Kim Wempe

Some people will probably say otherwise but, really, there's nothing more intoxicating than the dark soul of a woman who has been sorely tried – especially when it's placed on top of a 1-4-5 blues progression. Voices like that are rare; anyone can sing pretty and enjoy a minute in the pop spotlight but, when the story in a woman's heart is one of hard luck and the soul in her throat is still able to overcome it, she'll already have a lot of interest from the ears her voice touches. That's the reason why Kim Wempe is going to be huge; she's got the heart, she's got the soul and she's got the kind of voice that holds those who hear it tightly. That voice is magic and no one who hears it will be able to turn away from it.

Wempe's debut album, Coalition, plays like a long-lost treasure from another lifetime. It crosses ideas of pop styling and production (a big voice up front with brightly polished instrumental chops following close behind) with the sounds of blues and soul which seem as though they just bled out of Chulahoma, Mississippi and the results are just something which have to be heard to be believed; they're magic. Each of the thirteen songs on Coalition sit perfectly balanced between the sound of a bluesy, soulful wail and that of a big, shiny pop standard and play effortlessly to both sides.

Playing to both sides as Coalition does makes for a thoroughly unique listening experience, without question. For example, after the bluesy warmup of “Intro” plays through to open the record, it would be easy to fall into a revival rhythm with the handclaps which keep the beat for the first few bars of “Go Back,” but the song shifts quickly into a tidy soul rave-up similar to what one might expect from ZZ Ward. No amount of hyperbole does the listening experience justice; Wempe's voice is a force of nature and it works the pocket of the song like a road-hardened veteran can, but the tonal color is bright and fresh and betrays the singer's youth – it's remarkable.

From that beginning, listeners will find more delights as Wempe further plays out her soulful tip while also working in some country vibe for a slightly richer flavor. Showstoppers like “When I Stop,” “The River” and “The Devil Won't Know Me” all play the same angle as “Go Back” did, but it never gets played out because the singer's voice is just so lush. That pristine instrument, combined with some excellent and creative production work (the use of chains for percussion as well as Keith Mullins' inventive contributions on a drum kit as well as his own chest and mouth) from Chris Kirby keep the songs vibrant and brimming with surprises. Granted, the record is not perfect (the weakest song is “Down Here,” which feels very much like a demo or a work-in-progress – not a finished song), but the number of missteps if utterly dwarfed by the number of songs which grab listeners, hold them and charm them into falling in love with the singer.

Standing back and taking the measure of Coalition as a whole, there is just no question whether or not Coalition is a winner. Here, Kim Wempe proves she almost has it all; she's got the songwriting talent, got the voice and got a good band behind her, now all she needs is the opportunity to get her music in front of a lot of people. When she does that, it's just inevitable that she'll be a star.
- Ground Control Mag

Kim Wempe
Coalition (Independent)

WITH any luck, Nova Scotia-via-Saskatchewan singer-songwriter Kim Wempe won't remain an indie artist much longer. Any larger distribution label representative with ears looking for the next big Canuck talent should be queuing up at her cabin door pronto, trying to lock down this wild talent.

Wempe has the kind of vocal dexterity that commands attention right from the opening track of her third album, Coalition. With a rough-hewn resonance in the range of Bonnie Raitt or the Duhks' Jessee Havey, Wempe can sound both ballsy and sweet, sometimes in the same song.

It's not only the admirable quality of her vocal cords that makes Coalition such an appealing listen; it's her ability to move that forceful howl and sweet purr into a varied set of arrangements. The soul meets the blues vibe of The River begs for comparison to later Mavis Staples for its heartfelt, hands-raised to the sky bible belting. Contrast that with the slow-motion musk of Come Home and Love Likes Simple and you have an album as varied stylistically as it is compelling to listen to.

The musical aptitude and, yes, attitude here is as professional as it gets and it's the attention to the small details -- hooks, memorable lyrics -- that push the album into another realm. Like the song declares, Coalition is akin to a 'lantern in a fog' and should definitely light Wempe's way to a bright future. ****

DOWNLOAD THIS: Down Here
-- Jeff Monk - Winnipeg Free Press

In her bio Kim Wempe says, “The idea that by changing my view on things and choosing who I surround myself with, I could become a better person and be happier. We don’t really have a lot of control over anything, but this we do”.

Her first full-length, Painting With Tides, is supported by some of Canada’s best. Jill Barber and Justin Rutledge rave about her, she killed at the 2010 East Coast Music Awards and even took part at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics and Juno-fest in St. John’s. Now it is time for the rest of Canada to catch-up.

Opening track and first single, “Chameleon” features Joel Plaskett and fiddler Rosie MacKenzie; it is a bold way to start off the album, haunting yet simple and up-beat. What you take away from the track though is just how absorbing and powerful Wempe’s vocals are and you get a strong sense of what she is all about. With such a successful start you would expect her to follow some type of formula, not Wempe, she reveals layers and variations of roots music that are close to her heart.

“Roots” begins as a solo track before blossoming like a prairie flower – full of colour and passion – as she reflects on her family, “My sisters are like mirrors/echoing the strength of my mother”. “Bring It Here” is the rocker of the bunch demanding “the kind of love that money can’t buy” while the slow barn-burner “Rhythm Of The Road” captures the spirit of a lifeline dedicated to the road.

What makes Painting With Tides so enjoyable is that Wempe is an honest songwriter who sings from the soul with music that taps into the inner workings of the human condition – you can’t help but feel connected to every nuance and word. Simply put, a full-length masterpiece. (GroundSwell/Warner)

Rating: 5/5 Stars - StageDoorMusicReviews.com (Jason Gladu)

In her bio Kim Wempe says, “The idea that by changing my view on things and choosing who I surround myself with, I could become a better person and be happier. We don’t really have a lot of control over anything, but this we do”.

Her first full-length, Painting With Tides, is supported by some of Canada’s best. Jill Barber and Justin Rutledge rave about her, she killed at the 2010 East Coast Music Awards and even took part at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics and Juno-fest in St. John’s. Now it is time for the rest of Canada to catch-up.

Opening track and first single, “Chameleon” features Joel Plaskett and fiddler Rosie MacKenzie; it is a bold way to start off the album, haunting yet simple and up-beat. What you take away from the track though is just how absorbing and powerful Wempe’s vocals are and you get a strong sense of what she is all about. With such a successful start you would expect her to follow some type of formula, not Wempe, she reveals layers and variations of roots music that are close to her heart.

“Roots” begins as a solo track before blossoming like a prairie flower – full of colour and passion – as she reflects on her family, “My sisters are like mirrors/echoing the strength of my mother”. “Bring It Here” is the rocker of the bunch demanding “the kind of love that money can’t buy” while the slow barn-burner “Rhythm Of The Road” captures the spirit of a lifeline dedicated to the road.

What makes Painting With Tides so enjoyable is that Wempe is an honest songwriter who sings from the soul with music that taps into the inner workings of the human condition – you can’t help but feel connected to every nuance and word. Simply put, a full-length masterpiece. (GroundSwell/Warner)

Rating: 5/5 Stars - StageDoorMusicReviews.com (Jason Gladu)

PAINTING WITH TIDES is an album about changes in life and how to deal with them—a subject that Kim Wempe has explored beautifully. Her second release only solidifies that the talent captured in her first record wasn’t a fluke.

The album’s opening track, “Chameleon”, paves the way for the rest of the album with its powerful lyrics and low-key melody. Each song is constructed from personal experience, which makes them all the more relatable. It can be enjoyed from start to finish as an autobiographical ballad. Wempe seems very capable of adapting her style to whatever will best portray her message. For example, “Painting With Tides” sways closer to country, while “Roots” is firmly planted in folk and “Chameleon” sings the blues.

This release is for any fans of the masters who first mixed these genres, such as Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, or Janis Joplin. This is an exceptional album, and if you really love it, you can hear Wempe live at the Crowne Plaza on Oct. 15 and 16. - TheFulcrum.ca (Brennan Bova)

PAINTING WITH TIDES is an album about changes in life and how to deal with them—a subject that Kim Wempe has explored beautifully. Her second release only solidifies that the talent captured in her first record wasn’t a fluke.

The album’s opening track, “Chameleon”, paves the way for the rest of the album with its powerful lyrics and low-key melody. Each song is constructed from personal experience, which makes them all the more relatable. It can be enjoyed from start to finish as an autobiographical ballad. Wempe seems very capable of adapting her style to whatever will best portray her message. For example, “Painting With Tides” sways closer to country, while “Roots” is firmly planted in folk and “Chameleon” sings the blues.

This release is for any fans of the masters who first mixed these genres, such as Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, or Janis Joplin. This is an exceptional album, and if you really love it, you can hear Wempe live at the Crowne Plaza on Oct. 15 and 16. - TheFulcrum.ca (Brennan Bova)

You learn a lot about a performer by taking a quick look through their website. It provides a snapshot of what they’re all about – or it should.

Coinciding with the theme of her full-length debut, Painting With Tides, kimwempe.com is adorned with rich graphics of the sea, ships under sail and a general feeling of the great wide open.

Juxtaposed against this backdrop, brightly-coloured visuals of Saskatchewan wheat fields betray her landlubber status as a child of Huboldt – within spitting distance of Saskatoon. Yet her move to the east coast three years ago has clearly made a huge impact on her.

Nobody knows better than Kim Wempe how similar a feeling you get from the expanse of the sea when compared to a never-ending crop field under a endless sky. It’s a sensation that can make you feel incredibly insignificant in the scheme of things, if not unbearably lonely. And yet the experience makes you feel incredibly alive, revitalized by all the potential it ultimately reveals.

Her newfound home has only amplified her love of where she comes from. As a result, Kim Wempe basks in a perspective of Canada like few of us have enjoyed by age 26, if ever. And you can hear how deep down those roots are set across eleven heartfelt originals comprising the canvas of Painting With Tides. Some hues and shades hold more true than others while many of these impassioned compositions prove picture-perfect.

Surrounded by like spirits and simpatico musical compatriots, Kim retains her authenticity and a voice all her own as she searches for the right combinations of sounds to add to her palette. She finds them on songs like the autobiographical “Roots” (strangely enough) – which fits her like a glove, joined by veterans Joel Plaskett, Geoff Arsenault and Brian Bourne; the sublime, painterly “Waves of Colour” – surely one of the best tracks – and the intimate, introspective “Warriors”.

At the same time, she’s hardly shy – as “Rhythm Of The Road” underlines with its full-bodied assault and most memorable hook (co-written with Cape Breton’s Carmel Mikol). In addition to Mikol’s harmonic strengths, Rosie MacKenzie’s violin, Old Man Luedecke’s banjo and David Bradshaw’s mandolin coalesce with Thom Swift’s dobro, Dale Murray’s pedal steel and a sturdy cast of friends who contribute an undeniable east coast charm, rendering this disc a late-night friend and a Sunday morning staple.

May the tides keep to their schedules, bringing us even more of their munificent bounty. Wempe has only just begun to blend her colours. - Roots Music Canda (Eric Thom)

You learn a lot about a performer by taking a quick look through their website. It provides a snapshot of what they’re all about – or it should.

Coinciding with the theme of her full-length debut, Painting With Tides, kimwempe.com is adorned with rich graphics of the sea, ships under sail and a general feeling of the great wide open.

Juxtaposed against this backdrop, brightly-coloured visuals of Saskatchewan wheat fields betray her landlubber status as a child of Huboldt – within spitting distance of Saskatoon. Yet her move to the east coast three years ago has clearly made a huge impact on her.

Nobody knows better than Kim Wempe how similar a feeling you get from the expanse of the sea when compared to a never-ending crop field under a endless sky. It’s a sensation that can make you feel incredibly insignificant in the scheme of things, if not unbearably lonely. And yet the experience makes you feel incredibly alive, revitalized by all the potential it ultimately reveals.

Her newfound home has only amplified her love of where she comes from. As a result, Kim Wempe basks in a perspective of Canada like few of us have enjoyed by age 26, if ever. And you can hear how deep down those roots are set across eleven heartfelt originals comprising the canvas of Painting With Tides. Some hues and shades hold more true than others while many of these impassioned compositions prove picture-perfect.

Surrounded by like spirits and simpatico musical compatriots, Kim retains her authenticity and a voice all her own as she searches for the right combinations of sounds to add to her palette. She finds them on songs like the autobiographical “Roots” (strangely enough) – which fits her like a glove, joined by veterans Joel Plaskett, Geoff Arsenault and Brian Bourne; the sublime, painterly “Waves of Colour” – surely one of the best tracks – and the intimate, introspective “Warriors”.

At the same time, she’s hardly shy – as “Rhythm Of The Road” underlines with its full-bodied assault and most memorable hook (co-written with Cape Breton’s Carmel Mikol). In addition to Mikol’s harmonic strengths, Rosie MacKenzie’s violin, Old Man Luedecke’s banjo and David Bradshaw’s mandolin coalesce with Thom Swift’s dobro, Dale Murray’s pedal steel and a sturdy cast of friends who contribute an undeniable east coast charm, rendering this disc a late-night friend and a Sunday morning staple.

May the tides keep to their schedules, bringing us even more of their munificent bounty. Wempe has only just begun to blend her colours. - Roots Music Canda (Eric Thom)

Go to http://www.kimwempe.com/press
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"Kim Wempe is good. Seriously, she is really good and if you haven't heard of her it's because she is fresh and new and ready to blow your mind. She and friend Craig Lang are playing The Alcove Tuesday at 9pm and we suggest you check her out." - www.theu.ca

“Kim Wempe sings directly from the soul, and the result is incredibly powerful. She instantly draws you in with her voice, and holds you there with the strength of her performance and her songs.” - Jill Barber ECMA 2007 ‘Female Artist of the Year’

"When Wempe opens her mouth she lets loose a powerful force that DEMANDS to be listened to. She pours out her emotion with a style that has Janice Joplin written all over it.” - Dan MacDonald, The Cape Breton Post

"Raw, honest, evocative, and one of those rare talents who can be called 'unique' in the true sense of the word." - J.C. Douglas, Director of Programming, NewCap Halifax (Q104-FM/780 KIXX-AM/Kool 96.5-FM)

"Great songwriting meets soulful vocals. Kim Wempe's ability to deliver to an audience is refreshing and intoxicating. Watch this one and expect great things!" - Dwayne Keller, Music Director - 98.9 X-FM 102.5, Antigonish, NS and host of 'Sounds Atlantic'

"Great songwriting meets soulful vocals. Kim Wempe's ability to deliver to an audience is refreshing and intoxicating. Watch this one and expect great things!" - Dwayne Keller, Music Director - 98.9 X-FM 102.5, Antigonish, NS and host of 'Sounds Atlantic'