I recently picked up the self titled new release by Elizabeth Willis, which is her first album and still flying under the radar (at least in the Midwest). This classically trained musician on the piano & violin has released a smoothly intense album. While so many artists are infusing classic string instruments on their albums, this album goes beyond that. It feels like a classical album with guitar and vocals added to it, instead of a folk album where a string quartet comes in and plays back ground and adds layers to a song. Her voice isn’t the most powerful voice out there, but look where Bono & Tom Waits are with their “stunning” vocals. However like Bono & Waits, she sings with passion and heart and is able to match it perfectly to her own songs.
Don’t be fooled by the classical training and large amount of backing strings, this album can rock and is not by any means just an album for the down times of life…though I would enjoy a nice fire and good bottle of wine while this album is on!
On top of her stunning arrangements she seems to be a pretty smart woman too! Let me list her accomplishments from her bio page: SESAC, ASCAP, alumnae of Meadowmount School of Music & Mannes College of Music Preparatory Division, Pres/CEO of Little Blackbird Records LLC. She produces, writes her own songs, and arranges everything!
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