ARDEN of EDEN

"Mary is one of the best college performers ever!" - The Correspondent Newspaper

"She gave one of the best live performances I've ever seen!" - Sarah Burns

"It's what Jewel would sound like if she rocked!" - Bob Walton, Program Director

"Mary's performance was amazing! She's a must for any concert series!" - Shihab Azhar - President, CPB

"Mary offered a superb set of emotional acoustic tunes packed with edgy & powerful lyrics. Her strong, flexible voice was clear and pure, and her delivery earnest, leaving everyone hungry for more!" - Radio & Records - Nashville, TN

"Grammy Award winner, Keb' Mo' wanted to have an opening act who would complement him. The 1st date Collins played with Keb' Mo' was a 1500 seat sold-out theatre in Portland, Maine." - New York Times - New York, NY

"The singer/songwriter has won the notice of Grammy Award-winning artist, Shawn Colvin, as Collins will be joining her on her summer tour...

Backed by a full band, Mary played to an attentive audience in the crowded theatre, sharing her bluesy rock with the eager listeners." - The Review - University of Delaware

By Rachel Sedacca

After three releases under her belt, Mary Arden Collins manifests her gifts as Arden of Eden in the most recent 4th release Love Street. Reminiscent of some of the hottest pop artists of the past decade, listening to it made me think Pink, Alanis Morrisette, Jewel and Avril Lavigne. I was impressed with the production value on this album; it's obvious she has some heavy hitters in her corner. A top shelf vocalist, Mary exhibits great voice control and versatility. This artist has the concept of vocal dynamics down pat.

Her poetry puts a clever spin into each and every song, telling us she is using her degree in English to make a mark on the world. Sometimes dark, sometimes bubbling, this album has great balance and something to offer in every track.

"Someday" has a haunting quality to it, and Cameron Stone’s cello fits in perfectly with the feeling of mystery and hope in this song of unrequited love. "Misting in my cereal, choking on your stereo" evoking images known to those who have suffered a broken heart. "Mississippi" is a sultry and sexy track touching the blues and pulling away in a strut. There's the unmistakable sound of Keb’ Mo on shiny national guitar.

Mary covers a Richard Thompson song made famous by one of my very favorite artists, the incredible Bonnie Raitt. This can sometimes be scary, but Mary has assured me after the first few bars that she has the chops to pull it off. A real test of vocal range and guts, "Dimming of the Day" is excellent, a great job done on a very tall order, if you ask me.

I guess I often comment on music with the visions it stirs in my head. "The Light" brought visions of a belly dance troupe to mind with the intricate rhythms leading us into the song with a multi-layered dose of percussion. Some of the vocal work sounds as if it’s a recording of an ancient chant. Is it an artifact? No, it’s fresh, funky and bohemian.

Mary Arden Collins hits it out of the park with this project and first release under the new name. Love Street delivers the whole package with a fine job on the hard copy album artwork, complete with lyrics. With the talents of Mark Gorman and Cameron Stone to back her up with solidity, Mary’s hard work is getting her somewhere, obvious from this body of music.



Artist Website: http://www.myspace.com/ardenofeden
- Indie-Music.com

Arden of Eden
Love Street
Feelin’ Groovy Records

The pop-infused rock of Arden of Eden is terribly catchy and might leave you humming some of the tunes on this debut. The top tracks include the Bangles-ish “One More Day” (which could be a hit if it gets a break at radio), the cooing “In Your Head,” and slinky slow grind of “Mississippi,” which features Keb’ Mo’. She also turns in a delicate and winning cover of Richard Thompson’s “Dimming of the Day.” The sound and style is very polished and crafted but never loses sight of the songs at the core. And despite her girlishness, she’s no pop star dolly — not at all. Power-poppish doll, maybe.

- Buzzine.com

Mary Arden Collins has been making music for some time on her own. In 2008 she formed Arden of Eden with musical partner Mark Gorman. The duo moved cross country from Rhode Island to Los Angeles in order to broaden their musical horizons. Incorporating drummer Jay Bellerose of drums (Robert Plant, Allison Krauss, Beck), they found the mix that created Love Street, due September 23, 2008.

Love Street saunters from the musically mundane to the sonically brilliant. Someday is a beautiful melody enhanced with gorgeous harmonies and full orchestration. It is easily the most beautiful four-and-a-half minutes on Love Street. Listeners also get a treat in hearing the inestimable Keb' Mo' sit in on Mississippi. Collins brings a scratchy-sweet sound reminiscent of early Rebecca Martin on this slow blues tune. Other highlights include the straight forward rocker, Free, the 1980's sounding Strangers, Better and Powerless. Powerless opens with a plaintive cello that is joined by some sweet acoustic guitar work. The only distraction here is that the additional percussion actually detracts what has the potential to be a still, quiet musical miracle.

Arden Of Eden has already had music featured on Joan Of Arcadia and Criminal Minds, as well as the films The Thing About My Folks and Solstice. Mary Arden Collins has a voice that lends itself to obsessive listening, and the material here is lush and beautiful. Love Street is definitely worth checking out.

Rating: 4.0 Stars - WildysWorld.com