larissa maestro

It can be assumed from Larissa Maestro’s last name that her command of music and art is an inherent talent, as a natural love for words and music pervade her debut album, Maybe Later.

As a Filipino-American, Maestro’s creative influences stretch beyond the close-knit, upstate New York community where she was raised, reflecting her sense of global awareness and cultured upbringing. Drawing from poetic influences such as Gabriel Garcia Marquez and musical talent like Shania Twain, Ryan Adams, and Aimee Mann, Maestro embodies an amalgam of creative forces.

Traces of country, classical, pop, and rock flow with consistent ease through each of her tracks. Tackling vocals, acoustic and electric guitar and cello, Maestro makes each song her own blend of dainty refinement. Lyrics such as “Been spending the day chasing your face in the snow / I’m just as crazy as the weather,” or “Fold me up like an empty paper bag / Fold me up like an old forgotten rag / That silence you give somehow means that you’re strong / But you’re wrong,” allude to a past love gone stale. Instead of angsty vocals accompanied by even angrier bass lines, Maestro takes a more steadfast approach and channels her emotion into lyrical beauty that parallels her band’s effective accompaniment.

Consistently placed metaphors demonstrate Maestro’s poetic abilities. Her guitar twang, meshed with bursts of poppy vocals, reveals her to be more than just a girl with a Gibson. There is a deliberation in every word and note, evoking a deep appreciation for the soulful foundations of the art behind her craft. - Katherine Bruce - Northeast Performer Magazine

"...Maybe Later is one of the best CDs we've recieved here at the Dissolver, and in my mind, Larissa Maestro's name immediately leaps to the top of any local up-and-coming list." - Jon Gorey, Dissolver Magazine

Larissa Maestro bills herself as a “singer-songwriter-cellist.” She has a crystal clear voice that evokes Tracy Bonham, Aimee Mann, and just a little bit of fellow Berklee alum Paula Cole. But this isn’t a solo effort; Larissa has a full band with guitar (both electric and acoustic), bass, and drums, not to mention several other occasional musicians. I love the cello and it finally comes out in the somewhat haunting fourth track, “Invisible Girl.” I wish she’d use it on more songs. Like much singer-songwriter fare does, this CD left me in an introspective melancholy mood, which, I suppose, is a testament to the power of these finely crafted and well-produced songs. - Robin Umbley, The Noise

"With a name like Maestro, how can you go wrong?" - Natasha Pickowicz, The Ithaca Times

“Larissa Maestro has to be one of the best at providing that expressive edge, as her serene voice, accompanied by her melodic instrumentals make for a wonderful night of reminiscing.” - Ron Cheng, ronatron.net

Larissa Maestro's inaugural CD, "Maybe Later," charms with invention & dreams and impresses with sophisticated & clean execution. With her bright, evocative vocals, tight, smart band backing, and melody-rich songs, from the pop-laden "Stranger" & "What Did She Say" to the wistful "Sink Me" & "I Won't Make A Sound," Ms. Maestro (her true and rather appropriate name) demonstrates a musical maturity well beyond her idealistic youth. More importantly, her CD is just plain good, and of the stuff the major labels should dream more of these days rather than overproduced knockoffs and lawsuits. - BC, melodymatters.com