Most powerful debut album I have heard in years!
Billy Tweedie | Outside Pittsburgh, PA, USA | 04/27/2001
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Review by Billy Tweedie Sianna Lyons is a precious rarity. She's one of the few performers today whose work is both truly progressive and commercially viable-that she will be a worldwide superstar and still unable to crack U.S. radio at this point is a travesty. Though "Songland" can be darker, moodier and more esoteric than anything you have heard by say Tori Amos or the superb Kate Bush, the album kicks off with her best shot at chart-breaking yet; "Come" is a mystical, sinuous single with Sianna's sultry voice gliding over warm synths and the soft pounding of a track, a rich song that becomes more compelling with each listen. On "Disappear," she experiments with the story of a little girl who is too scared to shed her tears with intriguing results. Also check "Lover" and the ballad "We" with some of her purest vocals. "We" rides to the tune of a wonderfully infectious chorus refrain. Sianna's residence on music's fringes won't be lasting much longer. One hopes MTV-ever on the lookout for video stars-won't be solely responsible for bringing one of the world's most talented (and beautiful) recording artists to the masses. In the boldly experimental, ominously lovely "Disappear," the dreamy, fretless arrangement weds an uncanny feeling of dread and fear with verbal directness while displaying a melodic sense that's in peak form....This experiment is a Masterpiece. Few female vocalists are as instantly memorable as Sianna Lyons. Whether following an ebullient pop rhythm or leading a sparse line, Sianna's girlish, sultry voice is capable of changing the texture and mood of a song with a single breathy cry. On "Songland", her debut album is silky, sexy and totally wonderful in every context. Sianna (and her producer Federico Gonzalez) rearranges pop convention to suit her artistic vision, exploring an intimate range of emotional expression along the way. I feel that the album has been centered on eroticism and seduction, but in a more romantic setting, feeling its way through an adventurous series of rhythms and melodies like a young couple meeting for the first time. There are no set rules, and Sianna enthusiastically mixes schmaltz with chutzpah, as on "Lover," where dissonant guitar squalls and an ominous bassline merge with weepy strings, murky keyboards and emotive vocals. Even on touching cuts Sianna can't resist mingling background harmonies and naive yearings with heart-tugging vocals, atmospheric keyboards and slow, tribal beats. "Songland" is quite simply a bold, sizzling triumph. The lyrics are painfully personal and the way in which Sianna delivers them is heart wrenching. Her voiceranges from breathy secrets to almost incensed shouts, expressing words the way you would whisper to alover -- or shout at an enemy. The instrumentation reverberates with the loneliness and universality of thewords themselves. Her vox is feminine and provocative. Each song tells a familiar story of the woman and her journey. They all meant something special to me..... I can honestly say that I have never heard a more haunting and poignant song than "Susan". It still brings tears to my eyes. You must buy the album to witness the power of this haunted track. "before I trap you in my lair, take my lion's share, you better hope this feeling subsides, otherwise...." These are some lyrics from the wonderful "Otherwise" that is full of passion and lust for Mr. Right! Of course, I can try to describe a million songs with one sentence but it would do none of them justice. The only way to express the essence of Sianna Lyons is by listening to her own words. Pearl Jam's "Black", (the only cover on the album) rips your heart out, not by the words but by the vox and pure heartbreak in Sianna's voice. "Songland" to me has been the most powerful debut album I have heard in years! The songs have become a part of me, as her voice sings with yearings of sadness and joys to the little boy down the street, broken and alone......not even Tori Amos or Kate Bush can do that to this degree! Sianna will thrive as one of music's most enduring, valuable and cherished artists. You MUST get this album, you MUST play this album till you know every lyric on every song! It is virtually impossible for me to comprehend anyone not liking...not LOVING, this artist!"
Summary: Stellar. Just freaking stellar! There's no other w
Erik Deckers, Indie-Music.com | Syracuse, Indiana | 03/24/2001
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Intro/general thoughts: Looking at Sianna Lyons's press photo, my first thought was "Hey, she looks like Gillian Anderson!" My second thought was "Jeez, I hope she doesn't sing like Gillian Anderson." My fears were immediately put to rest when I popped her debut CD, "Songland" into my CD player. Lyons has a sweet, ethereal voice that is heavenly in its clarity. Combine that with some great music, and you've got an artist worthy of the pop charts, with Tori Amos and Kate Bush. Type of Music: Pop/Alternative Hometown: New York, New York Notable: Lyons' song "Otherwise" reached the top ten on UK-based Firewall Record's Global Internet Chart, and was chosen for their compilation album, "Millennium 2." She also wrote the title song, and performed the role of "The Singer" in the 1996 independent film "Going Home." Another Notable: This is just damn impressive: Lyons vocal range is 5+ ( yes, FIVE) octaves. And not like Sting's voice where he has to screech to reach his upper notes, but five full, rich, soaring octaves. Highs: I loved "We." It was mysterious, dark, but was something you could dance to. It reminded me of Velvet Chain in its structure, sound, and instrumentation. Lows: "Lover" was a great song, but the electronic noise/record scratching was too distracting. It was almost distracting from the rest of the song. Favorite Lines: From "We," a song about the perfect fit between two people in love: the years leaked slowly by i suffered silently until you found me expectancy nearly drowned me now we are we Fans: If you like Kate Bush, Tori Amos, Marina Vittoria, Mary Lydia Ryan, or Erika Amato of Velvet Chain (all reviewed right here on Indie-Music.com!), you'll love Sianna Lyons. Foes: If you like Lita Ford, Kim Carnes, or Tom Waits, Sianna Lyons will sound too clear and sweet for you. Summary: Stellar. Just freaking stellar! There's no other way to describe this music. With just one CD, Sianna Lyons is quickly becoming one of my favorite female singer/songwriters. And even though she released her CD as recently as 1999, I think we all need to start pestering her for her next one. Personally, I can't wait."
But I go back to Sianna?s voice, the real star here...
Erik Deckers, Indie-Music.com | Syracuse, Indiana | 03/17/2001
(5 out of 5 stars)
"In NYC, transplanted Bostonian Sianna Lyons has released a great trip-hop CD, her ethereal debut. Hers is a five-octave voice layered impressively from track to track ("11th Hour," the title track). The songs are very good, too -- I've hummed "Lover" for days, and the best track is "Susan." But I go back to Sianna's voice, the real star here, unadorned by studio tricks and deserving of attention -- she takes Pearl Jam's "Black" and makes it more than her own."
Track Listings (12) - Disc #1