Album Notes

Recently discovered Erisa Rei has been compared to Jewel, Stevie Nicks, Janis Joplin and others, but high profile music industry reps are realizing Erisa has the makings to become her own legend. With the voice of an angel, she is both unique and intriguing. Her music is powerfully moving, while the lyrics are thought-provoking and real, dealing with the relevant issues of today.

Erisa Rei's style is so unique that it's hard to categorize. Backwards, her recent release is indicative of this. Backwards was recorded at Cinematrik Studios in Franklin, TN with owner/producer, Tim Holt. The musicians playing on were Erik Ferguson, guitar extraordinaire and Mike Caro, bass player for the for the likes of Celine Dion and Gloria Estefan. Austin Cook of Indevo Records was the A & R for the project. The title track is currently 17 on the roots music charts for IL, as well as 1 for Christian music at indie-music.com. Erisa Rei was also a September 2007 featured artist on www.indie-music.com.

Erisa Rei's mission is to put to song things that she thinks are relevant not only in her own life, but also in the world. Not only does she want people to listen to her music, but she also wants them to be impacted and moved by what she has to say. Her message is centered around that mission. She hopes that people will be moved to make a difference in their own world and rely on Jesus Christ.

***
Indie-music Review
By Dan MacIntosh

Erisa Rei’s Backwards EP is one power-packed little firecracker. At only four songs in length, it is but a small taste of what this explosive singer can do. Yet it’s more than enough material to evaluate Rei’s earthshaking talent.

Some biographical material compares Rei to blues singer Susan Tedeschi and classic rockers Heart. No doubt these two acts were models for what Rei attempts to project. But I hear a few other significant (potential) influences, as well.

I don’t believe it’s any coincidence that Rei looks a little like Wynonna Judd. While Rei doesn’t growl like Wynonna, nor does she get many chances to harmonize like the younger Judd once did with her mom, this smoldering pop-rock singer oftentimes reminds me of an un-country Wynonna. Rei also shares Wynonna’s Christian faith.

Maria McKee is another vocalist Rei resembles. This is especially true during “Cover Me," which brings to mind Lone Justice’s “Shelter." Lone Justice was McKee’s breakthrough rock band, before she set out for solo ground, and McKee’s sound is also conjured whenever Rei sings in that conversational style of hers. She's is not just singing at you; she's also talking to you.

Tim Holt, who also provided digital programming, bass guitar, and keyboards, produced this effort. He brought along Mike Caro for some of the disc’s bass work, while Erik Ferguson contributes electric, acoustic, and bass guitars. It’s what Holt doesn’t do that counts most, however. He doesn’t let the instrumentation overpower Rei’s vocals. Then again, a full-on hurricane would have trouble drowning out Rei’s powerful pipes.

Rei wrote all four of these songs, and while her words could easily be applied to male/female relationships, one suspects all of these tunes are directed solely at God above. Both the title track and “Cover Me” speak of looking for the divine in an oftentimes dark and godless world. But with “I Still Need You,” Rei sings sincerely about her desperate need for God. On it she asks God to show her whenever self-reliance replaces God-dependency.

One factor that separates these songs from all the mostly forgettable sugarcane in cellophane that fills Christian radio play lists is Rei’s serious demeanor, put to minor key melodies. There are no useless everything-is-alright-forever tracks here. Instead, Rei is begging for God to not only save her in the afterlife, but to uphold her soul for as long as it takes for that day to arrive. When she begs God to break her spiritual chains during the closer “Set Me Free," you best believe she means it.