CD Review: Amy Regan - And Then There Is This

Amy Regan - And Then There Is This
2007, Deerslayer Productions

Amy Regan may be a name you've not heard before, but if there is any justice in the music business you won't be able to say that for much longer. Combining the musical sense of Norah Jones and the aggressive tenacity of Fiona Apple, New York City's Amy Regan is poised to take the music world by storm. All she needs is the right break. And Then There Is This is a six-track EP released in 2007 that shines like a diamond in the rough. After hearing this for the first time I just can't believe I haven't heard of her before now.

And Then There Is This opens with Everybody Needs Somewhere To Go, which might be one of the greatest songs about personal relationship dysfunction I've ever heard (I'm too quick for my own tricks/ 'Cause I left him at nine had another by six/ I said I'd try him just for kicks / but then I'm cravin' him like an addict needs a fix). The heavy blues sound is a perfect accompaniment. Regan slows it down a bit on the next track, So In Love, a heartbreaker of an almost in love song.

Carry On is a neat little folk-rock song with a bit of an Americana bent that is a pleasurable listen. Some Kind Of Blues is perhaps a continuation of the story started in So In Love, where the narrator has turned a little more away from hope to sorrowful regret. It's a beautiful tune with a melody that just will not go away. Nighttime Bird is a fun little jazz samba. The EP closes with the title track, And Then There Is This, a track that could be a musical soliloquy. I almost think this is the third part of a trilogy with So In Love and Some Kind Of Blues. Perhaps not, but you can see the storyline progress from song to song if you listen for it.

What is eminently clear is that Amy Regan is an incredibly talented writer and performer. Her voice is unique enough to be memorable and recognizable, which is a great start. The quality of the songwriting places her in an echelon with another young piano based singer/songwriter, Alexa Ray Joel. Regan shows a composure and maturity that belies her young years and connects the listener to the stories she tells with velvet care. Add in the slightly theatrical flair that she displays in her writing and you have the makings of an iconic performer. While such monikers are albums and years away, this is the potential that is seen in And Then There Is This. This is highly recommended listening.

Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Amy Regan at www.AmyRegan.com, where you can buy a copy of And Then There Is This for the ridiculously cheap price of $5.00 plus shipping.