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Beth Wimmer CD & Live Show Reviews...
"MIRACLE GIRL" ~ The New Beth CD. PRESS:[/b]
January 2010: SCOTLAND's RADIO SIX www.RadioSix.com lists two tracks from "MIRACLE GIRL", "Lover From Last Summer" & "Only Love Can Break Your Heart", as finishing 3 and 8 respectively in the RADIO SIX TOP TEN Records of the Year, 2009!
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From NetRhythms UK, by Mike Davies:
"Being confronted with a blurb that describes her as "the conscious person's Renaissance Singer/Songwriter. A strong & sensitive Artist tuned into living peacefully in today's uncertain world", immediately prompts me to expect some sort of New Age dippiness.
However, the CD having arrived with payola in the form of a Swiss bar of chocolate-enrobed Ovaltine biscuit, I’m predisposed to give it a chance.
Thankfully, the soft shuffling opening title track quickly dispels such fears, revealing the Boston born, Switzerland based Wimmer to be more in tune with the Americana of Lucinda Williams with a warm, relaxed, slightly twang-smeared huskiness that’s drawn comparisons to Chrissie Hynde.
It’s a winning introduction and she proceeds to cement our new relationship over the course of the following nine cuts, from the equally easy rolling Ten-Four through a ska-country bouncing Lover From Last Summer, a bluegrass streaked Dreams Bring Me Down and the fragile folk balladeering My Name Is Love to closing bar room guitar slinging Nashville rocker Self-Righteous Son Of A Bitch where she shows she has the sass to match the sweet.
Topped off with a dreamy, piano waltzing cover of Neil Young’s Only Love Can Break Your Heart, 'Miracle Girl' deserves to win her wider attention and build on the positive reviews for her Live Within Live Without 2003 debut. Released in Europe at the end of last year, two tracks found their way on to the end of year Top Ten of Glasgow based Radio Six International. I’d be surprised if at least one didn’t figure on the Radio 2 list in nine months time. Even without chocolate bars."
~ Mike Davies, www.NetRhythms.co.uk, March 2010
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"As the new country of Nashville is more and more starting to resemble pop-rock, why not adopt this album's kind of clarity in music instead of the usual, trendy FM-radio? Meaning a production in which you can distinctly hear the different instruments rather than the mishmash, the muddle provided by 'big production FM'. This fourth album by Beth is the proof of what's happening to new country right now, but believe me, it's also the proof of a positive course of events! The production and the accompaniment are perfectly enhancing a voice both very assured and very pleasant...and a true jewel in the guitar provided by Billy Watts, currently backing Eric Burdon: every note is pertinent and the resonance is brilliant..." ~ JJC, Le Cri Du Coyote, FRANCE
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"In die enorme kweekvijver die de States zijn, zo hebben we al eerder geponeerd, zijn er talenten van allerlei grootte. Hele legers singer-songwriters dingen naar onze aandacht. Af en toe duikt er wel eens iemand op die iets meer te bieden heeft. Zo Beth Wimmer, een dame uit New England, die op haar achttiende verkaste naar Zuid-California, maar tegenwoordig vaak in Zuid- en Midden-Europa te vinden is. Met drie cd's en een LP op haar actief, trad ze al in heel de States op, en Italië, Zwitserland en Duitsland volgden. Miracle Girl heet de cd die ze eind 2008 aan het rijtje toevoegde. Het openende titelnummer laat horen waarom Beth zich niet moet schamen voor haar muzikale activiteiten. Miracle Girl is een warm en overtuigend pleidooi om toch haar als lief te nemen. Beth Wimmer weet zichzelf op de liefdesmarkt goed te verkopen! Het muzikale ligt daar dus in het verlengde van: ze heeft een vaste en aangename altstem en de begeleiding is gewoon oké. Deze laidback start wordt dan ook passend verder gezet met doorgaans rustige songs al wijst ze er in de up-tempo halve reggae Lover From Last Summer die ex-minnaar op dat hij zijn kansen de eerste maal grondig verbeurd heeft. Het statige, vocaal groots uitwaaierende I Couldn't Do It groeit uit tot de misschien wel sterkste song van dit ten pack. Het volgende O My Brother is een ontroerende walsstructuur. Country in Dreams Bring Me Down, een sixties feel in My Name Is Love, leuke spanningsopbouw in Powerful Love: typische albumtracks, maar zeker niks mis mee. De twee laatste songs eisen volop de aandacht: eerst een onopvallende maar daarom niet minder geslaagde en in deze context goed gecaste versie van Only Love Can Break Your Heart van Neil Young. En om af te sluiten Self-Righteous Son Of A Bitch dat rockt als de gemexicaniseerde builenpest op een schitterende invective. Je zal daar maar het doelwit van zijn... Ze méént het verdomme. Beth Wimmer: de naam is genoteerd." ~ Marc Nolis, BELGIUM'S MazzMusikaS
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You can order Beth Wimmer's "MIRACLE GIRL" here.
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"Beth Wimmer embraces Americana with alt. country, rock and folk...The result may be called astonishing. Wimmer with the title track immediately indicates a very clear business card: '..with a miracle like me...brave and crazy things I do...I'll bring magic to your world, I'm a miracle girl!' Superb song...an honest voice, full of heart and soul and incredible songs." ~ Francois (Swa) for www.Rootsville.be, BELGIUM
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"If Chris Isaac and Annie Lennox moved down to the southern part of the states and got themselves a babygirl and this girl did an album when she was somewhere in her 30's it would probably sound like this. Beth Wimmer perches on a very nice voice and a very solid and good mature singersongwriter album..." ~ www.MELODIC.net, Paer Winburg, SWEDEN
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By Martin Smit of Next Big Thing, Germany: "Floating, they say the tempo is floating, and it does, it sneaks in sleepy sensual, it shuffles in along side a languorous guitar solo, the seduction, the come on is the very thing, melting the present, fading out into a dreamlike future.
Then in ‘Ten Four’ taking a macho subject and subverting it like Aimee Mann likes to do, Beth steps up the edgy a little and glancing sideways, throws herself into new wave reggae and the daylight shows itself. This girl doesn’t need her Lover from Last Summer, it’s a put down in a pop song, the best way to be (slightly, honestly) nasty.
And then the ambiguous anti war song, she wants to know how it would feel, she wants to maybe taste the craziness, she says she is not at all strong, then she sings this epic, take her hand and she will pull you as close to the darker edges as she can.
After the intense internal of ‘O my Brother’ (another shy epic) a genuine pop country hit, the shuffle is faster, the words tumble harder. The giddy swing delights. this is ‘Dreams Bring Me Down.’
And in the Neil Young cover, she takes what was always fragile, and adds her own quiet sadness, her own female perspective of the danger and despair of love.
Finally, take the put down described earlier, times it by rock n roll boogie, add thumping drums and wooshing guitar, and you got this violent cool kick in the pants, F Ya, big sister to ‘Your So Vain ‘ just with way more oooomph."
~ Martin Smit, Next Big Thing, Germany, www.nbtMusic.de
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"Geen dame die zich de wet laat voorschrijven, iets wat ook naar voren komt in de liedjes die ze schrijft. Die gaan over omgaan met emoties, maar Beth Wimmer komt toch vooral zelfverzekerd over. Na een prachtige cover van 'Only Love Can Break Your Heart' van Neil Young besluit ze de cd met het hard rockende 'Self-Righteous Son Of A Bitch': Well you’re a self-centered, inconsideerate, immature, manipulative, selfisch lover, egotistical, narcistic, opinionated, self-serving, non-deserving, yellow-bellied, egg-suckin, double-standard, hypocritical, lying, cheating, reckless, deceiving… Hier doet ze niet onder voor de stoere Marshall Chapman, die trouwens ook wel een beetje lijkt op Amanda Lear… Bijzonder: de skabeat in 'Lover From Last Summer'." ~ John Gjaltema, www.ALTCountry.nl, NETHERLANDS
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"I've long been an admirer of Beth's smoky alto which is front and center on the wonderful "Miracle Girl". It's her songwriting though, that shines through. The tongue in cheek "Lover from Last Summer" and "Self Righteous Son of a Bitch" are two favorites. I love it when a writer says things in a way that they've never been said before." ~ Peter Barker, Threshold Sound + Music, LOS ANGELES
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You can order Beth Wimmer's "MIRACLE GIRL" here.
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www.Rootstime.be BELGIUM - targeting the rootsmusic-lovers in Belgium & the Netherlands. "Miracle Girl", by Valere Sampermans.
~ by Valere Sampermans for Rootstime, Belgium - "Miracle Girl" by Beth Wimmer
Beth Wimmer is een zangeres die haar roots heeft in het Amerikaanse New England maar nadien sinds meerdere jaren in Los Angeles woonde van waaruit ze gestaag aan haar muzikale carrière werkte. Ze is langzaamaan populair geworden in Europese landen als Zwitserland - waar ze momenteel ook woont - en in Italië en Duitsland waar ze steevast enkele dagen doorbrengt tijdens haar Europese tournees. Volgende keer zou ze zeker België en Nederland aan haar reisschema moeten toevoegen want deze muziek kent ook in onze contreien een trouwe aanhang.
Haar singer-songwritercapaciteiten etaleert ze uitgebreid in de tien tracks die werden weerhouden voor haar nieuwe album “Miracle Girl” dat ze samen met David Raven heeft geproduceerd. Als producer werkte Raven in het recente verleden ook al samen met o.a. Norah Jones en Nancy Sinatra.
De liedjes over hoop, humor, liefde en menselijke warmte vormen een coherent samenhangend geheel en werden op melodieuze muziek gezet waarbij de invloeden uit het country- en folkgenre duidelijk herkenbaar aanwezig zijn.
Qua stemgeluid doet Beth Wimmer soms denken aan Lucinda Williams en in de song “Ten-Four” roept ze bij ons zelfs even het beeld op van Chrissie Hynde van ‘The Pretenders’. Het uptempo countryrocknummer “Lover From Last Summer” gaat er bij ons in als zoete broodjes maar dat geldt evenzo voor de meer klassieke tearjerkers als “Miracle Girl”, “I Couldn’t Do It”, “O My Brother” of “Only Love Can Break Your Heart”, een song van Neil Young en de enige cover op deze mooie cd.
Dat Beth Wimmer ook over een behoorlijk grote portie soul beschikt valt dan weer te beluisteren in “Dreams Bring Me Down” en “Self-righteous Son Of A Bitch”, een onvervalste rock’n’roller die als afsluiter van dit album wordt geserveerd. Die swingende stijl was overigens nog veel sterker aanwezig op haar vorige plaat “Live Within Live Without” uit 2003.
Beth Wimmer blijkt dus een dame te zijn die van meerdere markten thuis is en daarmee kom je dezer dagen heel ver op de podia in het Europese muzikale landschap.
*** “Beth Wimmer is a lady with soul in her voice and love in her heart on the album ‘Miracle Girl’, reminiscent of Lucinda Williams or Chrissie Hynde. She demonstrates that she can deal with different music styles which will bring her on several stages in Europe and in home country America”
– www.rootstime.be ~Valere Sampermans for Rootstime.be
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'BEST RIGHT NOW' by www.Rootsy.nu SWEDEN:
We like strong women on the border of folk, country and rock songs. And when they are writing such beautiful music as Beth does, we like them even more. We know she is "the real thing" when she's made such an excellent cover of Neil
Youngs "Only Love Can Break Your Heart".
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www.MusikAnSich.de ~ "Actual Music" by Wolfgang Kabsch for Musik an Sich, GERMANY:
Die in New England, USA geborene Beth Wimmer lebt und produziert Ihre Musik inzwischen in der Schweiz.
Die junge Dame ist aber auch auf Ihrem vierten Album noch ganz Amerikanerin. Sie spielt nicht nur einen ziemlich erdigen Country / Americana, nein, Sie hat auch die richtige Stimme dafür.
Das heißt jedoch nicht, das sie einen auf Dauer eher nervigen Stil wie Miss Dolly Parton (Sorry, aber auch Denkmäler müssen mal zurecht gestutzt werden) oder aber langweiligen wir Miss Judie Collins (Sorry, aber auch Denkmäler müssen mal zurecht gestutzt werden – aber Collins hat das ja mit Ihrem Beatles Tribute vor ca. zwei Jahren selber getan) pflegt, nein, der Country Folk / Country Rock von Beth Wimmer klingt zumeist sehr erdig und sehr angenehm.
Besonders die Balladen, von denen es mit „Powerfull Love“ und „Only Love can break your heart“ und anderen, einige gibt, sind sehnsüchtig, mit einfachen, aber feinen Melodien versehen und die Gitarren perlen dahin.
Und das wichtigste ist, wie angesprochen, die für eben diese Balladen aber ebenso wie für einen richtigen Rocker (ausgerechnet das letzte Stück eines eher ruhigen Albums) wie „Self righteous son of a bitch“ hervorragend geeignet.
Also: endlich mal wieder ein ordentliches Album aus der Country / Americana Ecke, die sonst für viele Peinlichkeiten sorgt.
~Wolfgang Kabsch, Musik an Sich, Germany
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www.KeysandChords.com BELGIUM,
Beth Wimmer - Miracle Girl, written by Cis Van Looy:
Zoals menig singersongwriter verliet Beth Wimmer haar thuishave.
Amper achttien verruilde ze haar thuishaven in New England voor het zonnige Californië waar haar muzikale ambities concrete vorm kregen. Ondertussen leeft ze in Europa en musiceert ze in Italië en Zwitserland. Haar recentste werkstuk ’Miracle Girl’ kwam echter tot stand met muzikanten uit haar geboorteland. Producer David Raven (Jim Lauderdale en Norah Jones) zorgde voor percussie geruggesteund door Taras Prodaniuk, die eerder de basstructuren neerzette bij Lucinda Williams, Dwight Yoakam en Michelle Shocked. Bill Watts (Bonnie Raitt, Dixie Chicks) bedient de elektrische gitaar en lapsteel, en Daniel Nahmod de piano. Deze door de wol geverfde muzikanten stellen zich bescheiden en functioneel ten dienste van Wimmer.
Het oeuvre situeert zich voornamelijk in een breed georiënteerde countryfolk-hoek en de zangeres put inspiratie uit omzwervingen en toevallige ontmoetingen. Deze impressies worden met gracieuze stembuigingen vertolkt. Het huppelritme van ‘Lover for last summer’ spreekt me niet meteen aan. De ietwat treurige teneur van de titelsong ‘Oh Brother’ en een countryslijper als ’ couldn’t do it’ des te meer. Ook akoestische nummers zoals ‘My name is Love’ en ‘Powerful Love’ gaan deze ‘miracle girl’ bijzonder goed af. Haar versie van Neil Young’s ‘Only love can break your heart’ werd al door talloze zangeressen (o.a. Elkie Brooks) gecoverd en ze bijt haar fraaie tanden niet stuk op deze klassieker.
Even uit de bol gaan mag, zeker met zo’n puike begeleiders, Wimmer spaarde dit op voor de rockende afsluiter ‘Selfrighteous son of a bitch’, klare taal van een zelfzekere lady. Hopelijk vindt Beth Wimmer in de Zwitserse Alpen inspiratie voor een even sterke opvolger.
~Cis Van Looy for Keys and Chords, Belgium
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SNIPPET of 'Miracle Girl' CD Review by www.MusicalDiscoveries.com...
(25 May 2009) Miracle Girl picks up where Live Within Live Without left off. Again, Beth treats listeners to her unique blend of Americana and folk with a touch of rock - and a lovely cover of Neil Young's "Only Love Can Break Your Heart."
Wimmer's songs are infused with lush vocals and guitar laiden accompaniment. Her luxuriant voice mesmerizes the listener, wanting more and more. She tugs at the heart strings with her songs of humanness, hope...This tapestry of human emotions is beautifully woven and quite captivating..."
For the full review of "Miracle Girl" by Musical Discoveries, click here.
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Beth Wimmer, 'Live Within Live Without'. Soulful singer-songwriter. by Eric van Domburg Scipio, Heaven Magazine, NETHERLANDS:
"Originally from the East Coast of the USA, singer-songwriter Beth Wimmer went all the way to the other side of the country to LA to record her first studio album with a bunch of musicians who have earned their spurs with artists like Tom Waits, Bonnie Raitt, Lucinda Williams, Jennifer Warnes and Jim Lauderdale. It explains why the CD, despite being self-released, sounds a whole lot better and more versatile than may be expected...she is actually making: rootsy pop, folk rock, country rock, singer-songwriter... You can find it all here, and even some world music thrown into the mix. Thanks to Wimmer’s soulful, earthy voice and her talent to write good songs with strong melodies and choruses (Pretenders meets Tracy Chapman, as CD Baby says), Live Within Live Without oozes quality. Although we do miss an all-encompassing style, 'Situations' and 'Hard' were the songs that worked best for us, maybe not coincidentally the most singer-songwriterly tracks of this talented artist."
~ Eric van Domburg Scipio, www.popmagazineheaven.nl
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MORE REVIEWS of 'Live Within Live Without' CD...
'Live Within Live Without' by Musical Discoveries...
(15 November 2008)...she opens this emotive album with "Situations." Beth's alluring vocals are down-to-earth and filled with wonderful fervor. The marvelous violin by Mark Indictor complements the flowing melody, in addition to the hammond B3, lending a sumptuous feel to this track. "Move On" has a rockier edge in this song about self-realization. Beth shows her expertise in telling her story with a sensivity and humanness. The title track, "Live Within Live Without," has a great psychedelic feel with its folk/rock roots.
"With Our Eyes Closed" has a catchy percussive melody that has great hooks. There is a warmth that envelops her vocals shown throughout this entire set of songs. She can handle many genres, and has a special affinity to her gorgeous country-infused folk as in "Hey Babe." There is an honest simplicity that she delivers with confidence. She continues in a similar vein in "Lose My Way," permeating this track with slide guitar and her beautiful vocals.
"Saturated" heightens the senses. Beth's soulful tones and folk/rock sound are explosive here. She continues to show great sensitivity in "Calling All Hearts" and "Hard." The latter song has marvelous mandolin, mandola and violin accompaniment that pervades this piece. Combined with her clarity of tone, this song is a true winner. You can definitely "feel your sensations run high from within."
Her soulful rendition of "The Wheel" carries a straight-to-the-point feel. Country sounding "Holdin' Out" speaks of hopes and dreams of a love relationship. Beth exposes a vulnerability and intimacy of feelings that tugs at the heart. She concludes with the flowing "Every Time." This song of human setbacks and hope is spirited and beautifully presented.
Beth Wimmer certainly deserves top kudos for this lush and savvy album. Live Within Live Without has a free spirited feel, exploring love lost and love found. She has definitely found a connection with her gorgeous vocals and sweeping melodies. She exudes a richness as a vocalist, songwriter and guitarist that leaves the listener wanting more and more. She has a new release entitled Miracle Girl that has also been well received. Her music comes from the heart and heightens the senses. --Audrey Elliot in New York for MusicalDiscoveries.com
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BETH WIMMER'S CDs internationally available on CDBaby.com and on Itunes.
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Beth Wimmer 'Live Within Live Without' Brand new to Preying Lizard Music and upon the first listen I'm hooked. This is a fantastic CD and Beth is a great vocalist, guitarist, and songwriter. She's a free spirit with a beautiful outlook on life. Don't hesitate to visit her site - and hear this great indie artist on Preying Lizard's Pirate Radio show! She's got the goods to move up to the top of the world of Indie Music! ~the late Les Lewellyn, Preying Lizard Music
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I must say – I REALLY like this record. Most of the time when I master I get pretty analytical with the music and can’t always hazard a creative judgment as to the songs and production. I listened to the whole thing one evening a couple weeks ago front to back and was really blown away by the overall intimacy and feel of the album. Not that I wasn’t expecting it to be great – It just blew me away. Beth has captured something special with this album and should be very proud. I’m really glad I had the opportunity to work on it. -Stephen Marsh Mastering
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LIVE PERFORMANCE REVIEWS...
Beth Wimmer Thrills at Temple Bar, Santa Monica. by Robin Frederick, February 2006:
On Tuesday evening, I went to a performance by singer-songwriter, Beth Wimmer at the Temple Bar in Santa Monica. I had heard her album 'Live Within Live Without' and was impressed with the production, vocal performance and songwriting in general. She mixes the melodic appeal of Sheryl Crow and the rolling energy of Fleetwood Mac's "Rumours" style with lyrics that move easily from relationship songs like "Move On" to the spriritual message of of "The Wheel." Beth's vocals onstage are as powerful as her performance on the album. Her stage presence is relaxed and friendly and she moves smoothly from one memorable song to the next. Her full one-hour set is consistently strong and entertaining. Although she usually performs solo, on this particular night she had an outstanding backup band whose credits read like a who's who of Alt Country. David Raven is one of the finest drummers on the scene today. His solid groove and tasty fills provide the kind of backing that singers pray for, Billy Watts on lead guitar and Taras Prodaniuk on bass were both superb. Raven most recently played on the soundtrack for "Brokeback Mountain" and co-produced Wimmer's CD. you can hear Beth's music at BethWimmer.com. My pick: "Move On"!!! A great song with the potential to be a hit single in the Alt Country genre.
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BETH WIMMER'S CDs internationally available on CDBaby.com and on Itunes.
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Wimmer really cut loose and let her freedom and joy shine forth. With the addition of this energy, her show scope morphed to include FUN in the experience. Wimmer especially connected on the title track from her debut CD, LIVE WITHIN LIVE WITHOUT, where atmospheric touches massaged a haunting lyrical story that is soothingly and beautifully captivating. ~Kevin Wile, USM Poet
Wimmer’s guitar and voice are warm and easy...in her lyrics are pure reminders of how life isn’t always warm and easy, but instead uncertain. Sober and melancholy, yet holding sweet hope. What a nice change from the trend of lyrics that bash – bash the ex, bash the current, bash the wish-it-was, even bash oneself. We all need this reminder from Wimmer that we have gold inside. ~ Buffy Fitch, Music and Art Criteek
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