How It Is

Holly Figueroa O'Reilly | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (November 12, 2002)
• Original Release Date: November 12, 2002
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Cake Records
• ASIN: B00007FOMT
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #622,280 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Intro

2. Hard

3. Hold On

4. How It Is

5. No One Can

6. Scary

7. Interlude

8. Red

9. White From Here

10. To The Ground

11. Running

12. You'll Always Have Me

13. Reprise

14. How It Is (radio edit)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Smoky, Impassioned Voice, March 2, 2003

By 

Blue Jean Online (Boston, Mass.) - See all my reviews

This review is from: How It Is (Audio CD)

from BlueJeanOnline.com

by Mary Zachmeyer, Teen Editor

It took me three tries to get this singer and songwriter's name typed in correctly to track down her web site. But it was worth the frustration because from the first short track on Holly's CD, 'How it is', I was intrigued. The mystery grew when the second track hit, and I heard her voice.

Figueroa sounds like a healthy mix of Alanis Morrisette and a touch of the Cranberries-she has the smoky, impassioned voice most singers can only dream of. Her song writing talents, too, are of a caliber that even popular songwriters have trouble achieving.

Figueroa's lyrics are so simple, but when mixed with her powerful voice and the undercurrent of instruments ranging from an electric guitar to an acoustic or a banjo, it just overwhelms with the blues feeling that listeners can be sure to enjoy.

Take, for example, the lyrics from the third track, "Hold On": "I promise I'll be worth it someday/If you can hold on/ We struggle with the lessons but/We are not holy we are human and fallible we are/ Small and petty/But lessons are lessons and we learn from them or repeat our mistakes." The sixth track on the CD, "Scary" is another amazing song: "I only give you a little bit in doses/But I haven't got the dosage right cause you keep spitting me out/Does it really scare you so much/I didn't do anything you didn't ask for/Did I take in the air with such force that you wished I would stop breathing?"

Interestingly enough, this CD release was funded solely by pre-sales from Figueroa's fans and her grassroots organizations, and it's easy to hear and understand why.

Copyright 2003 BlueJeanOnline.com

5.0 out of 5 stars An artist I cannot recommend enough., January 26, 2003

By 

"phenry2" (Louisville, Ky USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: How It Is (Audio CD)

She is truly a remarkable songwriter. "How it Is" showcases her amazing songwriting abilities coupled with her breathtaking vocals. A combination that makes this CD a true success!