps while dancing a little ditty. Tender, passionate, complex, fills up my heart hugely. You have done it gal.....your talent, beauty and depth are shining through with this one. xxxxooooo Thanks for the green chair song.