Merrie Amsterburg
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Merrie Amsterburg

Band Americana Singer/Songwriter

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Music

The best kept secret in music

Press


"Little Steps"

"To pigeonhole Merrie Amsterburg into a particular genre would be a great disservice to the artist and music fan alike. If this record were made in the 1970s, she'd probably be praised alongside such female singer songwriters as Joni Mitchell and Janis Ian. Had Little Steps been borne out of the heady days of the "women in rock" movement in the mid-1990s, Merrie would undoubtedly draw favorable comparisons to Juliana Hatfield, Tanya Donnely and Kristin Hersh, among others. In the present tense, this Boston native's second full-length disc is a mesmerizing hidden treasure of sublime folk-pop songs of a highly introspective nature. From the dream sequences of "Heart of My Head" to the mellow funk of "Undertow" to the faux-psychedelia of "Different Today," Amsterburg is a suburb writer who weaves hypnotic melodies around captivating and intelligent lyrics. "Atmosphere," with its use of an Indian Ba Harmonium as a pedal tone and "Opal Moon," underpinned with subtle trumpet lines, are two of the more stellar tracks on this flawless album. Producer Mike Deneen (Letters To Cleo, Jennifer Trynin, Gigolo Aunts) does a brilliant job of creating textures that embellish the songs rather than overshadow them. Little Steps is a record that will sound just as good in the next five, ten, fifteen years, as it does today. Highly recommended for fans of Beth Orton, Aimee Mann, and Nick Drake." - Amplifier


""Must Hear" Pick"

"Merrie Amsterburg is an artist in the truest sense of the word.The otherwise unassuming songwriter is able to fashion beautiful and elegant song arrangements in such a way so that they feel accessible without sounding overly plain or simplistic. Proficient on a wide array of instruments, Amsterburg has a deep cache of tricks up her sleeve, which she employs most distinctly on "Radio". Singing like an excessively subdued Aimee Mann, Amsterburg mixes muted trumpets and guitar into a conventional ensemble that somehow sounds exotic. On "Little Steps", Amsterburg's smart vocals and lush compositions float far above the cliched fray of sensitive singer-songwriters." - CMJ


"Little Steps"

"Merrie Amsterburg's Little Steps is a compelling listen. The CD's 12 songs seamlessly combine acoustic and electronic instruments (including bouzouki, trumpet, Indian banjo, and synthesized drums) to create interesting, multi-layered folk-pop music that reveals new surprises with each listen. Produced by Mike Deneen (Jennifer Trynin, Aimee Mann), Little Steps succeeds by placing Amsterburg's voice front and center. At times reminiscent of other folk-poppers Aimee Mann and Sam Phillips, Amsterburg's voice is more lush and compelling than either, sometimes veering into chanteuse territory.

The songs are uniformly good as well. Best of all are: "Radio," a quirky, jaunty tune in which the radio jars memories of the past ("Riding around in my old car and I hear a song that I remember/ How did I grow so far away from a heart so young and tender"); and "Undertow," a sultry pop tune set over a salsa beat about a love affair that's "pulling me down." When Amsterburg sings, "don't you let me go/ I'm caught in the undertow," it's with a mixture of pleading and resignation that intensifies as the song progresses.

Merrie Amsterburg's memorable songs, quirky arrangements, and great, expressive voice make Little Steps an excellent record that gets better with each listen." - Rockzines.com


"Season of Rain"

Lovely, downcast, broken-winged songs delivered in mostly acoustic settings, with just enough of a pop knack to keep things from getting precious. The former Natives frontwoman hits her stride on this melodically rich, beautifully sung album, which has probably hit my player after 2 a.m. more than any other. - The Boston Phoenix


"Season of Rain"

Merrie Amsterburg's voice leads the melody, while the lyrics are always the driving force behind the music. Her voice is sweet and sincere, all the while full of sorrow, pain, and hope. She deals with very personal issues, or makes each song feel that way, and keeps the music still enjoyable to the listener. She doesn't make the songs so personal that you listen to them and feel distanced from them, she keeps everything up front and honest, while giving the listener something to think about. From slow and soft numbers like "Island" to Celtic/pop tunes like "Lay of the Land," "Belonging," and "Say Good-bye" she brings out your inner thoughts and emotions, and makes you feel as if she might have written her songs from your perspective, even if the song is something you can't relate to up front.

On SEASON OF RAIN Merrie Amsterburg proves she is a very capable solo artist. She has diversity, passion, and emotion that can be found in every song. Eleven songs fill up this album, and not one of them disappoints. I'll give this album an A. - In Music We Trust


Discography

Clementine and Other Stories (Q Division Records) 5/2006
Little Steps (Zoë/Rounder Records) 2000
Season of Rain (Zoë/Rounder Records) 1999 re-released with 2 additional tracks
Season of Rain (Q Division Records) 1997

Appearances on other CDs:
Patty Larkin - Red=Luck (Vanguard Records)
background vocals and trumpet
Session Americana - "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star"
bouzouki and vocals
adaptation by Merrie Amsterburg released 2005
Jennifer Kimball - "When I Was Lost"
co-write and vocal on CD to be released 1/24/06
Todd Thibaud - Little Mystery (Doo-Little/Mercury Records)
duet and background vocals
The Gentlemen - Brass City Band (TGRC)
trumpet
Dennis Brennan - Rule No. 1 (ESCA Records)
duet and background vocals
Carol Noonan - The Only Witness (Rounder Records)
background vocals and glockenspiel
Jules Verdone - Diary of a Liar (Q Division)
mandolin and guitar
Brian Stevens - Prettier Than You (Q Division)
background vocals
Compilations:
Respond: A Compilation by Boston Women to Benefit Respond, Inc.(Signature Sounds)
Note: Respond I and II have raised over $200,000 for
Respond, Inc. an organization which benefits women and children
who are victims of domestic violence
Keeping Music In Mind
(Benefit CD for the Alzheimer's Foundation)
WXRV’s Live from the River Music Hall 2
(Benefit CD for Children with Aids)
The Kendall Live CD for the Benefit of the Cam Neely Foundation
(Benefit CD for Children with Cancer)
Viva Noël: A QDivision Christmas
(Benefit for the Mark Sandman Music Education Fund)
WFUV’s (NYC) City Folk Live IV
(Fordham University Public Radio Benefit CD)
WCBE’s “Mixx on the Fly” Live CD
(Columbus, OH Public Radio Benefit CD)
Then Covered Now: Hits of the 80’s Covered
(Hearbox Records)

Photos

Feeling a bit camera shy

Bio

The Boston Globe calls singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Merrie Amsterburg "a cross between a subdued Tori Amos and Aimee Mann, whom Amsterburg resembles with her knack for crafting luscious melodic hooks."

An artist who has shared the stage with acts such as The Indigo Girls, Paula Cole, Jill Sobule, andPatty Larkin, and who broke onto the AAA radio charts with her first independent release (Season of Rain), Merrie Amsterburg creates an edgy mix of folk and pop with a unique, magnetic pull. Merrie's new CD "Clementine and Other Stories" is a collection of American folk songs done in non-traditional way, and will be released in May 2006.