Melissa Robertson

I did a review on this album a while ago, but when Facebook changed, it all got lost in the process, so I am going to do a re-review now!

Mel is one of many talented Australian Country Music Artists who are Indies, and while they are not signed to big labels, have the marketing and promotion of the big artists, they are just as talented (sometimes more so) and they have done the hard yards.

This album is a mixture of traditional country sounds and folk music. Melissa has a soft and tender voice, much like the folk singers of the sixties.

Mel and I are both big fans of 60's folk, and it is obvious when it comes to her voice and her selections. Most people know my catch phrase now with mellow albums: It goes great with a merlot! But it does, trust me. The songs are all reminiscent of that era, or have elements of that time. Her voice is a cross between Joan Baez and Judy Collins, and because they are two of my heroes, that is a big compliment. Folk and country are closely connected. Mel proves that here.

It is lazy Sunday arvo music. Late night Saturday night music. There is a simple sadness (as James Taylor once wrote) in her songs, yet when you meet Mel in person, she is a down to earth, slap your back, hey, how ya goin’ type of gal. She has a good ear for a good song and she works hard at it. She is setting a different trend in country music, could easily fit in with the Lyn Bowtells and Liana Roses and Kaylee Bells.

This is a lovely, easy listen to album. Watch out for Mel, she is not mainstream, but sometimes the tributaries do it better.

written by Kaz Johnson
- Kaz Johnson

I did a review on this album a while ago, but when Facebook changed, it all got lost in the process, so I am going to do a re-review now!

Mel is one of many talented Australian Country Music Artists who are Indies, and while they are not signed to big labels, have the marketing and promotion of the big artists, they are just as talented (sometimes more so) and they have done the hard yards.

This album is a mixture of traditional country sounds and folk music. Melissa has a soft and tender voice, much like the folk singers of the sixties.

Mel and I are both big fans of 60's folk, and it is obvious when it comes to her voice and her selections. Most people know my catch phrase now with mellow albums: It goes great with a merlot! But it does, trust me. The songs are all reminiscent of that era, or have elements of that time. Her voice is a cross between Joan Baez and Judy Collins, and because they are two of my heroes, that is a big compliment. Folk and country are closely connected. Mel proves that here.

It is lazy Sunday arvo music. Late night Saturday night music. There is a simple sadness (as James Taylor once wrote) in her songs, yet when you meet Mel in person, she is a down to earth, slap your back, hey, how ya goin’ type of gal. She has a good ear for a good song and she works hard at it. She is setting a different trend in country music, could easily fit in with the Lyn Bowtells and Liana Roses and Kaylee Bells.

This is a lovely, easy listen to album. Watch out for Mel, she is not mainstream, but sometimes the tributaries do it better.

written by Kaz Johnson
- Kaz Johnson

The thing I like most about country music is that it has a heart and soul.
And this album has those qualities in spades. Melissa is a real country
girl, who channels her experiences into some well-written songs that
capture some of the qualities that are missing from much contemporary
country: her songs are authentic,they tell stories that matter, and
they connect with listeners. This is overwhelmingly a positive album, with celebratory tracks like My Beautiful World, I Love My Country Boy and the highly appealing Ride Of Your Life. But there are some darker moments on the album, including Runnin’ Off The Rails, a realistic look at love, and the disturbing Daddy. Other appealing tracks include By The Riverside, the exquisite folk-tinged Deep In The Ground and Melissa’s cover of the wonderful PETE SEEGER hit Where
Have All the Flowers Gone. This album is a warm, delightful journey into what makes country music so special and why it touches the heart so effectively.

BY SUSAN JARVIS
BLUE MOUNTAINS SOUND/ itunes BSR 0211 - CAPITAL NEWS JULY 2012

While her life as a wife and mother of two boys has prevented her
launching her recording career until now, it has also provided all
the material for the songs on her debut album, My Beautiful World.
“I guess everything in life is like that – whatever path you choose
will bring its own opportunities,” Melissa said.“I’ve always been a songwriter, but the opportunity to do something with my songs hasn’t really been there until now. Over the last five years, it has become possible to take it all further.” Based in Cowra in central NSW, Melissa
wasn’t always a country girl.“I was born in Sydney and always wanted
to pursue a career in musical theatre. But I didn’t have the family support, and in the end I escaped to the country – where I met my
husband and had a family,” she said. These days, Melissa works regularly in the clubs and pubs of her home town and the
surrounding area.
Over the past couple of years she’s been a regular at the
Tamworth Country Music Festival.
My Beautiful World provides an honest, powerful
glimpse into the heart and life of real women facing the joys
and struggles of ordinary life.
“I really do put myself out there in my songs – maybe
too much sometimes. But you can convey an emotion and
an experience without having to be too specific, and that
gives other people the chance to connect with the songs as
well,” Melissa said.
The album’s title track is an exquisite flight of fantasy
that captures a sense of hope and elation.
“I was on a real high when I wrote that song – I was
feeling quite euphoric. It’s a song about dreams, but also
about a very real hope for a better world,” Melissa said.
The positive vibe continues on I Love My Country Boy, a
song that celebrates Melissa’s 20-year marriage and her life
in the country.
But life’s not all sunshine and wine, and tracks like Roses
Bloom and Keep This Love Alive explore the ups and downs
of a long relationship.
“Communication can sometimes be hard in marriage,
and I wrote Roses Bloom about that. Keep This Love Alive
is about wanting to recapture the passion of new love in a
long-term relationship,” Melissa said.
My Beautiful World is even darker on tracks like Daddy
and Deep in the Ground.
“Daddy is probably the most personal song on the
album,” Melissa said.
“It’s about my childhood, and I wrote it because now I
can have a voice and express all those feelings. It’s quite a
confronting song – partly because it begins so innocently.”
The song has just been included on a new compilation
album, Wild Women (MGM/Regal Records), which is being
launched in Sydney on February 9.
Deep In The Ground is a song born of anger.
“I was seething about a really nasty person. I guess this is
a song of sweet revenge,” Melissa said.
Runnin’ Off The Rails is another song inspired by a real
person in Melissa’s past. And By The Riverside was inspired
by a forbidden relationship that ended badly.
“There’s plenty of material for songs, even in a quiet
country town!” Melissa said.
The album also features two covers: PETE SEEGER’s Where
Have All the Flowers Gone? and I Can See Clearly Now. Both
are songs Melissa loves performing live.
With several shows planned for Tamworth (see gig guide),
Melissa is hoping to bring her music to a whole new group of
fans this year. She’s also furiously writing for her next album,
although she’s not yet sure when that will be released.
Meanwhile, her beautifully crafted songs will continue
to attract attention and capture the hearts and souls of country Fans.

By Susan Jarvis Capital News 2013 - CAPITAL NEWS JANUARY 2013

The crystal clear and richly orchestral soundscape in Melissa Robertson's My Beautiful World significantly set this folk artist apart from the rest. "Where Have All the Flowers Gone" talks about the value of the individual. It speaks volumes about anyone who has
The crystal clear and richly orchestral soundscape in Melissa Robertson's My Beautiful World significantly set this folk artist apart from the rest. "Where Have All the Flowers Gone" talks about the value of the individual. It speaks volumes about anyone who has compromised their indivual identity to gain another's approval. Melissa sings about individuals as flowers, and her pain at seeing these "flowers" slowly disappear. The way the violin swims in and out of this song is absolutely divine.

"Deep in the Ground" talks about Melissa's experience of burying her sadness after she is betrayed by a lover. The layered vocals harmonize perfectly and have a ghostly echo to them which seems to be coming from a faraway place, and this absolutely entranced me. "Daddy" recaptures Melissa's memory of losing her father who was very near and dear to her. The slow drawl of the piano carries the song, and succeeds in putting you in Melissa's shoes. Melissa follows this sad song by reminding us to keep a positive outlook.

"I Can See Clearly Now," "Wouldn't Be Without You," and "By the Riverside" all speak of love and hope. The guitar and violin combination in "Keep This Love Alive" seem to be reflective of the relationship spoken about in the song. My Beautiful World is a beautiful album that incorporates all quintessential folk elements.

-Alex 4/13//2012 Bryan Farrish Promotions Santa Monica CA

Please NB "Where Have All The Flowers Gone" written by Pete Seeger
"I Can See Clearly Now" written by Johnny Nash
*All other songs written by Melissa Robertson - BRYAN FARRISH PROMOTIONS

Cowra singer/songwriter Melissa Robertson’s music career is hitting new heights with the rising star set to debut at the 2010 Tamworth Country Music Festival.
Melissa will be performing songs from her debut EP ‘Ride of your Life’ at the Cattleman’s Steakhouse on January 19.
It will be the first time Melissa has performed at the festival but she says she is looking forward to the
challenge.
She said it will also give her a chance to see her
musical idols in person.
“I’ve never even been to the festival before, so it is all very exciting,” Melissa said.
“I’m looking forward to seeing James Blundell and Melinda Schneider perform at the festival.
“I’ve also followed Kasey Chambers’s career so it will be good to see her as well.”
Since launching her debut EP ‘Ride of your Life” in November of last year, Melissa has been busy touring throughout the Central West and Sydney.
She has performed in Sydney, Parkes, Eugowra and was on the line-up at the Neville Country Fair late last year.
Melissa’s musical talent has been further recognised after she beat 9 other
performers to take out first place and $500 at the Wattle Flats Bronze Thong Country Music Championships on Saturday, January 9.
“I’ve never won a
competition before so it was nice to come out in first place,” Melissa said.
“It’s exciting because the prize-money will now help me get to Tamworth.
“In a couple of months I will start recording some new material and hopefully release a full album somewhere down the track,” she said.
Melissa’s music can be purchased from Cowra’s 901 Store.





- Cowra Guardian 15 January 2010