Elana Arian

Foreword is Elana Arian's debut EP, and I will bet it will be the first of many to come. In this six-song collection, there are a lot of dreamy moments which are spiced up with a little fun in between. It is the kind of music that you can like even if you don't know the lyrics but enjoy that much more when you do.

Arian's clear voice rings forth without piercing on "Last Summer Night." This is a song that stays with you. It doesn't stand up and demand your attention, but instead settles around you making it comfortable to curl up, listen and enjoy. The music is peripheral in this track -- as it should be -- only offering support to Arian's strong voice.

My other favorite track was "This Time," which at moments almost reminded me of a softer-sounding Indigo Girls tune. The images are simple, but the lyrics work beautifully here:

It could've been like flying, like chocolate, like fire
It could've been like feeling your heartbeat next to mine
It could've been like laughing, like snowfall, like thunder
But now it's just like crying, like waiting, like darkness
It's just like watching you get caught up in a crime
Again it's just like drowning, like rainstorms, like silence ... this time ...

" I Know What You're Doing" harkens back to the days of Ella Fitzgerald, which comes as a surprise after the folk sound of the song before it, but not in an unpleasant way. The song is a good vehicle for Arian's voice, and the range allows her to use her voice to its fullest with a fun "scat" tribute.

The dreamiest piece is "Anyway," which is a nice choice to close with, since you just drift with the music. Arian shares the song with the sound of the guitar here, and it makes for a full, rich track that still manages to be peaceful. The quality of her voice is able to change to suit the lyrics, which is a skill not every singer has.

" In The Backroom" is the only song that didn't quite fit, being a little brassier and going off in another direction musically than the other songs. Still, Arian's voice slips easily through the notes, and it makes one wonder if she shouldn't consider another CD in this style. This lady doesn't seem to sing anything badly.
Foreword is one of those albums that is classified as a folk style but isn't afraid to move beyond the standard definition and stretch out a little. Artists grow this way, and I think we have seen one that will pop up again and surprise us all. I'm impressed.
- Indie-Music.com

If this is the “Foreword”, I can’t wait for the denouement and the blissful Afterword. Elana’s voice is as sweet as pop’s finest crooners and the mastering job that Steve Kadison (Red Hot Chili Peppers, Macy Gray, Carole King) really brings her vocals out and thrusts it into the spotlight just as a singer/songwriter should want to arm themselves with. Her rearing on classical, free-form jazz, and folk are blended perfectly on an album that Norah Jones wish she debuted with. “I Know What You’re Doing” shows off her dynamics and perfect range with its beautiful jazzy and soulful verses that will get your toes tapping and your full attention in a split second—just check out her version of jazzy skat on the bridge. When you have something as imaginative as this album is, you shouldn’t be too surprised to find out that the percussionist plays not just your standard percussion instruments but also throws in frying pans, aluminum claws, and glass coffee tables to punctuate the superb ingenuity that pumps blood into each of the six tracks. Watch out for Elana Arian, I smell a Grammy nod coming her way. - Smother.net

Elana Arian has a sweet comfortable voice that sounds perfect singing these well-written jazzy folk tunes..."I Know What You're Doing" has a great old time jazz sound to it...There is some beautiful guitar finger picking on "This Time". This track felt like a friend after the second listen. Great melody, great lyrics, she has a knack for knowing what words click together. I wish everyone could hear this one. "Anyway" is also gorgeous. I can't wait to hear more from this talented woman. - Collected Sounds: A Guide to Women in Music

Elana seems like a lovely person. While this is not something I would normally listen too, I enjoyed it. She has a mixture of classical, jazz and folk. There's some Ella Fitzgerald mixed with some Joni Mitchell on this album. She's doing a North American tour so I would definitely check out her. She's very calming and something I could see myself listening to on a cold, sunny morning if I were in the mood (if that makes sense)! - GlitterGrrrls