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Reviews
for the Coming CD "WALLS DIVIDE (GROWING UP GERMAN)"
Dave Davies of The Kinks:
“She's
got a beautiful voice, she can sing.”
Rebecca
Wilson, Dave Davies’ Manager:
“I
think she sings like an angel.”
Willie
Nile, Musician:
I listened through a
couple of times.
It's a beautiful collection. I
really enjoyed listening to it and reading her notes.
The songs, the vibe, her beautiful voice, all of it.
There's an innocence and a purity to it that's moving and
uplifting. It's clearly
heartfelt and easy to connect with.
Reviews
for the Coming CD "WALLS DIVIDE (GROWING UP GERMAN)":
Gail (Hal)
Halvorsen
– American Pilot during the Berlin Airlift – the original “Candy
Bomber”:
Dear
Ingrid,
Can't tell you what a wonderful story you tell from the Berlin Airlift
to 9/11!! What a
unique piece. Your
voice is fantastic.
The neat part for me is that you weave in my relationship with the kids.
I am making copies for my kids.
… I am glad that you mentioned my Commander, Lucius Clay…
I leave for Frankfurt next week to give a presentation at the Lufthansa
Airline celebration of 100 years of Cargo Operations. They are
flying me over. They have asked for my movies from 1948/49 and
some music. I have already sent them your draft recording of
"The Candy Bombers".
Gotta run. May send my schedule.
Grateful Gail
Norman Ward – British Pilot during
the Berlin Airlift:
I stayed on Obersalzberg this week. … [Since
1972, the] authorities have removed all traces of what
was. … I’m glad that you’re making an effort to let history live
on as it happened. I
especially like your song “Sixteen Boys.”
Reviews
for the CD "LOVE MATTERS"
Lenora Rose,
Green Man Review, July 2003:
This
is not modern folk music. It’s
a lovely album in the style of pre-rock pop, influenced by some modern
singers, but just as often influenced by jazz.
But for the electric nature of the background, most of the songs
could have been recorded in the forties.
Her vocal style, too, while high and beautiful, has an old feel,
as if someone had magically stripped the scratches and crackle from an
ancient record. It’s not a
polished gem of a voice, but a ‘burrs in the sweater’ voice, lovely
in part because
it has a mild creak.
Even the optimism and sentiment of the album feel ‘retro’ – even
the most tender of modern musicians, like Yasmine
White, \still have a hint of an edge, a dark realism.
Ingrid Heldt is far more optimistic, an unashamed dreamer, a
romantic. The album title is
a warning for the cynics; they may find her romantic view too cloying.
Yet a closer listen, or a look at the lyric insert, shows an
undercurrent in many songs; of death, of departure of the brevity of
time. The romanticism is
there, but it is there in conscious resistance of the bleakness of our
world.
The opening track, “The Time Is Now” is about learning not to put
off love, or living, because of the busy day to day schedule.
The second is a melancholy farewell to a lover, which felt like
it needed a fuller arrangement, perhaps orchestral, to be best
presented. It’s one of the
few places the burr in her voice shows up to the song’s detriment.
“Land of Love” is a slightly creepy tune, that seems to be
about dreams versus reality, with a surprisingly effective keyboard
building the atmosphere. Whether
the creepiness is intentional, or my own experience colouring the piece,
I don’t know.
“The
Real Thing” and “Too Soon” are paeans to folk already dead and
gone. As for the songs
between, that’s one of the biggest weaknesses of the album; the
strongest works are at the beginning and the close of the album, and the
centre of the album is moderate – pleasant, but not exciting.
Of course, the single track that actually annoys me is “Check
the Box!”, a song that Ingrid remarks in the liner notes was a lot of
fun to collaborate on. It
does sound like a song that was fun to write, but the humour palls after
just one listening, and it soon becomes a candidate for the skip button.
Ingrid appears to perform the entire album solo, though other
songwriting credits are included. This
is very possible; the majority of the album is done with keyboards and
piano – including the rhythm section, I suspect.
However, while I am usually very critical of electric keyboards,
Ingrid Heldt designs her music to suit the instrument available, and
plays to its strengths, instead of using it as a replacement for the
other instruments.
On my first listen, I thought this album was pleasant, but too soft, too
sweet. But every subsequent
listen reveals new depths, and I enjoy it more at each encounter.
[About seven years later, we happened to stumble across Lenora’s
Website to find that she chose “The Time is Now” as her “Song of
the Month.”]
Nicky
Rossiter,
Rambles, May 3, 2003:
Ingrid
Heldt has a clear, crystal voice that gives her songs an entrancing
beauty. All of the tracks on
this album are written or co-written by Heldt and have a feeling of
songs written from the heart.
“Dancing Away from Me” is a beautiful sad song of a woman knowing
that she is losing her lover. She
recalls that old chestnut when we say each is free to choose but when
breaking up comes we realise we never meant those words.
“Only a Phone Call Away” is another excellent song encapsulating
feelings that all of us have experienced at some time in life.
How many of us saying goodbye to relatives, family or friends
have used that line to reassure them and us that we are never too far
away if we find the need to reconnect?
“Too Soon” sounds almost like a hymn and I suppose given the subject
matter, written for a friend who died, it could well be.
The production truly suits the song and it is one of those songs
that can raise hairs on the back of your neck.
Another song from the writer’s heart is “Love Matters,” a tribute
to those mothers, fathers, teachers and friends who work so hard to make
a difference to other people’s lives.
As she says, it can only be done for love not any other reward.
This is a very personal collection of songs that tell us a lot about the
writer, her friends, her world and her feelings.
Heldt sings them with real feeling and they deserve a wider
audience.
Richard
Fuller,
Senior Editor, Metaphysical Reviews, Wyoming, MI:
"Singer,
songwriter, author and photographer Ingrid Heldt has proved once again
that some of us are blessed beyond words. The proof is her new and
wonderful album, Love Matters.
All of the twelve original compositions will enter your heart and psyche
(as they did mine) with thoughts and ideas that raise your level of
awareness of the possible.
. . . Love Matters is a wake up call to rediscover that love is why we
are here. Ingrid Heldt delivers this call, not like an alarm clock, but
instead . . . softly, smoothly and with love. . . .heavenly voice."
Best
Video, Music, Book Reviews by Mindquest
Recommendations:
Twelve
unforgettable songs always with the theme that love is the most
important treasure in the world. The
poetic beauty of the words, the message behind the message, and a rich
but gentle voice serves up a feast of heart and soul enjoyment...
Beautiful music with insightful, penetrating lyrics...
An exceptional CD due to its insight, beauty, and originality.
Jean Munzer,
International Lecturer, former Director, Metaphysical
Center of NJ:
I play your CD each time I am in my car.
It's such a joy to listen to.
I keep discovering additional insights in the songs.
J.L. Bueno, 80 FM, Cadiz, Spain:
"I would like to thank you for sending me
the excellent CD. . . You sound great! . . . This album is full of
extremely interesting music and I enjoy it very much. I want you to know
that I will definitely keep up spreading the word about you amongst my
listeners and I will keep featuring your music . . . keep me informed
about any new CD."
Reviews
for the CD / VIDEO "Tribute to the World Trade Center"
Willie Nile,
Musician:
Simply beautiful.
Listened to it a number of times.
Claire
Wilbur,
Oscar-winning, documentary film maker:
"I have seen many beautiful videos–this is my absolute
favorite...seldom heard tragedy reflected with such beauty...voice of an
angel..."
Allen
Foster, Songwriter's Monthly:
"Reverent
and respectful, a true heart-felt tribute...a classic."
The Rev. Sherrie Boyes
Dobbs, NJ District Superintendent, the United Methodist Churches:
"Beautiful!"
Jean
Munzer, International Lecturer, former Director, Metaphysical Center of
NJ:
"This
commemoration of the World Trade Center will help the healing
process."
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