Album Notes

The first 15 copies sold will be autographed by Amy Obenski! There are still some in stock.

"Amy Obenski is sure to break through the singer/songwriter ranks and make a lasting impression with her new album, From the Deep. In its jazz-steeped compositions, which move from haunting to soothing in one intuitive swoop and feature grand piano, guitar, cello, viola, bass, drums, mandolin and accordion, we find a talented artist reaching her creative peak.

Soaking up the eclectic beauty of her surrounding Santa Cruz and infusing it into her music, Obenski’s honey-flowing tunes possess incredible depth and a natural grace. Yet, it may be her cover of Tracy Chapman’s “Mountains of Things” that best highlights her vast talent. With a new arrangement that expertly alternates between lush and stark, Obenski has made this 1988 classic her own while preserving the poignancy of the original and emphasizing its contemporary relevance.

Like Chapman, lyrics are important to Obenski and have just as much potential influence, touching on self-reflection, hope, realization, acceptance and social criticism. In the latter category, “Wheels” is a great complement to “Mountains of Things,” sharing its anti-materialistic spirit: “The more we seem to have / the less we get to feel / we think we’re moving forward but we’re spinning on our wheels … he’s raking in the bills / never mind he’s lost his passion and given up his will.” Closing the album with the invitation to “take this poem and make it something you can relate to” (“Poem”), Obenski unintentionally underlines her greatest strength."

-Katherine Hoffert, Performer Magazine