Mary Karlzen
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Mary Karlzen

| INDIE

| INDIE
Band Americana Singer/Songwriter

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Press


"Mary Karlzen - People Magazine"

"Karlzen adopts several diverse personas along the way, from girl fed up with her boring surroundings on the bouncy 'Everybody's Sleeping' to a woman looking ruefully back at an old love affair on 'Times forgotten Crime,' an acoustic track the Bob Dylan might have penned mid-career. Yelling at Mary? Not Likely. You'll probably spend more time singing along with her" - David Ellis - People Magazine


"Mary Karlzen - Musician Magazine"

"A Chicago-area transplant to South Florida, she manages a musical blend that combines melodic, countrified song structures, edgy pop-rock textures and the kind of rueful lyricism that would fit right in with the 70's Troubadour scene. What's remarkable is that none of it sounds slick or packaged. In fact, most of it sounds terrific...The result is a record destined for radio play and a career deservedly headed for bigger things." - Mark Rowland - Musician


"Mary Karlzen -Washington Post"

"Karlzen never sounds like an imitator; she seems more the equal of Crow and Griffith. If you listen closely, in fact, you'll find that Karlzen rocks harder and more infectiosly that her better known colleagues... The result is a fistful of potential hit singles." - Geoffrey Himes - Washington Post


"Mary Karlzen - Atlanta Constitution 4-stars"

"With her board-straight cropped hair and Depress-era overalls, Mary Karlzen stares out from the cover of her new CD like something out of a 1930's Southern novel-'To Kill a Mockingbird's' Scout with a record contract. What really pulls Karlzen out from the parade of new comers is her lyrics. She wrote all 12 songs here, and they are loaded with cheeky observations and wistful sentiment on (mostly) love from a women's perspective." - Miriam Logino - The Atlanta Constitution


"Mary Karlzen - Billboard"

A powerful major-label debut from a women whose voice and songwriting display a beguiling mix of grit and grace, cynicism, and childlike wonder. Swaying pop/rock entries "Stronger," "Everybody's Sleeping," and guitar-driven lead single"I'd be Lying" best highlight the strengths of the album. A roots-rock vibe occasionally veers straight toward country or folk but most often melds neatly with keen pop sensibilities. "The Way I See It" with backing vocals from Jackson Browne, it's potent stuff, with the right ingredients to ignite.
- Billboard


"Mary Karlzen -Performing Songwriter Yelling for More"

Singer/Sonwriter Mary Karlzen's major-label debut, Yelling at Mary, has received rave reviews from the likes of Rolling Stone, Entertainment Weekly, and Musician Magazine. Produced by Kevin McCormick, Yelling at Mary is a fine collections of country roots rock filled with catchy rhythms and portraits of lost love and old relationships. Based in Florida, Karlzen released two albums independantly before signing to Atlantic Records. She's been called the female John Haitt and has opened for Hiatt , Jackson Browne and Bob Dylan. - Performing Songwriter


"Mary Karlzen - Harp Magazine"

It is a small voice with a big heart, wavering, almost consumed by the emotions that travel through her small frame—and yet in the doubt, the acceptance and the exultance in getting by, Mary Karlzen gives us strength with her wispy, whispery little girl soprano. On The Wanderlust Diaries Karlzen offers the cracked, but sustaining, faith of the artist who was “never quite” on “Friends Along The Way”; “Sixteen” flickers with images of way back when; and then she mesmerizes with a knowingly innocent turn on Tom Waits “The Heart of Saturday Night” (a duet with equally potent margin-dweller Matthew Ryan). Resurrecting the Replacements’ wide-eyed, wonder-filled “Skyway,” Karlzen deploys steel guitars and makes minimal rock to honor alternative songwriting’s roots with a sweetness that brands her. As a posterwoman for complicated realizations about the complexities of life, Karlzen is a sigh of relief and an encouragement.
By Holly Gleason - Harp


"Mary Karlzen Dallas Morning News"

"Mary Karlzen, whose major-label debut, Yelling at Mary, is one of the finest, feistiest albums.....As evidenced by her head-turning showcase at South by Southwest, Karlzen's disarming stage presence-belies the intensity that she and her band add to such anthemic standouts as Everybody's Sleeping, Dimestore Life and the jangly, I'd be Lying. You may come to Trees to worship Charlie Sexton, but by the end of her set, You'll be yelling for Mary." - David Okamoto - Dallas Morning News


"Mary Karlzen- No Depression"

Despite her deceptive, girlish delivery, Mary Karlzen brings a mature approach to this diverse collection. Karlzen took a well-received walk in the park with the majors on 1995’s “Yelling at Mary” (Atlantic). But her hard to pigeonhole approach lacked radio attraction and she slipped out of the mix. Now wife and mother of two, she returns with a stylish set that offers the emotional transparency of Joan Armatrading and the feistiness of Cindy Bullens and the innate pop of John Haitt. Backed by a solid crew including Garry Tallent, drummer Ken Coomer and keyboardist John Deaderick, Karlzen rocks/or rolls through ten engaging originals plus two inspired covers – a crisp and breezy reading of the Replacements, “Skyway” and a savvy duet with Matthew Ryan of Tom Waits, “Heart of Saturday Night.” – Jim Musser - No Depression Magazine


"Mary Karlzen - OneWay"

A Diary this is. Read along with the liner notes as Mary Karlzen and fellow musicians accompany Mary’s tour diary entries with songs about perceptions and adventure along the way. She advised a friend with “Find Yourself” which begs to be used on a WB teen TV show, or re-encountering someone more successful in “Straws” and all the songs on the journey are performed most tunefully. - OneWay Magazine


Discography

Full - length Albums include; 1st CD self titled- "Mary Karlzen" , "Yelling at Mary", "Dim the Watershed", & "The wanderlust Diaries"
EP's include; "Whatever", "Hide"
A Politically Incorrect Christmas - EP 2008
Karlzen's songs appear on 20+ compilations
see www.marykarlzen.com

Photos

Bio

Karlzen had been signed to Atlantic Records in 1995, and released the critically acclaimed album, “Yelling at Mary.” She has recently released fifth CD, The Wanderlust Diaries" on Nashville's Dualtone Label. Her music videos have been on regular rotation on VH1, CMT and The Nashville Network. She has played shows with artists like Bob Dylan, Jackson Browne, Nanci Griffith and many others. The new CD includes guest musicians Garry Tallent (The E- Street Band), John Deaderick (The Dixie Chicks), Ken Coomer (Wilco), Matthew Ryan and Garrison Starr.