Seela

Three tracks deep into Something Happened, "Peace of
Mind" jolts to a start with a ricochet drum beat.
Close behind, electric guitars bleat in accompaniment
as Seela begins to sing: "Peace of mind, peace of
mind, I've been doing fine without you here."
Seemingly nothing special, a simple melody; but behind
her, instruments mount a stealthy build, and seconds
before the verse ends, the rhythm floor drops out as
an inverted fill nails the start of a full band
chorus. It's one of those perfect pop moments, one
where everything falls into sync, one that delivers a
hook you'll never get out of your head, and one that
keeps you reaching for the disc. Something Happened is
the second CD from this Canadian-born Austin resident.
She and her band, particularly guitarist Darwin Smith
and drummer (Jon Greene), treat her dramatic new
material with flair. …
…the songs and the singer remain compelling and
full of mystery. Play it again.
-Jeff McCord
- Texas Monthly Magazine

This is power pop with the batteries dying: gorgeous melodies stripped bare and subdude, as the singer reaches inside and pulls out her terms of disenchantment... When you think of psychedelic music you think of wild guitars and thundering drums, but Seela and producer Brian Beattie are out to blow minds from the inside out. Guitarist Darwin Smith is turned up in the mix, yet he barely brushes the strings giving the sound of a memory. The introspective mood gives comfort to songs that strive to come to grips rather than let go.
-Micheal Corcoran

- Austin American Statesman

New Improved Music) -- This sophomore album from one
of Austin's best singers -- you can also catch her
with the Jazz Pharoahs -- was actually released late
last year but fell through the cracks. It's far too
big for that. Producer Brian Beattie (ex-Glass Eye)
and guitarists Craig Ross and Darwin Smith lay down a
sonic backdrop that's invaluable, experimental but not
flashy. The sparkling music brings Seela's imaginative
songs to life, from hushed, Mazzy Star- like mood
pieces such as "Give Up" and "Seed" to noisier,
chalkboard- scratching fare like "Open Heart."
Chris Reinmenshneider - Austin American Statesman

Ten oclock on a Wednesday night at Gaby and Mos, a tiny Eastside bar. Seela and her band look like they just wandered in and decided to play. Acoustic guitar, bass, drums, electric guitar. Standard setup, everyone sits down, but when they crash into the first song the sound is anything but standard:

You ought to go outside some more, You dont know what youre missing...

The band sounds like a loose confederation of intense listeners. Craig Rosss distorted guitar stops and starts in an invented language that incites grins from audience and fellow players. Drummer Jon Greene and bass player Brian Beattie move effortlessly in and out of Seelas avant-soul grooves. On top of it all is Seela’s presence as a singer, whispering to her lover in When Hard Times Hit:

No one needs to know How we cant handle it When hard times hit...

as though both were children exchanging blood secrets in a candle-lit cave. Other times shes playful and defiant, indestructible, at the top of her world. In Come On Over, notes from the bass bob happily in and out of a block of Swiss cheese, appearing and disappearing, while Seela sings a sexually charged lament to friendship:

Come on over. Lets do it again. Come on over. Lets kill this friendship, One night at a time.

Molasses and vinegar. I left feeling like I should go out more if there are bands as fun, as fearless and inventive as this one; which is, I think, how live shows are supposed to make you feel.
-Lee Barber
- CD baby

Go ahead and add the name Seela to the list of superb female singer-songwriters emerging from the Austin music scene at the outset of the new millennium. With the release of her second record Something Happened, the Ontario native makes it clear that she belongs in the company of talented Austin up-and-comers such as Trish Murphy, Abra Moore, Ginger Mackenzie and Anna Egge. Something Happened is a solid outing that showcases Seela's beautiful voice on 15 of her own sophisticated and cliché-free songs. Brian Beattie's excellent production, while daring at times, holds everything together in an appealing and accessible package. Something Happened could be the record that generates enough momentum for Seela to make things happen in a big way in the near future. -by Patrick Cosgrove

- Insound

"...Seela, a woman who's pipes are jaw-dropping. Quasi-human, even."
-Terry Sawyer - PopMatters