POPMatters

Eliza Lynn

The Weary Wake Up

(Civility)

US release date: 2 October 2007

by Michael Keefe, PopMatters Associate Music Editor

Asheville, North Carolina singer-songwriter Eliza Lynn sports a talented backing band on her sophomore album, The Weary Wake Up. She sounds awfully assured for having been on the music scene for such a short time. But, hey, she’s got the stuff, so why not strut it? Her strong songwriting chops and limber vocals drew the attention of Putumayo, who included her on their recent Americana compilation. That’s not really the best descriptor of her style, but the breadth of influences behind her songs makes it tough to fit Lynn into any one genre. Opening tracks “Circle” and “Hold My Breath” are country-tinged, but rendered Band-like by Sean Foley’s B-3 organ. “Bound” is dark Appalachian folk and features some nimble banjo picking from Lynn. “Puddin Pie” is flavored by New Orleans boogie, while “Intolerance Blues” is dirty Southern rock. Eliza’s voice ranges well from soft and reflective to a forceful growl. This versatility allows for a nice variety of moods across The Weary Wake Up. Despite the title, Eliza Lynn doesn’t sound like she’s just crawled out of bed. This girl’s ready to take on the world.

January 4th, 2008