Megan Burtt

The guitar/keyboard-playing Megan Burtt is wounded enough to be skeptical, but too resolute to descent into cynicism.
Burtt's music is dark pop with a heavy country tinge and rhythmically charged underlayer. By the time she makes it through the secord and thrid cuts, it's clear that good stuff is to follow. By the fourth cut, "Habit", it's clear she's also capable of challenging herself. "It Ain't Love", with a solo from guitarist Adam Tressler, is almost country, but it's sound and feel are natural.
All of the songs here are constructed from elements that are blended together, no tacked on. Berklee degree or not, you can't hit the mark as squarely and as consistently as Burtt does without having the right stuff. - Vintage Guitar Magazine

Combining sass with soul, Megan’s lyrics conjure up a country store filled with funk. Classically trained, folk tested, and mother approved, she connects with her audience on such a personal level, you feel lucky to be listening. Her lyrics such as “Draw me a bath and fill it with romance”...create an imagery of warmth and tenderness. Being in her audience is sorta like a being in cabin with good friends, sitting by the fireplace telling stories. With blazing red hair and the attitude to match she’s reminiscent of 24 year old Bonnie Raitt. Megan Burtt is a true gift to songwriting and folk music.

Nathan Scott, Host, Live at Lunch, KRFC-FM, 88.9 Fort Collins, Colorado - Nathan Scott, KRFC Ft. Collins. CO

I’m definitely a fan of local talent, and always appreciate the opportunity to check out new material. But to be honest, now that pretty much everyone and their uncle can make a record, I usually start out not expecting too much. Even among the stuff that isn’t “bad”, there’s so much to compete with that it all sort of blends into a sea of “okay” material, and it takes a little more oomph to rise above the noise.

So when Denver roots-rock singer Megan Burtt’s new release It Ain’t Love showed up in my mailbox, I put the CD in the car stereo (yes, I’m still early ’90s that way) and drove around, running my errands, half-listening and half-thinking about my errands, to see if anything would arrest my attention.

I got out of the car and went into the store…and I noticed the song I’d been was listening to was still playing in my head. Good sign.

I kept listening. While style-wise there wasn’t much I hadn’t heard before, still these moments of promise kept happening–a powerful lyric, a captivating vocal, an interesting guitar riff. I’d put the CD back on and listen some more. And some more. It wasn’t a lightning-bolt-from-heaven kind of thing; it was more like a slow burn that grew on me…enough to keep me listening, drawing me in. I kept finding these treasure-moments, and I’d go back and listen to those moments again. Yeah, she’s got it, I thought. There’s definitely something there.

It really is a solid recording, well-engineered, musically consistent, good arrangements of the tunes–and it doesn’t sound like it was recorded in someone’s closet. Burtt shows a lot of range, both as a vocalist and a songwriter. Dealing mainly with the darker aspects of love and relationships, the album has a bit of a brooding tone, sometimes angry, sometimes reflective, sometimes cyncial. It plays like a coming-to-grips record, an honest processing of disappointment and pain.

For me, personally, the second half of the record is stronger than the first. The early cuts aren’t turn-offs or anything…just not as much there to hook you, just enough to maybe keep you listening. It’s like the record really starts taking off around the fourth song; and from that point on, you start seeing a lot more of what Megan Burtt is capable of. Surprisingly, the standout moment of the record for me is the middle ballad, “Moves.” Sparse arrangements, passionate-yet-controlled vocals, and a memorable lyric come together and create this sort of magical moment. If all the tracks captured this combination of artistry and passion, the record could easily be a Grammy contender. More, please.

All told, I think It Ain’t Love is a strong showing for a singer-songwriter with lots of promise. Take a listen for yourself, go buy the record, and sit with it awhile, like I did. It will make you a fan. It will be exciting to watch and see what Megan Burtt does next. - Oomph Music Blog

If first impressions matter--and they do--Denver singer/songwriter Megan Burtt's first full-length CD It Ain't Love makes a good one.

Sporting a consistent roots-rock vibe (with a bit of Bonnie Raitt thrown in), singable hooks, spot-on vocals and thoughtful songwriting from Burtt, this record shows a suprising amount of depth for a full-length debut. As the title suggests, the songs explore the darker side of love and relationships; Burtt is at different times reflective, cynical, mournful and caustic, almost as though processing grief over love gone bad. Among the more memorable tracks are "Too Damn Hard," "Moves" and the title track, "It Ain't Love."

Perhaps the only weakness in the record is that Burtt really puts her best foot forward later in the tracklist rather than earlier. While the first few songs are okay, they also suggest that perhaps this record could get lost in a sea of other "okay" independent releases. But let the CD keep spinning toward the middle tracks; that's where Burtt's talent and range really begin to shine.

All told, It Ain't Love is a strong first outing from a singer/songwriter who shows a lot of promise. There are some powerful moments on this record that at the very least let us know that Megan Burtt has the goods as an artist, and is one to watch. - Examiner.com

Perhaps the new CD "It Ain't Love" doesn't put Megan Burtt in the same league as Sheryl Crow -- but for a rookie, she's pretty darn close.

Burtt's folk/blues/roots/rock style has the easy, flowing, engaging style -- thanks in large part to her delicate yet enduing vocals -- that reaches out and snares listeners. But Burtt found it daunting to choose a studio that would bring out the best she could offer -- vocally and spiritually -- while recording her album.

"I'm all about preserving the moment," Burtt said from a stop on her tour. "When [co-producer Eddie Jackson] found this studio, I went with my gut and stopped looking. It was a former church that had been converted into a live-in studio, and we all literally hunkered down and got it done."

A graduate of Berklee College of Music, the Denver-based Burtt has found airplay and recognition regionally but decided the Belfrey Recording Studio in LaFayette, N.Y., had the vibe she and her band -- The Cure For Love --- needed to best present their best music.

The 12-song CD is full of up-tempo, soulful, almost pleading songs about love and finding yourself.

One of the many standout tracks is "The Other Side of Lonely," all about a woman who finds herself in love with someone who is no longer in love with her. "I wanna break free/wanna find a place that's not in love with misery/somewhere in between/I want to find me."

"Too Damn Hard" and "Pay It Now" are more vignettes about heartbreak. The lyrics are compelling, and Burtt, who co-wrote the first, and co-wrote the second with Ashen Keilyn -- knows just how to breathe passion into the tunes so they take on very deep, personal meanings shared by the singer and the listener.

"I think my style is directly influenced by the people I listened to [growing up], like Bonnie Raitt," Burtt said. "I'm really proud of the project; all the stars lined up and fell into place. It was amazing."

It's a good bet it's just the beginning.


- Nancy Dunham, Washington Examiner

The first full-length release from Denver, Colorado's Megan Burtt (and the follow up to her two previous EPs). It Ain't Love is a beautiful and inspired collection of tunes from a young lady who is most certainly on her way straight up in terms of artistic and commercial success. Rarely do artists succeed on both levels...but Burtt most certainly does. This album has a huge, big, slick sound and yet...the songs never come off sounding pretentious and contrived. These compositions feature great melodies, heartfelt lyrics, arrangements that are always spot on and, of course, Megan's super resonant voice. If this l'il sucker isn't hugely popular within six months then there's something terribly, terribly wrong in the world of music. Killer tracks include "Pay It Now," "Over Me," "Other Side of Lonely," and "One Wing." TOP PICK. - lmnop.com

There's not much appealing about the plain-Jane cover art that adorns Megan Burtt's debut, which might prompt less-discerning listeners to pass this one up — and how wrong that would be. Over the course of a dozen tracks, Burtt shows off a stellar voice that splits the difference between Linda Ronstadt and Paula Cole, with the occasional, chill-inducing inflections of Sarah McLachlan. Eschewing the well-worn, straightforward acoustic singer-songwriter template of countless artists, Burtt creates songs perfectly in line with what you'd expect to hear between Ingrid Michaelson and Norah Jones over the speakers at the local coffee shop. Her expressive vocals, robust and delicate in equal measure, elevate the pleasing if not completely memorable set of tunes here and make a compelling case for not judging this book by its cover. - Dave Herrera, The Westword, Denver