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UPSTAGE, JANUARY 2008 16 CDREVIEWS
Jim Hynes, Blues Director, WDVR-FM, Sergeantsville, NJ
Lisa Hayes
Somewhere Deep in Texas
(Grayce Records)
Former Oregonian, now Austin resident Lisa Hayes, has a big, passionate voice and a knack for writing killer tunes.Whether rocking or delivering a tender ballad, Hayes' voice just oozes emotion. On this, her second solo release, following her stunning debut with "Sweet Forgiveness", she brings in the fire power for this self-produced recording. Grammy nominated engineer, Chet Himes, does the mixing and engineering while Lisa calls on the talents of Cindy Cashdollar, Stephen Bruton, Billy Block, and Michael Thompson, among others for her ten self penned tracks.
She kicks it off with the driving "Fierce Love", multi-tracking her vocals as she does throughout the recording. "Get Yourself Home" features some great acoustic playing with the interplay of Cashdollar's lapsteel, Patterson Barrett's pedal steel, and Thompson's dobro. Then it gets a bit quieter with "I Can't Find You", "Find Me", and "I Never Meant to Tell You". These melodic tunes showcase the breadth of Hayes' vocals. Stephen Bruton's patented mandolin playing adds a nice touch to the latter two.
The tempo picks up with "Any Fool Could See" featuring a catchy chorus: "I've seen heaven and I've seen hell and everything in between but any fool could see it looks a lot like you and me". "She Was a Beauty" offers plenty of dynamics and another resonating chorus and gives Hayes' a few places to wail. The title track is autobiographical, alluding to a new start and leaving the west coast behind. As she says, "Somewhere deep in Texas I'm gonna let her go".
If you're looking for a genuine, heartfelt singer-songwriter, you've got to listen to Lisa Hayes. This one's a keeper.
- UPSTAGE
Hayes is no newcomer to the music scene, but she is starting afresh with this, her second album of original material. After 13 years playing with her husband in a band in Los Angeles and Portland, the marriage broke up -- as did the band.
Hayes went to Austin and spent serious months writing songs, telling the story of going to the Lone Star State. The sound has elements of Cajun as well as Texas honky-tonk. Its solid material is burnished to a sheen by engineer Chet Himes.
Guest stars include the under-recognized Austin guitarist Steven Bruton, here on mandolin as well as six-string. Hayes has a belting voice that works well whether celebrating the honest and outspoken scene she has moved to since leaving Oregon in "Fierce Love," or baring herself in a simple heartbreaker like "I Never Meant to Tell You."
Though there are many women singers today in country, few have the combination of grit and vulnerability that Hayes shows here.
Bottom line: Fans of finely crafted country rock, delivered by a tough and tender vocalist, will enjoy this one.
- By Linda East Brady / Standard-Examiner Staff
Discography
Somewhere Deep In Texas 2007
Sweet Forgiveness 2005
Photos
Bio
BIO – Lisa Hayes
Austin, TX based artist, Lisa Hayes, has released the follow up to her stunning solo debut, Sweet Forgiveness. The new CD, Somewhere Deep In Texas, is a self-penned, self-produced barn burner featuring performances by Cindy Cashdollar, Stephen Bruton, Billy Block and Michael Thompson (currently touring with the Eagles & Don Henley).
When Lisa was ready to record, Grammy nominated engineer Chet Himes offered to engineer and mix the sessions. He had recorded her for the live XM Radio show Threadgill’s World HQ’s Armadillo Radio Hour and was captured by her songs, voice and presence. Sitting in the Producer’s chair for the first time, Lisa knew exactly
which musicians she wanted to use. She had worked with drummer Billy Block in Nashville and loved his blend of country and rock. Pairing him up with local bass player Jamison Toomey proved to be a formidable rhythm section. “I knew I wanted to bring back multi-instrumentalist Michael Thompson, who had been such a large musical part of Sweet Forgiveness. I threw banjos, accordions, dobros and guitars at the guy. He brilliantly played them all, even down to his kick-ass accordion lead on ‘Fierce Love’.” Then she made a phone call she had been waiting to make. “I had been wanting to work with Cindy Cashdollar ever since I saw her with Redd
Volkaert a few years back and was thrilled when she said yes! When Stephen Bruton offered to help out any way he could I knew the CD was going to turn out perfect. I had him play lead on the title track and then add mandolin to a few songs. Beautiful playing.” She then asked some of her live band to drop by. Rick Poss played guitar, Patterson Barrett laid down pedal steel and Sean Orr worked his magic on fiddle. Working in her home studio, she engineered her own vocals, background vocals and guitar parts. She then got the songs ready for Chet to mix. The result? Somewhere Deep In Texas re-defines Americana music by mixing it up with roots, rock, country and the incredible voice that is Lisa Hayes.
In 2006 Lisa traveled over 10,000 miles visiting Americana radio stations, performing live both on the air and at venues. Her powerful performances were getting her noticed. Hayes’ entrance into the 2005 Americana Music Conference brought this response from showcase host Billy Block: "Lisa Hayes was the most pleasant surprise at this year's Americana Music Conference. Her presence onstage was riveting as she led her crack band through a set of well crafted and passionately sung originals. A refreshing new talent." At the 2006 AMA Conference, Mark Wehner, host of her Americana Tonight! showcase introduced her by saying: "I know as musician's we think we know everything here in Nashville, and we pretty much do, but every now and then someone from Austin comes in and shows us how it's really done. She's about to do just that - here's Lisa Hayes." In 2007, reviewing the Road To Austin concert, Joe Gross of the Austin American-Statesman wrote: "Rising Americana star Lisa Hayes asked
the crowd if they were ready for some (expletive) kicking music before providing just that."
Lisa will now be playing throughout Texas promoting her new CD and doing what she does best, tearing it up live. “It was a joy to write and record Somewhere Deep In Texas.” Hayes said. “I had moved to Austin after leaving behind many things and I feel I’ve come full circle. Quoting my own lyrics: ‘I carried my heart to where the green grass grows and somewhere deep in Texas, I’m gonna let her go’.”
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