Sianna Lyons
Songland
© 2000 Scimitar Records (660355386626)
CD IN STOCK. ORDER NOW. Will ship immediately.
a haunting, ethereal voice singing solid tunes in a contemporary, quirky alternative pop-rock vein
tracks
- 1 Come
- 2 Disappear
- 3 We
- 4 Lover
- 5 11th Hour
- 6 Broken Boy
- 7 Stealing Flowers
- 8 Susan
- 9 Otherwise
- 10 Black
- 11 Lover (bubble Mix)
- 12 Untitled Acapella Track
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Scimitar Records announces the release of Sianna Lyons's debut CD Songland.
Engineered and produed by multi-instrumentalist Federico Gonzalez, Songland is a 12-song album which features a haunting, ethereal voice singing solid tunes in a contemporary, quirky alternative pop-rock vein.
The songs are deeply personal and Sianna's voice runs the emotional gamut as it soars and dips up and down the scale.
Gonzalez and Lyons have forged a sound which is the perfect foundation for Sianna's versatile voice - crispy, chunky, trippy beats beneath a lush atmospheric layer of synths and wave bass, electric and acoustic piano and guitars, vibraphone, strings, and flute.
It features the guitar prowess of Oberlin graduate Patrick Downs; keys, flute, percussion, and programming by Gonzalez; and live string performances by Emily Kramer and Phoebus Dhrymes.
On some Songland tracks, Sianna's 5+ octave voice is thickly layered, creating the unmistakable quality of a choir of angels, while on others it is left beautifully raw.
Gonzalez describes the challenge of recording an artist with a dynamic range to match her tonal range: "Since Sianna often builds quickly from a whisper to a full belt, the challenge was to mic her properly and get the compression right - I've never had to compress anyone, male or female, like this before.
It just goes to show how powerful her voice is".
One long-time fan from Boston, who has frequented her live performances, says, "Her voice is totally unique and her songs are really moving...'Susan' always leaves me in tears." Another listener says the music lies, "somewhere between Joni Mitchell and Tori Amos".
One of Sianna's more striking techniques is her use of the otherwordly, almost "unreal" quality which her voice takes on in it's higher octaves.
For this reason she was once asked to lend her voice to make samples for synthesized vocal presets.
Gonzalez is quick to point out that "No synthesized vocals or voice sounds were used in the making of Songland - it is 100% Sianna." The recording consists of ten original songs and one cover: seven written by Lyons, three co-written by Gonzalez; one remix; and a cover version of Pearl Jam's "Black".
A surprise bonus track is hidden at the album's end - an acapella improvisation inspired by the tragic death of Sianna's sister two years ago.
The melody was ad libbed on the spot during recording, and the text based on an anonymous poem on her sister's funeral card.
reviews
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It can be told that Sianna's voice is a mixture of Madonna's mischief, Bjork's m
author: Henry G. AngelesSianna Lyons, a talented singer and songwriter from Boston is one artist who can tell everyone that likable music is not all about the mainstream thing we know. It is surprising to think that a different song, yes, a different music too, can be voted to enter the mainstream. The 11-track album "Songland" features eclectic, elegantly dark and provocative tracks.The mixture of the sexy voice of Sianna with the contemporary assortment of sounds and beats produce a musical unity that is good sounding. You would be surprised with the involvement of almost tiny bits of different genres of music. Call this a new sounding collection of rhythms and lyrical emotions posing not for an experiment but for amusement and freedom of expression. "Come" is an inviting track that can give you a quick preview of the Lyons style. I am so amused with the guitars for the song "Disappear", a collaboration between Sianna and Federico Gonzales. It rocks and still, favorable to the ears. The album houses some unexpected surprises. It can be told that Sianna's voice is a mixture of Madonna's mischief, Bjork's mystery and Tori Amos's artistry. But also it is elegantly dark, fresh and promising. Summing up' "Songland" is an album of exploring rhythms. It again surprised me with the disc-scratching that is heard somewhere in the "Lover" track. The musical face is totally different If I could get back to the past albums I've reviewed before, it's hard to categorize (basing only in the rhythms) for it can be alternative goth, and can be a mere alternative music or new-wave disco like Europop. But I hate to brand Sianna's music in those ways. It is totally different. The accompaniments played (guitars, violins, cellos, keyboard,etc) are excellent.Highlights of this album include tracks like "Come, "Disappear","Lover", "Stealing Flowers", "Otherwise" and the "Lover" (bubble mix). For special mention, the "Lover" (bubble mix) is totally dramatic and the a capella rendition in the end of the song is a mover. You might call the music as the music of the night for its soft-pounding beats and emotional themes. You can also call it dark and kind of fretro-ish but its uniqueness from the others can make it as a powerful entry to mainstream market. The deep, adventurous and sentimental writing of Sianna names the album as another non-trivial music we should know. No Stolen Music. No Stolen Thoughts. Different and original. This is good.
This album is a lovely thing indeed.
author: Anna Maria StjarnellSianna Lyons makes music that seems infused with an inner glow. Her soft voice shines as she sings of love and loss. She makes Pearl Jam's "Black" her own. The devotion in the love song "We" is deeply touching. "You and I can conquer anything" she sings. In times like these songs like that warm the heart. This album is a lovely thing indeed.
"Songland": most powerful debut album I have heard in years!
author: Billy's Entertainment WorldSianna Lyons is a precious rarity. She's one of the few performers today whose work is both truly progressive and commercially viable-that she will be a worldwide superstar and still unable to crack U.S. radio at this point is a travesty. Though "Songland" can be darker, moodier and more esoteric than anything you have heard by say Tori Amos or the superb Kate Bush, the album kicks off with her best shot at chart-breaking yet; "Come" is a mystical, sinuous single with Sianna's sultry voice gliding over warm synths and the soft pounding of a track, a rich song that becomes more compelling with each listen. On "Disappear," she experiments with the story of a little girl who is too scared to shed her tears with intriguing results. Also check "Lover" and the ballad "We" with some of her purest vocals. "We" rides to the tune of a wonderfully infectious chorus refrain. Sianna's residence on music's fringes won't be lasting much longer. One hopes MTV-ever on the lookout for video stars-won't be solely responsible for bringing one of the world's most talented (and beautiful) recording artists to the masses. In the boldly experimental, ominously lovely "Disappear," the dreamy, fretless arrangement weds an uncanny feeling of dread and fear with verbal directness while displaying a melodic sense that's in peak form....This experiment is a Masterpiece. Few female vocalists are as instantly memorable as Sianna Lyons. Whether following an ebullient pop rhythm or leading a sparse line, Sianna's girlish, sultry voice is capable of changing the texture and mood of a song with a single breathy cry. On "Songland", her debut album is silky, sexy and totally wonderful in every context. Sianna (and her producer Federico Gonzalez) rearranges pop convention to suit her artistic vision, exploring an intimate range of emotional expression along the way. I feel that the album has been centered on eroticism and seduction, but in a more romantic setting, feeling its way through an adventurous series of rhythms and melodies like a young couple meeting for the first time. There are no set rules, and Sianna enthusiastically mixes schmaltz with chutzpah, as on "Lover," where dissonant guitar squalls and an ominous bassline merge with weepy strings, murky keyboards and emotive vocals. Even on touching cuts Sianna can't resist mingling background harmonies and naive yearings with heart-tugging vocals, atmospheric keyboards and slow, tribal beats. "Songland" is quite simply a bold, sizzling triumph. The lyrics are painfully personal and the way in which Sianna delivers them is heart wrenching. Her voice ranges from breathy secrets to almost incensed shouts, expressing words the way you would whisper to a lover -- or shout at an enemy. The instrumentation reverberates with the loneliness and universality of the words themselves. Her vox is feminine and provocative. Each song tells a familiar story of the woman and her journey. They all meant something special to me..... I can honestly say that I have never heard a more haunting and poignant song than "Susan". It still brings tears to my eyes. You must buy the album to witness the power of this haunted track. "before I trap you in my lair, take my lion's share, you better hope this feeling subsides, otherwise...." These are some lyrics from the wonderful "Otherwise" that is full of passion and lust for Mr. Right! Of course, I can try to describe a million songs with one sentence but it would do none of them justice. The only way to express the essence of Sianna Lyons is by listening to her own words. Pearl Jam’s "Black", (the only cover on the album) rips your heart out, not by the words but by the vox and pure heartbreak in Sianna's voice. "Songland" to me has been the most powerful debut album I have heard in years! The songs have become a part of me, as her voice sings with yearings of sadness and joys to the little boy down the street, broken and alone......not even Tori Amos or Kate Bush can do that to this degree! Sianna will thrive as one of music's most enduring, valuable and cherished artists. You MUST get this album, you MUST play this album till you know every lyric on every song! It is virtually impossible for me to comprehend anyone not liking...not LOVING, this artist!
Sianna Lyons has released a great trip-hop CD, her ethereal debut.
author: Vic GemmingenIn NYC, transplanted Bostonian Sianna Lyons has released a great trip-hop CD, her ethereal debut. Hers is a five-octave voice layered impressively from track to track ("11th Hour," the title track). The songs are very good, too -- I’ve hummed "Lover" for days, and the best track is "Susan." But I go back to Sianna’s voice, the real star here, unadorned by studio tricks and deserving of attention -- she takes Pearl Jam’s "Black" and makes it more than her own.
Summary: Stellar. Just freaking stellar! There's no other way to describe this
author: Erik DeckersIntro/general thoughts: Looking at Sianna Lyon's press photo, my first thought was "Hey, she looks like Gillian Anderson!" My second thought was "Jeez, I hope she doesn't sing like Gillian Anderson." My fears were immediately put to rest when I popped her debut CD, "Songland" into my CD player. Lyons has a sweet, ethereal voice that is heavenly in its clarity. Combine that with some great music, and you've got an artist worthy of the pop charts, with Tori Amos and Kate Bush. Type of Music: Pop/Alternative Hometown: New York, New York Notable: Lyons' song "Otherwise" reached the top ten on UK-based Firewall Record's Global Internet Chart, and was chosen for their compilation album, "Millennium 2." She also wrote the title song, and performed the role of "The Singer" in the 1996 independent film "Going Home." Another Notable: This is just damn impressive: Lyons vocal range is 5+ ( yes, FIVE) octaves. And not like Sting's voice where he has to screech to reach his upper notes, but five full, rich, soaring octaves. Highs: I loved "We." It was mysterious, dark, but was something you could dance to. It reminded me of Velvet Chain in its structure, sound, and instrumentation. Lows: "Lover" was a great song, but the electronic noise/record scratching was too distracting. It was almost distracting from the rest of the song. Favorite Lines: From "We," a song about the perfect fit between two people in love: the years leaked slowly by i suffered silently until you found me expectancy nearly drowned me now we are we Fans: If you like Kate Bush, Tori Amos, Marina Vittoria, Mary Lydia Ryan, or Erika Amato of Velvet Chain (all reviewed right here on Indie-Music.com!), you'll love Sianna Lyons. Foes: If you like Lita Ford, Kim Carnes, or Tom Waits, Sianna Lyons will sound too clear and sweet for you. Summary: Stellar. Just freaking stellar! There's no other way to describe this music. With just one CD, Sianna Lyons is quickly becoming one of my favorite female singer/songwriters. And even though she released her CD as recently as 1999, I think we all need to start pestering her for her next one. Personally, I can't wait.
I think I'm in love! THE most gorgeous voice...
author: Ed VelasquezI think I'm in love! This woman has THE most gorgeous voice I've ever heard. With such a glut of generic chick popster, it's refreshing to hear such an original sound. I don't know what to call it, but I know I like it. Right on, Sianna! By the way, how do you pronounce your name?