< Back to Index Catie Curtis An engaging live performer, dubbed "a folk rock goddess" by the New Yorker, Catie Curtis brings a rawer, roots sound to her Rykodisc debut, A CRASH COURSE IN ROSES (RCD 10478). Her third album is equal parts urban folk, acoustic rock, and pop, all of it Lyrical, immediate, and illuminating music, with songs that communicate emotional depths with honesty and clarity. Her direct and powerful Lyrics often deal with life's dramatic complexities and difficult sidesteps, making each listening experience an intimate encounter. True to form, Catie's new album is rich with experience and long on feeling. A CRASH COURSE IN ROSES was produced by Ben Wisch and recorded in Boston, Massachusetts, Catie's homebase, with a crew of seasoned musicians and friends, including Paul Bryan on bass, Billy Conway (Morphine) on drums, Duke Levine on guitars, Jimmy Ryan (Wooden Leg, Blood Oranges) on mandolin, and Kenny White on organ. Catie set out to record tracks with a loose and energetic vibe, and given the freedom to improvise, the band created sinuous grooves that invigorated Catie's songs. Her voice, described in the Washington Posts "...so pure in pitch and so rich in tone, it seems to glow," is as enchanting as ever. Harmony vocals are provided by Mary Chapin Carpenter, Melissa Ferrick, and Jennifer Kimball. While her last albums were pieces of introspection - sending people inward to work through their emotions, Catie wanted this album to rock with the kind of subtle force that would encourage people as they deal with life's problems. A CRASH COURSE IN ROSES is made not so much of lightness, but of the things that give strength to move away from darkness. A drummer before she turned songwriter, Catie eventually picked up acoustic guitar and began performing in her hometown of Saco, Maine. Coffeehouse gigs followed during her college years at Brown University, after which, Catie earned money as a waitress and a social worker while continuing to write and perform. After a few privately and independently released albums, the Guardian label signed Catie in 1995, picked up the rights for TRUTH FROM LIES (originally released by Hear Music) and re-released it in 1996 to enthusiastic reviews. With a substantial recording budget, Catie went into the studlo with Roy Bittan (E-Street Band) to record limbo when Guardian closed their doors. But even without label backing, the album's first single "Soulfully" received a substantial amount of Triple-A radio airplay and was featured in 4 episodes of Damson's Creek and Chicago Hope. Catie toured extensively, was heaped with critical praise, and eventually picked up a slot on the last Lilt Fair and a nationwide theater tour with Mary Chapin Carpenter. The lushness of pop and the lyrical vibrancy of folk invigorate CRASH COURSE IN ROSES, carrying the songs right to the heart of the listener. Find music at Amazon.com! < Back to Index News I Health I Wellness I Exercise I Profiles I Business I Links I Women ROCK! Product Review I To the Point I Contact I Home Created by: Art Street Design Studio. © Concerning Women Communications, Inc. all rights reserved.