Reviews for "She Walks In" (Annyland):
“Celsi's soulful come-hither voice and bluesy songs like Undercover of
the Rain and Drag the River are played and sung with the
life-affirming energy of the worlds best pop songs.”
--Chris Manahl, MTV
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"Celsi's
soulful, slightly seductive voice has a fine partner in the impeccable lead
guitar work of Bruce "Riffmonstre" Kaplan; while "She Walks In" is a twangy,
Byrds/Michael Nesmith-style folk-rocker, the power-pop number "Undercover of
the Rain" hints at a blues undercurrent that gets a workout on the standout
track, "Drag the River." Refreshing stuff..."
-- Natalie Nichols, BAM
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“This Years NxNW Highlight”
-Buck
Munger, Two Louies Magazine
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"From the
title track, the CD rolls through one catchy-as-all-get-out number after
another...a damn near perfect disc!"
-- Steve Alcorn, Pasadena Weekly
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text
"We especially enjoyed
Anny's soaring vocal excursions...whether sultry or sensual, the dynamic
range and vocal energy will enthrall female vocals enthusiasts. A nice
listen!"
- Russell Elliott, Musical Discoveries
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"Great songwriting in
the style of the Pretenders, with Anny Celsi's charming stage presence.
One of L.A.'s best unsigned bands."
-- John Koenig, Muse
"There
were a lot of bands at the festival, but Annyland was the only one
exciting enough to make me get up off my ass and shoot some video!"
–
Steve Stofflett,
documentary filmmaker
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Shared Experience, December 16, 2002
Easy to listen to...yet danceable. I put the CD player on "random" and
listened to it again. The original lyrics seem so straightforward that I
imagine I am reading her personal mail. She shoots from the hip and her
heartache is a listeners' joy. On the other hand, I feel like she is writing
about me. I once had a love...Anny's glib music gives listeners counsel on
the shared experience of wrong timing and how it feels to be on the losing
end of love.
...records I've played on, that is. This record, from the mid nineties,
shows off Anny's excellent songwriting and the talents of my fellow band
mates. And at the risk of being immodest, I think I played some respectable
guitar, here. Listening to "Kiss a Crocodile," you'd think I was some kind
of Zappa freak, or even a renegade metal kid. "Whiskey Walk" is a classic
walking, no make that stumbling, blues drinking song. "She Walks In" is pure
Anny, at her best writing, with a little bit of americana twang. And "This
House Won't Rock" converys the pop/r&B girl group exuberance of the might
Tearjerkers. So pick this up and listen to some of the finest undiscovered
pop/rock on record. |
This album just knocks me out - it is so good., February 16, 2002
Reviewer:
Will
from San Francisco, CA United States
I first learned about Anny Celsi's Annyland when I read that she was one of the winners of the "Songs Inspired by Literature (SIBL)" competition this year. I got a copy of this CD of hers from a few years back and I find myself playing it over and over again. Aside from absolutely brilliant lyrics and music and a voice that just takes your breath away, there is this remarkably authentic personal sense she brings to her music. It's so easy to imagine an entire novel or film or play about the singer in every one of her songs - they are each so fully drawn and so compelling. I have no favorite song on the album - they all take me to a different place. By the time you get to the end you really feel like you've gone through and made a journey with someone. I can't recommend it highly enough. And I was thrilled to hear that along with being featured on the SIBL CD she has another CD of her own coming out sometime soon. I can't wait.
Annyland plays great grown-up rock!, February 20, 2000
Reviewer:
John
from New York City
Anny Celsi writes songs that grab your attention with catchy hooks and then keep you listening with their emotional complexity. Celsi's lyrics combine moods in ways that tickle and hurt a little bit. Strong/sad, funny/angry, heartbroken/defiant; here's a songwriter who's obviously lived some and knows how to tell you about it. Her rock vocabulary is classic and her band's handling of it solid and powerful. Favorite cuts of mine are "Hole in the Sky," a bit weary and shuffling, but optimistic nonetheless, "Drag the River," which leaves you aching for a sequel, and the title cut, "She Walks In," which kicks off the album with an irresistible rhythm and a hint of menace. I recommend Annyland to classic rock fans of any age, but especially to people who've been around the block a few times. Annyland mines the world of grown-up life, and comes up with 11 beautiful cutting little gems. Check it out!
I love Annyland!, December 26, 1999
Reviewer:
A music fan
from Portland Oregon
Anny is a great songwriter. Her lyrics stick with you long after you've finished listening to the CD. The music is moody and melodic the vocals are strong and determined. A very enjoyable cd.
Let's Go To Annyland!, November 29, 1999
Reviewer:
benjamin
from New York City
Annyland's main strength is Anny Celsi's ability to write clever, beautiful, poignant lyrics that tell a story even in a single line. This album gets inside you and tugs your heart around, makes you smile, makes you laugh, makes you cry on those days when nothing is going right. "27" and "She Walks In" are contagious, i find myself singing them in empty elevators and hallways. "Drag The River" and "Under Cover Of The Rain" give me the chills I usually reserve for Natalie Merchant favorites. This is, without doubt, a fantastic album that escapes any easy definition within the boundaries of contemporary rock.