Alysson Light Looking Looking Glass Conversations Rating - A+ Glass Conversations The first I heard Alysson Light's music was about two years ago on mp3.com. At that time she was sixteen years old and I was amazed that a person of such a youthful age could produce such mature and intelligent music. I have followed her career since then and I am excited that she will be attending music school in New York City where I may be afforded the opportunity to see her perform live. With the release of "Looking Glass Conversations" Alysson again demonstrates maturity beyond her years. Alysson is a gifted pianist and the tunes are piano driven creating an atmosphere both ethereal and beautiful. "Into Winter" is a lovely song where Alysson really shows off her skills on the piano. Light is joined by a host of musicians on the disc including guitars, bass, cello, and violin. "Maybe" is still my favorite Alysson Light song and can not help but move the listener. Alysson sings the chorus in a perfect falsetto. This song alone is enough to raise her to superstar status. On all songs, her lyrics are heartfelt and thought provoking beyond those you would expect from someone just on the threshold of adulthood. I can only imagine what a bit more real world experience is going to do for Alysson's songwriting skills. The use of two vocalists on the chorus of "Hurricane" creates an impressive backdrop to Alysson's verses. Alysson shows her vocal range singing in a full soprano for "Silken Wind." The production, engineering, and mastering are highly professional on the CD. If you are a fan of piano driven music with a classical influence, strong vocals, and well written and thought out songs, then I highly recommend this CD. I am afforded the opportunity to listen to quite a bit of music through the site and this CD comes with my highest recommendation! Dennis Halsey The Best Female Musicians http://bestfemalemusicians.com/lookingglasscd.html

It seems that every time a girl sits down on a piano bench, she's being touted as the next Tori Amos, when really there's no similarity whatsoever. I'm not about to say that Alysson Light's album Looking Glass Conversations is a different story. It's simply a good album of folky pop songs. Jim Chapman and John Hamilton's "Silk Sunflowers" is an auspicious beginning and a humble choice for a kick off. Some songwriters would insist on hiding a cover in the middle of the album, but Light recognizes the power of this song. "Trapped in Time" by Ellen-Catherine Nash features Nash on piano, letting Alysson focus on her resonant vocals. Robbie Link's cello is the standout in "Never Know." The songs that have extra orchestrations come across better. That is simply because her songs are ambitious and benefit from layering like desert landscapes benefits from a widescreen cinematic presentation. I especially appreciate the work done on "Maybe." Beginning with ghostly echoing high-octave vocals, it immediately sets a mood. "Deep Inside" suffers due to Light's inability to keep the lyrics moving as fast as the music, but an infectious beat is provided by drummer Jason Schmidt. At the very least, original work from an accomplished pianist/singer/songwriter--something that a similar album from Vienna Teng (with whom Alysson Light has toured) entirely failed to accomplish--and, at its best, that will revive your faith in the possibilities of emo piano folk-pop.

Hard to believe she is only 18! On Looking Glass Conversations Alysson's songwriting skills go way beyond her years. The first cut Silk Sunflowers is produced by Dick Hodgin and Ian Shrier (Hootie and the Blowfish, Craven Melon) sets the table with great melodies and arrangement that continue through the rest of the CD. Other cuts such as Hurricane" which captures the feel of James Taylor's North Carolina. Then there is "Moonshell" which stands Carole King Pop chords on their head and turns it into a dark song about loss, power, and love. All in all an excellent CD from a future force in the singer-songwriter world.