AS an openly out folk rock female singer-songwriter who combines catchy hooks with powerful words, it would be all too easy for a layperson to compare Christine Havrilla to Melissa Etheridge. But if one scratches below the surface of this superficial assessment, it becomes crystal clear that Christine Havrilla is a unique artist with a voice, sound, and depth that is all her own.
With its smart lyrics and upbeat acoustic guitar melody, “Hole in the Ground,” the opening track on Christine Havrilla’s Velocity, aptly sets the tone for the rest of her delicious yet substantive album. For fifty fantastic minutes, listeners can anticipate being moved by Havrilla’s raw complexity.
Throughout the entire album, Havrilla adeptly maintains a fine balance between strong lead vocals and intimate lyrics. The result of this balancing act is that beneath her commanding presence, Christine’s music also portrays a palpable undercurrent of innocence. It is her flawless combination of vocal strength with emotional purity that makes Christine Havrilla such an enjoyable and distinctive singer-songwriter.
This combination of contrasts is ever so evident in the title track “Velocity,” an up-tempo song beautifully belted out with a confident energy (and at times made even more forceful by backing thumping acoustics). Yet, even though she presents an assertive air, Havrilla simultaneously lets her guard down in admitting her confusion over a relationship by singing, “You’ve broken through my strongest wall/Now stand exposed to take it raw/And we don’t know what we hope to see.”
But based on the buzz in the Philadelphia music scene about her shows, I know exactly what I hope to see when I catch Christine Havrilla live – an exceptionally dynamic performance given by an exceptionally dynamic performer.
Check out Christine Havrilla’s next local show: Friday, June 12th at Steel City Coffeehouse in Phoenixville, PA. All ages (BYO for 21+); $15 adv. Get tickets here.
Christina Havrilla performing "Waiting" from Velocity live at Cooldog Concert Series:
For more info: http://www.myspace.com/christinehavrilla and http://www.christinehavrilla.com/
Comments
You must see Christine Live! always a great show.
Ms. Havrilla has been on my radar. After reading this great write-up, I am about to buy her CD, and will most certainly attend a show!
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