Elisa Lovelie & The Device

Black and Blue opens up Undertow, and this bit of stronger singer-songwriter is able to provide listeners with a style wholly unique yet familiar. Lovelie’s vocals blend perfectly with the precise instrumentation that bounces through pop, rock, and even alternative music before the track ends. Fire & Icicles shifts Lovelie’s vocals into a more rock style, while the quality of the instrumentation continues to impress. Every guitar line and drum line highlight Lovelie’s vocals while creating a meaty and fulfilling backdrop. Lovelie’s efforts on Undertow could easily make it onto rock or pop radio stations, and nowhere is this more evident than during When the Tide Goes Down. This effort unites both instrumental and vocal sides to create a track that will tattoo itself on the minds and hearts of listeners, while a chorus establishes the track as something that is utterly unforgettable.

I Don’t Need You is the first track of Undertow’s second half, and it performs admirably in bolstering Lovelie’s momentum while providing her with additional tools with which to impress. Try closes up Undertow and points towards a more quiet and intimate feeling. Whether this portends a shift in style for future recordings or represents closure to this album, the inclusion of Try as the closing track is a smart idea. Listeners will feel as if they are in a small room, taking in each note and lyric as Lovelie performs. The production of this track cultivates this inimitable feel, providing perfect punctuation for Undertow. Take a trip to her website for more information about where to purchase Undertow, any upcoming performances, and further news about Lovelie’s career.

Top Tracks: I Don’t Need You, When the Tide Goes Down - NeuFutur Magazine

Elisa Lovelie has an amazing voice. For that reason, it should be no surprise that she started as an opera singer. The bluesy, sultry rocking sound she has, though, might not seem to fit with classical opera training. Well, whether it fits or not, she’s got it and it’s well displayed on this set.

“Black and Blue” is the opening cut. It starts of mellow and in some ways is the weakest cut here. That said, even this is quite strong. It’s just that the laid back opening, paired with a transition that feels a bit awkward or clunky, mean this might not be the best introduction to the music of Lovelie. Still, the vocals are strong here and this is fairly accessible. It would probably work better someplace mid-disc, though. The multiple layers of vocals, though, are a great touch.

The second song here, “I Don’t Need You,” might have made a better opener. It’s got a moody almost punk rock energy to it. This is a harder edged tune and a faster one to establish a real “ear worm” and infest the brain. The vocals (and actually the arrangement) makes me think of Pat Benatar a bit. Of course, Lovelie and Benatar have similar background in terms of opera training. There are some bits of symphonic instrumentation in the mix here. There is also a cool like alternative rock bridge that makes for a nice change up in the piece.

The third slot on many discs is occupied by a ballad. As this one starts in a mellow style, it seems like this set might follow that lead. However, the chorus rocks out quite a bit. There is almost a Latin element to some of this and there are symphonic instruments lain over the top of the arrangement. Overall, it’s another strong cut that shows another side of the music of Lovelie. The vocals are strong, but that’s kind of a “without saying” concept here. There are parts here that are almost jazz-oriented, but in some ways this is another that also calls to mind Benatar a bit. This is definitely one of the most dynamic pieces here with great usage of the contrast between sedate and rocking sounds.

A real folk music style opens “When the Tide Goes Down.” Those Latin elements also show up here a bit. It’s a dramatic, more acoustically driven tune. It’s still got a lot of energy and manages to rock, even though it remains based on acoustic instrumentation. This one almost fits into a progressive rock territory. There are certainly hints of 1960s psychedelic rock, too. It’s another bit of variety on a strong and diverse set of music. It could be argued that Lovelie delivers her most soaring and beautiful performance here.

“Bad Boy Blues” is a pretty standard blues tune. It’s not bad, though. It actually gets most of its charm and style from Lovelie’s delivery. Of course, a standard blues progression is, by definition, pretty limited. It’s up to the performers to make it shine. Lovelie shows that she has what it takes to pull do just that. The acoustic guitar soloing (again showing some Latin textures along with some jazz) adds some character to the piece, too. The blues meets rock and roll electric soloing is worth mentioning, as well. Violin adds an unexpected twist and the music moves towards world music for that section.

The acoustic guitar that opens try is intricate and beautiful. It’s the one real ballad of the set. Although I don’t usually think ballads work that well as closing shots, somehow this one really does a great job. It ends a set that’s incredibly strong. There’s not a weak piece here, but some songs are more potent than others. Lovelie does a great job and should appeal to a wide range of listeners. This EP is fresh, yet classic and is not to be missed. - Music Emissions

Full-blown eclectic is an apt descriptor for Elisa Lovelie’s new EP, Undertow. Genres, styles and instrumentation run the musical gamut through the five tracks, in what she calls “folk rock.” Leaning heavily on classical vocal training, poignant lyrical matter and a steady rock foundation, the album plays out in mash-up style with Blues guitar, Latin percussion and Rock riff work. Her exposure to myriad influences shine through on the ethos of the album and through stylistic differences of the track.

http://www.elisalovelie.com/listen

“Bad Boy Blues” plays out true to heart on what is a raucous romp of Blues guitar work. The clear focal point of the track rests with Lovelie’s lush vocal delivery and drives the track over clever picking notes at the midpoint. Elements of Country instrumentation add to the fold with backing string work fills. “Black And Blue” is a mid-tempo rocker track with the emphasis on the “folksy” side of things. Again, the vocals are the driving force behind the track with the instrumentation and backing vocals bolstering their delivery. “Fire And Icicles” is a demure track opening to tandem acoustic/electric guitar work. The slight verse work surrenders to the urgency of the chorus melding all the instrumentation into one solid foundation just behind the equally urgent vocals. “I Don’t Need You” opens to chug electric notes and perhaps belies Lovelie’s Pat Benatar influence most. This one is reminiscent of an early 80s rock track a la Joan Jett or Lita Ford. The Heavy Rock ethos continues through to the vocal effects of the midpoint bridge. “Try” features acoustic picking at the intro before Lovelie takes over with the vocal delivery. Weepy strings play fill between the verses and the lyrical matter is that of the efforts of a spurned lover. Percussion is missing from this one relying on the acoustic and strings to carry the harmony.

Lovelie’s obvious strength lies in her vocal prowess and the teamwork songwriting with her mother. The instrumentation does a nice job allowing her voice to shine and playing a role of carrying the tune without outshining the vocal focus. The numerous facets from numerous genres also add an eclectic flare to the songs and allow them to transcend genre pigeonholing. Fans of a strong female vocal presence… this one’s for you. - Skope Magazine

Elisa Lovelie is anything but your conventional lead singer. Drawing on years of classical/opera training and passion for heavy rock, paired with a penchant for long dresses and a drive to create compelling songs and infectious hooks that transcend any simple genre categorization, the multi-talented 20 year old performer is ready to take the world by storm. Like one of her idols, iconic pop/rocker Pat Benatar, this NYC based vocalist and songwriter has big aspirations, and the powerhouse voice to fulfill them.

The CD takes flight with “I Don’t Need You” a rocking intro groove that serves up methodical intro eventually evolving into impressive song meshed against passionate energy, captivating strings and a hard hitting vocal groove with lyrics that hit hard. Track 2 “Black and Blue” presents a dynamic piece that serves up eloquent intro, passionate melody with heartfelt vocals from Lovelie that flows and ebbs its way through to emotional fruition. Track 3 “Make up Your Mind” delivers a tantalizing Spanish piece with impressive guitar and strings, rhythm section, impressive vocal melody and earthy flair. The production quality is impressive. and the musicianship of everyone involved is clearly above the bar. Besides the typical 4 piece rock standard along the way you will notice lush instrumentation with things like well-placed strings, dynamic rhythm section, Spanish Guitars, percussive accnents, and a few solos here and there combined with lush harmonies layered everywhere. The rhythm section (drums and percussion) push the natural accents well. Now turning our attention over to Lovelie - as for her vocal abilities she is quite impressive. Her vocal style is cut from the cloth of Garbage, Pat Benatar, The Go Go’s, Belinda Carlisle, Tori Amos and Alannah Myles. It definitely works well within the confines of this catalogue which is reminiscent of alternative pop rock popular in the late 80’s and early 90's. I can also hear a modern day Alternative Rock influence in there as well. Lovelie’s impressive vibrato, falsetto and overall vocal passion clearly hit the mar, indicating to me a strong and confident vocal ability. I especially like how her voice just sort of flows and ebbs melodically with the music. This is an amazing quality that not many artists can execute flawlessly. This X-Factor quality clearly makes Lovelie’s a marquee talent. From passionate “When the Tide Goes Down”, and “Try” to hypnotic Fire and Icicles” this CD has something for just about everyone. The CD ends with track 6 “Fire and Icicles” the perfect wrap for a catalogue like this.

It’s hard to find any noticeable weaknesses with this EP.

From start to finish Undertow an impressive catalog of music. The music is highly passionate, uplifting, and slightly mysterious. The songwriting is an interesting snapshot of music from a clairvoyant artist that has a lot to offer. All songs are consistent musical experiences, each one possessing a unique personality, flair, and signature groove. Note for note, song for song this catalog is rock solid and extremely consistent. The writing and playing abilities of Lovelie and her band are rock solid. Last but not least her vocal abilities are world class. She's an infectious artist, one would be wise to keep a watchful eye on her over the years to come. - Muse's Muse Reviews

As a listener, what surprised me most about the NYC based ‘pop rockers’ Elisa Lovelie & The Device is not their heavier tunes, but the folk-acoustic saturated tracks in the debut EP Undertow.

“Fire & Icicles” is one of the two most Pat Benatar sounding track of the lot. The beginning electronic guitar pluck is a bit like The Police’s “Every Breath You Take” with this lush string and roaring guitar riffs on its bookends. Lovelie’s voice is heavy with passion and strong with rock credo.

“I Don’t Need You” is the second of the two Benatar flavored songs. Right out of the gate the throbbing base and crunchy guitar chords elevate the intensity. While these rockier tracks might not carry the listener into a far off world of lyrical wonderment, they certainly hold attention. For music lovers wanting stretching prose and to be transported into a breezy, reflective state, keep listening to the second part of Undertow.

“Try” is like a slow dance between the audience and the artist. A mesmerizing string orchestration takes the lead, and the listener is lost in Lovelie’s vocal embrace. Her voice sighs out loud like a beautiful flower; while at times she flutters through notes like a butterfly. This track is rich with folk thread, but sewn stronger in the country quilt.

“Make Up Your Mind” begins with a majestic, stirring Spanish guitar. The strings gallop and transcend the listener into this sultry salsa flare. Lovelie’s vocals taunt and tango alongside the robust music bed. This song transports into a world of dance and spinning sensation. The chorus is contagious; the subtle backing vocals eerily whisper. But, it is the guitar that takes center stage.

Much like “Make Up Your Mind,” the engaging “When the Tide Goes Down” makes one feel like the waves of acoustic guitar and sweet, finely polished vocals drown the listener. The lyrics are wound like ribbon, unraveling in such flare and deep emotion.

“When the Tide Goes Down” has a bit of a stronger punch than “Make Up Your Mind,” but I never felt like this could fall into a rock category. In their official bio, Elisa Lovelie & The Device draw some comparison to The Pierces, and I think this track falls into that vein. Like The Pierces, something wicked stirs in Lovelie’s vocals on this track. Something dark.

“Black and Blue” and “Bad Boy Blues” round out the Undertow. These are both strong tracks, but overall, after a few spins, the “Make Up Your Mind” and “When the Tide Goes Down” stood out the most. That acoustic guitar and lyrical tapestry won me over! - Hot Indie News

She writes her own music and writes her own lyrics—her name is Elisa Lovelie and she’s been singing since she was five. The Bitter End, the oldest rock club in New York City approached Lovelie recently and asked her to play on May 12.

Lovelie, a Brooklyn College sophomore, said The Bitter End contacted her mother, who is also her manager, two months ago by email. They wrote that they heard Lovelie’s music online, said she’s amazing and asked her play between sets of bands that have around 100 person draws.

“That’s mind blowing,” Lovelie said, “The band after me is going to bring like 150 people to the show and most of them are going to hear my music.” The Bitter End also hosted big names like Bob Dylan and Lady Gaga early in their careers.

Women of Substance Radio recently picked up Lovelie’s music too.

“It’s [Women of Substance Radio]an online radio station and they play some huge names,” Lovelie said, mentioning that the station plays Sheryl Crow and Gillian Welch.

Despite her recent burst of success, it hasn’t always been easy for Lovelie. Before coming to Brooklyn College, Lovelie suffered a tough rejection from Julliard after being called back by the Julliard School three times. Lovelie’s response was similar to many greats who have tasted the bitterness of rejection. Lovelie said, “That’s it, I’m going to do this by myself.”

When Lovelie told her mother she was going to become a rock and roll singer, she said her mother was shocked. Lovelie’s mother has also been a great supporter. She helps manage Lovelie’s music career. Since Lovelie got into the honor’s program at Brooklyn College, she earned a scholarship so her parents told her that since they were saving so much on college, they would put that money into her music career too.

It seems Lovelie’s parents always have supported their daughter. They noticed her skills with words when she rattled off her first poem at the age of five. Lovelie was also classically trained in voice.

At 16, Lovelie joined the Gowanus club which is a program that teaches rock ‘n roll to kids. She remained a part of the club until she was 18. “I owe them so much,” she said.

It was at Gowanus that Lovelie learned how to create a band. She said the process is a grueling one that includes interviewing different members and finding people who would play her particular brand of music. Given that Lovelie’s brand of music has nearly created its own genre due to the fact that her music is as original and expansive as anyone playing today, it is no surprise that creating a band would be difficult.

Some people have taken a shot at categorizing Lovelie’s music as melodic pop, but the description fails to explain the many aspects of her music. Lovelie’s music has definite touches of classical, jazz and folk influences, but there is something about it that sounds main stream like a fusion of rock and pop, but with depth and layers added so that it sounds like something never played before while resounding with something familiar and close.

Another person told Lovelie her music sounded like vulnerable power. Vulnerability and power sounds a lot like Lovelie’s first time playing music at her own gig. She was on the stage at Bar East. The show included a bassist and a mandolin player for two songs. Problems began on the stage when the bass broke and Lovelie found all her cables in a nest needing to be untangled.

“I decided this was the make or break moment of my career. I was going to go on to become really famous or I was never getting on stage again,” Lovelie said.

Left alone, aside from the mandolin that accompanied her for two songs, Lovelie braved the crowd and potential failure.

Lovelie said, “I have a recording of that show. I did everything 20 beats too fast, but I’m really glad I did it. It was just me on the stage with a guitar, no cover up, just naked.”

Lovelie will not be naked, musically speaking, again. She now has a full band that includes a drum and bass team, a cellist, two guitarists and a rhythm section.

“I don’t know how I got here, but I’m here,” Lovelie said, going on to say, “It’s a dream, every day when I wake up, especially when I get to do rehearsal.”

The dream will continue this summer as Lovelie prepares to go on tour. Her plans are to visit Boston, Philadelphia, Salem and East Stroudsberg where Lovelie has already begun building a fan base.

Speaking of Salem, Lovelie said, “I’m ready to rock right now.” For those of you that want to hear Lovelie rock, contact her Facebook, but do it quickly because Lovelie is fast approaching 1,000 likes, over 100 of which occurred between the interview and the printing of this article. - The Kingsman

Elisa Lovelie grew up and still lives in Ditmas Park, and at 20 years old, she’s prepared to take the world by storm. The singer/songwriter has an ambitious goal: to be as famous at 26 as Lady Gaga is now at that age. She knows it will take a lot of work, but she’s determined.

“What I’m doing right now is the hardest part,” Elisa said. “I believe in myself, I’ve invested everything I have in myself, and I think if I can push myself very hard I’ll get there–and go farther.”

And she’s already put plenty of work into it. Elisa started taking singing and piano lessons when she was 5 years old. She continued private lessons while she attended PS 99 and the Berkeley Carroll School, and she was able to dive even deeper into music when she began home-schooling in the eighth grade.

“I got to spend my days learning to play instruments and sing,” she explained. “It was wonderful.”

She explored opera for five years starting at age 12, and at 16 joined the Gowanus Music Club, where she was the lead singer of the band, and which is where she first picked up the guitar.

“My first semester I learned how to do a Queen song, a White Stripes song–and I’d never sung anything like that before,” Elisa said. “It was me and some 14-year-old boys. Our guitarist at the time, he was just starting out on guitar, and I figured I could do that.”

So she bought a guitar and learned from no less than Tracy Bonham, who was working with GMC at the time. “She’s a wonderful friend, and has been very influential to me on a personal level,” Elisa said. “From the ground up, she got me into playing.”

After just a few years, Elisa is now fronting a 7-piece band that’s getting set to release a single in June and an album this fall, with a show coming up on May 12 at the Bitter End, and a mini-tour on the East Coast this summer. But that’s all after she finishes up her sophomore year in the Honors Academy at Brooklyn College.

“This is the most hectic month of my life,” Elisa said, listing the four 10-pages papers that are due this month and the Bitter End show as just some of the more stressful parts. And she’s not taking it any easier right now, even though she just learned she’s been honored with a prestigious scholarship award for art history.

“Everyone says it’ll be excellent for my grad school applications, but I think I’m going to take 2-3 years off after college before I think about that,” she said. “Because my music is getting off the ground, and I’m really excited about that.”

As are her friends and family, who she’s gathering for the audience for the show in May. That group includes one of her biggest fans—her mom, Kathy Libraty. Elisa helps her mother with her antique doll business, and the pair hosts a belly dancing class at the Micro Museum on Smith Street on Sunday mornings.

“We do a lot together, which is nice, since most kids don’t have that kind of relationship with their parents,” Elisa said. “I feel totally independent, but having her be part of my life is so important.”

Perhaps it’s the influence of her parents that has imparted some musical responsibility in Elisa. Because even though she wants to be as famous as Lady Gaga, and though she counts Janice Joplin as one of her greatest musical influences, she wants to be a more positive role model for young girls.

“I have a rule,” Elisa explained. “Every song I write I have to be able to get up in front of a class of sixth graders and sing it and not blush. I know different people do different things with their music and I appreciate that. But for me, my goal has always been to be a respectable young woman.”

Elisa will be busy over her summer break recording tracks with her band at Rockgarden, The Cutting Room, and hopefully in the studio she’s planning to build in her family’s basement. In addition to her show in May and the mini-tour, she’s hoping to play more in the area, particularly at Sycamore. And when she does, be sure to catch her, because it might be one of the last times you have a chance to see her in such an intimate venue.

“I’m so surprised how fast this is moving,” she said. “If you’d have told me a year ago that I’d be where I am today, I wouldn’t have believed you.” - Ditmas Park Corner