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Ellis Paul

The Day After Everything Changed in Sing Out! Magazine.

Sing Out!

Monday, September 27, 2010

by Rich Warren

Ellis Paul rocks in folk clothing. His songs burst forth with the urgency of Bruce Springsteen and just as quickly reduce to a plaintive intimacy abetted by his distinctive high tenor voice. You immediately sense every word carries emotional weight. Of the 15 songs on this CD, he co-wrote a third of them with Kristian Bush and one with Sam Baker, while covering the Hecht-Block "Walking After Midnight" which he turns into a medley with Sam Baker's "Change." The mostly heavy pop production is richly layered and interesting, with many ear-charming touches. A few songs such as "Rose Tattoo," "Hurricane Angel," "Dragonfly," and the closing "Nothing Left To Take," are stripped down and far more revealing of Paul's expressive vocal talents. "Hurricane Angel," a plea by a Katrina survivor is the most powerful song on the album and one of the best inspired by that tragedy. It really brings the plight of the common man to the fore, and Paul insures you feel sympathetic. Another great that captures of American culture is "The Lights of Vegas." The concluding "Nothing Left to Take" is one of the best in the "she done him wrong" category. The loneliness and hurt are palpable. The Day After Everything Changed proves that while everything changes, Ellis Paul remains a preeminent song poet.

read the full article: The Day After Everything Changed in Sing Out! Magazine.