Lisa Bastoni: Press

In this age of technological advances in music and the obsession that some have adopted with overproduction simply because it's a conveniently viable option, we may tend to forget the lost art of bare bones songwriting. This young woman certainly has not, choosing to simply strap on an acoustic guitar in a friend's apartment and let the songs speak for themselves. The results are compelling, heartfelt modern folk ballads that are at times intensely personal, a slight glimpse into the life of a cautiously optimistic woman whose life is transitioning in every way while she acts as the narrator, documenting the events as they play out in front of her. There is strength here, even though the songs and even the vocals are at times slight and withdrawn. This is the beauty of this collection of songs, an unmistakable ability to convey an endless array of feeling within the confines of such a simple, effective medium.

"Bastoni immediately transcends any preconcieved notions of what a girl with a pretty voice and an acoustic guitar should do..."
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"...A truly human voice is a very refreshing thing to hear in today’s noisy musical world."

"Wonderfully constructed audio visions of life and love..." Click to read full article

"Lisa Bastoni has honed her craft at T stops and street corners. Now she's released an impressive cd..."
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"Bastoni is a popular Boston busker in the Dar Williams/ Kris Delmhorst mode, musing on road trips, childhood memories and artistic inspiration..."
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"A thoroughly enjoyable recording of a fine singer delivering her intelligently constructed songs with confidence..."
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"Bastoni has done a wonderful job of taking folk in an alternative direction..."
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"Bastoni has traveled all the hard roads and ended up more hopeful than bitter, which is a tremendous step..."
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"In the folk traditions of Emmy Lou Harris and Joni Mitchell...Lisa Bastoni follows in those footsteps with her excellent new offering Your First Sweetheart."
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"Somewhere Lucinda Williams and Bob Mould..."
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"["Can't Look Away"] is gentle and wise, with a lilting quality that makes it sound as if it could have been written a hundred years ago..."
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"I am obsessed with Bob Dylan..." [July 2004 Interview]
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For a list of stations that have played songs from Your First Sweetheart click here

To read some more quotations about Lisa and her music click here.