Laura Vecchione

A bright new talented singer-songwriter with a gutsy style of her own

New York City born Laura Vecchione (pronounced, Veck-ee-own-ee), has emerged in the past few years as one of the most promising new singer-songwriters on the vibrant Boston music scene. DEEPER WATERS, her long-awaited debut album, was recorded in Nashville with a solid studio band comprising Mark Prentice (bass), Mike Severs (guitar), Tommy Harden (drums), Matt Troja (guitars), Michael Rojas (keyboards), Pat Buchanan (slide guitar), Scott Saunders (keyboards) and Mike Noble (acoustic guitar). With an earthiness and grit in her voice that sounds much older than her years, Laura moves effortlessly through powerful ballads, soulful belters and driving rockers on this mix of thoughtfully blended songs whose lyrics express life’s journey.

There’s a brave and funky revival of the Beatles’ Lady Madonna, and an equally powerful workout of Mac Rebennack’s Qualified, both giving full rein to Laura’s soulful voice. The talented young lady not only co-produced the disc, she also wrote or co-wrote the remaining eight songs, among them the defiant, gripping story of Jane (with echoes of the underrated Bobbie Cryner), the mountain-styled Fool’s Gold and the heartbreaking When the Fire’s Gone. Here’s a new female singer possessing a gutsy, soulful, edge-of-country style with the potential to build a UK following in much the same way as Eve Selis. - Maverick Magazine, March 2007 (www.maverick-country.com) - Staff

Laura Vecchione was born in New York and lives in Boston, but you sure can’t tell that from her music. Her new album, “Deeper Waters,” was recorded in Nashville, and you’d swear from listening to it that she’s the love child of June Carter and Blake Shelton (after some fortunate accident with a time machine). Nevertheless, Vecchione is all ours…–The Boston Globe - JM Berger

Deeper Waters – 2006 (Selkie)
Laura Vecchione
Reviewed by Jeff Lincoln



CDs by Laura Vecchione
Deeper Waters (2006)
For other CDs, see the CD Review Archive
It takes a certain chutzpah to christen your debut CD "Deeper Waters", but Laura Vecchione enjoys boldness, whether it's testing the range of her own remarkable voice or exploring the intersections of country, blues and Dixieland. Vecchione's had several walks of life already as a New York jazz vocal student, Boston teacher and now Nashville recording artist.

Vecchione (rhymes with "Becky Tony") penned most of these tunes, save two terrific covers, serving up an auditory gumbo. The musicians clearly share the enthusiasm for the material, with a loose leash policy all over the record for slide guitars, gospel piano and even clarinet. When called for, though, both the production and Vecchione summon a wicked whisper of a delivery to aim right for the emotional center of a song, such as one lover who can't see it's over ("When The Fire's Gone") or the one she can't have yet ("Softly Slowly").

The standout is the title track - Vecchione takes a particularly dim view on those who covet trophy wives or homes or anything that stops at the surface. (It's even got a Gatsby citation.)

Thematically and musically, Vecchione cements the listener's trust on this collection, all through the simple persuasion of her own multifaceted vocal instrument. - Jeff Lincoln

Laura Vecchione is a singer/songwriter in the Lucinda Williams tradition…the New York-born/Boston-based Vecchione similarly absorbs and reconstitutes so-called American music forms; rock, country, soul, blues, folk and even a little zydeco are all the same thing, as far as she’s concerned. Her songs are always solid, often exceptional (“Fool’s Gold,” “Breaking Heart in NYC,” the title track), but it’s her soulful singing that really makes these tracks soar. Check her funky cover of “Lady Madonna,” as she and the backing musicians take the Beatles to New Orleans and make them shake their Liverpudlian asses. If Natalie Maines ever leaves the Dixie Chicks, Laura Vecchione should be her replacement. - High Bias - Staff

Still Waters Run Deeper

Deeper Waters is Laura's accomplished debut and first up, what a fantastic voice Laura has. Whether handling straight ahead country rock on 'Fool's Gold' or on slower songs such as 'When the Fire's Gone' Laura's voice is superb. Laura has self penned eight of the ten songs, and rather ambitously has decided to cover Lady Madonna. It's a heady mix of country-soul, with touches of Lucinda Williams and Bonnie Raitt. Recorded in Nashville with additional mixing in LA by Jim Scott (Tom Petty, Dixie Chicks) the songs cover the blues, folk-pop, R & B and some strong ballads with the title track standing out.

The mix of styles allows Vecchione to bring in alto, tenor and baritone saxaphones on Qualified, with some great guitar work from Matt Troja and the brilliant Pat Buchanan can also been found on several tracks - in fact all the musicians are from the top drawer which allows the record to go in various directions. Whether it's on the reflective 'Softly, Softly' or honking down the hihgway version of 'Lady Madonna' Vecchione has created a strong debut. - Andy Riggs

A confident debut that incorporates elements of blues, rock, pop, funk, country, and everything inbetween. – The Boston Pheonix - Staff

Laura Vecchione
Deeper Waters
(Selkie Records)


Laura Vecchione hails from New York, lives in Boston, and recorded her debut album in Nashville. Keep this quick bio handy to remind yourself that she’s not from Chicago, because Deeper Waters sounds a whole lot more South Side than Soho, Allston or Grand Ole Opry. This is a sassy mix of hard-driving R&B, soul, rock, power ballad, and genre-benders. When she covers The Beatles’ “Lady Madonna” the only thing blaring louder than the saxophones is Vecchione’s brassy voice. The way she belts out the chorus to her own catchy “Fool’s Gold” would make Koko Taylor proud. Some records fan you like a cool breeze; this one scorches like the blast from a five-alarm fire.

—Rob Weir - Rob Weir

"Don't mess with the Veck. If you do she'll write a killer song about you and sing the *#@* out of it." - Jim Scott (Grammy Winning Producer/Engineer)

It's not every day that a great country rock talent tries to emerge from Boston, but Vecchione is doing an outstanding job of it. - Steve Morse's Critic's Tips

Laura Vecchione, Deeper Waters

Laura Vecchione's dark, throaty voice and biting harmonies are reminiscent of Stevie Nicks, while the thoughtful tone of many of her original songs suggests Rosanne Cash. But she also has a playful side, something that's lacking in certain Nashville stars (hence the enormous popularity of the gimmicky but fun Big and Rich). That, combined with the high quality of her songs (eight of these ten are originals), makes this soul-splashed country-rock CD a winner.

The opening track, "Jane," is a towering anthem of self-assertion in the best tradition of stand-tall country singles. "Fool's Gold" is a minor-key haunter in the vein of Patty Loveless, with Vecchione wringing every possible drop of emotion out of the dusky lyrics. It's also a good example of genre-crossing, reminding me as much of soul-rockers like Nicola as of traditional country singers like Loveless.

The lovely, unusually well-written ballads lean towards the pop end of the country spectrum, with the exception of "Breaking Heart in NYC," a slow, sweet shuffle whose country-and-western swagger is lit up by an old-timey clarinet solo.

On the lighter, uptempo side, Vecchione's cover of the Beatles' "Lady Madonna" bops nicely, and her rendition of Dr. John's "Qualified" is inspired (actually, "kick-ass" is the technical term that comes to mind)...Vecchione is forging her own path to excellence.
- Jon Sobel