Album Notes

"Heartstrings albums are convincing and enjoyable. All the musicians are highly skilled, Nygren’s voice remains a beautiful siren song that has the power to make you stop what you’re doing and stare at your speakers, and The Heartstrings are clearly in their element while creating their trademark rootsy sound." Planet S Mag.

5 piece super-alt-country-roots group, Heartstrings consist of some of Saskatoon's greatest bands, including members of The Cracker Cats, The Deep Dark Woods, and Old Joe and The Truth Hurts. Featuring guitar, upright bass, banjo, pedal steel, percussion, and vocals with beautiful female and male harmonies. Collectively, they have played hundreds of shows and festivals across Canada and Europe.

The Heartstrings are fronted by Melissa Nygren and Eliza Doyle. The combination of Melissa's classic sweet vocal's, trade-mark guitar style and Eliza's impressive banjo picking and stage presence will leave you wanting more. These intelligent and experienced prairie songstresses have never hesitated to spread their music to audiences in a journey that’s taken them from the back porch to big stages in more than a decade of writing, performing and collaborating.

Since it’s release on Sept. 6, 2007, the Heartstrings first full-length album has gained much deserved popularity. This collection of upbeat country tunes and dramatic eerie ballads is a colourful display of Melissa Nygren’s original creations. “These heart-warming, nostalgic, and organic gems will take you forward and back in time.” Their second album (2009), In A Land Far Away That Is Fair, is a great landscape of rolling harmonies, and powerful lyrics combined with intertwined melodies. There are several messages within the songs. Some about life on the prairies and others about the environmental and other issues our world is now facing. Both of these albums are essential to any roots lover's collection.

An organic brand of alt-country-roots music is what the Heartstrings deliver. Whether you are listening to the albums or catching their live shows, be prepared to have your heart warmed and your imagination enlightened.