"Hearts Fall" by Karyn Ellis

a Review by Amy Producer of Collected Sounds

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.

On Track 4, "Lost", her voice reminds me of another artist, Joanna Newsome. I don't remember Karyn's voice being this girlish on the previous release. But no matter, it's very nice. I enjoy Joanna Newsome (just got her CD but that's for another review).

One of my favorites from "Bird", "Cool Wooden Floors" resurfaces here. Or, I should say, a version of it. On here it's called "Four AM Love Song Ode to a Wooden Floor". It's a great little tune about being to "tired" to make it to the bed. At these times, as she says: "Screw the bedroom, the living room will do" (and it gets funnier from there).

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.

Posted on December 13, 2005