Customer Reviews

Is It O.K.

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I never heard of Serena Ryder until a few months ago. I saw her on you tube doing a cover of Springsteen's "Racing in the Streets". I was in awe of her dynamic vocals and delivery. So, when this CD came out here in the states I decided to pick it up. What a refreshing, new sound to hear. Un-like so much of todays over produced same ol' same ol' record industry by products, Serena has a style all her own and her voice is absolutely captivating and infectious.

If you haven't heard her yet, I highly recommend you give her a listen. "Is it O.K." is great CD.

I haven't heard an album this good in quite a while. Of the hundreds of albums I've picked up in the past year, this one rates in the top ten with no problem whatsoever. Simple as that.

I first saw Serena Ryder at a live show, opening for Paulo Nutini, about 2 years ago. SHE ABSOLUTELY BLEW ME AWAY! I left the concert anxious to get my hands on some of her music, and was dismayed when I couldn't find much. I am thrilled that this album's been released. It does not disappoint! Her voice is incredible, her lyric are intelligent and I absolutely can't wait for more. If you get a chance to see her live - don't miss it. The album's spectacular and her live performance tops that.

this cd is so amazing! i love every song on it and highly recommend it!!! it's like melissa etheride, 4 non-blondes, indigo girls all mixed up together... great sound!!

To be honest, I had never heard of Serena Ryder until a few weeks ago. She has been touring with Howie Day recently, and that is how I discovered her- she was his opening act. And I would venture to say she stole the show. If you ever have the chance to see her live, it is quite an experience. She's raw and gritty and a-maze-ing.

This album runs the gamut of emotions, and it is beyond me how someone so young can have experienced and felt as much as she has, let alone actually channel all of that into really, really good music. Highly recommended.

This is one of the best albums I have listened to in a while. She is an excellent song writer and the tunes are just as good. My very favorite is A Little Bit of Red with All for Love coming in a close second. Very impressed. Will be watching for more.

What I love most about this CD is Serena's raw, emotional vocals. They suck you in and want to make you cry, but in a good way. Nice hard edge to it.

Really great songs that I have enjoyed listening to over and over again. I buy very few cds and feel this one was well worth buying.

I caught Serena on the small stage at Lilith 2010 last month ... and she set it on fire with burning passion. I haven't seen so much energy on stage since an Alanis concert. She has a unique style of her own. But if I were to compare her to better known singers, I would say her voice is a blend of Stevie Nicks/Emmylou Harris/Alanis Morissette, and her genre is an eclectic mix of folk/country/rock. Her voice doesn't have the aethereal purity of Sarah McLachlan's (but then, no one else's does either). Serena's voice is more on the gritty side, like Stevie's, making it well suited for folk/country.

Minimally intrusive production. No heavy background wall-of-sound drowning out all substance; her voice and lyrics come through clearly. There's a wide dynamic range here. For people who lie in bed and soak up poetry set to music, this album is a great source of emotion, passion, and imagery. For people who jump up and shake it, this album has powerful rhythms. For people who sing along, this album has catchy tunes and lyrics. She's awesome on guitar.

I had never heard of Serena before I saw her at Lilith. But one of the first things I did when I got back from the concert was order this CD. I've been playing it over and over; it just keeps growing on me. In addition to the other singers I mentioned above, if you're a fan of Sarah Mclachlan, Joni Mitchell, Missy Higgins, KT Tunstall, and Meredith Brooks, you'll love Serena.

Follow-up (9/3/2010): I've concluded this CD should have a health warning: "Caution! Narcotic. Habit forming. Can Lead to Addiction." I've been playing this every night after dinner. So many of the songs keep playing through my mind that I have trouble concentrating at work. Especially "Sweeping the Ashes" and "Weak in the Knees". Some of the lyrics are so magically poetic: "Dark as the black in the cracks in the ground ..." Beautiful. Soon, I'll be comparing other singers to Serena, instead of the other way around. I'm so glad I went to Lilith.

Further follow-up (9/18/2010): After listening to this album for two more weeks, I'm even more enthusiastic. This is one of the rare albums in which every song is good and the majority are great. There should have been easily 8 solid singles from this album. My favorite now is "Dark as the Black". The plot morphs from personal relationships to environmental damage. Difficult to describe this song; it's a mystical experience. I think Serena needs a better management team. "Is It OK" should have been to Serena what "Fumbling Towards Ecstasy" was to Sarah McLachlan: her big breakthrough album.

I heard her one song at Steak N' Shake. I like her "gutsy" voice. Her style sort of reminds me of Melissa Etheridge. She has a variety of tunes on this CD. Very interesting.