There is music that can transport you in some fashion. From the first note through about the one minute, fifteen second mark of the first track off of Hannah Christianson‘s new release, I am transported to a cavernous, blue shadow cast room with columns stretching to the soaring heights of the ceiling. Her gently swooping and lilting voice carries effortlessly over the cascading notes of a piano and I am alone in this room listening to the song. A vision, concrete and vivid in my mind…I mean, music that does that is something special. At one minute, sixteen seconds I am pulled from that zone and the song erupts in a sonic explosion of swirling drums, keys and harmonies. There is a very pointed joyous jubilee and infectious optimism to her music, both in lyric and sound. Hope…

As the second track kicks in, one thing is clear, Christianson is an expert at crafting an atmosphere and mood with her arrangements. Break The Frame has a heavy reverb hand on the intro vocals that envelopes you and cushions your head in pillowy pop goodness. Evidence of never wanting the listener to bore of the listening experience, she keeps the arrangements interesting and varied courtesy of changing drum patterns and a voice that floats in and out of highs and lows. The gal has a friggin’ powerful voice. The song then falls into a pit of whirling strings during the bridge that the songwriter’s voice floats on, for a brief moment before a hard hitting outtro. Effective, catchy and constantly evolving songs.

As if killer piano tunes with an instant and lasting appeal wasn’t enough, she keeps us on our toes with a “toes in the sand” uke arrangement on the aptly named Sittin’ By The Sea. I mean, if this doesn’t elicit a smile then up your meds or something. There is a balance that she strikes between the pop music that you hear on radio and the folk pop that should be heard on radio. This is the latter.

We recently premiered Hannah’s video for “Atoms” off of this latest record. Describing it as encompassing “a tenderness in each whisping breath that dances elegantly over the delicate touch of each piano key. Her voice floats and dips in a calming and ethereal sort of way. It seems effortless, but its beauty is undeniable.” That sentiment draws its lines throughout this entire record. There is a positivity and optimism that defines much of her lyrical content. 

 

 

Christianson’s songs are crafted in a way that is both appealing and deep. She presents her material in a way that doesn’t dull the fact that she has a HUGE voice and her own stories to tell with it. Casting them in a mold that is made to be broken, then reshaped and reimagined in her own way, creating a popular sentiment that is approachable, but maleable to how the singer wants it to be heard. Unique, but still retaining a familiarity that draws you in. 

Hannah Christianson will release her full-length album Grow The World You’re Dreaming Of on December 4th at the Burren Backroom on December 4th at 8pm, joined by local songwriters George Woods and Erica Leigh. Tickets can be bought at THIS LINK.