Robyn Landis

"For those of us who've been already been enjoying Short and Sweet at festivals and concerts, here's what we've been waiting for: a beautiful collection of their original songs. The studio work is excellent, and at the same time, it sounds just like their live performances: their shiny-smooth vocal blend, emotional impact, and really cool instrumental arrangements. The songs cover a big range of feeling, from the inward and personal to the intense and outspoken political. Some songs are quite contemporary, and a few--like "Calico Creek"--sound like they could've been written one hundred years ago. What a treat it is to finally have them on CD." - songwriter, producer, composer, and acclaimed recording artist

...Smooth vocals, like an earthy Laurie Lewis...right-on bass from the fabulous Cary Black, lively fiddle from Paul Elliot and more...a relax-in-your-chair big ol’ dose of straight-ahead folk...

Landis has won a lot of songwriting awards, and it’s easy to see why. She’s great at taking a moment in time and using it to convey an emotion so strong that everyone listening will nod their heads, remembering a time in their own lives when they felt the same. Her promo material says she’s been compared to Dar Williams, but I don’t see that in her writing. Dar’s writing is more philosophical, and while there’s a hint of that in Robyn’s work, her writing is more descriptive, like a good short story...

...The standout cut is “While Trees Fall,” a statement about our planet and what we’re doing to it. She implores:

They want to get into heaven through the eye of a needle
Let me in before the ones in suits can even try
Can I be an angel so I can ask some questions
before I let ‘em by ...
Amen, sister, amen. - Indie-Music.com

Picture this: the wind blows a whirling dust devil across the broad open plain as the young woman stands outside of the rustic cabin and gazes with weary, strained eyes far into the empty distance. The first spare verse of Jamison Brown, co-written with David Zink, paints a clearly defined opening scene in just ten carefully selected words. This is an admirable skill for a song writer to possess and Robyn Landis seems to do it so well through out her new CD titled Many Moons, whether it be in her co-writing or solo compositions.

Ms. Landis' smooth vocals caress the sensitive poetry and bittersweet sorrow of an inevitable good-bye in her version of Dry Rain, Calm Wind, one of two songs on this release written along with Larry Murante. The studio work of every musician featured is exquisite and delicately delivered with just enough holdback and control to keep the listener hanging on each delicious note, anticipating the next. We've all walked away from one of these relationships, and she nails it beautifully with her tender sweet voice.

Hey Dog has distinctive country flair to it with all the necessary prescribed elements to make a proper country song (y'all) with subtle, strategic image placement. If it's possible to write at the cellular level, Robyn Landis does just that with Leave You Behind. With each literary illustration, the landscape blurs by around another winding curve and bump in the road; another set of headlights grow then disappear in a flash, and yet a ghostly image remains. Ah yes, she can put you behind the wheel with her cohesive words and melody.

Landis has been turning heads at many songwriters' contests and festivals and as a result has chocked up her share of nominations and awards. Listening to the content and production quality of Many Moons, there is no doubt as to why. Beautiful metaphors woven intricately into Lowlands tell many stories and leave behind even more questions of the path a man chooses and opportunities missed. Landis has a way of articulating so many of life's experiences along with a certain sense of community from a poet's perspective. Each word is carefully selected and remains fluid and sculpted. She Don't Have Your Eyes is a perfect example of that; a story that is here and now while at the same time traveling far into the unknown future.

Many Moons is a brightly polished piece of work that will capture and carry you gently along on an intricate narrative adventure; an exceptional release.

- Nancy Vivolo for Victory Review - Victory Music

When reviewing Larry Murante's marvelous Point of Entry (here), I mentioned Robyn Landis' collaboration with him on a couple of songs. Well, he's here as well, singing and playing guitar, and I can, after hearing Many Moons, very easily see why he chose her to work with...and vice versa.

Landis sings with a high, clear, laconically sweet voice informing the listener of the bittersweet nature of her work well before the lyrics are digested and pondered. I'm constantly reminded of a high plains vibe when listening to her material, all of it uncomplicated but beautifully melodic, the kind of easy tempos and sonorities one can fall readily into, happy to lay back and gently reminisce on the universality of living the human life.

Landis' guitar work is as gauzily soporific as her singing, spiced with great harmonica interludes by Mark Graham, here not as a blues instrument but instead harkening back to the days of Twain and his white picket fences, dirt roads, and rural sentiments. Likewise, Cary Black is the constant bassist, and he oscillates between pointillistic expression and gentle rhythmic undercurrents, often supplying the entire rhythm section (only 3 cuts carry percussion) and a large part of the deceptively wide baseline. Half the tracks further incorporate Jami Sieber's cello work in lazy skyblown complements to Landis' earthier presence.

Every cut here is a keeper, and Landis obviously either lavished a good deal of time on the arrangements or has a natural gift for it, probably both. Like David Wilcox, her work is rich with sympathy for human frailty and the thousand and one disappointments the flesh is heir to. Guitars and voices dominate the release but not roughly at all. In fact, the layering is so quietly hypnotic that you hardly notice anything but the tapestry of laving tones drifting whisperingly in the ear. Even given the longing and mysteries pervading every minute of the dozen cuts (housed in gorgeous tri-fold packaging with full credits, notes, and lyric booklet), this is a very refreshing CD and stays so each time it's broached. Hard to believe it's her debut solo release, but that's indeed the case—of course, the fact that she has a list of awards and recognitions as long as your arm explains a lot of that.

Robyn Landis, I'm quite sure, waited until her art was fully matured and, man, does it ever show.

Folk & Acoustic Music Exchange
Mark S. Tucker
Copyright 2009, Peterborough Folk Music Society.
This review may be reprinted with prior permission and attribution.
- Folk & Acoustic Music Exchange

Short & Sweet, an acoustic folk duo comprised of Steve Amsden and Robyn Landis, brings an earthy, intelligent and deeply expressive message to their songs. Individually they both have been singing, playing guitar and writing for over 30 years and have been recognized in numerous, prestigious folk songwriting contests. Their song "While Trees Fall" immediately transports you back to the time when folk songs and the stories that fueled them were the mainstream norm and kept groves of people packed in coffeehouses in complete silence listening to every word in the story, so as to not miss any profound insights or endearing thoughts. I often wish the people would create some sort of folk revival on a big scale--and if they did, you would hear Short & Sweet in the frontlines of it.

The opening line of "While Trees Fall"-- "How we treat the least of us reveals the beast in us"-- Hello? It hits you over the head and sends your brain swirling and waiting on the next lyric. It gives you chills. "While Trees Fall" is a song about how we treat our people and our world, and it is also a song that delivers a message of hope and ultimately of justice for those in power who carelessly destroy. It's a philosophical attack on corporate America and its use of media manipulation, lies, and pursuit of financial gain at all costs that leave the trees (that would be you and me and the planet) in the wilderness stripped bare, withered and ready to fall to the barren wasteland. I personally like the strong message in the song and their belief that things can change. - Alpha Music Group, www.alphamusicgroup.com

Island life is much different than life on the mainland. Things are slower and more peaceful. The wandering explorer finds many more empty barns and overgrown cottages to explore. Being surrounded by water forces the visitor to realize that any appointments on the mainland are going to have to wait for the ferry. People often are different. This is the kind of atmosphere that is evoked when listening to Short and Sweet, a folk band from Vashon Island in Washington State.

Composed of two musicians, Robyn Landis and Steve Amsden, Short and Sweet have been around for several years and this is their first official release. Amsden, already an accomplished multi-instrumentalist, teamed up with Landis in 2001 under the moniker Short and Sweet. Landis, when not playing music, is also an established author. Within the last year she has participated and competed in a variety of songwriting competitions and won first prize at the William Robert Abate Songwriting Competition for her song "While Trees Fall." Love and Other Words is the logical extension of both musicians' talent.

Beginning with "Winter Blues," Landis and Amsden evoke the image of a cold bleak landscape that extends into the dark where the sun refuses to shine. "In Your Arms" gives us Amsden at the vocal wheels sounding a bit like a tenor Johnny Cash and reminding me of some of the better 70s folk artists. "While Trees Fall" is Landis' political ecological statement that comes off ten times better than some of the current attempts. Subtle and indicting lyrics, like "They never touch the earth or they might feel its pain. If they could calculate its worth they'd sell the rain," give us a picture of an epic villain that we find out we live around constantly. "Say Goodbye" is a lullaby wrapped in the biting words of the one leaving in the dark while the other is sleeping. "When you do catch on I could be long gone. Say goodbye."

James Taylor or lesser known guitarist Bob Bennett would be proud of the musicianship on "Cutthroat," which, along with "That Was Then," blends the delicacy of the vocals with the restrained anger in a way that is believable but stunning.

Lighter moments on Love and Other Words are abundant. "When I Get There" is as much a traveling song as it is one of coming of age. "I'll be there first in my dreams. I won't be home until I know where these roads all lead, but I'll be there when I get there." The gentle "Calico Creek" tells the story of two lovers who met, fell in love and grew together beneath a willow tree next to Calico Creek. The unashamed love songs "I'm In Love" and "Kiss/Met" are sappy, yes, but as much as they are sappy, they represent the songs that we all wish to write to our better/other half. Putting words to all of those emotions when in love is hard enough, but trying not to sound "movie-quotish"? Near to impossible. Somehow Landis and Amsden have done it and done it well (all the while retaining the silly things we say when in love).

Love and Other Words is not a first effort for Landis and Amsden. To fans, it is an overdue tribute to their engaging stage performance. To outsiders, it is the sound of a polished folk band that could and should make it big. There is a huge market out there for bluegrass and folk right now, and with the right push, Short and Sweet could gain a greater audience. - CDReviews.com

"While Trees Fall is very straightforward and takes a shot at leaders who are aiming for heaven, but might not get there if this songwriter beats them there first. Robyn Landis is able to inject a little humor to a very serious subject: ‘They never take my calls / They haven't got the balls / They just have lies is all / while trees fall and fall and fall.’ Finally, a song that says what it means, performed by a singer who appears to mean what she says.” —Peacedriven Songwriting Competition - ----------

• Honorable Mention, 2006 River Bluff Music Festival Songwriting, August 2006 Competition
("While Trees Fall")

• FIRST PLACE WINNER, 2006 Woody Guthrie Songwriting Competition, July 2006
("Glad to Hear The Rain")

• Honorable Mention, 2006 Woody Guthrie Songwriting Competition, July 2006
("I'm In Love")

• SECOND PLACE WINNER, 2006 Unisong International Songwriting Competition, July 2006
("While Trees Fall")

• Top 20 WINNER, 2006 Unisong International Songwriting Competition, July 2006
("While Trees Fall"--Social Political Category)

• Top 20 WINNER, 2006 Unisong International Songwriting Competition, July 2006
("State of Grace"--Lyrics Category)

• Honorable Mention, 2006 Unisong International Songwriting Competition, July 2006
("Say Goodbye"--Acoustic Folk Category)

• Honorable Mention, 2006 Unisong International Songwriting Competition, July 2006
("Comes A Flood"--Americana Category)

• Alternate Finalist, 2006 Solarfest Songwriter's Showcase, July 2006

• Finalist, 2006 KRCL/Founder's Title Folk & Bluegrass Festival Performing Songwriter Showcase, July 2006
("When I Get There" and "Holiday Mountain")

• Honorable Mention, 2006 West Coast Songwriters International Song Contest, July 2006
("Say Goodbye")

• Finalist, Tucson Folk Festival Songwriting Contest, May 2006
("Holiday Mountain" and "I'm In Love")

• Semifinalist, Peacedriven Songwriting Competition, April 2006
("While Trees Fall")

• Honorable Mention, Peacedriven Songwriting Competition, April 2006
("Cutthroat")

• Finalist, Susquehanna Folk Music Society Songwriting Contest, March 2006 ("Comes A Flood")

• Semifinalist, International Songwriting Competition, January 2006
("While Trees Fall")

• Honorable Mention, 2005 Billboard Songwriting Competition
("Closing Time")

• Honorable Mention, 2005 Billboard Songwriting Competition
("Say Goodbye")

• Honorable Mention, 2005 Billboard Songwriting Competition
("When I Get There")

• Winner, Acoustic Category, William Robert Abate Song Competition, September 2005
("While Trees Fall")

• Finalist, Tumbleweed Music Festival Songwriting Contest, September 2005
("When I Get There")

• Honorable Mention, Woody Guthrie Songwriting Competition, July 2005
("Winter Blues")

• Semifinalist, UK Songwriting Competition, July 2005
("Say Goodbye")

• Finalist, Solarfest Songwriter's Showcase, July 2005
("When I Get There" and "While Trees Fall")

• Honorable Mention, Songprize International Songwriting Competition, June 2005
("Say Goodbye")

• Finalist, Tucson Folk Festival Songwriting Contest, April 2005
("Winter Blues" and "Say Goodbye")

• Finalist, Suwannee Springfest Songwriting Contest, March 2005
("While Trees Fall") - and CONTESTS