Karyn Ellis

Artist Information

Biography

Karyn Ellis is booking 2011 & 2012 festivals and performances in the upcoming seasons. Please email bookings@karynellis.com to discuss her appearance at your event.

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Karyn Ellis is truly a modern folk darling. Whether singing heartfelt tunes or leading raucous sing-a-longs, Karyn is engaging, funny and smart and her fine acoustic guitar playing complements her sweet, dynamic voice. Her thoughtful lyrics are about every day wonders, beauty and hope.

What sets Karyn Ellis apart from other artists is her incredibly magnetic presence on stage and the relate-ability of her songs - they stick with you long after the curtain calls. Oh, and let's not forget her voice: both bittersweet and crystalline pure. Karyn takes you on a journey, and you want to go there.

With three albums and several hundred live performances to her credit, Karyn has been quietly building up a following one fan at a time both across Canada and internationally: thousands of views on youtube, over seven thousand listens and her songs appearing on over 100 playlists on CBC Radio 3, seventy-thousand plus visits on myspace and a healthy fan following on facebook.

And it is no wonder - equally at home performing solo or backed by a band that ranges from a traveling duo to a twelve-piece ensemble with “community choir”, Karyn Ellis delivers a riveting show that can't help but to delight. She is as comfortable on a festival mainstage as she is in front of a handful of people in someone's living room or in a workshop setting.

If you want a stand-out artist at your festival who audiences of all ages will be thrilled to discover... book Karyn Ellis by contacting bookings@karynellis.com.

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Don't just take our word for how amazing Karyn is. Check out these letters of support from presenters and fellow artists !


TREASA LEVASSEUR, musical artist:
Karyn Ellis would be an asset for any festival's roster. Popular with young and old alike, she brings a wealth of experience and a surfeit of enthusiasm to workshops and feature performances, and her uncanny ability to capture an audience's imagination sets her well above the crowd of single female singer songwriters. Quick with a joke or to lend a hand, and a great mc to boot, I say hire her!


BLAIR PACKHAM, Songwriter’s Association of Canada. Bluebird North Series Promoter:
"I have enjoyed working with Karyn Ellis on a number of occasions, and I wouldn't hesitate to hire her again for any of the various performance opportunities that I program, among them the Bluebird North singer/songwriter series… Karyn is a singular performer who works hard to make a strong connection with any audience she finds herself in front of. That said, it doesn't appear that she is working at all - she makes performing look so easy. Karyn is smart, funny, and a complete professional who makes every effort to ensure that her fans are aware of her every public appearance. Her songs are intimate pictures, lovingly crafted and presented, and she deserves a wider audience."


AL RANKIN Live Wire Music Series Promoter (Rankin Gallery Concerts, Kingston Ontario):
"Karyn Ellis completely captivated our audience with her intelligent songs, full of beautifully original images delivered in her lively and colourful voice. There was an intensity to her performance that compelled us all to be engaged in the world that she creates in her songs- a world of everyday events that somehow evoke feelings of wistful longing and dream-like beauty."


STEPHEN PITKIN, drummer & producer, Elliot Brood:
“I have had the opportunity to mix live shows for Karyn Ellis since she emerged on the Toronto scene here just a few years ago. Every occasion has been a joy and I've seen her captivate many audiences with her songs, always delivered with a good dose of radiance and magnetism. It is no surprise that she has gained popularity around these parts rather quickly. Karyn has an outstandingly original and catchy sound as a songwriter, not so easy in a cramped market. Life experience plus personality have somehow added up to a very endearing entertainer here. As a result, Karyn has grown an enviable fan base seemingly without effort. Her highly anticipated new album "Even though The Sky Was Falling" offers glimpes into many sides of an interesting life, presumably hers. I personally couldn't take the album off until after many repeats.”


JILL BARBER, musical artist:
“I have known Karyn Ellis both personally and professionally for over ten years. In this time I have come to admire both her strengths as a songwriter and performer. She is an incredibly motivated individual and is constantly evolving to find creative ways to spread the music and communicate with her fans.”


JOHN SHOWMAN, musical artist (New Country Rehab, Creaking Tree String Quartet):
Karyn has a beautiful voice and a keen instinct for songwriting. Not only that, she's a great collaborator, a personable entertainer who appeals to EVERYONE and a fun person to have around. We all miss her in Ontario: BC, you're lucky to have her!


BLAIR WINGER, Homeroutes host, Medicine Hat, Alberta:
"I have nothing but praise for Karyn and her music. Her performance was stellar, as is her music. In her latest album "Even Though The Sky Was Falling", Karyn's almost child-like voice fits perfectly with her lyrics, many of which provide the album with a dream-like quality; Be My Girl and Not Looking For Love being two examples. This is a fine disc that has become a favourite in our home. With so many rising artists today sounding "like" someone else, Karyn remains uniquely Karyn. If you have a venue and the ability to bring Karyn to the stage, I believe you would be remiss in not doing so. I know that you and your audience will be charmed by Karyn's performance, just as we all were."


SUZANNE GRIFFIN, Homeroutes host, Lethbridge, Alberta:
"This winter I had the privilege of having Karyn Ellis perform at my home as part of the Homeroutes concert series. Karyn captivated us all from the moment she began with her amazing vocals and by the end of the evening we were all willing participants humming background to the music and lyrics of her life. Karyn has an enchanting command of the stage as an entertainer and a quiet, grounded presence that emanates through her performance."


JUDY LEE, Homeroutes host, Pincher Creek, Alberta:
"Karyn Ellis had a magical performance this past November [in a house concert at my home.] Her sensitive lyrics and soft tones melted our hearts. Karyn engages her audience with her sincerity and gracious manner."


LIVE SHOW HIGHLIGHTS
• Bluebird North Concert Series at the Royal Conservatory in Toronto with Ian Thomas, Luke McMaster, Coco Love Alcorn. Karyn also appeared at the Bluebird North Concert Series at the Haven Club in Edmonton, Alberta with David Newberry, Kim Wempe and Ann Vriend.
• The Annual Christmas Show at the Rivoli in Toronto, hosted by Mia Sheard. Line up included: Hawksley Workman, Ron Sexsmith, Luke Doucet, Melissa McLelland, Lori Cullen, Selena Martin.
• New Waves Festival at the Young Centre, in association with Luminato in Toronto.
• Homeroutes Concert Series, Manitoba.
• Homeroutes Concert Series, Alberta and Saskatchewan.
• Peterborough Folk Festival, Ontario. Waynefest, Alberta, River and Sky Music Festival (River Valley, ON), Artswells (Wells, BC.)
• Showcases at NXNE (Toronto), OCFF (Kingston and Ottawa), NextFest (Edmonton)


OTHER CAREER EVENTS
• Short-listed two years in a row for the Colleen Peterson Songwriting Award, 2009 and 2010.
• Received an Honourable Mention in the Island Mountain Arts Songwriting Contest, 2010.
• One of five finalists from Ontario on David Suzuki's Playlist for the Planet Compilation CD, through CBC Radio 3.
• 2007 winner of Humber College’s Most Original New Voice award, Songwriter’s Workshop.
• Several songs have been placed in TV and films including "Degrassi: The Tenth Season" (Epitome Productions) aired on MuchMusic and 100+ international syndicates; “Robson Arms” (Omni Productions) aired on CTV, Bravo and the Comedy Network; UK filmmaker Gareth Griffith’s “Happy Fridays”, which appeared at Cannes Film Festival Short Film Corner in 2008; and Stand Alone’s “What is Indie” by filmmaker Dave Cool distributed by the National Film Board of Canada.
• Her second album, Hearts Fall, spent six months on various campus radio charts across Canada including five weeks on CIUT Toronto top-30 topping at 3 and reaching the national monthly campus Top-50 and folk/roots/blues Top-20 charts.
• Her lastest album, Even Though The Sky Was Falling, has had significant CBC airplay and reached #6 on CIUT (Toronto) as well as an appearance on the national Top-10 Folk/Roots/Blues chart. It received excellent reviews, including in northern Europe.

As a testament to her ability to connect with her audience, in November 2011 Karyn Ellis embarks on her first European tour presented by fans turning their homes into venues for Karyn's performances.


KARYN ELLIS - EVEN THOUGH THE SKY WAS FALLING - Press Release

Like many musicians who have achieved critical success only to find themselves just as broke and no farther ahead than they were when they started, Karyn Ellis was getting ready to throw in the towel on the music business and get a real job. Just then, an envelope showed up from the Canada Council—a cheque for a hard-to-get composition grant she had forgotten she’d even applied for.

So began a series of events that not only kept Ellis making music, but resulted in her going all out — recording a breakthrough album that pairs her quirky songwriting and sensual, naïve vocals with a cornucopia of alluring production elements: strings, horns, choirs and glockenspiels, just to name a few. Suddenly, instead of feeling isolated in the business, Karyn Ellis found herself surrounded by exceptional musical friends: Evalyn Parry, John Millard, Amy Lang (Hidden Cameras) and Brian Kobayakawa (Creaking Tree) just to name a few. And instead of scrambling to pay for recording costs, Ellis had money from both the Council and FACTOR, allowing her to fund the 16-member musical extravaganza. She even had her coffers topped up with donations from fans. The resulting album, Even Though the Sky Was Falling, is a celebration of the beauty and redemption to be found in chaotic times like those Ellis had been going through in her own life.

One song was written while a friend was dying of cancer. Another was inspired by watching a series of creepy CSI episodes. Three tracks were penned while Ellis sat in the parking lot of a major festival, bummed not to be on stage performing … but none of this is obvious from listening. “Beauty,” which is dedicated to the memory of Ellis’ friend Joceyln Porter, is a simple, sprightly number filled with uplifting lyrics like “I am filled with joy”—complete with bouncy trombone lines, “doo doo doo” choruses and singing toddlers. “Be My Girl”—the CSI song—is a plaintive reflection on breaking free from the “beautiful victim” role that women are so often cast in. “Bitter Grasses,” one of the spurned-by-a-festival numbers, sounds to all the world like a spurned-by-a-lover song with a bit of a vintage country surf feel to it. The diverse sounds are all woven together into a cohesive package with help from co-producer Don Kerr, best-known for his work with Ron Sexsmith.


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Visit Karyn's youtube channel:
http://www.youtube.com/mathilde22cat

Instrumentation

Karyn plays acoustic guitar and sings lead vocals with a 2-4 piece band including drums and bass (electric and/or upright). She sometimes brings a piano player and/or horns.

Karyn is also known for her fine acoustic guitar playing and intimate and charismatic vocals as a solo act.

Discography

2009 - EVEN THOUGH THE SKY WAS FALLING - full length CD
2010 - Michael Holt - back up vocals
2007-8 - Low Fidelity, Treasa Levasseur; Life & Limb, Rob Szabo; Night for Day, Chris Warren; Small Theatres, Evalyn Parry - back up vocals.
2006 - What is Indie (Stand Alone Productions, NFB distributed) - compilation, which accompanies documentary by same title, includes song, "Rain".
2005 - HEARTS FALL (Mathilde's Home Productions) - full length CD
2003 - BIRD (Mathilde's Home Productions) - 6 song EP

FILM/TV PUBLISHING
2011 - Degrassi, season 10.
2008 - Happy Fridays (Gareth Griffiths) - [Cannes Film Festival in Short Film Corner series, May 2008]
2007 - Robson Arms (Omni Productions) - [CTV series. Season 2 episode 13 "Texas Birthmark". Also aired on Bravo and Comedy Network]
2006 - Rigoletto in Blue Grass (Robert Swales) - cameo live performance.
2006 - What is Indie? (Dave Cool/Stand Alone) - interviewee in feature documentary.
2004 - Queer Grit (Rowan Crowe)

Links

• Twitter
• Facebook
• Last.fm
• MySpace
• CBC Radio 3

Audio

• Low (From the album, Even Though The Sky Was Falling)
  Listen   Download
• Motorcycle Ride(From the album, Even Though The Sky Was Falling)
  Listen   Download
• Bitter Grasses (From the album, Even Though The Sky Was Falling)
  Listen   Download
• Not Looking For Love(From the album, Even Though The Sky Was Falling)
  Listen   Download
• Little Grey Sparrow (From the album, Even Though The Sky Was Falling)
  Listen   Download
• Be My Girl(From the album, Even Though The Sky Was Falling)
  Listen   Download
• One Beautiful Day (From the album, Even Though The Sky Was Falling)
  Listen   Download

Lyrics

• Low
• Be My Girl
• Not Looking For Love
• Bitter Grasses
• Even Though The Sky Was Falling (One Beautiful Day)
• Little Grey Sparrow
• Beauty
• Ten Stories Up
• Shooting Star
• Motorcycle Ride

Video

Photo Gallery

Press

• Five must-see songstresses: NXNE Highlights [+ Show ]
  

  By Brad Wheeler Karyn Ellis Very simply, this delicate, sweetly-melodic Toronto songstress need...By Brad Wheeler
  
  Karyn Ellis
  Very simply, this delicate, sweetly-melodic Toronto songstress needs to be heard. She’s beguiles twice, at the Cameron (Thursday, 1 a.m., 408 Queen St. W.) and the Garrison (Sunday, 10 p.m., 1197 Dundas St. W.).
  
  Also on the list: Zola Jesus, Fanshaw, Maylee Todd, Hannah Georges
  
  
  
  Original article: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/arts/music/five-must-see-songstresses/article1606709/

• Essential track of the Day [+ Show ]
  

  By Brad Wheeler Be My Girl by Karyn Ellis from Even Though the Sky Was Falling (independent);...
  By Brad Wheeler
  
  Be My Girl by Karyn Ellis
  from Even Though the Sky Was Falling (independent); streaming at myspace.com/karynellis
  
  "A breathy piano ballad about escape and desire builds to a joyous gospel chorale, proving that the Toronto singer-songwriter has a magical way with song and that Leonard Cohen has no copyright on the word hallelujah."
  
  Original article: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/arts/music/essential-tracks/article1563718/

• INTERVIEW FEATURES [+ Show ]
  

  Greyowl Point One-on-One with Karyn Ellis by glasspaperweight June 15, 2010 If there’s one thi...Greyowl Point
  One-on-One with Karyn Ellis by glasspaperweight
  June 15, 2010
  
  If there’s one thing I’ve learned from Karyn Ellis, it is that she really wants to play as many music festivals as she possibly can. So listen up, Canadian music festivals- she wants to play.
  
  We spoke at the Rustic Cosmo- a small café near Dufferin and Queen St.
  
  Before officially calling herself a musician, Ellis worked a slew of odd jobs, including a particularly memorable job running a singing telegram service.
  
  “I had a golden Celica… which I used to stuff with balloons, and me, dressed like a clown, riding all over town going to people’s houses. Parking illegally everywhere… it was a great terror time,” Ellis said.
  
  After realizing the 9-5 grind wasn’t exactly in her taste, she went to a music management school and had to manage an artist as a class project. When the artist chosen (a jazz singer) fell through, Ellis decided she would be the artist her group would manage.
  
  After seeing the gradual change from managing music to making music, Ellis decided to record her first album, Bird. She called the album “a haphazard process” in that it was made up of a lot of different recordings rather that one coherent processes. Her second album was also easy to record, mainly done in the “live-off-the-floor” style. Even Though The Sky Was Falling was Ellis’ first record in which she worked in a studio and with a producer.
  
  When asked about who influenced her choice of music she found it difficult to name any one artist. It is really Canada’s independent scene- the community of musicians and media such as Radio 3- that are her biggest interview.
  
  “That whole scene is kind of exciting,” she said. She can name a few “key albums” that inspired her, those being Hawksley Workman’s (Last Night We Were) The Delicious Wolves and Treeful of Starling. She feels as though Canadian musicians sing in a way that is very vulnerable.
  
  On her website, Ellis mentions that she gets support from her musician friends in Toronto, although Toronto is a trying place for anyone.
  
  “I’m in this interesting place right now, where I’m trying to figure out Toronto… Part of me loves living here, part of me hates living here, part of me always wants to leave, but the part that [keeps me staying] is my musician friends. There’s a strong Toronto musician’s community,” she said.
  
  That being said, the musician community can only help one so far. Ellis believes that Toronto’s music community is really great for musicians supporting other musicians, but it is definitely more difficult to gather an audience and the press.
  
  “Toronto is a portal city,” said Ellis. In other words, while there is a community of people in Toronto, it is also a city that attracts international artists whenever they make tour stops in Canada. This can make it a little harder for local artists.
  
  Even Though the Sky Was Falling is definitely an album that can get Ellis noticed, though. I loved it on my first few listens and so have numerous other media outlets. Naturally, I had to ask her about certain songs on the album, such as “Bitter Grasses.”
  
  The song in question was “loosely inspired by a relationship” but was actually written during a weekend Ellis spent at home when she had tickets to a festival. It was a great way to vent her frustrations, seeing as one of her dreams is to play the Canada’s music festival circuit.
  
  “You could really say it’s a cry to the artistic directors of Canada to say ‘Hire me! Hire me!’” Ellis said.
  
  I was really taken aback by her story of the song “Beauty.” The song was inspired by a friend of hers who was actually dying. Her friend was an activist and very outspoken person, and it made Ellis want to write a song that gets bigger and bigger, with more instruments and vocals coming in. Indeed, by the end of “Beauty” there is a whole flurry of voices, including a three-year-old (now four-year-old) named Oscar, who Ellis said is a very artsy kid. Look out Canada, when Oscar grows up he’ll be unstoppable.
  
  “Low” was an experiment in the “call-and-response” form which involves a lot of repetition.
  
  One of Ellis’ favourite shows was playing the 2009 Christmas show at the Rivoli, in which many artists sing one song. She got to share the stage with well-known artists like Hawksley Workman and Luke Doucet.
  
  She also loved playing the Kaffé 1870 in Wakefield, Que. Part of its charm was how shiny it was, and Ellis loves shiny things.
  
  “If I’m ever rich, or have a mansion, or even if I have a spare room, I want a room filled with disco balls, hanging from the ceiling. Nothing else, just disco balls,” she said with a laugh.
  
  Later this summer Ellis plans to make music videos for “Bitter Grasses” and “Little Grey Sparrow.” She hopes to be able to play Massey Hall in the future, and, of course, make more music.
  
  She will also be playing two shows at NXNE in Toronto this week. The first on Thursday, June 17th at the Cameron House and the second on Sunday, June 20th at the Garrison.
  
  
  
  Original Article: http://glasspaperweight.wordpress.com/2010/06/15/one-on-one-with-karyn-ellis/
  
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  Performance a buzz for songwriter ~ By DENIS ARMSTRONG, Ottawa Sun
  Tuesday May 11, 2010
  
  "Singer-songwriter Karyn Ellis keeps a positive outlook on life."
  
  
  Karyn Ellis says that playing live is “like taking a drug, a wonderful, uplifting drug.”
  
  Whether she’s ever actually tried such a drug is unclear. Take my word for it, the singer, songwriter and sometime actor from Toronto catches a little buzz every time she performs for an appreciative audience. The glow she gets is so agreeable, that three years ago, Ellis even sold her farm near Tweed, Ontario to pursue her dream of performing for a living.
  
  “I always wanted to be David Bowie when I was young because he was so theatrical and otherworldly,” Ellis says post-gig at Maxwell’s in Kitchener-Waterloo. “I feel really big and happy when I’m on stage. Acting is terrifying but it’s a lot of fun. At least when I play music I can hide behind my guitar. It’s become my best friend.”
  
  But first she needed songs. So Ellis, who studied at Humber College where she won their Most Original New Voice Award in 2007, and the National Theatre School, partnered up with former alumnae and indie heavyweights John Millard, Hidden Cameras’ Amy Lang, Creaking Tree’s Brian Kobayakawa and producer Don Kerr to make her first record, the whimsical romantic fantasy “Even Though the Sky Was Falling”, on which she sings about such unconventional topics like cancer, “Motorcycle Rides”, which has been short-listed for the Colleen Peterson Songwriting Award and the hit TV series CSI. No doubt, she’ll be playing a few of them when she performs at Kaffe 1870 in Wakefield on May 15.
  
  “The songs are little snippets of wonder. It’s hard to remember that life is beautiful sometimes.”
  
  It’s that positive attitude that fuels her songwriting and theatrical performances that made her bold enough to choose music in the first place.
  
  Ellis studied opera at Queen’s University before busking her way through Europe and even selling Christmas trees in New York City before recording her EP “Bird” in 2002, and her critically-acclaimed debut CD “Heart’s Fall” three years later.
  
  For some reason she can’t explain, Ellis is huge with the Dutch. “Karyn Ellis is a singer we simply must embrace in Europe,” Altcountryforum.nl wrote.
  
  So, even when she’s broke, which is often, life is going Ellis’s way, because she willed it to. If she were to sum up her philosophy of life, its to not get too wrapped up in the daily crisis’s we’re exposed to everyday.
  
  “The world is a hard place to be. We hear that all the time now that the Internet delivers bad news that much faster. But I don’t want to turn into Chicken Little, worried that the sky is falling. I want to live life well and focus on the joy and wonder of life. Why not live life like the world is beautiful?”
  
  Amen.
  
  Karyn Ellis and Janine Stoll play Kaffe 1870 on Riverside in Wakefield on Saturday, May 15 at 9 p.m.. Tickets are $10, or pay-what-you-can at the door
  
  denis.armstrong@sunmedia.ca
  http://www.ottawasun.com/entertainment/thescene/2010/05/11/13911421.html
  
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  KARYN ELLIS PLAYING TONIGHT AT NIGHT AT FOSTER'S
  
  By Brian Shypula ~ The Beacon Herald, Stratford Ontario ~ Friday May 7th, 2010
  
  
  No, there isn't a toddler touring with Karyn Ellis.
  
  The Toronto singer-songwriter laughs at the question, a reference to the voice at the end of the song "Beauty" on her new CD, "Even Though the Sky Was Falling."
  
  "He doesn't know how to drive," she quipped over a cellphone on her way to teach a music lesson.
  
  The voice belongs to Oscar, her sort-of godchild, who was just three when he lent his voice to the song a year ago. Ellis said she had an idea of a "toddler choir" made up of Oscar's friends singing the chorus. She got them together but they got a case of stage fright.
  
  "Except for Oscar who stepped up," she added.
  
  Quirky, whimsical, poetic and sweet describe Ellis's music. She performs Friday night in Stratford at Foster's Inn, her first show in town.
  
  Ellis, who studied opera at Queen's University, said she almost gave up on the music industry in favour of getting a "real" job when a Canada Council grant for composition arrived in answer to an application she'd forgotten about.
  
  It allowed her to put together a supporting case of 16 musicians for the album. The result is a lush, multi-layered sound with horns, strings and even glockenspiel.
  
  Ellis, shortlisted for the Colleen Peterson Songwriting Award and named Humber College's 2007 Most Original New Voice, is performing solo though.
  
  "It's basically stripping it down to the song. That's where I started from when I went into the studio with just these songs and me playing guitar," she said.
  
  "It's far more about the vocals and the lyrical content."
  
  The album was co-produced by Don Kerr, who has also worked with Canadian songsmith Ron Sexsmith.
  
  Ellis is touring with Janine Stoll, who also has a new album.
  
  The show begins at 8 p.m. Admission is a suggested $15.
  
  
  http://www.stratfordbeaconherald.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2569123
  
  
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  TIMELY GRANT KEEPS SONGWRITER WORKING
  
  By Ted Shaw, The Windsor Star Thursday May 6, 2010
  
  
  Karyn Ellis was ready to chuck it in as a singer and get a day job when a letter arrived from the Canada Council.
  
  "I was literally on my way out to find work when the grant came in the mail," said the Toronto-based songwriter, who used the money to make her latest CD, Even Though the Sky Was Falling.
  
  Ellis plays music from the CD, as well as her earlier album, tonight at Phog Lounge.
  
  The U.K.-born singer who grew up in Toronto had achieved some fleeting fame for her earlier album, Hearts Fall, in 2007. Humber College's songwriting faculty named her that year's most original new voice.
  
  "It's the plight of the indie artist in Canada, I guess," she said. "People seemed to like the album and everything. I was touring, went out west."
  
  But things just sort of fizzled after that.
  
  "It was a bit of a hard go. It's a big country and with all the travel, I was feeling worn down. I was working super hard and not seeing rewards. So I was, like, OK, I quit."
  
  So the self-described "queen of grant-writing" fired off several applications for arts grants.
  
  The Canada Council for the Arts usually provides incentive grants to writers and visual artists, but seldom musicians. Working musicians usually have to go through Factor to get funds for the recording, while the Council pays for the lyrical content through its Canada Music section.
  
  But the process is not as simple as it looks: "I've got a whole collection of rejection letters in my drawer," said Ellis.
  
  When the letter came giving her six months to work on a new album, she said, "It seemed like this amazing reprieve that the universe sent my way."
  
  So much so that she named the album after the song that defines her philosophy of life.
  
  "It's sort of a take on the Chicken Little story," she said. "The sky is falling, the sky is falling. We live at a time when there's so much information to process and it's easy to get caught up in it.
  
  "Even if the sky is falling, I can walk outside right now and see irises growing outside my door. Little, wonderful things are happening around us all the time if we just stop and take notice."
  
  Even Though the Sky Was Falling has been getting the same kinds of raves as the earlier project. But Ellis won't let all the attention distract her.
  
  "It's not that I am suggesting we pretend it isn't a big, scary world. It's more the notion that I am choosing now how to spend my time.
  
  "Not overwhelmed, not frightened. Just enjoying life, looking up at the sky."
  
  
  © Copyright (c) The Windsor Star
  
  Read more: http://www.windsorstar.com/entertainment/Timely+grant+keeps+songwriter+working/2991995/story.html#ixzz0nGZH6SWJ

• What's On Your I-POD? ARTIST FEATURE [+ Show ]
  

  Bernard Perusse, Thursday May 6, 2010 MONTREAL - Singer-songwriter Karyn Ellis finds inspiration ...Bernard Perusse, Thursday May 6, 2010
  
  MONTREAL - Singer-songwriter Karyn Ellis finds inspiration in some bizarre spots - creepy CSI episodes, for example. But that doesn't make the inventively arranged songs on her latest album, Even Though the Sky Was Falling, any less charming. The disc, which Ellis produced with sometime Ron Sexsmith collaborator and bandmate Don Kerr, will be the focus of the Toronto performer's concert here next week. Here are her iPod faves.
  
  1. New Goodbye, Hey Rosetta!
  
  2. All Night, Sam Phillips
  
  3. Swimming Song, Kate and Anna McGarrigle
  
  4. Ambergris, Snowblink
  
  5. You Are Too Beautiful, Hawksley Workman
  
  6. Tumble Down, Janine Stoll
  
  7. Save Me, Aimee Mann
  
  8. Drive Thru America, Evalyn Parry
  
  9. Faith, Ronley Teper
  
  10. Boats and Water, Jack Breakfast
  
  Karyn Ellis performs May 14 at Centre St. Ambroise, 5080A St. Ambroise St. Voluntary donations - $10 is suggested - can be given at the door.
  
  - - -
  
  montrealgazette.com/music is where you can find this week's iPod
  feature and more Gazette music coverage.
  
  © Copyright (c) The Montreal Gazette
  
  http://www.montrealgazette.com/technology/What+your+ipod/2991710/story.html

• EVEN THOUGH THE SKY WAS FALLING - CD Reviews [+ Show ]
  

  Karyn Ellis has porcelain-like quality May 18, 2010 by Robert Reid, Record staff, Printed in ...
  
  Karyn Ellis has porcelain-like quality
  
  May 18, 2010 by Robert Reid, Record staff, Printed in the Guelph Mercury
  
  CD REVIEW - Even Though The Sky Was Falling
  
  Toronto singer/songwriter Karyn Ellis was a revelation when she debuted in early 2009 at the Registry Theatre with Eve Goldberg and Evalyn Parry.
  
  Four years in the making, Even Though the Sky Was Falling sounds like an album of nursery rhymes.
  
  And Toronto singer/songwriter Karyn Ellis has a soft, fragile voice reminiscent of a Victorian childhood.
  
  But Ellis’s latest offering is for adults who are struggling to find their way through the chaos and mania that obscure the journey of life. Beauty, dedicated to the memory of a friend who succumbed to cancer, is a highlight.
  
  Co-produced by Ellis and Don Kerr, best known for his work with Ron Sexsmith, Even Though the Sky Was Falling is more joyous and upbeat than her previous albums of heartbreak and loss. But Ellis retains a porcelain-like quality that remains poignant for its delicacy. Guest musicians include Evalyn Parry, John Millard and Brian Kobayakawa of the Creaking Tree Quartet.
  
  http://news.guelphmercury.com/arts/NightLife/article/634057
  
  ************
  
  Even Though the Sky Was Falling
  Karyn Ellis
  (Mathilde Home Productions)
  Cote de Voir: 3,5 étoiles
  
  CRITIQUE DE VOIR
  ARTICLE - 13 mai 2010
  Marie Hélène Poitras
  
  Comme Regina Spektor et Eleni Mandell, Karyn Ellis puise dans un
  registre qui devient vite gnangnan quand l'interprète manque de
  personnalité - ce n'est pas le cas ici. À partir d'une base folk-pop
  très joliment orchestrée, la Torontoise largue des chansons plus
  douces qu'amères avec une belle présence vocale et un grain de voix
  intéressant. Son agilité, sa façon de ne pas en faire trop et des
  textes nuancés témoignent de l'expérience acquise dans les réseaux
  indés. Petit tour de force: les arrangements - cosignés par Don Kerr -
  varient d'une piste à l'autre (chorale gospel, touches de country et
  de bluegrass, cordes, cuivres, piano), sans que l'unité de l'album en
  souffre.
  
  http://www.voir.ca/infocenter/disc.aspx?zone=1§ion=6&disc=10737
  
  *****************
  
  Alain Brunet
  La Presse
  08 mai 2010
  
  Karyn Ellis: apparente ténuité... ***1/2
  
  On ne s'étonnera pas que Don Kerr, ex-Rheostatics et proche
  collaborateur de Ron Sexmith, ait réalisé et arrangé ce troisième
  album de Karyn Ellis.
  
  De toute évidence, cette Torontoise a gradué à l'école de la chanson
  americana il y a un bon moment. Non seulement en maîtrise-t-elle les
  références (folk, country, bluegrass, rock), mais elle réussit à
  imposer sa patte (choeurs singuliers, ornements calypso jazzy, etc.).
  Le raffinement de cette réalisation et de ces arrangements (quelque
  part entre fanfare et orchestre de chambre) y est pour beaucoup dans
  l'étoffe de ces chansons d'une qualité indiscutable. D'ailleurs, il ne
  faut pas trop se fier aux allures naïves de Karyn Ellis. Derrière
  cette voix de jeune fille, se trouve une artiste beaucoup plus solide
  et perspicace qu'on ne peut l'imaginer de prime abord.
  
  Qui sait causer de la chose amoureuse, mais aussi de moult épisodes de
  l'existence qui prêtent flanc à la réflexion, l'attendrissement, la
  moquerie ou l'autodérision. Qui n'a rien de naïf, tout compte fait. Et
  qui sera de passage à Montréal le 14 mai, au Centre St-Ambroise.
  
  Extrait: Even Though The Sky Was Falling
  
  http://www.cyberpresse.ca/arts/musique/critiques-cd/201005/07/01-4278281-karyn-ellis-apparente-tenuite-12.php
  
  *******************
  
  KARYN ELLIS: Even Though the Sky Was Falling (Mathilde's Home Productions) A singer-songwriter with Karyn Ellis's life experience should have stories to tell. A classically trained musician who set out to sing opera, this bright Ontario girl got sidetracked into pop music and weird day jobs, including singing telegrams for a living. Even Though the Sky Was Falling, her sophomore CD, proves this is a woman with stories. Opening track Be My Girl begins with the lyric, "My hands are tied behind my back. To the chair. To the wood. To the side of me that is afraid," and then Ellis turns this S&M image (Ellis was inspired by CSI episodes) into a statement about women breaking free of bondage in whatever form. Two songs later, Ellis performs an up-tempo stomper with a low, rumbling electric guitar; Duane Eddy lives! Often her songs tug, musically and lyrically, with contrasting emotions. Low has a bouncing rhythm, even though Ellis sings plaintively, "Why am I so sad?" The title track, written for a friend who died, has an uplifting quality. Musically, the disc has genre-defying arrangements, the studio calling on adults and children to sing, and musicians to play toy piano, glockenspiel, french horn and trombone. Rating 4 out of 5 -- Marke Andrews, Vancouver Sun, May 8, 2010
  
  http://www.windsorstar.com/entertainment/movie-guide/Pornographers+offer+intelligent+hook+filled/3002011/story.html

• EVEN THOUGH THE SKY WAS FALLING - CD reviews (Belgium, Netherlands & UK) [+ Show ]
  

  Americana-uk.com (Great Britain) CD REVIEW Maurice Hope Sunday, June 06, 2010 Canadian singer-...Americana-uk.com (Great Britain)
  CD REVIEW
  Maurice Hope
  Sunday, June 06, 2010
  
  Canadian singer-songwriter Karyn Ellis is an innovative and eclectic talent, stretching across a broad spectrum of the Americana genre, plus with lots of quirky tunes you may soon become addicted to her efforts
  
  On combining folk and pop Ellis brings together the genres in an entertaining left field fashion. In some ways she reminds me of Rosie Thomas; as on the tune ‘Low’. An understated affair it embraces both life and the heart of the listener instantly. Ellis has the uncanny ability of hitting the jackpot quite regularly with her songs, although some cuts are forgettable.
  
  When Ellis is in form as is the case with ‘Grey Sparrow’ and on containing a wondrous under-current and music akin to Erin McKeown, ‘Bitter Grasses’ that contains some of the coolest lyrics and groove imaginable, her rating leaps skyway. What I would give for an album of material of this ilk and quality! The lead guitar playing along is alone is worth of the admission fee, hence it remains a mystery why she allows herself to be making music lacking in star quality. When she is hot her work is of another level. As is the case with ‘Shooting Star’ and ‘Motorcycle Ride’ that sees her close the album. While the former possesses a lilting rhythm and matching harmony vocals ‘Motorcycle Ride’ contains lyrics that speak of a former relationship and some of the best vocals from Ellis, as in the keeping of her own guiding star, co-producer and multi-instrumentalist Don Kerr she delivers a timeless love ode.
  
  Kerr isn't the only ace in the pack either, since Ellis herself (acoustic, electric guitar, percussion, trumpet etc) alongside horns, double bass and banjo also figure.
  
  7 out of 10
  
  
  ****************
  
  AltCountryForum.nl (Netherlands)
  CD REVIEW
  By Martin Overheul
  January 27, 2010
  
  (Translated from the original)
  
  What strikes you first about the voice of Canadian singer-songwriter Karyn Ellis is her appealing mixture of youthful innocence and feminine sensuality. Ellis’ timbre is both clear and raspy, a combination that always works for me. Thus is the case on ‘Even Though The Sky Was Falling’, the third album of a singer who has proven herself in her own country but who still urgently needs to be embraced in Europe.
  
  Strange that it took almost five years for a follow up to appear after her outstanding album ‘Hearts Fall’, a disk which gave her some positive attention on a national and international level. Not hip enough for the music scene of recent years? Not glossy enough for easy consumption? Too hard to get a handle on? Who knows what is going on in the minds of record executives. Not much, I think.
  
  ‘Even Though The Sky Was Falling’ has been on my iPod for a while now and the album was more than worth waiting for. Here we find another impressive dimension to Karyn Ellis’ talent: the originality and ingenuity of her folk-pop sound (that name comes from her, not me). Not surprisingly, her music shares similarities with equally independent, creative spirits like Dory Previn, Ricky Lee Jones, Devon Sproule and Feist.
  
  Ellis opens with the captivating ‘Be My Girl’, a song so meaty that it sets the bar high for the rest of the album. It is followed by the elegant ballad ‘Not Looking For Love’, which it turns out is equally strong - if not more so - characterized by Ellis’ writing and singing abilities. Beautiful instrumentation, ingenious melody and gorgeous lyrics.
  
  And so it goes on, as if writing a brilliant song were child’s play, with the title track ‘Even Though The Sky Was Falling’, ‘Ten Stories’ and ‘Motorcycle Ride’ as undisputed highlights. But it is challenging to identify a single standout on an album that is so remarkably clear and consistent.
  
  Karyn Ellis is a singer we simply must embrace in Europe.
  
  
  ****************
  
  (ORIGINAL ARTICLE in DUTCH)
  
  Karyn Ellis – Even Though The Sky Was Falling
  
  Het eerste dat opvalt aan de stem van de Canadese singer-songwriter Karyn Ellis is de aantrekkelijke mix van jeugdige onschuld en vrouwelijke sensualiteit. Ellis’ timbre is tegelijk helder en hees, een combinatie die bij mij altijd werkt. Dus ook in het geval van ‘Even Though The Sky Was Falling’, het derde album van een in eigen land alom gewaardeerde zangeres die in Europa maar eens dringend aan de borst gedrukt moet worden.
  
  Merkwaardig dat het bijna vijf jaar heeft geduurd voordat er een opvolger verschijnt van Ellis’ uitstekende vorige album ‘Hearts Fall’, een plaat waarmee ze zowel nationaal als internationaal toch enige aandacht kreeg. Niet hip genoeg in de muziekscene van de voorbije jaren? Te weinig hapklare brokken? Te eigenzinnig? Wie weet wat er zoal rondgaat in de hoofden van platenbazen. Niet veel, denk ik soms.
  
  karyn ellis_pMaar goed, ‘Even Though The Sky Was Falling’ staat al een tijdje op mijn iPod en het album maakt het lange wachten meer dan waard. Waarmee we bij een volgende markante dimensie van Karyn Ellis’ talent belanden: de originaliteit en inventiviteit van haar folkpop (die benaming komt van haar, niet van mij). Daardoor is het niet vreemd dat haar muziek gelijkenissen vertoont met even creatieve en onafhankelijke geesten als Dory Previn, Rickie Lee Jones, Devon Sproule en Feist.
  
  Ellis opent met het innemende ‘Be My Girl’, een song waarin zoveel vlees en bloed zit dat de lat meteen behoorlijk hoog ligt. Het kenschetst Ellis’ componeer- en zangtalent dat het niveau op het volgende nummer, de zwierige ballade ‘Not Looking For Love’, minimaal op hetzelfde peil ligt, zo niet iets hoger. Prachtige instrumentatie, ingenieuze zanglijn en een heerlijke tekst.
  
  En zo gaat dat maar door, alsof het schrijven van een prachtige song kinderspel is, met titelnummer ‘Even Though The Sky Was Faling’, ‘Ten Stories’ en ‘Motorcycle Ride’ als onbetwiste hoogtepunten. Al is het op zich best moeilijk om uitschieters aan te wijzen op een album dat zo opmerkelijk eenduidig en consistent is.
  
  Karyn Ellis is een zangeres die we in Europa maar eens dringend aan de borst moeten drukken.
  
  http://www.altcountryforum.nl/2010/01/27/karyn-ellis-even-though-the-sky-was-falling/
  
  
  
  ***************
  
  
  
  CtrlAltCountry.be (Beligium)
  CD REVIEW
  By Benny Metten
  Monday January 11, 2010
  
  (Translated from the original)
  
  (4,5*****)
  
  In 2005 we found her CD “Hearts Fall” to be a real beauty, and this new one is even better! In this reviewer's opinion, this young woman from Toronto has everything at hand to attract a wide audience within a really short time. In “Even Though The Sky Was Falling” she evokes words and sounds even more clearly than before. Without getting lost in endless experimenting, on this third album she shows the kind of vocal agility that only the greatest possess. Moreover, her eclectic approach to failed loves and her songs about burning desire offer the best imaginable playground for this. From the folk-pop of “Be My Girl” (nicely accompanied on the piano by Michael Holt) to the ballad “Not Looking For Love” (with strings that give it a little classical touch); from the fabulous, introverted twangy root-pop of “Bitter Grasses” to the alternative folk of “Low” (lifted up to lonely heights by the Illustrious Horn Section); from the truly beautiful title song (again such a heavenly, sensitive “sleeper” that eases in with the sound of a crackling record) to “Little Grey Sparrow” (a nice example of playful, summery Americana); from “Beauty” (indeed beautiful and that's not just because of the name) to the final trilogy “Ten Stories”, “Shooting Star” and “Motorcycle Ride”, this is pure enjoyment from the first to the last. Flawless songs, an entirely fantastic voice, musicians that put themselves completely at service of the songs, and on top of that, with Don Kerr a great producer on board – we cannot think of what else one could wish for. A fantastic disc!
  
  ****************
  
  ORIGINAL ARTICLE in DUTCH:
  
  KARYN ELLIS “Even Though The Sky Was Falling” (Mathilde’s Home Productions)
  
  (4,5*****)
  
  Haar in 2005 verschenen CD “Hearts Fall” vonden we hier al een echte beauty en deze nieuwe is voorwaar nóg beter! Deze vanuit Toronto actieve jongedame heeft wat ons betreft dan ook écht alles in huis om op vrij korte termijn een zeer breed publiek te kunnen bekoren. Op “Even Though The Sky Was Falling” stoeit ze nog manifester dan voorheen met klanken en woorden. Zonder daardoor in oeverloze experimenteerdrift te verzanden etaleert ze op die derde het soort van vocale lenigheid, dat alleen aan de allergrootsten gegeven is. En haar eclectische benadering van haar eigen, veelal teloorgegane liefdes en verzengend verlangen bezingende liedjes biedt haar daartoe de zo ongeveer best denkbare speeltuin. Van de door Michael Holt fraai op zijn piano begeleide folkpop van “Be My Girl” tot de strijkersgewijs van een zweempje klassiek voorziene ballade “Not Looking For Love”, van de geweldige, introvert twangende rootspop van “Bitter Grasses” tot de door de Illustrious Horn Section mee naar eenzame hoogten gestuwde alternatieve folk van “Low”, van het werkelijke bloedmooie, als een krakende plaat op je losgelaten titelnummer, opnieuw zo’n zalige gevoelige sleper, tot “Little Grey Sparrow”, een fraai staaltje van speelse zomerse Americana, van het z’n naam absoluut niet gestolen hebbende “Beauty” tot de afsluitende trilogie “Ten Stories”, “Shooting Star” en “Motorcycle Ride”, dit is werkelijk van de eerste tot de laatste noot genieten geblazen! Puntgave songs, een ronduit fantastische stem, zich volop ten dienste van de liedjes stellende muzikanten en met Don Kerr bovendien ook nog eens een prima producer aan boord, we zien niet in, wat een mens zich nog meer zou kunnen wensen. Fantastische plaat!
  
  http://www.ctrlaltcountry.be/Pagina1ArchiefJanuari2010.htm#KarynEllis

• EVEN THOUGH THE SKY WAS FALLING - CD reviews (Online zines & blogs) [+ Show ]
  

  Greyowl Point Review- “Even Though the Sky Was Falling”- Karyn Ellis May 15, 2010 by glasspaperw...
  Greyowl Point
  Review- “Even Though the Sky Was Falling”- Karyn Ellis
  May 15, 2010 by glasspaperweight
  
  To put it plain and simple, Karyn Ellis is a pop singer-songwriter that others should aspire to be like. Not one note or lyric is wasted on her third recording, Even Though the Sky Was Falling.
  
  Whether it is by the simple melodies, catchy hooks or Ellis’ breathtakingly angelic voice, you will definitely be charmed by this ten-song collection.
  
  It doesn’t matter what kind of tune she sings; whether it is slow and melodic like the album opener “Be My Girl” or the album’s title track, or playful and upbeat like “Bitter Grasses” or “Little Grey Sparrow” she succeeds. “Be My Girl” starts out slow and is only backed by a piano, and then you are swiftly introduced to Ellis’ voice, a voice that sets her apart from other female singers. The song sounds so natural that she is even able to bring in a gospel choir without it seeming like something is off.
  
  Or take “Not Looking for Love”- again, the melody is rather simple but also introduces a sweeping strings section, making the song infinitely enjoyable. In most cases, I would scoff at the lyrics “I’m not looking for love/This foolish thing that’s left behind” but coming from Ellis, they seem completely honest and unabashed.
  
  When it moves onto “Bitter Grasses” Ellis proves that she can just as easily do an upbeat, borderline-country song and not lose her touch. The tone of this song is almost accusatory, especially with the repeated hook of “You don’t hear a word I said.”
  
  Speaking of hooks, that’s what makes the next song, “Low” such a great one. Most of the song is repetition of a few phrases accompanied by finger snaps ending with “Why am I so low?” The song’s simplicity makes it one of the best on the album.
  
  Melodies and vocals aside, Karyn Ellis is also great with her lyrics as well. “Beauty” begins with a string of similes, such as “Like a churchyard fills a bell/Like a desert fills the sand.” Her lyrics also serve as great storytelling, namely in the album closer “Motorcycle Ride” which tells the story about a fond memory with a past lover.
  
  If I haven’t made it clear by now, this is a fantastic record from a local Torontonian artist and is really setting the bar for female pop singer-songwriters.
  
  Top Tracks: “Low”; “Motorcycle Ride”
  Rating: Proud Hoot (Really Good) +*swoop*
  
  http://glasspaperweight.wordpress.com/2010/05/15/review-even-though-the-sky-was-falling-karyn-ellis/
  
  ********************
  !earshot Magazine
  EVEN THOUGH THE SKY WAS FALLING - CD REVIEW by Allison Brown
  January 12, 2010
  
  Lightning might strike only once in the same place, but on Karyn Ellis’ new release “Even Though The Sky Was Falling”, sparks fly on all ten songs. Melodically unconventional, Karyn leaves no note unturned as she plunges and weaves through the full spectrum of each song, bringing the ear to unanticipated, yet infectiously tuneful terrain. Karyn’s rich cinnamon vocals sail comfortably atop a frothy instrumentation highlighted by horns artfully arranged by Brian Kobayakawa supported by Don Kerr’s intricate production architecture. Dangerously dancing with twinkly elements like plucked cello, toy piano, banjo, children’s choir and glockenspiel, Kerr and Ellis bravely avoid oversweetening the record by creating a balanced orchestra that does not overshadow the melody or content. Karyn draws the listener close with deeply personal and illustrative expressions of joy, fear, loneliness, beauty and nostalgia that translate her sincere feeling in each song. Lyrically creative, “Beauty” is made up entirely of simile - some which makes you think - “Like A Shoelace Fills A Shoe”, “Like The Finder Fills The View” – the song’s entrance note begins with almost audible pulses that explode into a flurry of horns, stopping abruptly as Karyn takes to the sonic stage to present the song’s playful bliss. With a hint of heaviness, Karyn borrows Joni Mitchell’s map of Canada, -missing the drawn faces-, as she sighs through “Not Looking For Love”. The sky might be falling, but Karyn’s ten celestial tunes on “Even Though The Sky Was Falling”, her second full-length release, are sure to send this songstress’s star on a rapid rise.
  
  http://www.earshot-online.com/reviews/DisplayReview.cfm?DiscID=91405
  
  *****************
  
  NxEW.ca
  EVEN THOUGH THE SKY WAS FALLING - CD REVIEW by Rozalind MacPhail
  Friday, November 6, 2009
  
  Brilliant. Karyn Ellis’s Even Though the Sky Was Falling grabbed my heartstrings immediately and hasn’t let go. I listened to it for the first time in the morning, as I was getting ready for my day and it put me in the most amazing mood. Karyn’s lyrics can really hit home at times. We’ve all been there before, at some point in our lives and Karyn brings us back to remembering those moments. This CD has something for everyone. Great production work. You can hear Don Kerr’s influence and the cast of other fine musicians who created their magic here. It’s playful and refreshing, offering something new in each song. The string arrangements in, “I’m Not Looking For Love” are fantastic, the kids in “Beauty” keep me smiling and I love the adult choir in “Little Grey Sparrow”, a song that gets me pumped each and every time I listen to it. And this album has lots of groove, thanks to some very fine percussionists, Don Kerr and Gary Craig adding their magic. You’ll have your foot tapping and you’ll be replaying your favourite songs. I highly recommend that everyone check out this unique and truly gifted Toronto songwriter and take a listen to this beautifully crafted album.
  
  Karyn’s CD Release Party in Toronto is tonight at The Tranzac’s Main Hall. Attending this show is a must!
  
  NxEW.ca / by Rozalind MacPhail (Mystery Flute Girl)
  http://www.nxew.ca/2009/11/cd-review-karyn-ellis.html

• HEARTS FALL - CD reviews (Belgium, Netherlands, UK, North America) [+ Show ]
  

  Review of HEARTS FALL on Rootstime.be by Frank Celis January 2006 (Belgium) 4/***** In t...
  Review of HEARTS FALL on Rootstime.be
  by Frank Celis
  January 2006
  (Belgium)
  4/*****
  
  In the increasing stream of new music releases, it gets harder and harder for a debut album to make an impression on me. You can call it the “inflation” of music. But once in awhile, you bump into an album that keeps you in its grips for months. An album where you would be willing to give up part of your impressive record collection because living without this album would be unbearable.
  
  The 2003 EP, “Bird”, was only just a beginning for young Canadian singer-songwriter, Karyn Ellis. Now two years later, she moves forward with her CD “Hearts Fall”, which is similar in style to its predecessor. Karyn takes inspiration from acoustic folk pop ballads mixed with country and jazz influences.
  
  The production deserves notice. Karyn’s voice is front and centre, supported by subtle playing on acoustic and electric guitar. How well chosen the songs and how tasteful the arrangements, and it is Karyn’s voice that carries the music to singular heights. Under the surface of her folky vocals, there hides a youthful playfulness and sensuality. It is this contrast that makes her music so pleasing. And how beautiful the phrasing! Karyn sings neither sentences nor words, but syllables. She carefully weighs and reweighs each one on her tongue, only then hesitantly lets them out: in this you see the true folk singer.
  
  Have a listen to the two opening songs, the title track and Four A.M. Love Song Ode to a Wooden Floor, along with the beautiful piano playing of Tom Howell you will lose your heart to Karyn. Off the top of my head I think of a mix of Tori Amos and Madeleine Peyroux. She is also strongly influenced by Nanci Griffith, Kate and Anna McGarrigle and Jane Siberry. You can also hear Beth Orton and Kate Bush throughout the album.
  
  Every song is enhanced by splendid musicians, like previously mentioned Tom Howell (Justin Rutledge, Kate Rogers Band) on piano and violin, James Thomson (Hogtown Syncopators, Corin Raymond) on double bass and Gary Craig (Blackie and the Rodeo King, Bruce Cockburn) on drums and percussion. The accompaniment is straight-forward, occasionally surprising you with unusual musical flourishes.
  
  “Hearts Fall” is a first class album that grows more beautiful with every listen; it hasn’t stopped growing on me yet. A CD to cherish. An enormous must-have, and without a doubt one of the best CDs in this genre. 4 out of 5
  
  ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
  ORIGINAL DUTCH ARTICLE:
  
  In de nog immer gestaag toenemende stroom aan nieuwe uitgaven vermag een debuutplaat steeds minder indruk te maken. Je zou het de inflatie van de muziek kunnen noemen. Maar eens in de zoveel tijd stuit je - vaak bij toeval - op een plaat die je maandenlang in een wurgende greep houdt. Zo'n plaat waaraan je desnoods een flink deel van je imposante platencollectie zou willen opofferen omdat een leven zonder deze plaat je ondraaglijk voorkomt. De voorloper, het EPje "Bird", waarmee de jonge Canadese singer/songwriter Karyn Ellis in 2003 debuteerde was nog maar het begin. Nu, twee jaar later, dient zich de opvolger aan. "Hearts Fall" volgt het recept van zijn voorganger. Karyn grijpt hier wederom terug naar eigen songs, akoestische folk-pop ballades die ze mengt met country en jazzy invloeden. Ook de productie roept herkenning op. De stem van Karyn treedt voortdurend op de voorgrond en gaat vergezeld van haar onnadrukkelijk, subtiel spel op akoestische en elektrische gitaar. Hoe welgekozen de songs ook zijn, en hoe smaakvol de arrangementen wederom, het is de stem van Karyn die haar muziek op eenzame hoogte tilt. Klinken haar vocalen aan de oppervlakte folky, daarachter gaan de vrolijkheid en ondeugd die de jeugd aankleven schuil. Het is dit contrast dat haar muziek zo bekoorlijk maakt. En hoe mooi is haar frasering! Karyn zingt zinnen noch woorden, het zijn vooral lettergrepen waar Karyn zich over ontfermt. Ze wikt en weegt elk lettergreep op haar tong alvorens deze met enige aarzeling prijs te geven: hierin verraadt zich de ware folkzangeres. Luister maar even naar de twee openers: de titeltrack en "Four am Love Song, Ode To A Wooden Floor", met het mooie pianospel van Tom Howell en je zult je hart verliezen aan Karyn. Qua timbre denk ik aan een mix van Tori Amos en Madeleine Peyroux. Feit is dat zij zich stevig heeft laten beïnvloeden door o.a. Nanci Griffith, Kate & Anna McGarrigle en Jane Siberry, maar ook de invloeden van Beth Orton en Kate Bush klinken op dit album door. En ieder nummer is voorzien van prachtige muzikanten, zoals de reeds vernoemde Tom Howell (Justin Rutledge, Kate Rogers Band) op piano en viool, James Thomson (The Hogtown Syncopators, Corin Raymond) op double bass en Gary Craig (Blackie & the Rodeo Kings, Bruce Cockburn) op drums & percussie. Deze muzikale begeleiding is, zoals het hoort bij dit soort muziek, uiterst sober, maar weet toch ook te verrassen met net wat uitbundigere uitstapjes. "Hearts Fall" is bovendien een eersteklas groeiplaatje dat bij iedere luisterbeurt mooier wordt. Een groei die zich vooralsnog niet laat remmen. Een cd om te koesteren derhalve. Een enorme aanrader en zonder meer een van de beste cd's in dit genre. 4 out of 5
  
  **************************
  
  HEARTS FALL CD review
  CtrlAltCountry.be
  by Benny Metten
  (Belgium)
  December 10th, 2005
  4/*****
  
  In 2003 Toronto's Karyn Ellis released an EP entitled "Bird", but it is with her recent release of "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 of 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. For instance, "Four am Love Song, Ode To A Wooden Floor" and "Another Sad Song" 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? "4 out of 5"
  
  ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
  ORIGINAL DUTCH ARTICLE:
  
  In 2003 verscheen van de uit Toronto afkomstige Karyn Ellis al een eerste EP luisterend naar de titel “Bird”, maar met het onlangs op de markt gegooide “Hearts Fall” pakt ze voor het eerst ook echt volwaardig uit. En hoe! Dat elf tracks tellende album staat boordevol knappe akoestische folk-pop ballades met nu eens een licht country dan weer een voorzichtig jazzy ondertoontje op grond waarvan je haar nu al een erg grote toekomst zou durven te voorspellen. Vooral de momenten waarop ze stemgewijs flirt met een dronken voortwaggelende piano “courtesy of” de ondermeer van zijn werk bij Justin Rutledge en de Kate Rodgers Band bekende Tom Howell zijn echt groots. We denken dan bijvoorbeeld aan bitterzoete heerlijkheden als het titelnummer, “Four am Love Song, Ode To A Wooden Floor” en “Another Sad Song”. Dán hoor je Welch, Waits, Amos, Brickell, Peyroux, de Cowboy Junkies en de Be Good Tanyas, maar dan wel allemaal tegelijk, gebald in dat ene tengere lijf, die ene intrieste stem. Superieure late night stuff is het! Wie haalt haar zo snel mogelijk naar ons land? "4 out of 5"
  
  **************************
  
  Review of HEARTS FALL on RealRootsCafe.com
  by Rein van den Berg
  April 13th, 2006
  (Netherlands)
  
  The positive reviews for Karyn Ellis’ 2nd CD reached me before I had a chance to listen to it myself. This might not be the most objective way to hear it for the first time, but that didn’t hinder me in my enjoyment of the album. 11 inspired, creative, “organic” tunes full of joyful playing. Songs with unrestrained and unusual structures. Her voice tends toward a child-like quality, and this does not diminish the experience in the least. Her songs were mainly recorded live (but without an audience) and without polish on a snowy afternoon in the Staircase Theatre in Hamilton Ontario. (The percussion and drums were added later at the mixing board.) The shorter songs are structured freely, whereas the longer ones are expanded upon in unique ways. The acoustic instruments are playfully expressed all the while serving the personal, colourful nature of her voice. Her poetic sensibilities add depth, and together they make a beautiful, balanced whole. One thinks of Emilliani Torrini’s “Fisherman’s Woman”, but done Canadian style!
  
  ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
  ORIGINAL DUTCH ARTICLE
  
  De lovende kritieken ten aanzien van Karyn Ellis d’r 2de CD bereikten mij eerder dan dat ik haar muziek mocht beluisteren. Dit is wellicht niet een juiste instap ten aanzien van de beoogde objectiviteit, maar een en ander heeft mijn luisterplezier niet serieus beïnvloed. En luisterplezier is overdadig aanwezig. 11 geïnspireerde creatieve “organische” avontuurtjes, qua innemendheid en spelplezier. Songs met een lekkere losse en kleurrijke structuur. Definitie van haar stemgeluid nijgt tot kinderlijk, maar allerminst hinderlijk. De basis van de songs zijn live (en zonder publiek) opgenomen op een sneeuwige namiddag, dus slechts beperkt poets en plakwerk, in het Staircase Theatre van Hamilton, Ontario. Piano, bas en viool worden als redelijk essentiële instrumenten in Karyn’s pallet naar de voorgrond getoverd. (De percussie en drumwerkzaamheden zijn later via het mengpaneel toegevoegd) De kortere nummers zijn doorgaans losjes van toonzetting, terwijl de langere songs op een zeldzame wijze worden uitgerekt. Het akoestische instrumentarium komt speels tot zijn recht, gedragen door de persoonlijke klankkleur van haar stem. Haar poëzie voegt dan diepte naar smaak toe, waarbij een gebalanceerd geheel ontstaat. Qua geluid moet je denken aan Emilliana Torrini’s “Fisherman’s Woman”, maar dan op zijn Canadees!
  
  *************************
  
  Review of HEARTS FALL on AltCountry.nl
  by Peer Bataille
  April 2006
  (Netherlands)
  
  (Partial Translation)
  
  3.5 /*****
  
  Have you ever compared an ex-lover to a traffic light? Probably not. The Canadian Karyn Ellis pulls it off in the title track of "Hearts Fall" (self-published). With "You're like a traffic light / In a downtown intersection" she strikingly captures the distance between two people who have been together all day for two years. Ellis pulls many more surprises on her first full-length; textually, vocally and musically.
  [...]
  At first, Karyn Ellis's voice sounds like that of an innocent teenage girl. But her singing technique – it's as if she warms each word in her mouth – is everything but immature.
  [...]
  The lyrics to the eleven self-written songs betray an idiosyncratic view of life. At times they are also incredibly funny, such as: "Your love is sweet, like a sugar beet / But I'd be lying if I said / You were my one and only" (Sugar Beet).
  [...]
  The names of Lori McKenna, Kate Bush, Jolie Holland and Krista Detor come to mind. But best forget those right away, because actually Karyn Ellis can't be compared to anyone. She might be difficult for some at first, but persevere and you will be rewarded with the unique and personal sound of someone who may still do some very beautiful things in the future.
  
  ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
  ORIGINAL DUTCH ARTICLE
  
  Hebt u een ex-geliefde waar u op uitgekeken was wel eens vergeleken met een stoplicht? Vast niet. De Canadese Karyn Ellis doet het in het titelnummer van Hearts Fall (eigen beheer). Met "You're like a traffic light / In a downtown intersection" verwoordt ze treffend de afstand tussen twee mensen die twee jaar lang dag in dag uit bij elkaar waren. Ellis doet wel meer verrassende dingen op haar eerste volledige cd, na een ep uit 2003. Zowel tekstueel, vocaal als muzikaal. In een gemakzuchtige bui zou ik Hearts Fall hebben weggezet als 'meisjesmuziek' en hebben verwezen naar Tori Amos of zo iemand. Maar het plaatje bleef me intrigeren door het niet-alledaagse geluid. Op de eerste plaats is er Karyn Ellis' stem. Op het eerste gehoor klinkt ze als een onschuldig pubermeisje. Maar haar manier van zingen – ze lijkt de woorden een voor een in haar mond te laten chambreren – is allesbehalve puberaal. De teksten van de elf eigen liedjes verraden een eigen kijk op het leven. Bij vlagen zijn ze ook onbedaarlijk grappig. Wat vindt u bijvoorbeeld van deze: "Your love is sweet, like a sugar beet / But I'd be lying if I said / You were my one and only" (Sugar Beet). In Green Chair komt de hoofdpersoon 's avonds laat thuis en wordt liefdevol opgevangen door haar partner, maar gelukkig valt er toch wat te klagen: "You ran me a hot bath / Ran your hands over me / But soap's burning my eyes." En hoewel Ellis ons in Movie belooft liedjes met een "happy ending" te schrijven, merken we daar niet veel van. Het gaat hier vooral over de liefde, en dan vooral over het ontbreken of mislopen daarvan. Naast haar eigen akoestische en elektrische gitaar begeleidt een klein combo Ellis: piano, viool, pluk- en strijkbas en drums. Het is met name de piano van Tom Howell die veel liedjes kleur geeft. De vaak verrassende arrangementen op Hearts Fall maken de muziek moeilijk te categoriseren. Vooral luisterliedjes, maar waar af en toe best op gedanst mag worden (Rain). Folk, pop, af en toe wat country- of jazz-achtigs. De namen van Lori McKenna, Kate Bush, Jolie Holland en Krista Detor flitsten door mijn hoofd. Maar vergeet dat maar meteen, want eigenlijk is Karyn Ellis met niemand te vergelijken. Het eerste begin zal voor velen wat lastig zijn, maar de doorzetters worden beloond met het unieke, persoonlijke geluid van iemand die in de toekomst nog heel mooie dingen kan gaan doen. 3 1/2 out of 5.
  
  ***************************
  
  HEARTS FALL - CD review on
  kindamusik.net
  Maurice Dielmans
  (Netherlands)
  February 2nd, 2006
  
  Canadian 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 filled with playful folk songs.
  
  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. 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 superbly done and definitely deserves your attention.
  
  ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
  ORIGINAL DUTCH ARTICLE:
  http://www.kindamuzik.net/artikel/11812
  
  Als langverwachte opvolger haar debuut, de zes tracks tellende miniplaat Bird uit 2003, komt de Canadese zangeres en liedjesschrijfster met een langspeelplaat, die Hearts Fall heet en volstaat met speelse folksongs.
  
  Van haar fragiele en soms vervormde meisjesstem moet je simpelweg houden. Het hoge stemgeluid van Karyn Ellis en de jazzachtige melodieën doen misschien een beetje aan Joni Mitchell denken, maar de minimale instrumentatie en onverwachte wendingen in de kale luisterliedjes vinden evengoed aansluiting in het hedendaagse geluid van free folk. Een enkele keer horen we een subtiele verandering in stijl, zoals in het swingende countrylied 'Rain'.
  
  Ellis wordt bij alles soepel begeleid door pianist en violist Tom Howell, bassist James Thomson en drummer Gary Craig (o.a. Bruce Cockburn), wat beslist uw aandacht waard is.
  
  ***************
  
  HEARTS FALL - CD review on Americana-uk.com - (8/10**)
  Lynne Pettinger
  (U.K.)
  March 27th, 2006
  
  Pert and amusing singer-songwriting
  
  This 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. "8 out of 10"
  
  *****************
  
  PENGUIN MAGAZINE
  (Canada's Folk, Roots and World Music Magazine)
  by Chris Martin
  
  Spring 2006 issue, No. 29
  
  A 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.
  
  ***************
  SCENE MAGAZINE
  (Entertainment weekly, London Ontario)
  by Rod Nicholson
  
  February 16th, 2006
  
  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”
  
  *****************
  
  Profile/CD review in UPFRONT MAGAZINE by Dan MacDonald
  
  Windsor, Ontario
  May 2006 (Issue #93)
  
  Karyn Ellis' latest release Hearts Fall is best appreciated out doors, during spring in a backyard on a warm night, drunk on wine.
  
  The 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.
  
  Themes span through everything from contemplating stars burned out a million years ago - to reflecting back on relationships which seem just as far away.
  
  Her vocal delivery sounds as effortless as it is unique and her songs transform and evolve into flirtatious pieces of pop perfection when performed live.
  
  With background training in opera and guitar - and experience busking on the streets of Europe for train fare and hostel fees, Karyn Ellis' songs have a depth to them that holds up to the best the masters of this genre offer.
  
  Her first EP - the critically acclaimed bird was released in 2003 - and it's jewel case is literally a handmade work of perfection - fashioned out of a piece of cardboard, some green paint and a coffee filter.
  
  Just looking at the cover-art alone - is a testament to what a sweet and enjoyable artist Karyn Ellis is.
  
  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.
  
  That's what watching Karyn Ellis perform on stage feels like.
  
  From the first notes - you'll be head over heels in love.
  
  The same way you were with Belly.
  
  The same way you were with Juliana Hatfield.
  
  The same way you were with Kristin Hersh.
  
  The songs sound like sexy, foot-stompin' rustic pieces of sing-along folk-rock glory gift wrapped in finger-picking bliss!
  
  Karyn Ellis puts on a show not worth missing.
  
  Trust me, you'll be kicking yourself.
  
  She performs this month Phog on Wednesday May 17 th .
  
  For more information on Karyn Ellis and how to get your hands on her incredible releases - visit www.karynellis.com
  
  ***********************
  
  Indie-Music.com
  (Online Magazine, US)
  by Jennifer Layton
  
  April 8th, 2006
  
  Karyn 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.
  
  At times, I worry for her sanity. It makes sense that she would offer plenty of lyrics about winter, given that she lives in the Great White North, but the images are so brutal, I have to wonder if she’s ever wound up in intensive care with frostbite. Her cheeks are “raw with wind,” and in “Angels in Snow,” she faces Winter itself in a shivering confrontation: “Your smile all crooked and teeth, I breathe in sharply as your lips and my shoulder meet.”
  
  There’s also the split personality of her voice. Such delicate, deliberate pronunciation, like a little girl playing with sounds. Yet the tone can be chilling. “Movie” is a brutal ballad, cryptic yet violent and confrontational, with an almost dangerous quiet lying beneath the surface of the song. At times, she can take that mood and find dark humor in it. “Ode to a Wooden Floor” is an almost erotic love song to the only surface that keeps her steady while she’s suffering a hangover (“screw the furniture, I can’t deal with that,” she sings in her wide-eyed innocent voice).
  
  The title track would have been perfect for the Walk the Line soundtrack. “Already Have” would be perfect for a black-and-white art house flick. The music is primarily piano, stand-up bass, percussion, and guitar, but she can make a million shades of blues and reds and swirling violets come out of that music – a different aura for each track. I think she gets a wicked kick out of confounding writers like me who must try to categorize her music.
  
  So I’ll get her back. So let’s just call Ellis hypnotically brilliant and leave it at that. Nyah nyah.
  

• Other bits of news about HEARTS FALL & Reviews of BIRD [+ Show ]
  

  Already Home, from Hearts Fall, was the featured song on Mark Collin's Heard Deeply segment of CBC R...Already Home, from Hearts Fall, was the featured song on Mark Collin's Heard Deeply segment of CBC Radio's ONTARIO MORNING SHOW on March 22, 2006.
  
  ******************
  Inside the Chart - www.earshot-online.com
  Bryndis Ogmundson
  !Earshot Charts Editor
  February 2006
  
  It's February, the month of love. Right? Right? Am I wrong? Come on, don't glare at me. It is the month of love. And I'll prove it by telling you all about the great romantic music on the chart this month....
  
  ...then you find someone like sexy acoustic goddess Karyn Ellis, and you think, "of course I want to love again!" And some have fallen in love with her latest, Hearts Fall. To be in love, and even better, to have an album at number fourty-nine.
  
  Karyn Ellis, helping us learn to love again.
  
  *****************
  Amanda Putz (Bandwidth - CBC Radio) comments on HEARTS FALL
  November, 2005
  
  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."
  
  ******************
  REVIEWS OF BIRD
  
  Review in Scene Magazine
  by Dave Clarke
  (London Ontario)
  Oct 28th, 2004
  
  Some CDs are more personal than others. And judging from the hand-assembled and decorated packaging (the coffee filter CD holder would make McGuyver proud) and the willingness to share these works in progress, Toronto singer-songwriter Karyn Ellis' six-song CD is one of them. Ellis' voice ranges from sultry sexy on Summer Heatwave to downright quirky on Bird, which reminded me a bit of The McGarrigles. there is some fine tuning to be done, but remembering that these are demos put together as a memento for her live performances, it was nice to get a personal peek into Ellis's creative process.
  
  **********************
  
  Review on RisMixLive.com
  By Shael Risman
  (online radio station)
  July 16th, 2004
  
  A beautifully organic piece of work from this Kingston, Ontario native delivers dig-your-heels-in rootsy pop peppered with delightfully quirky lyrics. Ellis's flexible vocal style runs the gamut on this 6-song EP, fluttering playfully on the countrified BIRD, then simmering so seductively on SUMMER HEATWAVE that your brow sweats and your toes curl. Truth be told, the minute she yelps "Coffee is love!" she had me sold.
  
  
  **********************
  Review on Indie-Music.com
  By Jennifer Layton
  (online magazine)
  May 2nd, 2004
  
  The limited-run packaging of this CD is not only a triumph of indie artist creativity but also a perfect illustration of what's inside. The jewel case is actually cut from corrugated cardboard with a simple, hand-painted image of a coffee cup on the cover. On the back, a paintbrush-swirled condensation ring from the bottom of the cup. The sleeve that holds the CD is a coffee filter.
  
  The only missing touch is the autograph I hope to get when I finally see Karyn Ellis perform live someday.
  
  Like the packaging, the music is beautiful in what sounds like such simple arrangements, but when you take a closer look, there's magic in all the intricate details. Even on acoustic guitar and vocal tracks, careful attention is paid to the production, making the vibe so intimate that I can hear every breath, every touch of tongue on teeth. The exaggerated drawl of Ellis' words adds to the rustic, playful feel - in the title track, "birdie" becomes "bird-aye," and it's perched up in a "birch traye."
  
  In fact, I've never heard someone sound so childlike and so sensual at the same time. Ellis purrs in the opening track, "Summer Heatwave," adding rising steam to the languid, laid-back tempo:
  
  All I'm wearing is my tank top
  and my underwear
  I'm stewing in summer juices
  I'm basking in my spicy summer smell
  It's a hot one ...
  
  The music itself stretches out on a lawn chair, barely dressed. My computer screen almost fogged up.
  
  The songwriting carries through to a strong finish. No throwaways, no fillers, no sign of running on creative empty. "Cool Wooden Floor" is one of the best songs about a hangover I've heard in a while. (Unable to stand, she writes an almost passionate love song to the supportive wooden panels.) "Autumn" and "Kariana" are sweetly sad, with one comparing losing a love to the falling of leaves, and the other trying to let go of a soul that has already moved on. Ellis can envelop you in the warmth of that voice and break your heart at the same time.
  
  Even though Ellis has probably run out of the limited-edition pressing, I still strongly recommend checking it out. She could seal the disc in Saran Wrap and still make something magical out of it.

• 
  

Setlist

Current show primarily features songs from her new release, EVEN THOUGH THE SKY WAS FALLING, with additional repertoire drawn from her earlier recordings. Karyn generally plays all original material.

Sets range from 1 X 35 min to 2 X 50.

Basic Requirements

Calendar