Sarah Hallman

Those vintage duds, that vintage voice. Sarah Hallman oozes nostalgia, coming across like an old scratchy record, wonderfully sad-eyed and oh-so emotive.
Many will know her from the Hilotrons' duet Oh My, sung with Paul Hogan. The Ottawa singer releases her sophomore self-titled album Monday on Kitchener's Busted Flat Records (Shannon Lyon). It's a collection of 12 artfully embellished songs. Hallman's voice is upfront while washes of the Wurlitzer, Melotron, accordion (Dave Draves), hammond, Rhodes (Hallman), lapsteel (Mike Feuerstack), backing vocals (John Tielli, Brian Simms) and a host of other strings and percussive instruments delicately buttress the sweetly introspective, darkly funny songs.
"Sometimes my obsessions make me a bore," she sings in The Loving. "And my medicinal supply will pull the wool over my eyes."
Show came after a bout of watching a relationship program on WTN ("It brings me back to a time") with all those familiar arcs ("they say they'll know when they meet"). She turns the story on herself: "I got me my own show and oh, how he plays the role."
Hallman likes intimacy from singer-songwriters and decipherable, personal lyrics that give songs warmth. After years of battling stage fright, she has found performing rewarding. (Outside of the clubs, Youtubers will see her in the Oh My video).
"I've been surprised at how much I can feel myself relaying something in the moment," she says in her shy, measured way.
Sarah Hallman's CD release party is Monday at the Black Tomato Restaurant (11 George St.) with Lessons, Jeremy Gara's other project after the Arcade Fire, 10 p.m., $7.
- The Ottawa Citizen

Those vintage duds, that vintage voice. Sarah Hallman oozes nostalgia, coming across like an old scratchy record, wonderfully sad-eyed and oh-so emotive.
Many will know her from the Hilotrons' duet Oh My, sung with Paul Hogan. The Ottawa singer releases her sophomore self-titled album Monday on Kitchener's Busted Flat Records (Shannon Lyon). It's a collection of 12 artfully embellished songs. Hallman's voice is upfront while washes of the Wurlitzer, Melotron, accordion (Dave Draves), hammond, Rhodes (Hallman), lapsteel (Mike Feuerstack), backing vocals (John Tielli, Brian Simms) and a host of other strings and percussive instruments delicately buttress the sweetly introspective, darkly funny songs.
"Sometimes my obsessions make me a bore," she sings in The Loving. "And my medicinal supply will pull the wool over my eyes."
Show came after a bout of watching a relationship program on WTN ("It brings me back to a time") with all those familiar arcs ("they say they'll know when they meet"). She turns the story on herself: "I got me my own show and oh, how he plays the role."
Hallman likes intimacy from singer-songwriters and decipherable, personal lyrics that give songs warmth. After years of battling stage fright, she has found performing rewarding. (Outside of the clubs, Youtubers will see her in the Oh My video).
"I've been surprised at how much I can feel myself relaying something in the moment," she says in her shy, measured way.
Sarah Hallman's CD release party is Monday at the Black Tomato Restaurant (11 George St.) with Lessons, Jeremy Gara's other project after the Arcade Fire, 10 p.m., $7.
- The Ottawa Citizen

Sarah Hallman’s feisty debut disc is loaded with simple, confident melodies that take surprising turns. With a spirited harmony here or an unexpected chord progression there, the songs click nicely together one after another, building into an enjoyable and cohesive album. Several well-known Canadian musicians share credit for the instrumentation on the Ottawa singer-songwriter’s disc, most notably the Arcade Fire’s Jeremy Gara on drums and Wooden Stars’ Mike Feuerstack on lap steel. While the band, at times, come close to overpowering Hallman’s delicate vocals — particularly distracting is the persistent cymbal hiss that haunts several of the tracks — for the most part the deft instrumentation does a fine job of dressing up her uncommonly good songwriting. With tracks that strut out a ’90s rocker chick-style guitar jangle, as well as sleepily swaying country/folk numbers tinged with the atmospheric wail of accordion, stand-up bass and every variety of organ you can imagine, Hallman mixes up a satisfying blend of bouncy and blue. - Exclaim

Sarah Hallman’s feisty debut disc is loaded with simple, confident melodies that take surprising turns. With a spirited harmony here or an unexpected chord progression there, the songs click nicely together one after another, building into an enjoyable and cohesive album. Several well-known Canadian musicians share credit for the instrumentation on the Ottawa singer-songwriter’s disc, most notably the Arcade Fire’s Jeremy Gara on drums and Wooden Stars’ Mike Feuerstack on lap steel. While the band, at times, come close to overpowering Hallman’s delicate vocals — particularly distracting is the persistent cymbal hiss that haunts several of the tracks — for the most part the deft instrumentation does a fine job of dressing up her uncommonly good songwriting. With tracks that strut out a ’90s rocker chick-style guitar jangle, as well as sleepily swaying country/folk numbers tinged with the atmospheric wail of accordion, stand-up bass and every variety of organ you can imagine, Hallman mixes up a satisfying blend of bouncy and blue. - Exclaim

— Not only has Sarah Hallman managed to avoid most music fans’ radars, I’m not sure she’s in the air yet. That’s fine. Once she does take flight, people should notice her for her country-flavored indie pop, truthful lyrics, and great voice that reminds me a lot of Kathleen Edwards (so, you know, that’s a pretty big compliment). There’s a lot to like on this self-titled record, including personal favorite “Shovel,” in which Hallman warily warns, “I’ll stick to my guns as long as I see you as a bullet,” the sad ballad “Shed,” where she wonders, “If I stumble when I try, why try?” and “When It All Comes Down,” where she watches past relationships crumble around her.
You’ll have to buy this one from her label’s site ( www.bustedflatrecords.com ), but you’ll be able to brag that you knew about her before everyone else did. ( BK )
- Pittsburgh Daily News

— Not only has Sarah Hallman managed to avoid most music fans’ radars, I’m not sure she’s in the air yet. That’s fine. Once she does take flight, people should notice her for her country-flavored indie pop, truthful lyrics, and great voice that reminds me a lot of Kathleen Edwards (so, you know, that’s a pretty big compliment). There’s a lot to like on this self-titled record, including personal favorite “Shovel,” in which Hallman warily warns, “I’ll stick to my guns as long as I see you as a bullet,” the sad ballad “Shed,” where she wonders, “If I stumble when I try, why try?” and “When It All Comes Down,” where she watches past relationships crumble around her.
You’ll have to buy this one from her label’s site ( www.bustedflatrecords.com ), but you’ll be able to brag that you knew about her before everyone else did. ( BK )
- Pittsburgh Daily News

Hallman’s a big deal up in Ottawa these days, having appeared on at least two on-line lists dedicated to that city’s best and brightest. And when it came time to record her latest album for Busted Flat, a number of respected resident musicians came out to help including Arcade Fire drummer Jeremy Gara. On this track, it’s easy to see what all the fuss is about: she has a gorgeous voice, and she’s not content to waste it singing crappy piano ballads. Toward the end of “Shovel,” she lets her hair down, skittering her vocals over the line “Just because it isn’t here doesn’t mean it’s not there” because, well, she can. - www.thepheonix.com

Hallman’s a big deal up in Ottawa these days, having appeared on at least two on-line lists dedicated to that city’s best and brightest. And when it came time to record her latest album for Busted Flat, a number of respected resident musicians came out to help including Arcade Fire drummer Jeremy Gara. On this track, it’s easy to see what all the fuss is about: she has a gorgeous voice, and she’s not content to waste it singing crappy piano ballads. Toward the end of “Shovel,” she lets her hair down, skittering her vocals over the line “Just because it isn’t here doesn’t mean it’s not there” because, well, she can. - www.thepheonix.com

Sarah Hallman's status as best-kept secret is about to change

Sometimes in listening to an album there is a line - a lyric delivered that seems to lay itself open to you. It almost becomes a question that begs for closer examination. Such is the case with this: "You know it's a slow ride, but it's worth waiting for" - it's a line taken from the chorus to Ottawa-based singer/songwriter Sarah Hallman's song Longshot.
Delivered in a lazy, satisfied drawl, those words go a long way to summing up both Hallman's musical journey and the excitement that should reverberate on the eve of the release of her new, self-titled album - an album of immediately memorable beauty that comes as an early Christmas present for all those with ears to hear, and hearts to feel.
Hallman's "slow ride" could easily refer to the fact that her first foray into recording actually dates back to 2001, when she recorded a collection of songs, packaged in a cardboard slipcase with what looked like a postage stamp in the upper right-hand corner - a sort of sonic letter to those closest to her.
"The idea was to create a documentation of that creative time of my life that I could share with friends," Hallman muses. "I used to be really reticent about sharing my songs with other people, but time is slowly changing that as I'm taking my time to get adjusted to change."
Perhaps the biggest step on Hallman's road has been to collaborate with other musicians. And considering that people like Arcade Fire/Kepler drummer Jeremy Gara, Snailhouse/Woodenstars frontman Mike Fieurstack and


über-producer Dave Draves of Little Bullhorn Studios are eager participants in the creation of her bittersweet beauty, it seems that Hallman's status as Ottawa's best-kept musical secret is about to deservedly change.
"In making the new record I've been getting to know the sounds I like, taking my time to carry through on ideas, no matter how they may turn out. And the more involved I got with making it, the more I knew I would regret not putting it out," Hallman enthuses.
Exhibiting a stunning level of musical confidence, the album's lyrics cover the gamut of human emotions in a way that is both refreshing and deeply affecting. It seems as though Hallman's natural tendency toward introversion has given her the ability to weave lyrics that push the buttons on the kinds of feelings everyone carries within them, but which usually escape our detection, such as When It All Comes Down, which begins with "I know my arguments are wrong, but I just feel like fighting" and closes with an invocation to "show me how you dance little cutie," both of which are intimacies, albeit on the opposite end of the spectrum.
"The unifying source of both those things, fighting and dancing, is that they come from passion," Hallman opines. "I think it's about relationship mood swings, about trying to force change from arguments and antagonizing to laughing and dancing, about the ways you get through hard feelings with a loved one."
- Ottawa Xpress

Sarah Hallman's status as best-kept secret is about to change

Sometimes in listening to an album there is a line - a lyric delivered that seems to lay itself open to you. It almost becomes a question that begs for closer examination. Such is the case with this: "You know it's a slow ride, but it's worth waiting for" - it's a line taken from the chorus to Ottawa-based singer/songwriter Sarah Hallman's song Longshot.
Delivered in a lazy, satisfied drawl, those words go a long way to summing up both Hallman's musical journey and the excitement that should reverberate on the eve of the release of her new, self-titled album - an album of immediately memorable beauty that comes as an early Christmas present for all those with ears to hear, and hearts to feel.
Hallman's "slow ride" could easily refer to the fact that her first foray into recording actually dates back to 2001, when she recorded a collection of songs, packaged in a cardboard slipcase with what looked like a postage stamp in the upper right-hand corner - a sort of sonic letter to those closest to her.
"The idea was to create a documentation of that creative time of my life that I could share with friends," Hallman muses. "I used to be really reticent about sharing my songs with other people, but time is slowly changing that as I'm taking my time to get adjusted to change."
Perhaps the biggest step on Hallman's road has been to collaborate with other musicians. And considering that people like Arcade Fire/Kepler drummer Jeremy Gara, Snailhouse/Woodenstars frontman Mike Fieurstack and


über-producer Dave Draves of Little Bullhorn Studios are eager participants in the creation of her bittersweet beauty, it seems that Hallman's status as Ottawa's best-kept musical secret is about to deservedly change.
"In making the new record I've been getting to know the sounds I like, taking my time to carry through on ideas, no matter how they may turn out. And the more involved I got with making it, the more I knew I would regret not putting it out," Hallman enthuses.
Exhibiting a stunning level of musical confidence, the album's lyrics cover the gamut of human emotions in a way that is both refreshing and deeply affecting. It seems as though Hallman's natural tendency toward introversion has given her the ability to weave lyrics that push the buttons on the kinds of feelings everyone carries within them, but which usually escape our detection, such as When It All Comes Down, which begins with "I know my arguments are wrong, but I just feel like fighting" and closes with an invocation to "show me how you dance little cutie," both of which are intimacies, albeit on the opposite end of the spectrum.
"The unifying source of both those things, fighting and dancing, is that they come from passion," Hallman opines. "I think it's about relationship mood swings, about trying to force change from arguments and antagonizing to laughing and dancing, about the ways you get through hard feelings with a loved one."
- Ottawa Xpress

Occasionally, along comes a discovery in music that you have been waiting for, a bit like hearing Here Come The Warm Jets for the first time (not that Sarah Hallman makes music anywhere near Brian Eno’s province – we are continents apart here!).

She sings like a fractured angel. I could leave it there, you know, but I want to impart a few more facts. Like, the first track “Gone Are The Days” is far too short, but makes way for the lovely “Wind In The Tree”, and then the gorgeous “Sent Mail”, and you get the picture.

And the fact that the tempo remains the same (until nearly two thirds the way through “Comfort & Security” picks up the pace with a gliding swoon) does not in any way detract from the potency of this wonderful album, this marvelous talent.

Sarah is also no small talent with paint either, as the cover art gives testament to. Is there anything else she can handle so beautifully? Definitely a great big YES! You see, she also does (very, very well) graphic design, textiles, glass art and printmaking… I’m a little surprised that the cover photo is not by her as well! She is an artist with a capital A.

Come to Sarah through her the music, and the rest of it should fall into place, just as it did for me.
www.myspace.com/sarahhallman
www.sarahhallman.com
Kev A. - http://www.leicesterbangs.co.uk/

Occasionally, along comes a discovery in music that you have been waiting for, a bit like hearing Here Come The Warm Jets for the first time (not that Sarah Hallman makes music anywhere near Brian Eno’s province – we are continents apart here!).

She sings like a fractured angel. I could leave it there, you know, but I want to impart a few more facts. Like, the first track “Gone Are The Days” is far too short, but makes way for the lovely “Wind In The Tree”, and then the gorgeous “Sent Mail”, and you get the picture.

And the fact that the tempo remains the same (until nearly two thirds the way through “Comfort & Security” picks up the pace with a gliding swoon) does not in any way detract from the potency of this wonderful album, this marvelous talent.

Sarah is also no small talent with paint either, as the cover art gives testament to. Is there anything else she can handle so beautifully? Definitely a great big YES! You see, she also does (very, very well) graphic design, textiles, glass art and printmaking… I’m a little surprised that the cover photo is not by her as well! She is an artist with a capital A.

Come to Sarah through her the music, and the rest of it should fall into place, just as it did for me.
www.myspace.com/sarahhallman
www.sarahhallman.com
Kev A. - http://www.leicesterbangs.co.uk/

http://www.ottawalife.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=232%3Asarah-hallmans-golden-melodies&catid=51%3Afeature-articles&limitstart=1 - Ottawa Life Magazine

http://www.ottawalife.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=232%3Asarah-hallmans-golden-melodies&catid=51%3Afeature-articles&limitstart=1 - Ottawa Life Magazine

Painting pictures with words is a unique gift, and it is not often that singer-songwriters bring us right into their essence, but Sarah Hallman does. Her third full-length album, Likely, wraps us in heartfelt piano and guitar melodies, which are scattered with deep, emotional lyrics that bring us back to the raw existence of the human spirit.

Her lyrics are honest, genuine, and filled with a depth that stirs something within the psyche. Influenced by children's art and people she has met, Hallman draws her inspirations from her own emotions, especially those she cannot put into words. Her latest collection shares that silent contemplation with us by whittling its way into our soul with somber, delicate sounds that pull at those emotions we cannot name.

With a voice that echoes the airiness and clarity of singers like Stina Nordenstam and Feist, Sarah Hallman takes the indie folk stage into her delicate hands and gives it a refreshingly eclectic feel.

Although the beginning of album was a little difficult to get used to, the more I listened, the more I realized it was weaving its way into my head. I was a bit disappointed with the first song because just after 1:32, it was over. Thankfully, the rest of the CD is consistent and rises and falls with comfortable predictability.

It took only ten minutes for the album to grab my full attention, and for me to dedicate myself to seeing what this CD was really about. The first up-beat tune on the album, "Sent Mail," managed to deliver forward and honest lyrics, while maintaining Hallman's sweet, calming voice. The message in the chorus is very confident and elicited a 'huh' moment from me as I found my foot tapping to the catchy beat.

"The Water Running" reflects the ambience of the album very nicely. Her deep, somber lyrics paint a picture in your mind, and draw out a sense of empathy for the experience she is singing about. It is an openhearted, unafraid story complemented with a beautiful, down-tempo melody that drives itself right into your marrow. It is extremely well done.

The title track to Hallman's third album, "Likely," is my favorite. It contains a bittersweet, brooding tune, and carries several dark undertones in her generally honest lyrics. The emotion borders on resentment, and her voice echoes this inkling by the soft, weary-souled way she delivers her message. The melody sets the tone quite nicely; its multiple layers and subtle rise and fall are injected in just the right places.

The depth of Hallman's lyrics pulled at strings I didn't know I had. She closes her latest album with an uplifting tune that has you wanting more. Her sound is authentic and still unblemished by the mainstream music industry, and it is evident she is unafraid to do things her way. When it comes to depth, this album doesn't hold back. So whether you feel like having something on in the background while you settle in with a book, or listening to the words and music carefully in deep reflective thought, this album is a good choice to just pop into your player. Let it roll through its poignant soundscape and enjoy every minute of it.

WRITTEN BY AGNES CADIEUX
- (Cult)ure Magazine

Painting pictures with words is a unique gift, and it is not often that singer-songwriters bring us right into their essence, but Sarah Hallman does. Her third full-length album, Likely, wraps us in heartfelt piano and guitar melodies, which are scattered with deep, emotional lyrics that bring us back to the raw existence of the human spirit.

Her lyrics are honest, genuine, and filled with a depth that stirs something within the psyche. Influenced by children's art and people she has met, Hallman draws her inspirations from her own emotions, especially those she cannot put into words. Her latest collection shares that silent contemplation with us by whittling its way into our soul with somber, delicate sounds that pull at those emotions we cannot name.

With a voice that echoes the airiness and clarity of singers like Stina Nordenstam and Feist, Sarah Hallman takes the indie folk stage into her delicate hands and gives it a refreshingly eclectic feel.

Although the beginning of album was a little difficult to get used to, the more I listened, the more I realized it was weaving its way into my head. I was a bit disappointed with the first song because just after 1:32, it was over. Thankfully, the rest of the CD is consistent and rises and falls with comfortable predictability.

It took only ten minutes for the album to grab my full attention, and for me to dedicate myself to seeing what this CD was really about. The first up-beat tune on the album, "Sent Mail," managed to deliver forward and honest lyrics, while maintaining Hallman's sweet, calming voice. The message in the chorus is very confident and elicited a 'huh' moment from me as I found my foot tapping to the catchy beat.

"The Water Running" reflects the ambience of the album very nicely. Her deep, somber lyrics paint a picture in your mind, and draw out a sense of empathy for the experience she is singing about. It is an openhearted, unafraid story complemented with a beautiful, down-tempo melody that drives itself right into your marrow. It is extremely well done.

The title track to Hallman's third album, "Likely," is my favorite. It contains a bittersweet, brooding tune, and carries several dark undertones in her generally honest lyrics. The emotion borders on resentment, and her voice echoes this inkling by the soft, weary-souled way she delivers her message. The melody sets the tone quite nicely; its multiple layers and subtle rise and fall are injected in just the right places.

The depth of Hallman's lyrics pulled at strings I didn't know I had. She closes her latest album with an uplifting tune that has you wanting more. Her sound is authentic and still unblemished by the mainstream music industry, and it is evident she is unafraid to do things her way. When it comes to depth, this album doesn't hold back. So whether you feel like having something on in the background while you settle in with a book, or listening to the words and music carefully in deep reflective thought, this album is a good choice to just pop into your player. Let it roll through its poignant soundscape and enjoy every minute of it.

WRITTEN BY AGNES CADIEUX
- (Cult)ure Magazine