Album Notes

"a stunning album by any measure - but as a debut it's one of those lightning-in-a-bottle affairs that we music fans live for" - Fred Mills, Blurt (formerly HARP)

"a work of art... Kelleigh is a major talent" - Tony Trischka

2008 Mountain Stage NewSong Winner
2009 Independent Music Award Winner

Oregonian-turned-New Yorker Kelleigh McKenzie (pronounced “Kelly”) delivers a captivating blend of folk, blues, old-time and rock with a uniquely urbane edge. With a whimsical voice and soaring melodies, she plucks and thumps out twist-filled tales on banjo and acoustic guitar, all while pounding along on her amplified stomp-box. Her acclaimed debut "Chances" introduces one of the most vital and riveting new artists in the contemporary folk / roots underground. Kelleigh will be making her national live radio debut on NPR’s Mountain Stage this spring.

It’s McKenzie’s dazzling, finely-honed songs that take center-stage on “Chances,” with lyrics that veer effortlessly from a graceful social consciousness to lusty romps and sinister seductions. Swirling about this core are surprising arrangements and sonic textures that give the inherent rootsiness of her work a bewitching groove. Kelleigh and her co-producer, multi-instrumentalist Jeff Michne, enlisted Grammy-nominated engineer/bassist Scott Petito (The Fugs, James Taylor, Rory Block) to record and play on the project, and drummer Dan Hickey (They Might Be Giants, Joe Jackson, Rickie Lee Jones) joined them for three tracks. Zatchubilly Music was formed to independently release the record.