Ellie Lawson

Radio City Freq Spins Comment
International:
Worldspace/UPOP multi Satellite ON Look forward to meeting Ellie next week in DC on the 7th

Satellite:
XM/U-POP Music Provider Satellite ON XM showcase at CES in Las Vegas January 5-8

XM/Live Music Provider Satellite ON Will broadcast Ellie from 2006 CES

California:
KVMR/The Lovey Doodle Show Nevada City 89.5 ON I have played from Ellie's CD, and will play more on my next show

Connecticut:
WECS/Jared Ford Willimantic 90.1 ON I really like Ellie. She reminds me a bit of Alanis

WVOF/The Upper Room with ... Bridgeport 88.5 ON Airplay on The Upper Room with Joe Kelley

Georgia:
WBCX/Late Night Lounge Gainesville 89.1 3 This is a wonderful CD! We have added several tracks

Hawaii:
KEAO Maui/Lahaina 91.5 ON I'm playing you on the air!

Illinois:
WEFT Champaign 90.1 ON The Ellie Lawson is a great CD, and is getting great play on morning menu, rock, & women's shows

Indiana:
WGCS Goshen 91.1 5 We're liking Ellie

Maryland:
WTMD/New Music Tuesday's Towson 89.7 ON I'm completely blown away. Let's bring Ellie in to promote the in-store

Minnesota:
KSTP/Ryan at Night St. Paul 94.5 ON Gotta Get Up From Here on Ryan's Playlist

Missouri:
KUMR/Sounds Eclectic Rolla 88.5 / 96.3 ON Ellie's album is great, and is a definite ADD on Sounds Eclectic

New York:
WBER Penfield 90.5 ON WBER is having a nice run with Gotta Get Up From Here

WFUV Bronx 90.7 ON "The Philosophy Tree" has been added to the library

Ohio:
WRUW Cleveland 91.1 Light light airplay so far

Oregon:
KMUN/International Harvest Astoria 91.9 ON "The Philosophy Tree" is receiving airplay, and will give this more spins

Texas:
KEDT/Ageless Music for a ... Corpus Christi 90.3 4 Ellie is the ultimate. I am playing her right now

Virginia:
WTJU/The Cosmic American ... Charlottesville 91.1 3 We added Ellie's CD to our new CD list
- radio

"The Philosophy tree delivers the perfect marriage of melody, rhythm and voice." Michael Paoletta, Billboard

"When we first heard an advance of Ellie Lawson's The Philosophy Tree nearly a year ago, we felt the young British singer songwriter, who uniquely blends beats and rhymes into her strong melodies, had something special." Melina Newman, Billboard - Billboard quotes

Ellie Lawson
The Philosophy Tree (Whatever It Takes)

Did Atlantic Records make a mistake dropping The Philosophy Tree, the debut album from young British singer-songwriter Ellie Lawson? Barnes and Noble, which will distribute the disc, believes so. And it seems to have a point. Lawson is out of the Alanis Morissette mold and clearly has talent...Her potential is obvious, and it pokes its head out on cuts where Lawson goes her own way. Like on "Hour of Need," when her voice crafts fascinating filigrees throughout her admirable range, or the Rasta rhythms of "Friends" (which also includes a rap break in a Cockney accent). There's enough of a pop edge in Lawson's work to rope an audience without any concession to gratuitous commerciality. Mark Ellie Lawson down as a dark horse who may well hit a gallop.

By Adrian Zupp
First printed in November 2005 - HARP

All Music Guide

Despite an initial push for her single "Gotta Get Up from Here" Atlantic Records declined to release Ellie Lawson's debut album, Philosophy Tree. The label still said no, even after an endorsement from Ellen DeGeneres and Lawson's appearance on the comedian's successful daytime talk show. But Barnes & Noble came to the rescue, arranging an exclusive release of the album through its retail stores, and in August 2005 Philosophy Tree finally appeared. And it's weird that Atlantic passed, because Lawson's debut is a dead ringer for Unwritten, the debut of similarly blonde, similarly British Natasha Bedingfield that blew up the U.K. charts. On Philosophy as on Unwritten, strong melodies and empowering lyrics guide programmed beats puttering lightly under strummed acoustic guitars, and samples and swirling string effects fill out the mix. For her part Lawson tries out some boho rapping on "Bigger Than You Ever Imagined," and "Why the Fighting" is urban-savvy, street-level pop. "Gotta Get Up from Here" really is a great single -- DJ Lethal's production meshes the organic and electronic sides ably as Lawson sings about a life crisis at 25 -- and "Down with You" blends R&B flavors with beguiling pop jangle. William Orbit also contributes to "Inside Out" and "LA," perhaps accounting for the latter sounding a lot like Beth Orton. All of this music is on a descending line from Alanis Morissette to Nelly Furtado to Dido. But that doesn't make it bad in the least. Lawson's Philosophy Tree might be sort of calculated, but like Bedingfield, she has a vocal charm that's hard to fake. Johnny Loftus - barnes and Noble.com

Ellie Lawson – The Philosophy Tree
(Whatever It Takes/Create Your Own Reality - Records)
The Philosophy Tree, by new talent Ellie Lawson, is a tantalizing mix electro/acoustic pop rock formed of potent, flowing lyrics and memorable melodies. Starting with the sunny lead tracks, “L.A.,” and “Gotta Get Out of Here” listeners are treated to ample substance beneath the sparkling surface. And whether the music has a more folk feel—like the flirtatious “Down With You”—or a slow dance motion—like the lilting love song “Never be the Same”—the result is equally impressive.
There is a definite flow to The Philosophy Tree; as the album progresses the feel becomes darker and more exotic (“Bigger than You Ever Imagined”), beginning with the Latin sounding “Hour of Need” through to the equally intoxicating “Get What’s Mine.” Through Laswon’s creative approach to songwriting portions of the Madonna/William Orbit ballad “Time Stood Still,” are woven to create the expansive, romantic “Inside Out.” And where the groove of the self-penned “999” won’t let go, the singer/songwriter’s inspiring set ends with the effectively layered “Why the Fighting.”
A bold and expressive debut, Ellie Lawson’s The Philosophy Tree (Whatever It Takes/Create Your Own Reality - Records) is now available as a Barnes and Noble exclusive, in stores or on-line at www.barnesandnoble.com [5]. For more information, log on to www.ellielawson.com [6] or www.myspace.com/ellielawson [7].

- south west states

llie Lawson
The Philosophy Tree
Atlantic
Ellie Lawson fits in well with the new wave of singer/songwriters using electronics as the bases for their sound, but she isn't afraid to pick up an acoustic, either. Ellie's music is both breezy and soulful. You can dance to this just as easily as you can become introspective listening to her voice. The first song on the album is called L.A. and this music is the perfect soundtrack for a night on the town in a hip city. It also wouldn't sound bad as a Sunday morning come down record. And that's a good balance. - sell out magazine

By Catherine Finn
Daily Colonial Staff Writer


Courtesy of Barnes and Noble

Up-and-coming singer songwriter Ellie Lawson is scheduled to perform at the Georgetown Barnes and Noble Wednesday night. The stop is part of her tour at Barnes and Nobles throughout the U.S. as her debut album, “The Philosophy Tree,” is being sold exclusively at the chain.

Born in South London, Lawson has interesting musical influences that explain her sound – a combination of edgy R&B with soft folk music. She grew up listening to groups such as A Tribe Called Quest and the Fugees, and after learning to play the guitar began listening to more mellow artists such as Nick Drake and Tracy Chapman.

“When I first started writing I would just write poetry and rap lyrics and I bought hip-hop instrumentals and trip-hop tapes in London markets. I found it easy to write stories in rhyme form and found it a very satisfying hobby. I then realized that there were venues that poets used to attend to share the rhymes so I motivated myself to go out and prove that side of myself,” Lawson said.

Some of Lawson’s first glimpses of success have come in the last year, as her music was featured in the soundtrack of the Jane Fonda-Jennifer Lopez film “Monster in Law.”

“I love having a song in a movie; I hope I get some more opportunities. It is so refreshing to hear my music played against plush visuals; the scene in the film where my song is played is when the lead characters are driving up to the big mansion house for a fancy garden party,” Lawson said.

“The Philosophy Tree” has been praised by everyone from Ellen DeGeneres to critics at Billboard Magazine.

Katie Franklin, the Barnes and Noble Community Relations Manager for the DC area, helped to bring Lawson to the Georgetown store.

“The songs on the CD ranges from street-level pop to R&B flavorings mixed with pop jangles to boho rapping all surrounding strong melodies and empowering lyrics,” Franklin said. “We do not often have the pleasure of a musical performance, which is why Ellie Lawson's appearance is a particular treat.”

Lawson is enjoying beginning to hear her music in a variety of places.

“I was in a Cosi about three weeks ago and I had had a pretty bad day. I decided to get a soy latte and a big piece of chocolate cake and I sat down about to tuck in when my song 'LA' started playing. I looked around me, wondering if someone had recognized me walk in or something and I called the waiter over and asked him who the DJ was. He said there was an iPod downstairs on random. I couldn't believe it, and I decided it must be a sign. It definitely cheered me up,” Lawson said.

Performing in Barnes and Noble is an extension of this ability for widespread appeal, but also comes with a very personal element.

“I feel pretty at home being surrounded by books as my family are all bookworms. The audiences are so varied and that’s probably what I like best. It is lovely to sing to little kids and there are people of all ages and ethnic backgrounds,” said Lawson. “Compared to the smoky late night drunken gigs I used to do in London, playing in a bookshop filled with happy intelligent people is a dream.”

“My ultimate goal for my musical career is to be writing and recording songs for the rest of my life and I hope for them to be relevant and enjoyable. I want to continue to be eclectic and work with a range of soulful and real musicians, artists and producers and seek truth through my music.”

Lawson will perform at 6:30 Wednesday night at the Georgetown Barnes and Noble. For more information about the performance and to listen to Lawson’s music, visit www.ellielawson.com or www.myspace.com/ellielawson.

- The Daily Cronical

question to Ellen in Billboard Q and A

Which artists are you most listening to these days:

Answer: "Ellie Lawson. She's the latest person Ive discovered. She has a fresh sound that I like. I like hearing unique musicians."

On her TV show:

"I listen to the album over and over again in my house I can't say enough about it...shes gonna be a huge star" - Billboard and TV quote