Lindsay Mac

Singer-songwriter Lindsay Mac is taking the electro-pop world by storm with her debut EP, 'Animal Again,' set for release on February 17, 2015.

You may have heard of Lindsay as a folk rock artist with an incredibly unique style of playing the cello. But with her latest music, Lindsay proves breaking barriers and defying presumptions is in her nature. 'Animal Again' is a new wave of cutting-edge dance-pop from the classically trained artist.

"Animal Again's" highly addictive synth-pop is drastically different from your early cello work. What inspired your lyrics and melodies? The title of the album?

After touring pretty heavily for several years, I had become disenchanted with the road warrior life. The physical toll from traveling and wearing the cello the way I did eventually wreaked havoc on my back, making it difficult play. I took a break to heal and to reassess and came to the realization that I wanted music to be fun again. I wanted it to be energy-giving for me and for the listener too. What transpired felt like a rebirth, a reincarnation, of my love for music and rhythm and melody. I morphed back to my primal self, thus the name “Animal Again”.



Can you share any specific stories or momentous occasions that lead to the emotion behind "Animal Again"?

Teaming up with my producer, Jason (who goes by j declan), was a kind of collaboration I’d never really experienced and, although it took longer than either of us wanted, it was a real game changer. He helped me make the sounds I heard in my head a reality and that helped fuel the emotion of the lyrics and vocal performances. In the past, I had used my own instrumental playing on the cello as the core of the track and added things around it. This time, we started with whatever instrument or loop serviced the emotion of the song the best and that was really freeing!

Your music career so far is on an exciting, unpredictable path! What drives your inner creative direction?

I guess I just try and do things that move and are interesting to me. There’s no way you’re going to please everyone with what you write or put out but if you can feel good about it personally, that’s something. And that’s what you can control. I can’t always do it, but trying to block out the noise and the self-doubt helps me create from my own unique and special place.


"There’s no way you’re going to please everyone with what you write or put out but if you can feel good about it personally, that’s something.


Do you ever think of incorporating your original cello technique into your future work?

Sure. I love the cello and I love the journey we’ve been on together. I just wanted to make sure I wasn’t keeping cello in my music, ironically, simply to satisfy the Lindsay Mac “status quo”. I’m sure I could incorporate it again but I’m in a pretty different place right now. I like to basque in that and let the creativity flow and if cello pops into my mind again, she’ll be back in the mix!

What is your favorite song to sing on your new EP? Which did you have the most fun working on?

Gosh, this is pretty impossible to answer. I love singing them all and they all have so much internal history for me. I think “Back To Right” was special because the melody and lyrics came to me almost in their entirety one day in my studio. Whenever that happens and you still like it a year later, you’re pretty pumped!

When do you think we will see a full-length album?

Hopefully soon. We have several songs for a full length but knew we were still a ways away from having all the songs so just decided to share what we’d been up to with this EP. And our process is getting faster – thankfully.

An Interview With Aesop Rock
- See more at: http://emptylighthouse.com/interview-lindsay-mac-talks-new-style-and-debut-ep-animal-again-1829824100#sthash.f11jVUvT.dpuf - Empty Lighthouse Magazine

Lindsay Mac

By Veronica Kirk
Lindsay Mac (link) is an up-and-coming artist who proves that the power of music is unstoppable. Formerly a classically trained folk musician, an accident left Mac Lindsay Macunable to play the necessary instruments that she desired. Lindsay decided to take the world into her own hands, and changed direction drastically for her new single, “Remember.” This is a complete 180 degree turn for Mac, as she strips herself of her folk roots and takes on a new adventure with a pop explosion.
Inspired by such influential and current artists like Katy Perry, Mac is out to make a name for herself with a sugary sweet sound. Mac’s debut album under her pop venture will be titled “Animal Again,” and it will be released in the coming months after the New Year. Mac’s story is quite inspirational as it shows an artist rising from a struggle, to create something different and beautiful; to not stop her from her dreams.
Music certainly lives in Lindsay Mac’s blood. Her work as a folk artist gained her critical acclaim, and her latest work with “Remember,” proves to the world she is an artist that can rule the world no matter what genre she touches. The song is witty, smart, and confident, which hopefully will carry throughout the entire upcoming record.
Obviously, folk and pop are at two different sides of the musical spectrum, but Lindsay Mac is able to carry both sounds and make them her own. Animal Again already seems like an uplifting and powerful album, which will be highly anticipated for 2015.
Lindsay Mac “Remember” - Black On The Canvas

By Neal Heart

Lindsay Mac is a lady you will not likely forget. The trained cellist from Cambridge, Massachusetts, has the most valuable bow for her indie-music-making and songwriting. Her songs of love, reverence, protest and bewilderment are what move her fans to drive long distances, to pre-order her albums a year in advance. ‘Remember’ is a pure pop single from Mac’s debut EP Animal Again. It is a solid single hitting the right notes from its simple but catchy refrain to the danceable beats. She sings with a controlled passion with her voice going down just as smoothly as the music in the track.


A simpler melody is played it, setting a background for her polished vocals. The song builds off, including a standard percussion track, and shortly the building culminates in a breakdown as the chorus begins, turning around into a full blown dance beat.

‘Remember’ is a perfect melody for that intricate walk to work in the morning; when it’s cold, you are feeling low and downright sad inside. Such a pop anthem will be sure to bounce you back to the right mood. There is no doubt that the liveliness in this single is as a result of Lindsay’s inspiration; rehabilitating herself after a back injury.

This track securely demonstrates her impressive vocal range while recounting a relationship forged during un-sober evenings;" Sparks flying everywhere". The bubbly tempo and appealing lyrics in this track make it pretty simple and easy to understand, and listeners can easily immerse themselves in her creativity. Lindsay’s music has changed a bit since her earlier sounds mainly featured her cello, however, she hasn’t changed the way she writes and her consistency will help her as she embraces the electronic side of her sound.

"Remember" is a radio-ready, hit in the making. Lindsay’s vocal performance is sweet and breezy with an edge that boosts an effervescent melody. It is uncomplicated and fun and will undoubtedly leave you with a heart warm smile giving you a real pop music feel; a better feeling about life with a dance break. Sometimes all you need is some bit of synth-pop to make your day or evening. If you are a fan of electronic dance music, this is a track you should check out. - YTELLSOCIAL

“‘Remember’ is a radio-ready, dancefloor-bumping hit in the making. Mac’s vocal performance is breezy and sweet with an edge that boosts an already effervescent melody.”

Artist: Lindsay Mac
Single: “Remember”
Genre: Electro Pop
RIYL: Ellie Goulding, Sara Bareilles, Washed Out, Metric

Cambridge, Massachusetts is harboring a rogue folk pop songstress. Lindsay Mac is a classically-trained cellist turned dance pop artist with the release of “Remember,” a lead single from her upcoming album Animal Again. The result of her freedom from being widely known as a folk artist with this uptempo single is a marked shift to a sound that is highly energetic and audibly effortless.
I will admit to being slightly skeptical when I see the words “dance pop”; so many artists have a tendency to try just a little too hard to craft a “hit” along the lines of Ryan Tedder or Taylor Swift. Those artists are wildly successful because they’re solid songwriters - they know their way around a good hook, a melodic pop sensibility that requires having a keen sense of simple but engaging lyricism. Beneath any really good pop song is a great melody, and focused musicianship. Lindsay Mac not only fits this bill, but she excels with an ease that makes it difficult not to stand up and move to the beat (or at least put on a pretty mean chair-dancing display).
“Remember” is a radio-ready, dancefloor-bumping hit in the making. Mac’s vocal performance is breezy and sweet with an edge that boosts an already effervescent melody. It’s fun, it’s uncomplicated and you’ll be wearing a smile by the time it’s over (that is, unless you hit repeat after repeat after repeat to keep your groove going). This is how pop music is supposed to make you feel, just a little bit better about life…with a dance break.


Lindsay Mac website: http://www.lindsaymac.com/ - Indie-Music.com

By Neal Heart

Remember" by Lindsay Mac is another entry into the top ten on the TMFC Pop radio chart this week. The song did not only make an entry into the top ten hits on the chart, but also continued to make major moves on pop radio and other radio formats.

Lindsay Mac's "Remember" blazes the top ten at the TMFC Pop Radio Charts capturing the 8th position.

The song, which officially reached the top 10 on the TMFC Pop Radio Charts this week, is already one of the most-played songs on the TMFC Radio Station. It is one single that firmly demonstrates Mac's impressive vocal range. The liveliness in this track and the catchy, yet motivational lyrics lures its listeners to sink in Lindsay's creation.

The song's debut at the number eight spot with high ratings from listeners and spins at TMFC Radio Station. It is a track that has captured Lindsay's fresh outlook on pop music. "Remember" is musically rich and it fits comfortably along its synth-pop contemporaries. - Ytellmagazine

Some say that “life is too short to pretend that you don’t like pop music,” and Lindsay Mac‘s new EP is no exception. The Animal Again EP is short, but definitely sweet. The first track and the EP’s namesake, ‘Animal Again’ is, a strong opening track. Like its lyrics say, this song is “beautiful, mysterious.”

‘Remember’ is the second track off of the EP, and was the EP’s first single. With its catchy intro and nostalgic lyrics, this radio-ready track is one of the highlights of the album. This song in particular is reminiscent of a song that Madonna or Cascada would release.


Lindsay Mac slows it down with the third track ‘Back to Right.’ With lyrics like “rising like a phoenix to the sky / only love can get us back to right,” this track is one of Mac’s deeper ones. Not only is ‘Back to Right’ catchy and emotional, but it really showcases Mac’s vocal ability.

Bringing it back to the “animal” theme, the EP’s last track is ‘Wolf.’ Mac has chosen a slower track to close out her EP. Even though the song is one of the slowest on the EP, Mac doesn’t hesitate to bring out her sassy side through lyrics like “I am wild and I am free.”

Overall, this album is a strong release for Lindsay Mac, and we look forward to hearing what she releases in the future. You can get your copy of the EP here

Words by Kaitlyn - The Indiependent

Lindsay Mac releases an EP to remember this winter with “Animal Again.” We started to adore Lindsay with her charming single, “Remember,” the tail end of last year, and to boot she is on the verge of releasing her ‘makeover’ debut.

“Animal Again” opens with a bang right from the very beginning with the title track. To note right off the bat, Mac was once a prominent folk-oriented artist. Her departure from that sound, which stemmed from an accident leaving her unable to play certain instruments, proves to be a triumph and inspiring story. The title player “Animal Again” serves up a tasty treat for what is to come on the rest of the EP. A blend of synthesizers with Mac’s clear and present vocals, carries throughout the album. These elements are showcased wisely, and not over the top, which makes for a special listening experience.

The EP may be short in length, as it only gives us 4-tracks, but they remain to be very strong on the record. We revisit “Remember,” the song that had drawn our attention back in the early winter, and this feeling follows through with new additions such as the tearjerker “Back to Us,” and dancefloor worthy, “Wolf.”

“Animal Again,” may be a condensed EP, but what it shows is Linsday Mac’s true talent as a songwriter, singer, and a true performer. These 4 songs offer a great deal of range, and will keep us coming back for more. - Buzznet

Singer-songwriter Lindsay Mac has just released a new EP titled Animal Again that is full of glittering and addicting synthpop that you won’t be forgetting any time soon. With songs such as the title track and “Remember”, Mac has put together a gorgeous EP that really illustrates to her audience what her music is all about. Classically trained at the age of six in the church choir, as well as experience playing the cello and piano, Lindsay’s pop sound is far removed from her beginnings, though it is obvious that her early musical experiences have taught her how to write great music. With a sound and style all her own, Lindsay Mac is sure to go far while winning over music fans for many years to come.

You can listen to “Remember” below. - Listen Here Music!

No matter how you feel about “pop” music, one cannot deny that when it’s great it uplifts you, makes you want to move, and fills you with an empowering sensation to go out and shine.

Indie synth-pop singer/songwriter Lindsay Mac has arrived with a powerful collection of 5 songs on her new EP Animal Again.

Known as the classically trained musician who went rogue, Mac followed her inner creative spirit and began writing quirky folk tunes. Recasting her cello as a compositional tool to develop her own flavor of pop music, Ms. Mac began playing the music that emanated from her soul.

On Animal Again, Lindsay has created something epic (in only 5 songs).

Even though the cello is virtually absent here, it ironically feels closer to the symphonies I grew up playing in than anything else I’ve done. It has that swirling and lushness that really brings me back,” she explains.



This EP is Ellie Goulding and Sara Bareilles showing Katy Perry how to craft songs like a Jedi master. You could imagine Dr. Luke or possibly Ryan Tedder behind the boards smiling as the magic happened.

Go support Lindsay Mac, then connect with her on Twitter or FB.

This time the songs, the voice, and the production are out front,” Mac allows before pausing. “But really, for me, it’s always just been about how the music makes me feel and recreating the colors I hear in my head.”


Read more at http://www.midtnmusic.com/lindsay-mac-is-animal-again/#OBSkEgi34vw33YDs.99 - Middle Tennessee Music

Lindsay Mac’s single ‘Remember’ is the perfect melody for that difficult walk to work in the morning; when it’s cold, dark and downright miserable outside, this poptastic anthem will be sure to put a spring in your step. No doubt this liveliness is a result of Mac’s inspiration; rehabilitating herself after a back injury, the Cambridge, Massachusetts artist found she was motivated and inspired by the pop music playing over the gym’s stereo. The upbeat tempo and catchy lyrics mean it’s very easy for listeners to immerse themselves in her creation – job well done, we say.


The single is from Mac’s upcoming debut Animal Again, and we look forward to it because this track securely demonstrates Mac’s impressive vocal range whilst recounting a relationship forged during un-sober evenings: “sparks flying everywhere”. It’s pretty simplistic, easy to understand and therefore a must have for everyone’s iPods. Sometimes all you need is a little bit of synth pop to sort you out.

You can buy the track on iTunes here

Words by Beth Kirkbride - The Indiependent

Being in recovery from a back injury surely isn’t pleasant for anyone; some people may just lie around doing nothing productive for months on end. On the other hand, there are people like Lindsay Mac, who ploughed through the pain and discomfort and created some of the best musical work she has ever produced.

lindsay mac

The singer-songwriter, who is classically trained (she played the cello since she was a child) realised that her calling was folk music when she attended the San Francisco Conservatory of music. However Massachusetts based Lindsay has decided to make another musical change; she now creates upbeat pop tunes. She completed her upcoming album ‘Animal Again’ during her recovery, and it’s great.

‘Remember’ is the debut single from the album, and shows of Lindsay’s new-found edge, you can check it out here: https://soundcloud.com/lindsaymacmusic/remember

I caught up with Lindsay to have a chat about her new sound, the new record, and overcoming physical barriers in order to put out some of her best work…

Can you describe your sound in five words?

Lush, electric, light-filled, energising, catchy

Tell me about your transition from classical, to folk, to dance… Which genre do you prefer?

My transitions from classical to folk to pop have all come in like changing tides. In a way they were gradual, but they have always been powerful, undeniable and complete. I’m kind of intense about what I’m into in terms of creating in any given period and tend to jump in fully. Classical music is my mother- what I grew up playing, what informed my musical brain and my social groups. Playing the cello in orchestras and quartets was my version of the travelling soccer team. It is also what I will never stop listening to no matter what creative phase I’m currently into. Folk music was a way for me to embrace my individuality by writing my own songs and lyrics and being able to tour full-time doing that, it allowed me to see this country in a really special way. Doing what I’m doing now feels like I am adding onto that except also including a physical element. The way the beat and production swirls around me when I listen feels like the orchestra did but being able to sing about something personal and create the swells and drama is the best of both worlds. I absolutely love it. I’m also aware there will probably be some evolution down the road that I can’t yet see, but for now, I feel completely committed.

How long have you been making music, what made you get into it to begin with?

Ever since I can remember! Before I started any formal training, I was in a church choir and my dad and I used to sing around the house a lot. He sang acapellas in college so I got my ability to sing harmony from him. And also just to goof off and sing crazy things. I went to public elementary and they offered free and private music lessons during the school day- an amazing opportunity. The classical piano lessons (3rd grade) and cello in 4th became a major part of my growing up all the way until I enrolled in a conservatory to study cello.

Was recovering from your back injury whilst making this music a hindrance, or did it help to motivate you?

Both. It was definitely a drag at times. I had never really had any limitations put on me before and it was a hard thing to accept for a while. I just felt sorry for myself and during that time, I didn’t get much done. I really regret all that lost time except for the fact that it got me to where I am now. It helped me shed a lot of baggage in terms of who people expected me to be (or who I thought they expected me to be) versus who I was secretly starting to want to be. Writing pop music on my computer instead of being the singer/songwriter who played the cello became extremely freeing.

Who are your biggest musical influences?

Oh gosh, so many people. Of course classical composers/performers cause they instilled the love of music in my heart. Yo-Yo Ma was someone I had the chance to meet and play for a couple of times and he was always so impressive as a role model. I had a very deep Tori Amos phase. A U2, Radiohead, Bjork, Postal Service and Ani DiFraco phase. I remember the Moby ‘Play’ album making me feel like I was very cool for listening to it- it’s probably where my interest in electronica-meets-pop began.

Where do you aspire to be, musically, in the next couple of years?

Doing what I am doing now but on a bigger level. I’ve just released this first song of this new sound for me and I’m really pumped to see where it goes.

Describe your dream gig…

Amsterdam comes to mind, and yeah, a big audience. There would be a screen behind the stage which would have awesome nature and computerised footage that creatively wove into the music and heightened the experience for everyone. It would be outside, at night. There would be a break during the show where something would be shown on the screen about an environmental issue and the audience could and would somehow come together to affect change in that area- right in that moment. And yeah, I guess in my dream gig, my fans would be totally into that as well as the music. But I suppose just one of the two would make me happy too. - Picknmix Reviews

Lindsay Mac is a new synth pop siren in the making. Her upcoming album Animal Again is due early 2015 and interestingly she wrote most of it whilst recovering from a back injury. I say interestingly because it must have been torture, not just because of the injury, but that she couldn’t be dancing around like a lunatic to these strong synth pop epic anthems! She reminds me of a dancing Lisa Miskovsky. Good pop done right. Check out the first single “Remember” below. - Higher Plain Music

Bell X1
Bon Iver
Anthony Da Costa
Corey Chisel
Delta Spirit
Duffy
Fleet Foxes
Friendly Fires
Jaymay
Langhorne Slim
Little Jackie
Lindsay Mac
Mates of State
Daniel Martin Moore
Ra Ra Riot
The Watson Twins - WFUV

CELLIST PLUCKS HER WAY FROM CARNEGIE HALL INTO WINTERS

A woman and her cello.
Lindsay Mac walks out onto an empty stage, the cello strapped over her shoulder like a guitar.
A simple pairing - musician and instrument - that quickly becomes a complex, remarkable and unforgettable performance, should you be fortunate enough to be at the Palms Playhouse in Winters, at 7PM on Sun, Jan. 27.
Mac has a Web site, www.lindsaymac.com, that features a trio of her songs.
Mac appearing in the hamlet of Winters is a tad unusual. She is a rising star nationally, has opened to k.d. lang and has already performed at Carnegie Hall.
Mac is a classically trained cellist but from the first pluck of the strings and the first verse of her original tunes there is no simple way to define her blending of folk, sultry jazz and blues with a dash of country sometimes thrown in for good measure.
Her vocal strength competes with her cello prowess, turning her songs into displays of delicacy that can be overpowering.
Long single notes that meld into a momentary silence. A heartfelt tone one moment followed by bursts of upbeat spunkiness. Lindsay Mac sings and she plays the cello, but that is like saying the Grand Canyon is in the desert and has a river running through it.
Some reviews have credited Mac with creating a new genre of music - in part from her usually foregoing the traditional bow to play the cello - relying instead on finger-plucking the strings rendering a unique and intriguing brand of music.
Born in Iowa, Mac is still a twentysomething whose love affair with the cello began in the fourth grade. Her training has been from some of the best music schools in the world including Dartmouth, the Royal College of Music in London, the San Francisco Conservatory of Music and the Berklee School of Music in Boston. Then she discovered she could sing.
Mac is currently leading the vagabond life of a touring singer/songwriter.
Last year she performed more than 150 concerts across the United States and Canada.
In the weeks after her Winters show she will be performing in Los Angeles, Seattle, Portland, and Memphis.
This month she has already performed in New York, Massachusetts and Maine. - Daily Republic - by Jess Sullivan

PLENTY OF PLUCK
Cellist Lindsay Mac lets her fingers do the talking

BY TIFFANY MALESHEFSKI

Singer and songwriter Lindsay Mac plays her cello like a guitar. No, she really does. A guitar strap attaches at the joint right underneath the instrument’s neck, where the fingerboard hits the body, then loops around the end pin that sticks out about a half-inch, and straps the cello to the 26-year-old’s torso. Then, while standing, the young artist plucks, strums, and pulls the notes from the instrument she once played primarily with a bow. The notes come long and heavy, reverberating through the cello’s body, pushing back against Mac’s small frame.

“It doesn’t hurt. It’s not heavy. It’s really weird,” she explains, during a phone call from a hotel room in Boston. “It’s almost like singing a duet with somebody because it is so resonant. It’s really an incredible experience that I don’t think many instrumentalists get to feel. It’s a much more physical thing.”

Mac ditched the bow in favor of her fingertips almost four years ago, at about the same time she found herself alone and in a contemplative mood in a cabin in the New Hampshire woods. In addition to trying to fi gure out what she wanted to do with her life, the classically trained cellist began experimenting with the instrument she’s cherished since the fourth grade.

What emerged was a radical way to perceive and play the cello, a move that has put her in league with such cello players-turned-singer/songwriters as Caroline Lavelle.

With a resume that is long, lean, and mean, and that lists some of the world’s most prestigious conservatories (Dartmouth College, the Royal College of Music in London, and the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, to name a few), Mac’s decision to blaze a new path is something that surprises even her. “I had thought I really wanted to make classical cello my career,” she says of her decision to venture into terrain more familiar to folk and pop artists.

She also thought she’d never be a soloist, believing the mold is set for that kind of career when classical players are still warm and snug in the womb. Settling down with a nice quartet or chamber ensemble, for a cellist at least, seemed like the way to go. Yet, it was a prospect that didn’t sit well with Mac, who often wrestled with the limitations she felt playing classical repertoire.

Something was missing.

She often felt caught within an internal power struggle between remaining true to the composers’ visions she had practiced so diligently to emulate, and feeling quite strongly about creating an identity that was hers alone.

“I just wanted to take my love for the cello and put it into a context in which I felt I was really in touch with my muse,” she says.
Mac and her cello soon found a home in rock bands, which led to songwriting. Singing the songs followed suit as did her unusual playing stance. She still fondly remembers the day she dug her nails deep into the heavy strings of her cello. “The rhythm of it just drew me in,” she says. “It felt very primal, to beat the cello and have it respond back.”

So far, Mac’s penchant for pizzicato has plucked the interest of some very influential and renowned players. Her 2005 debut album Small Revolution features not only 11 songs written and sung by Mac, but instrumental contributions by violinist Matt Glaser and cellist Eugene Friesen as well.
Mac’s resume got an even bigger jolt when she opened for renegade country and pop performer kd lang and alt-folk singer and songwriter Catie Curtis.

Once a single-note plucker (a bare-bones approach that allowed her to play and sing at the same time), the singer says her plucking method has evolved into something with much more depth and intricacy.

An Iowa-native, Mac grew up in Iowa City, a rather overlooked arts hub in the shadow of the nearby University of Iowa, and spent her childhood attending concerts, recitals, ballets, and theatrical performances that ran the gamut of styles and genres. Getting that kind of exposure at a young age is what Mac attributes to the restlessness she felt at conservatory and to an intense desire to nurture her individuality. But that doesn’t mean the player has completely abandoned her classical roots in favor of her distinctive and innovative folk-rock sound.
She plays Bach suites several times a week for warm-up (pizzicato, of course) and is devising a way to sing and bow at the same time. “It’s not that I steered away from classical music,” she says. “I steered toward something else.”

(This is one of a series of 20th anniversary state-of-the-arts articles chronicling the interesting people and trends that have emerged in the string world during the past 20 years.)

STRINGS | February 2006

Reprinted from Strings, February 2006, No. 136, © 2006 String Letter Publishing, David A. Lusterman, Publisher. All rights reserved. - Strings Magazine

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ALBUM REVIEW: INDIE-MUSIC.COM
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Date: Saturday, September 03, 2005
By Kevan Breitinger

Lindsay Mac/"Small Revolution"

A misnomer of the first degree. There’s nothing small about Lindsay Mac or her revolution. The first fat plunking notes immediately signal originality, creativity squared; the mad whispered vocals confirm my suspicions. Strap yourself in and let the wild things begin.

Classically trained cellist Lindsay Mac bends genres, notes, and expectations with grace and glee, and she has a good time doing it too, thank you very much. It’s just as much fun to listen to. Veering madly from the Beat poet opener “Lucy” to the earthy techno-funk cover of Bill Withers’ “Use Me” to the merry bluegrass tale that is “Nowhere,” Mac pulls rabbits out of her bottomless hat with lightning speed. That’s only the first three songs, and you still haven’t figured out how she’s making these outrageous tones. When reviewing, I generally read liner notes and the press package only after a complete listen so that my observations are my own. Not this time, uh uh. And let me take this opportunity to publicly apologize to the unfortunate minivan behind me as I crossed three lanes of traffic and careened to the curb in my madness to know: how, oh tell me how, is she doing this?

It’s a cello, people, but that ain’t the half of it. She’s strapped this bad boy to her chest like a mammoth guitar and she is bowing, strumming and plucking the heck out of it, backed up by an equally sublime cast of stringmasters and interestingly, turn-tablists (take note of Matt Glaser’s brilliant fiddle.)

And Mac is just as powerful lyrically. “Pale Reflection”s image of a widower missing his wife over a bubbly sink full of dishes combines with the naturally mournful cello to produce a most compelling and note-perfect tribute. The sizzling “Stumble” is laugh-out-loud brilliant. Delightful jazz piece “Last Resort” displays Mac’s formidable vocal powers. I’m tellin’ you, this woman does it all. She even rants well; see the sultry “Out of Me.” The title cut is a joyous riot of sound, full of vocal and instrumental acrobatics. The sleepy “Drifted” closes out the project intelligently and perfectly.

I can’t rave enough about this dazzling debut, one of the year’s best in every way, with every track a winner. I want to run into the streets and force strangers to stop what they’re doing and listen to this crazy genius girl with her strapped-on cello. Viva la revolution and all things Lindsay Mac.



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ALBUM REVIEW: ECTOPHILES GUIDE
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Type of music generally: Evocative/eclectic
General comments: Strikingly original and fascinating music.
Release info: Small Revolution; 2005—Red Cello Records—RCR001
Ecto priority: Highly recommended

Comments:
Cellist and vocalist Lindsay Mac makes a strong debut with this record. She mixes styles and even covers Bill Withers' "Use me" with grace. Her multi-talented approach works wonders. She resembles fellow cellist Jorane in her eclectic approach and Ani Difranco vocally at times. She goes country on one song, funk one and covers many other bases as well. It all holds together well and she can write a good lyric too.

The breakup song "Turn me away" speaks volumes without raising its voice. "Last Resort" takes in jazz and sounds perfectly relaxed but the words have real bite.

This is a fascinating and brilliant debut. (stjarnell@yahoo.com).




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ALBUM REVIEW: RAMBLES
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http://www.rambles.net/mac_smallrev05.html

Lindsay Mac,
Small Revolution
(Red Cello, 2005)

Lucy lives a mundane modern life, but she remembers her dreams of something better. Lindsay Mac tells her story in the opening track of Small Revolution -- and, I confess, I might have passed it by if it weren't for the gypsy-inflected cello that dips and soars through the music. Lindsay isn't just telling me about Lucy's dreams, she's showing them to me.

After such a good opening, there was no question of handing this disc off to another reviewer. It was a good decision, and Small Revolution remained in my car for several weeks of seasoning before I could bring myself to eject the disc and bring it in for review. I'm sorry for the delay, Lindsay, but I really had no say in the matter.

Lindsay is a dedicated singer-songwriter in a folk-pop vein and with various jazz and funk influences readily apparent. Her voice -- strong, sweet and cynical, and very expressive -- is not her only instrument, however; she adds spice to her arrangements with plucked and bowed cello, an unusual but decisive choice that makes her songs especially fresh. She is classically trained, but delightfully free of musical inhibitions.

With one exception, the songs here are originals, and Lindsay crafts stories and moods that are bo - Indie-Music.com, Ectophiles Guide, Rambles

*No. 2 in BEST OF 2008!!*
*Top 100 Unsigned Bands*

** HIGHEST RATED CD OF ISSUE**

Nov 2008:
Cello never sounded so cool as when played by this singer/songwriter/cellist, whose well-produced songs are both intelligent and fun. Mac's voice imparts a certain sexy mischief to tunes such as "Stop Thinking", "Faith", and "Barbies & Broncos", each of which is deftly arranged, never overproduced, and capture the singer's sassy and spirited persona. These are radio-ready recordings, the kind of material that populates mainstream playlists and would dove-tail nicely with tunes by Phair, Feist, and Bedingfield.


- Music Connection - Dec 2008

*****
"Stunning and goosebump inducing. Mac’s sound is simply beautiful."
- Show of the Month, Northeast Performer Magazine.

“I can’t rave enough about this dazzling debut, one of the year’s best in every way.”
- Indie-music.com

"Primal and arresting."
"Spunky!" - The Boston Globe

"Piercingly beautiful and truthful." "Mac’s voice is so sincere that it cuts through to your heart."
- Northeast Performer Magazine

*****

A sampling of MySpace posts:

"Your song made me cry right here at my desk."

"You give me hope that there is still good music to be made."

"Your voice gives me goosebumps."

"I am completely inspired by what you do. I want to be a viola rockstar and you give me hope. Wow. I’m so excited about this."

"OH MY GOSH!!...just wow really. I absolutely love it. It's beautiful and fresh and.....JUST WOW.”

*****

“Raucous, to ribald, to beautifully poignant….”
– San Diego Troubador

"I want to run into the streets and force strangers to stop what they’re doing and listen to this crazy genius girl with her strapped-on cello. Viva la revolution and all things Lindsay Mac."
- Indie-music.com

“Her compositions (are) conduits into the experiences we all share and Mac’s music quenched the thirst of the audience’s ears… She’s a spirit that will entertain the world for years to come, entrancing listeners all the while.”
- Music Connection Magazine

“Lindsay Mac has the talent to move alongside the titans in this section of the industry; with the commercialization of Liz Phair, there needs to be a strong and assertive voice for the oppressed in society to draw from. “Small Revolution” thus is right in its definition of itself; here’s hoping that Lindsay comes out with other albums of this same caliber...”
- NeuFutur and InterStitial Magazines

***** - Various

ARTIST INTERVIEW: LINDSAY MAC
March 26, 2008
If you're looking for music that accurately exhibits the human condition—-from serious contemplations of hope to impulsive
fantasies—-cellist and singer-songwriter Lindsay Mac will satisfy your want. What's more is she fashions her cello like a guitar,
strapped on her frame with no bow—just her fingers tugging and plucking notes. The awe-inspiring full-time musician steps away from her busy schedule to give WERS a glimpse and sound of her talents.
Mac rolls into her set with an acoustic
version of "Small Revolution," as her fingers dance all over the cello to an upbeat melody. Her oscillating vocals drift atop the studio like moving clouds to match her dreamland lyrics about Peter Pan (inspired by a trip on the Peter Pan bus, the song becomes something more).
Mac explains the reasoning behind these quirky lyrics, saying, "I like to bring as much of myself to the table as I can when I perform and that means being happy, angry, vulnerable, funny, sad...being everything that everyone is but they just don’t always show."
She moves onto a song called "Stop
Thinking" (from her new album to be
released this fall) which delivers a much more "progressive" tinge. When asked if "Stop Thinking" is a sound of hers to start getting used to, Mac says "I definitely think so. I want to think right now that less is more and I’m trying to deliver as much
meaning and as much everything—maybe having things be a little less busy...you’re just gonna hear what it sounds like for me to have been playing my instrument for so
much longer."
The performance takes a plunge into a soft enchanting "Seven Stones" with Mac's fingers flittering above the cello's strings. Mac says this song offers "hope when all the chips are down" and its lyrics harmonize with
this concept. Having heard a full variety of sound, style, and lyrics in just three songs, Mac has settled a warm place in the hearts of the
WERS listening community.

-Robby Gardner

- WERS 88.9FM BOSTON

MUSICO PRO MAGAZINE - NOVEMBER 2006
(English translation)

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THE CELLO REVOLUTION

In our constant aim to help the many independent artists out there, Musico Pro has developed a contest called Independent Star. We invite you to visit www.musicopro.com to navigate the contest page and to see what the participation requirements are.

This month’s discussion was offered by a very unique artist. Lindsay Mac is an example of ingenuity and perseverance that through the years has exposed her art of passion and conviction. After spending a life studying the cello, she decided that classical music wasn’t for her. In the true creative spirit, Lindsay found a very interesting alternative. She plays the cello like a guitar and sings.

Questions:

• What can you tell me about the creation of your debut album as an independent artist (where was it recorded, by who, how, when)?

“Small Revolution” was recorded over a period of 5 months and with a lot of generous and talented people who believed in the project. This last point is important because in the “real world” or rather, the non-independent world, the album would have cost 4 or 5 times what it actually did. That’s when you know people are really in it for the music. The guest artists have 2 Grammies and multiple amazing recording credits between the three of them and it was an honor to get to work with such incredible musicians as an independent artist.
The basics were recorded at a small studio in beautiful Western Massachusetts called Silvertone. We then went out to different locations to record the guests artists: Tim Ray’s piano work at his house; Eugene Friesen’s cello in his office, Matt Glaser’s violin and my vocal and bowed cello overdubs at various home studios and rooms in Boston. We did the string section sessions at Silvertone as well as the banjo, guitar and turntable overdubs as well as the mixing. Stephen Webber produced and Mark Wessel engineered.

• What formal music training do you have?

I grew up in the classical cello tradition and went to music schools, conservatories, and camps all based on playing classical music (San Francisco Conservatory, Royal College of Music (London), Interlochen Arts Camp, etc). I love classical music and always will but after dropping out of my second conservatory, I realized there was something missing for me there. For one, I really wanted to sing (and I had never seen a symphony cellist start singing in the middle of a concert…) and two, I really wanted to sing songs that had a modern-day consciousness. In other words, I wanted to make and play the music I was listening to as a young person: rock, folk, pop, jazz, funk, …all of it. At this point I was 20 and I had invested so much of my life and soul into the cello that I couldn’t bear the thought of just putting it down. So, after some time living in a cabin in the woods, I slowly started developing this new way to play the cello – a lot like how you would play a guitar except that the cello sounds so much more primal and thick. Plus, I couldn’t play a damn thing on the guitar so the cello seemed like a good choice. =)

• How about your vocal style (how did you develop your unique voice)?

I’ve never had any vocal training, which, in some ways, may have helped me. It took me a long time to learn how to “let go” with the cello because I had been formally trained in it for so long. That’s never been the case with my voice.

• How do you approach songwriting?

In general, it’s all storytelling. I know some people aren’t as interested in lyrics as they are in music that simply “grooves”, but to me, having both a meaningful and insightful story or idea AND a song that grooves is the ultimate test. To me, you need to get into people’s bodies in any way that you can. One, into their bones with a good beat and memorable melodies, and two, into their head and their heart with sincere poetry.

• What valuable lessons as an independent artist can you share with others in a similar situation?

It’s hard. But if you love it, it’s a lot less hard. I hear a lot of independent artists talking about how being independent is really freeing and that they do it so no one else can control their art. That’s true and that is great but we all still have to deal with the intersection of art and commerce. ‘How am I going to afford pressing more CDs?’, ‘How am I going to pay the rent?’. Perhaps the financial side of things affects independents even more so because little amounts of money mean so much more to us than to huge labels. It’s at once freeing and at once scary to realize that no one’s going to come knocking on your door to demand your next album. I guess what I would say to other independents is also what I would say to myself: The best thing any of us can do is to keep chasing the art and finding what moves us – that’s what will feed us at the end of the day both emotionally and financially. Di - Musico Pro Magazine

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LIVE REVIEW: THE UNREPENTANT FOLKIES (Pittsburgh, PA)
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Big Boss Man
Posts: 19
(6/26/05 12:53 pm)

Lindsay Mac - Pittsburgh - 6/24/05

This was a free, outdoor lunch-hour concert. The paper had her labeled as "folk", which they tend to do whenever somebody plays an acoustic instrument or plays with sparse accompanyment. If I had to label Lindsay Mac as anything, which I hate to do, I'd say she's kind of jazzy.

In any event, this was a pleasant surprise. She was selling her new CD, & I wish I had more than $8 on me at the time. I'll buy it on line, hugh betcha.

She played with a cello strapped to her like a guitar & played said cello like a guitar. I had never seen that before in my life. It couldn't have been fun out there in the 94 degree heat, with no shade, with a big cello attached to her, but it didn't seem to matter to her. She was accompanied by a percussionist.

This was a fantastic show. Lindsay Mac writes catchy songs & clever lyrics, sings well & with feeling, & the instrumental accompaniment is interesting & different to say the least. I hate to compare people, but some of her phrasing reminded me of Joni Mitchell or Rickie Lee Jones, cept I now like Lindsay Mac more than either of those two. She told the story of each song as an introduction & engaged the audience by "making eyes" & smiling & what almost seemed to be flirting. I'm sure the latter wasn't directed at me, despite sitting in the front row, as I'm a 47-year-old man whose hair is thinning & who needed my glasses to see her.

You can hear clips of her new CD at her site.



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LIVE REVIEW: NUVO (Indianapolis, IN)
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Indy's Weekly Alternative Newspaper Hightlighting Arts, Entertainment and Social Justice

PASSION AND PRECISION
by Paul F.P. Pogue | Jul 05th, 2006
Lindsay Mac with Brooke McKinney
Indy Hostel
Saturday, July 1

Make the rounds of the music scene long enough, and after a while you just want to hear something new. With this in mind, I can categorically state I have never before heard, and probably never will hear again, Bill Withers’ oft-covered “Use Me” played on a plucked cello as performed by Lindsay Mac at the Indy Hostel July 1.

Lindsay Mac herself displayed a highly developed sense of pacing, a willingness to play with the sound system for echoes and unearthly tones, the sheer chutzpah to throw in random yodeling and, oh yes, that
cello-played-as-guitar. She’s a classically trained cellist, and when she got into the whole singer-sonwriter thing, as she put it, she decided to go with what she knew. She creates a sound not quite like any other.

Think of the basic tinkling of a ukulele and then inject it full of really good steriods. The size gives it a naturally deep, rich echo that occasionally gives the illusion of being electric. On her slower work the cello takes on, of all things, the tenor of a Coda-era Jimmy Page.

Just in case you were wondering, it really is possible to rock the hell out on a guitar-cello.

Mac also shows a real talent for the musical and experimental side of songwriting. Not everyone has a feel for the ebb and flow of music, so when someone comes along with Mac’s innate understanding of pace, you take notice. She controls her songs with passion and precision, drawing out the emotional ride of the music with the storytelling of the lyrics.

More info: www.lindsaymac.com




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LIVE REVIEW: NAAM 2006 (Los Angeles, CA)
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“NAAM 2006 Oddities” website.

I was walking past the Fostex booth when I happened to see Lindsay Mac performing solo. She straps on a cello and then plays it like a guitar and let me tell you, she rocked. I bought her CD on the spot and I’m very impressed with the songwriting, the singing, the performances, and the production. Check it out.




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LIVE REVIEW: MUSIC CONNECTION MAGAZINE (Los Angeles, CA)
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Tangier
West Hollywood, CA

Lindsay Mac: An empowered folk singer with a radiant presence.

Web: www.lindsaymac.com
management@lindsaymac.com

The Players: Lindsay Mac, cello, vocals.

Material: Looking and sounding like she could be Ani diFranco’s little sister, Lindsay Mac is an empowered young female artist who tells stories onstage, while accompanying herself on cello. Her songs include personal experiences, such as people-watching on the morning train in Boston or musical anecdotes of friends she’s met traveling through the lonely wilderness of the Northwest.

Musicianship: Mac strums the cello like an acoustic guitar, creating a sound that is unique, almost jazz like, and sounds perfect with the literary vibe of her material. Her classical training is evident, but Mac is no music snob. Plucking and strumming chords with eyes closed and a radiant smile, Mac conveys - Various