CHRIS PUREKA: Dryland

Chris Pureka

Dryland

© 2006 Chris Pureka (620673291125)

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Acoustic, indie-folk, americana: the latest release from up and coming songwriter, Chris Pureka.

notes

Chris Pureka’s sophomore release, Dryland plays like the way she enters a room—with low, deliberate airs, quietly demanding respect. One stark, solo acoustic guitar builds into layered swan songs and raspy serenades that resonate with unassuming depth and candor.

Dryland is the highly-anticipated follow-up to Pureka’s 2004 debut, Driving North, for which the rising newcomer has landed praise from publications like Performing Songwriter, Time Out New York, Nashville City Paper and many others. Comparisons flow easily: some recognize the poetry and grit of a young Bruce Springsteen or a troubled Ryan Adams. Others see Nashville shining on the horizon for this indie-acoustic songstress whose simple, yet heartfelt and vulnerable delivery often resembles shades of female greats like Patty Griffin, Gillian Welch or Mary Gauthier. Whatever the reference point, one thing remains certain: on her newest release, Chris Pureka has taken the unfettered, heart-on-your-sleeve approach she is known for and has delved even deeper into her calling to deliver a newly promising and original collection of songs. The progression is natural, if not subtle; and the results are impressive.

Pureka proudly considers Dryland an older, wiser successor to her earlier recordings. She writes, “There are many songs on the record that follow up with the themes of love and relationships that were predominant on Driving North. For instance the song, ‘Come Back Home’ is about a long distance relationship and the issues of trust and fidelity that come with that and relationships in general. However, Dryland, while continuing on with these themes also branches out topically and I think has more perspective." Sentiments of growth and change are conveyed in the title and thematically throughout Dryland. As one line from the title track reveals: “I’m holding myself, waiting and waiting, in the belly of the boat, praying for dryland.” In Pureka’s words, “One of the big themes is this idea of moving through something difficult to get to something better – putting things to rest and moving on – trying to make the most of things and trying to be patient – or at least recognizing that virtue.” Taking her own advice to heart, Pureka creates the personal challenge of penning a narrative from the perspective of her grandmother (“Swann Song”) – and pulls it off with Patty Griffin-esque mastery. It’s something of a departure for Pureka, who admittedly writes from her own experiences most of the time. Another first is her decision to include a cover song on the album, Gillian Welch’s world-weary “Everything is Free.” The rendition starts off as a timid, after-the-storm follow-up to the preceding track, but quickly blossoms into a spirited personal anthem with added meaning infused by Pureka’s convincing vocals.

Dryland was produced by Pureka and recorded at Slaughterhouse Recording Studio in Westhampton, MA. Featured on the record are jazz/pop drummer Allison Miller, best known for her work with Natalie Merchant, who adds her unmistakable touch to “Momentary Thief” and “31 and Falling.” Renowned guitarist/producer David “Goody” Goodrich (Chris Smither, Peter Mulvey, Jeffrey Foucault) provides additional layers and ambience on several tracks. Lyndell Montgomery of the Ember Swift Band adds electric bass and fiddle. Additionally, several players from Driving North returned: Sebastian Renfield assists in production and adds banjo and guitar and Merrill Garbus adds harmony vocals and fiddle.

A native New Englander, the 27 year-old Pureka came to music at an early age, writing songs on her parents out of tune piano before the age of eight; but it wasn’t until she reached sixteen that she discovered the guitar and began playing in earnest. Following high school, Pureka attended Wesleyan University where she was a student of science and graduated to become an assistant in a biology lab at Smith College. All the while Pureka’s musical ambitions persevered. In 2001 she released a 7-song, self-titled EP and shortly thereafter landed a three-month national tour with folk poet Alix Olson. With the release of Driving North in 2004, Pureka left science behind and discovered her niche as a touring singer songwriter.

While hardship, longing and loss are all common themes of Pureka’s life and music, they’re also tempered by messages of hope, strength and perseverance. Following in that spirit, Dryland heralds the return of a smart, evolving artist who has already glimpsed sun through the clouds and knows how to keep moving forward with an eye for even brighter days ahead. If the new album is any indication, brighter days will be here in no time.

reviews

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  • Rebecca Fraser_TN
    author: rebecca fraser

    WOW in a nutshell. I discovered Chris on MySpace and was amazed. So, I ordered Driving North & Dryland. Dryland is so soft and mature with thoughts & emotions that are wrapped up in visual & lyrical texture. It's my favorite. The song entitled "So It Goes" is written with such depth... you get a sense of being there and experiencing every detail of what the subjects were feeling. Every song on this CD is worth listening to over and over and over again. Driving North is nice. It's a little faster pace with an edgier texture to the voice BUT I haven't had time to really experience it like DRYLAND because I can't take it out of the CD player for too long. Thank you Chris! =)

  • Love it.
    author: Julia K.

    Everything about this album is amazing. Amazing in an understated, under-your-skin kind of way. The lyrics, the vocals, her all-over-the-fretboard guitar playing. . . I had this album on repeat for weeks and weeks, and I'm still not sick of it. From everything I've seen from Chris Pureka, she is one of the most honest, sincere, hard-working singer-songwriters out there. And she does it all with a glow.

  • Dryland
    author: Judy Poel

    This is one of my favorite CD's in my collection (400 CD's). Chris Pureka is an incredible writer and her songs are honest and gorgeous on the ears...and in the heart. I would recommend this CD to everyone with an interest in emotionally intelligent lyrics. I hope another release by her is coming soon!

  • I’m Speechless (well, actually…)
    author: Tlcasp/Albuquerque, NM

    I think I could write a book about how I feel about this girl’s music, but I’ll try to keep it a bit shorter. Quite simply, Dryland is one of the most beautiful albums I’ve ever heard. Chris Pureka’s voice is indescribably compelling in a way that simultaneously breaks your heart and sets you on fire. Her mastery of the guitar is nothing less than astonishing, and her ability to express feeling through this instrument alone is quite amazing. Yes, her music makes you weep, but not always from sadness. Sometimes just the quiet message, the feeling, and the imagery evoked by words like “sweet air through the summer screen, tall grass and warm stones..” is enough to make your throat ache. Her style is pure, unaffected and straight from the heart, and her songwriting is so intimate and soulful that one can’t help but fall a little in love. Both Dryland and Driving North are essential albums. I can’t wait to see what the future holds for Chris Pureka, but even if she never writes another song, I could live off these albums for a long time. Support this amazing independent artist. You won’t be disappointed, and you won’t be listening to anything else for weeks.

  • THE BEST!
    author: Chipmunk

    I knew nothing of Chris Pureka when I saw her perform a few months ago. She caught my attention just by saying "hi" as she walked on stage. The fact that such a simple act could elicit such a strong response should have set off flags. Pureka then dove in to "Compass Rose" and I *knew* I would need more! I bought "Dryland" and "Driving North" immediately after her set. Once I was done drooling over them, I bought several extra copies to share. Now, several months and many plays later, I still find myself impressed by Pureka and her talent. It always sounds new! Thank you, CD Baby, for supporting this magnificent artist. All the best to Chris Pureka... I can't wait for more!

  • author: Elizabeth Cumpton

    I just bought all of Chris Pureka's CD's, and I play them every day. It's a rare thing to find albums that I can just listen to all the way through, enjoying each song just as much as the last, and it seems like every time I play them, they get better. And, she's hot. :-)

  • complex, hopeful yearning.
    author: J. Germaine

    Like sitting in a room, while it's raining, drinking a glass of wine, and looking through a box of old letters and photographs that make you feel good and slightly melancholy. Like reading a book...good literary fiction, where by some alchemy the author transforms words into emotions, giving you stories of human experience that are a little sad, difficult, and complex, while managing to highlight beauty, hope and possibility.

  • i am addicted to this woman's guitar playing and her voice...hauntingly beautifu
    author: crystal blue

    a friend gave me "driving north" about a year ago and i always have that one in my cd player... i LOVE the follow up "Dryland".... can't stop listening to this one.... 31 and falling kills me every time... thank you and i'll see you at your next show in the nyc area...

  • Simply the best!!
    author: keridwyn

    This is a magnificent cd. The other day I was trying to figure out how to describe her guitar work and finally settled on high-definition. It's jewel-like in its precision and clarity. Vocals and lyrics remind me of Bob Dylan--not because she sounds like Dylan or writes songs like Dylan--but because she is that original and gifted. I have told everyone I know about this artist. I am truly impressed!

  • Stunning and Beautiful!
    author: Justin

    This albulm is really a masterpieace. Everything I love about good music..

  • The folkies are in full bloom
    author: Matthew R. Perrine/Duluth Budgeteer News

    Even in her quietest moments, Chris Pureka exudes a magnificent presence. “Dryland,” her follow-up to 2004’s “Driving North,” presents another journey onto itself. While “Intro” may flow like a gentle stream, it belies the fact that this isn’t just another delicate folk record. It’s more than that; it’s rustic because, like Pureka’s voice, the songs are a little rough around the edges. Following an entrenching cover of Gillian Welch’s “Everything is Free,” “Compass Rose” is really this album’s shining hour. Wrapped around some curious guitar noodling, upright bass, banjo and fiddle coalesce to lead listeners back to a different time. Somewhere this song should be playing on a midnight train rolling across moonlit rolling hills in the high plains of Wyoming. One can only imagine that, if Charlie Parr was listening right now, he’d be smiling.

  • I have not taken it out of the car since I got this weeks ago!
    author: Deb
  • Chris has a tremendous second CD
    author: Linda Lee Kennedy

    Chris' guitar work is phenomenal and best show-cased on the sngs that deal with the harsh reality of relationships. I especially like the last three cuts. Compass Rose is very tender in places. I enjoy listening to this in my car CD player right after Driving North. It gives a nice perspective to her work.

  • Introspective journey of the soul
    author: Yarrow Frank

    This is another phenomenally recorded journey through the life of Chris Pureka, but also a journey that helps listeners reflect upon their own lives. This music touches the soul and wraps it's amazing instrumental and vocal sounds around the heart and pulls.

  • perfect timing.
    author: amanda

    After listening to Dryland, I immediately commenced kicking myself for not having a car to drive to the nearest leg of the tour. It's rare that a cd falls into my lap at such perfect timing. My favorite track changes daily. I'm definitely going to buy Driving North now.

  • She did it again!!!
    author: Carrie-Lynn O'Donnell

    The cd warms up with a peppy instumental, giving us a small taste of the riffs to come, then from track two on Chris takes us on a journey. It's us, a girl, and her guitar. Her lyrics are honest and rough. She is a poet set to music. I loved Drving North, but I think she has upgraded her style on this cd. The collaborations give this cd a greater weight.

  • Greatest purchase I have ever made!
    author: Rachel

    I found about the cd off of Andrea Gibson's website, where she mentions Chris. I found the website and listened to a couple of songs and was blown away! An amazing cd and definitly worth the buy!

  • chris pureka is making me fall in love...
    author: shelley thomson

    ...still drying my tears from Driving North...and she does it again! Chris Pureka is making me fall in love with music all over again.

  • Haunting...
    author: Tina

    Can't stop listening to Dryland since I got it a few days ago. To be honest it's only leaving my stereo for Chris Pureka's Driving North to be back in again afterwards.

  • beautiful
    author: DEBORAH

    Lovely guitar, lyrics and hauntingly beautiful voice... compelling lyrics, wonderful to listen to each word, or play over and over in life's background...

  • Beautiful

    Classic female folk that tells a story and forces us to listen

  • Another Great CD from Pureka
    author: Michelle MB

    Dryland is a testament to Chris Pureka's competence as a serious artist. The thoughtful, introspective music on this CD gives the listener a deep sense of internal reflection and quietness. These mature, meaningful songs are perfectly accompanied by Pureka's clever and capable guitar playing ability.

  • one of my best cd purchases of the year
    author: jessica

    this cd is one of my best cd purchases of 06. I cant stop listening to it, all of the songs are great!! I am so glad i was introduced to Chris's music, I cant wait to purchase her other albums.

  • Awesome followup to Driving North
    author: Bob

    Every song is wonderful and the production quality is excellent. Support genuine talent and buy this CD.

  • peaceful and contemplative
    author: liz

    this cd is the perfect fall music. introspective, peaceful, contemplative, relaxing.

  • Loved this cd as much as Driving North
    author: Rachel

    I love this cd! It is just as great as Driving North!!

  • This CD is awesome - as expected!

    This is an awesome CD. You should also get Driving North! It did arrive safe and sound, thank you. I haven't gone a day without listening to it!

  • Amazing, and better every time I listen.
    author: Christine

    This CD is amazing. Whether you've heard Chris before or not, you should buy this album. You will not be disappointed. I liked it immediately, and I have grown to love it more and more every time I listen (which has been pretty much nonstop since I got it a couple weeks ago). I can listen to Chris for hours and not get tired of her, and there aren't any songs I want to skip. Can't get better than that!

  • Another excellent album. Again, again, again!
    author: SpaceFerret

    Like her previous release Driving North, Dryland is going to be staying in my CD player for quite some time. In fact, I keep playing the first song These Pages over and over. I love how this album has banjos on it, and also the well-crafted vocal harmonies. Each time I hear something else that I missed before. It's beautifully detailed, intelligent and deeply emotional at the same time.

  • author: kw

    okay, really i'd give this disc like a dozen stars... like a few others said, i was a little aprehensive about the follow-up to driving north...but there's nothing to worry with.. Dryland is just as amazing as Driving North if not more so... i dunno... they are both so beautiful and heartfelt and stong. Chris is just amazing. I can't believe some asshole stole her guitar last week. anyway... i can't stop listening to either one of her cds so.... please, buy it... you'll love it. I promise.

  • Fabulous!
    author: Linda

    Another great CD by Chris. This one is getting a lot of play in my rotation.

  • This cd is absolutely amazing.
    author: Jamie

    I was slightly nervous to hear the follow-up of Driving North because that was such a fantastic cd. Chis Pureka definitely did not dissapoint with this one! I have been playing it non-stop since I bought it. Songs such as "Compass Rose" and the title track "Dryland" are especially my favorites. I even plan on buying this one a couple more times for presents! Excellent cd.

  • This is it.
    author: Lauren

    This CD is unbelievable. I can't get enough of "These Pages" or "Compass Rose." Like another commenter said, I can pretty much say, "this is my favorite song," to just about every track. When I pressed "play" for the first time and those first few notes of the Intro track came sweetly and honestly through the speakers I sighed with relief and uttered an, "oh yeah, this is it."

  • great cd, a must hear
    author: Lancelot Johnson

    cd of a great story teller. you should check out the: Lancelot Johnson (cd baby artist cd) some really great stories too.

  • The torch has been passed...
    author: Kathy & Joyce

    After hearing Driving North, I wondered how Chris Pureka would be able to top such a fantastic group of tunes in the next CD she would release. Well, she has done exactly that with the release of Dryland. Soul-stirring, riviting, captivating...I can't say enough good things about this CD. Dryland confirms that the torch has been passed to a new generation of tunesmiths and Chris Pureka is off and running! (Hurry back to Nashville, Chris!)

  • The torch has been passed...
    author: Kathy & Joyce

    After hearing Driving North, I wondered how Chris Pureka would be able to top such a fantastic group of tunes in the next CD she would release. Well, she has done exactly that with the release of Dryland. Soul-stirring, riviting, captivating...I can't say enough good things about this CD. Dryland confirms that the torch has been passed to a new generation of tunesmiths and Chris Pureka is off and running! (Hurry back to Nashville, Chris!)

  • Another HIT!
    author: lingeringelsewhere

    The ebb and flow of mood in Chris' new CD is amazing. I didn't think she could top Driving North, but she has delivered another MUST have, can't stop listening to hit. What an artist!

  • Awesome album!
    author: Caley

    I love this album! The sound and style was a little different than Driving North, but it works beautifully. The song "Come Back Home" gives me chills. Chris Pureka is freakin' amazing, and I can't wait to see her in San Francisco!

  • Loving it!
    author: Josephine

    I love this CD. The songs are so well thought out and carry so much poetic emotional power.

  • Fantastic-o
    author: Jenny

    I can listen to Dryland and think, “This is my favorite song.” for every song on the CD. Chris Pureka’s melodies, lyrics, and heartstring-tugging vocals come together to make this an incredibly evocative album. If I don’t have it committed to memory by the time she tours the west coast in November, I’ll be a monkey’s uncle.

  • Oh yeah!
    author: Sara

    The song 31 And Falling is fantastic and worth the price of the CD all by itself.

  • Stop reading. Start listening.
    author: Dylan Fitzgerald

    To start with, this isn't Chris' sophomore release -- that would be Driving North, which followed her self-titled album (also available here). That said, Dryland follows in the same vein as Driving North, with a more refined, mature feel to it. Pureka has again created music that sounds poetic before you even listen to the lyrics. It's difficult for me to encapsulate in mere words how Pureka's music affects me, but I can say this: I listen to an enormous variety and amount of music, and be it punk or jazz or bluegrass or new-age, I'll usually listen to a given "favorite" album once every month or so. Driving North, on the other hand, sat in my CD player for a few weeks straight, and from listening through all of once, Dryland is destined to do the same -- perhaps for longer. Having heard this album, I'm considering driving (appropriately north) some 500 miles to see her play live. This album is that good.

  • Glued in my CD player

    Chris Pureka is the ONLY artist that I can listen to for hours straight day after day without getting even a little bit sick of her. Her album Driving North has never been far from my player for over a year, and now has been bumped by Dryland, which is just as good, if not better. Her voice, lyrics, command of the guitar, and harmonies just pull you right into the songs and make you part of her world...or make you realize that she is already a part of yours in the way she can describe her experiences, and in doing so, also describe yours. Some of the songs on Dryland have a slightly more upbeat feel that those on Driving North, but all have the same heartfelt truthfulness. GET THIS CD and support Chris!

  • Absolutely Fabulous !
    author: Stefanie

    A truly talented artist, Chris Pureka has once again managed to harness the radiant truth, beauty and honesty that emerges from within her and capture it all in song. A fantastic follow-up to Driving North, Dryland is a must have for anyone still singing Porch Songs and searching for an encore. Tracks such as "Compass Rose" and "Come Back Home" will have you craving for more. Dryland does not disappoint.

  • Absolutely Fabulous !
    author: Stefanie

    A truly talented artist, Chris Pureka has once again managed to harness the radiant truth, beauty and honesty that emerges from within her and capture it all in song. A fantastic follow-up to Driving North, Dryland is a must have for anyone still singing Porch Songs and searching for an encore. Tracks such as "Compass Rose" and "Come Back Home" will have you craving for more. Dryland does not disappoint.

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