New from Eva Holbrook
The Very Last Dream. .

Eva Holbrook, seventeen year-old Colorado musician prodigy has winged out of the nurturing nest and family Band, SHEL to bring us an ear-enticing blend of cerebral folk, classical and celtic-tinged original compositions. This marvelous nine song (plus one reprise) CD is an adept exhibition of the young mandolinist's performing skills on acoustic (Weber) and custom electric (Schwab) 4-string. Additionally she sings well, her pleasantly rich yet lilting soprano delivers the personally penned lyrics with confidence and emotional conviction. As if that weren't enough, the young prodigy displays the songwriting and compositional skills of one twice her age. Filling the CD with a wide variety and musical eclecticism, she is anything but stylistically stretched.

Two solo instrumental tracks stand out in their virtuosity, both in performance and compositional prowess, the technically demanding "Tuscany" and Bach Violin Sonata meets Riverdance, "Dizzy Up the Daisy" trumpet a consistent technical mastery up and down the fretboard. Evocative of Chris Thile's solo instrumental projects, her music is certainly not just a lot of pretentious fast notes, there remains a dynamic variety and emotional intensity conveyed without words. Cleanly executed, her melodies are complex but easily remembered.

A distinguishing trait in her performing, though she's capable of superb acoustic tone in tracts like "Niccolo," "Shooting Star" and "Abstract Romance" she commands a mature grasp of the electric realm, her sound never gimmicky, never over-processed. The effects are an intrinsic part of her musical signature, not wrought with cheap tricks. She works distortion and digital delay like a seasoned 80's arena rock guitarist in "Born from Jets," and title track "The Very Last Dream." In a mandolin world currently wealthy with other young prodigious talent roughly her age, Bryce Milano, Sierra Hull, Josh Pinkham, Scott Gates, etc., this is where she leaps off and truly blazes a new trail. She can afford to fall back on her excellent vocals and compositional abilities, but she is singularly unique in her electric delivery (pun intended) where she proves herself tasteful and undeniably competent.

Holbrook's family environment was an incredible incubator of talent. Father, Andrew, a proficient professional singer/songwriter in his own right along with mother, Lynn, raised Eva and her three sisters, Hannah, Sara, and Liza (all members of the band SHEL) with boatloads of musical encouragement and stage experience. Private violin, piano, and mandolin lessons were the routine as the girls grew up singing and playing together as a family in local concerts and church performances. The group is currently scheduled for a Midwestern tour this summer.

Should be a great opportunity to catch a rising star in person for anyone nearby!

Selections:
Shooting Star
Glass Circus
Tuscany
Abstract Romance
Born from Jets
Car Ride
Dizzy Up the Daisy
The Very Last Dream
Niccolo
The Very Last Dream II

Artist Website: Eva's Myspace

Shel's Website

Purchase CD: The Very Last Dream

Release Date: May 12,2007