Linda Brooks

Linda Brooks Comes Home To Perth-Andover For Flood Relief Concert
Fri, Apr 27, 2012.

People in Perth-Andover are finding out that when trouble hits, there are many people ready and willing to help in whatever way then can. One of groups of people that is always is there is the music community. When people are hurting, they are there to bring strengh, and a reminder that there is still fun and art to be enjoyed.

Music is already a strong force in the town. They boast a young and growing festival in Augest called the Larlee Creek Hullaballoo, which presents many of the top artists in Atlantic Canada. Once of these talents comes right from the Perth-Andover area, and also happens to be the top blues performer in the country. Having Matt Andersen as a native son has been a great source of pride, and now Matt's showing just what he can offer.

It just took a few phone calls and some schedule-checking to put together the line-up for the benefit concert, Let The Waters Rise, being held Saturday, Apr. 28 in Perth-Andover. Andersen has lots of friends, and those who could clear the weekend hopped on board. It includes Lennie Gallant, Bruce Guthro, Kim Dunn, Gary Sappier and more. Having any of these folks on stage is a great evening out, but altogether it's one of the best East Coast shows you'll get all year.


And it just got better. Andersen isn't the only musician to come from Perth-Andover. Another East Coast star was born there, and the timing couldn't be better for her to return home. Linda Brooks, who has lived in Halifax for many years, was born in P-A, and grew up on the family farm there, and knows full well what this flood has done to the community. It was already going to be a busy time for Brooks, as her third album, The Upside, was just released this past Tuesday. The ECMA-nominee has a strong following for her singer-songwriter material, with lots of modern country flavour. Lead single Now That You're Here is starting to get national airplay, put together with an all-star session team featuring musicians associated with Garth Brooks, Elton John, Emmy Lou Harris and Alison Krauss.

Hopefully lots of you can make it out to this important benefit show Saturday night. Let The Waters Rise is happening at the River Valley Civic Centre in Perth-Andover, starting at 7:30. - CBC Music - Bob Mersereau

LINDA BROOKS had a first-hand lesson in the positive power of music this past weekend.

On Saturday, the Bedford­based singer-songwriter returned to her hometown of Perth-An­dover, N.B., for a benefit concert to help residents affected by the recent devastating flooding there, thankful that she was able to help in some way after watching heart-wrenching footage of the damage on the news and online.

“I was getting links to videos from friends and seeing clips on Facebook, it was very hard, very emotional to watch," says the blond and bright-eyed performer over a bowl of Esquire Restaur­ant chowder. “My mom and two of my sisters were evacuated, but their homes were OK in the end.

But they were very lucky."

But many of her longtime friends weren’t so lucky, so when Brooks heard that Perth-Andover’s favourite musical son Matt Andersen was putting to­gether a benefit at the River Valley Civic Centre, she knew she had to be involved.

She joined a roster of acts that also included Lennie Gallant, Bruce Guthro and Kim Dunn, and performed a song she’d written years ago about the Saint John River that flows through the town, as well as What Are You Waiting For? from her hope­ful new CD The Upside, which she launches in Halifax at The Carleton on Sunday night.

“In the end, the concert raised $100,000, which is amazing. It’s very uplifting to see what can happen when people pull togeth­er. I know that sounds a bit cliche, but it’s true."

That community spirit is mirrored in the lyrics to What Are You Waiting For?, from Brooks’ new adult pop set recorded in Nashville. “You never know what you’re made of, till you have to save the day," she sings with a healthy dose of can-do attitude on one of The Upside’s many songs about find­ing strength within yourself, or in your surroundings.

“I do think you’re tapped into what’s going on around you. I don’t know if it’s your job or your responsibility, but being a songwriter, or a writer or any kind of artist, does give you a choice to focus on the negative or the positive. Sometimes you’re just reflecting what’s happening, but I’m fascinated by people’s ability to dig into themselves and come out of difficult situations.

“It just gets you further, focus­ing on the positive and what can be, and I’d rather spend my time trying — as hokey as it sounds — to leave people feeling like they’ve been uplifted rather than the opposite."

It doesn’t hurt that Brooks had some like-minded collaborators for The Upside, from her co-writer, guitarist James Logan (Susan Crowe, Drum!) to Garth Brooks’ studio guitarist Chris Leuzinger, who she contacted via Halifax musician Brett Ryan. Leuzinger guided Brooks through her first trip to Nashville, and put together a crack team of players to suit her songs.

“Chris has this amazing ability to dial into whatever your thing is," says Brooks, who worked her way up to a friendship with the busy Nashville studio hand through a series of emails and phone calls. “He hand-picked the band based on what he thought would be the best ap­proach for my material.

“Not only were they the right people musically, but they were also the right fit on a personality level, a spiritual level and so on. They really got it, and they were able to intuit where I was going with it, instead of trying to make me into something I’m not."

Brooks hopes to return to Nashville over the coming year to try and find new aven­ues for her songs, as well as lay more groundwork for a holiday album that began with the October release of the song and video This Christmas. She can also be seen in dramatic roles in the TV series Mr.

D and the upcoming Mike Clattenburg film The Guys Who Move Furniture, both produced or co-produced by her husband Mike Volpe from Topsail Entertainment.

But right now the focus is on spreading the word about The Upside and reconnect­ing with listeners in the Maritimes and beyond.

“It’s inspiring to write this stuff," en­thuses Brooks. “It actually makes me happier as a musician to be able to go out and perform it, and I’m very excited about it because it’s so joyful."

Tickets for Linda Brooks at The Carleton Music Bar & Grill are $20, available at the venue, by calling 422-6335 or online at www. thecarleton. ca

(scooke@herald.ca)
- Stephen Cooke - Halifax Chronicle Herald

"The Upside is a bright and breezy country pop album with songs co-written and sung by the New Brunswick-raised artist backed by an impressive stable of Nashville musical stallions." - The Record

"VOCALS ARE UNBELIEVABLE"

"What makes Canada's East Coast a hot spot for home grown musical talent? ...Whatever it is, Linda Brooks was also born with the gift... The Upside is the poster child for "Adult Contemporary Country, thanks largely to producer Chris Leuzinger ... I mean, it's good...the integrity is there... No one can deny that Linda has a serious talent in her own right. - Yorkton This Week

An interesting cross between Karen Carpenter and Toni Tenille, with quite a bit of Paul Williams' emotional and compositional sense, Linda Brooks more than once tends to a Thom Hartmannesque sentimentality that's a lot more needed in these times than most suspect. Not Gonna Take It, however, kinda turns those tables and addresses "all those advice-givers who think their way is the only way", to which Brooks replies: "It isn't", and she's "not gonna take it this time". Nice. A sense of strength amid the times' PC sentiments much too profligately invading our social climate.

There's also a good deal of Helen Reddy and Melissa Manchester here, which is to say the overriding vibe is chart / mainstream but, in Brooks' case, from a folk-ish bent. Every once in a while, a bit of Joan Baez peeks out (Leaving), which should indicate the level of the singer's tone and control. The build-ups and releases, working to plateaus that settle back down to clear-eyed calm, are perfectly in tune with her instrumental base: piano, which she plays on half the cuts. Should I hear any of these tracks on one of The Wave staions, it won't surprise me a bit. - Folk Acoustic Music Exchange

"Linda Brooks' Spaces In Between cd embodies exquisite vocals, quality songs and tasty production. And, Linda is a natural in concert with her enchanting voice and impressive stage presence."

Paul Kennedy/Seaside FM - Paul Kennedy / Seaside FM

Linda Brooks – The Spaces In Between (CD)
Posted by anfnewsacct on January 27th, 2010 No Comments Printer-Friendly
“Stay” is an average track on “The Spaces In Between”, and it immediately treats listeners to a carefully-crafted and very emotional set of instrumental arrangements. In this track, everything has its place, and Brooks takes a slow and steady approach to the creative process. Hints of country, Broadway and classic female pop can all be heard here. “Smalltown” continues with the momentum given the disc by “Stay”, shining a spotlight on the piano and vocals. The interplay between these two elements brings each to a position that is greater than the parts taken singularly would allow.

Perhaps the best thing about “The Spaces In Between” is the fact that Brooks continues to impress in the later reaches of the disc, when so many other artists in her shoes would just coast on previous successes. Rather, listeners should make it a point to listen to late disc cuts like “Not Gunna Take It” and compare it to the ultimate track, “Last Train”. “Not Gunna Take It” is special in the fact that it allows the vocals to determine the harmonies broached during the track, a move which makes for an incredibly powerful song. The line in the sand that Brooks makes with “Not Gunna Take It” should be seen as an inspirational message for anyone that listens to the disc, while providing a perfect segue to the later reaches of the disc, including the aforementioned “Last Train”.

“Last Train” touches on contemporary female musicians like Tori Amos, Sarah McLachlan, and even Ani DiFranco at points. Rather than mooring herself only in the present, Brooks has elected with “The Spaces In Between” to touch upon a number of genres throughout the last few decades. While the production is perfect on “The Spaces In Between”, Brooks’ vibrancy and soul in each line sang would be enough to shine even if one heard it on a beat-up tape or a scratched record. If you like strong traditional pop-laced performers, make it a point to pick up “The Spaces In Between”.

Top Tracks: Tryin’, Not Gunna Take It

Rating: 8.3/10

Linda Brooks – The Spaces In Between / 2010 Self / 11 Tracks /
- Neufutur Magazine

Linda Brooks, The Spaces in Between
January 31, 2010 | by Skope Staff

Linda Brooks is a singer/songwriter from Canada who has a lot to say after years away from music making. Her debut album, Under A Painted Moon, earned her an East Coast Music Nomination for Best Female Artist. After that, motherhood came calling as Brooks had a family to raise and therefore her music career put to the side. Family should come first for everyone and that is why Linda Brooks went from being a singer/songwriter to a mother/nurturer. I’m pleased to announce though that the fire inside to make music never died for Brooks. Now that her two kids are older, Linda decided to get back into the game and finally churn out a follow-up album. The Spaces in Between is years in the making as she now has more wisdom and cherished experiences to feed off of.
It’s ironic that Brooks comes back with years of motherly experience because the record exudes a sense of warm nurturing. Linda’s vocalization displays meaningful lyrics that will leave you with a comforting feeling. There is such a positive & uplifting glow about her through her performance on The Spaces in Between. Linda’s nice-sounding, pleasant voice gives off an aura of warmth & content that is absolutely contagious. The Halifax, Nova Scotia-based singer/songwriter sings with so much feeling wrapped up in her music. Linda Brooks has a powerful force known as mom instinct that stands tall and never goes away especially on this new album. Once a mom always a mom as Linda now plays to the tune of singer-mom/songwriter.
Classified under the category of Indie Adult Contemporary, Brooks starts things off with a heartfelt song called “Tryin’.” On this opener, you can literally hear the overload of passion coming out of her with a very nice, overall feel. Track two, “Stranded”, I pick up on a slight country-sounding tone to go along with a simple & tender vocal approach. Next up, “Not Gunna Take It”, has piano playing that adds a nice touch as Linda sings directly from the heart. On “Never Better”, I witness a grateful & thankful spirit in Linda Brooks as she continues on to offer us motivational & inspirational words on the track, “Shining.” On this number, Brooks simply states that “We should be shining!” simply because “we’re brilliant inside.” I have to say that “Hand of a Stranger” hit me the hardest because of its powerful impact it had on me. This song was actually inspired by her sons’ concerns for the people that were affected by Hurricane Katrina. Their true love & innocence toward a devastating tragedy that hit us not long ago comes through shining bright on “Hand of a Stranger”. This song helped me realize just how special kids can be as you experience nothing but sheer honesty on this track. Knowing that this song originated from a child made me feel really good inside and also made me realize that there still is hope for this crazy world. The poignant message here is to simply help a complete stranger in need that may be down on his or her luck. Linda sings, “Use the hands that God gave you to help him up” and that “You might find Heaven here again.” Wow! I’m just so blown away by everything this song represents that I can’t say enough about it! One other great line here would be: “We say we’re busy, but really we’re lost.” This quote really made me think twice because it has simple charm while also exhibiting a true, harsh reality in the end. By being constantly busy, which most of us are today, Brooks is saying that we have lost touch with reality somewhere along the way. This thought is something to ponder and really take in because Linda Brooks and her sons are trying to show us the RIGHT way.
In the end, the only thing I would have liked to hear perhaps would have been maybe a few faster, more up-tempo songs. I have to say though that I am more than satisfied with the finished work here. Linda Brooks proved to me that she is a wonderful singer, an excellent artist and a great mother. I’d like to get right to the core of matters by leaving you with some words to live by: “We can learn so much from the pure hearts of children and I wouldn’t be the writer I am today if I wasn’t also a mother.” Linda captures the true essence of The Spaces in Between in that one sentence. For more on this Canadian singer-mom/songwriter and her new release, SKOPE out www.lindabrooksmusic.com.
By Jimmy Rae (jrae@skopemag.com)
Rating: 4 out of 5
- Skope Magazine