Leona Naess

WOW! Whatever side tracked this amazing singer and song writer in her pervious albums I am grateful is in the past. "Thirteens" is a masterpiece in every way. Hauntingly beautiful and catchy lyrics. A beautiful and fun album from beginning to end.

I have been a fan of Ms. Naess since I first saw her opening for Travis at the Showbox in Seattle (approx. four albums ago). Her newest offering Thirteens is quite good... though my favorite album is still probably "I Tried to Rock You...".

This is my favorite Leona Naess album, probably her best work so far. Very emotional and relaxing. While she isn't the most profound lyricist, her music is very enjoyable to listen to, and a relief from all the cookie cutter pop that has pervaded the music industry.

FYI, I bought the album at Barnes and Noble and their version has two bonus tracks: On My Toes and Hiccups. Nice songs, they fit very well with the theme of the album.

Five years to the day after her eponymous 2003 release, this English/American songwriter graced upon the world Thirteens, the culmination of the thirteen lo-fi albums she recorded since her last.

I bought this album, which was released September 16th, on the heels of two let-downs I'd bought the week prior, so I was hoping for something substantial. I was not disappointed: from the first track, I knew this girl was for real. I've been listening to a lot of female artists lately, and unfortunately too many of their sophomore efforts have been over-produced, unoriginal radio-pop crap.

Naess is anything but! What's so wonderful about her is (at least) threefold: 1. her variety; 2. her voice; and 3. her songwriting. Now, I should say that this is the only album of her four that I've heard yet; I do intend on getting the rest but I can't compare to her earlier releases--maybe that's a good thing? So. On this album, the variety is superb! The first track starts softly then moves gently, the second ends in a chorus of her screaming friends (a unique inclusion that turns off some, but lighten up people--it's fun, and that's the point), and the rest of the album is fairly chill, laid-back folk/pop--varying from fun and upbeat to soft and slow.

Acoustic guitar and/or piano provides a backing throughout, with bits of light percussion, mandolin, and strings. Fairly stripped-down, nothing is over-done. And that's for the best: at the end of "Learning As We Go" somewhat of a cacophany (for her) seems like just a bit too much going on. She and her beautiful voice (reminded me of early Feist only a little lower), which she manipulates ever so subtly to sound slightly different in each song, sounds purest with less going on. With the exception, perhaps, of the first track.

"Ghosts in the Attic," "Heavy Like Sunday," and "On My Mind" are my absolute favorite tracks. Having these songs in my head all day for a week made me think about how well they're written, and how Leona Naess has brought back the lost art form of analogy and metaphor. Seriously, I've had enough of the same old "ooh, I want you," "oh no, I lost you," and "I need you but am too proud to admit it," etc. etc. "singer-songwriter" repetitive blather. Naess (with the help of her bandmate/producer Sam Dixon on most) writes real, poetic songs, that, if you listen closely enough, might make you think. Being open to interpretation might make you enjoy it that much more if you're into that kind of thing.

In 2000-2001, Leona Naess came out of nowhere with 2 terrific albums, her debut "Comatized", followed by an even better "I Tried To Rock You But You Only Roll", which could've and should've been a commercial breakthrough, but alas, it remained simply a critical success. The self-titled "Leona Naess" followed in 2003, which was a bit of a let-down for me. Then after that, nothing.... until now, 5 years later, Leona finally has reappeared.

"Thirteens" (11 tracks; 40 min.) is somewhat of a departure from her previous output, in the sense that this clearly not an aimed at the masses (I guess 3 tries was enough), and instead we find a more inward Leona, bringing softer songs. The album opener "Ghost in the Attic" is a beautiful song, the type of song that I would typically expect as an album closer. It is followed by the most mainstream track on here "Leave Your Boyfriend Behind", the type of song that should get radio airplay (but for the crappy state of commercial radio). "Swing Swing Gently" is another highlight, with lines like "I can't tell you that I won't hurt you/But I promise that I'll try". "Heavy Like Sunday" is even better, as Leona sighs "Friend makes better lovers/Cuz they look you in the eye". In all there are no weak tracks on here, and at 40 min., this album clips by in no time.

What a welcome return this album marks for Leona Naess. I saw Leona on tour in 2001, when she seemed poised to break wig with the "I Tried to Rock You" album, and she was terrific that evening in Chicago. I can only hope that she'll take on the road again with this terrific album.

It's safe to say I don't much think about Leona Naess amongst the great female artists of her time, and that I don't much feel compelled to hear a great majority of her albums. Still, recently (this being October), I was sitting on a bus when "Calling," the first track off of her self-titled third album, came on my iPod. Something about the day - slightly cold, leaves changing everywhere - made the song seem perfect, Naess's delicate and tremulous pitch evoking a type of longing that was spare and intimate. Suddenly I needed to hear the whole album. It occurred to me, then, that Leona Naess is a seasonal album, a great soundtrack for fall and the colder months - its penultimate number is even "Christmas," the coldest track here. There's a lot of heartbreak to be had here - the devastating ballad "Star Signs," the "I'm so tired and down" of "Home" - but it's not simply an album defined by its sadness, it's a collection of songs as comfortable as they are chilly, more hopeful than bleak. It's not perfect - her lyrics often ramble clumsily in search of good rhyme schemes, some melodies (as in "Christmas") are more strained than elevating - but Naess does prove she has the voice and moxie to pull off a range of emotions in her songs. Its best (well, second best - I prefer the brutal emotion of "Star Signs" only by a little), then, is "Don't Use My Broken Heart," a song of autumnal nostalgia, heartbreak and wisdom overflowing in a melody of charm and warmth.

This album is definitely in my top 5. It's not the soft lull of her voice, the perfect instrumentation, or the simplicity of it all--it's all three. Leona is one of those versatile musicians who can try all sorts of sounds and make them all fit together just right. She will make you feel beautiful and sad and wonderful all at once. I'm constantly surprised that more people haven't heard of this lady, but sometimes I'm perfectly happy with not sharing. She continues to make lovely albums without being contaminated by the incessant pressure of what the music industry is made of today.

Leona Naess is an unbelievably talented, original singer/songwriter. Unlike some other reviews of the song, "Calling" is a near-perfect pop ballad, in the vein of Joni Mitchell or Carly Simon. No, her voice is not perfect, but whose voice is? However, her voice has such an achingly beautiful and plaintive quality, her songs are so charmingly and seductively candid, with an innocent and infectious enthusiasm. I was completely taken by this cd. "Dues to Pay" is a genuine masterpiece; the best folk/rock/pop song since ... well, since I don't know when, Joan Baez, perhaps. Best tracks: "Dues to Pay," "Yes, It's Called Desire," "He's Gone," "Star Signs," "Don't Use My Broken Heart." Leona Naess deserves more attention than she's gotten.

beautiful....reminds me of norah jones but with more tenderness and sensuality......lovely music to fall asleep to

this cd is pretty awful,you wonder why leona even got the chance to record a cd, one of the worst songs ever is Calling,, it sounds like taunting from elementary school kids on the playground, na na na na , na na na na, i agree with the reviewer who said she is a very weak edie brickell sounding singer.........

it's been a few years since Comatised came out. she's currently working on her 4th album, the samples from which are amazing. i'm kind of glad she hasn't really been discovered and exploited like so many good artists are these days. she's still putting out albums, earning the respect of real music fans and musicians alike, and doesn't need all that overexposure to be successful at what she does. she's amazing, and i love her.

I am 41 yrs of age ... and in my younger years i just loved Edie Brickell. I found this CD in a record store as a pre-owned CD (2nd Hand CD) so i bought it not really knowing what to expect .. and to be truthful i can't stop playing the bloody thing .. when i got to the 4th song - lonely boy i couldn't help asking myself who the hell does she sound like .. and then within a few seconds i thought my god this is Edie's daughter .. there are also traces of Deborah Harry in a couple of her songs as well .. but Edie Brickell shines through in a few songs .. i actually had to look on the inside cover to see if Edie was actually singing .. so convincing is Leona .. and that is a good thing. Then i read a bio of Leona and read the Edie is an influence of hers. But Lazy Days & Comatised are signature songs for Leona .. a great find .. she is hot .. she is fresh .. she is talent .. we will be hearing a lot more from Ms Naess i am sure ..

The only problem with Leona Naess is that she robs me of adjectives to use to describe her incredible music. To listen to some critics one would think that Leona is good now but used to be mediocre. This could not be further from the truth. "Comatised" is a stunning debut from an extraordinary talent. Why this cd wasn't as big or bigger than AM's "Jagged Little Pill" is inconceivable. "Charm Attack" and "Anything" are equally powerful tracks, there is something wonderful going on here. "Lonely Boy" blew me away, to the point I couldn't believe what I was hearing, it was so darned (stronger language warranted, wary of Amazon editors) good. More uneven than her most recent or "I Tried to Rock You," it goes without saying that this is a must have for Naess fans, and would be a good introduction to Leona's music for new listeners. If you think this one is good, I say to you, wait until you hear her others.

I've had this CD for a couple years after a friend recommended it to me, and I still love it as much as I did when I first bought it. It's very inspirational for me when I'm painting or writing, and the lyrics are just amazing. "Northern Star" is probably my favorite, though every song is good. A must have.

I started with Leona Naess's later, "more mature" works and worked backwards to this one, and as it turns out, this one is her best record. Her third, Leona Naess, was sweet enough, but what that one doesn't have that this one abounds in is a sense of fun, a playfulness about her lyrics and songs that gets bogged down on later releases. "Anything" is the most propulsive thing she's ever done, the single "Charm Attack" is exactly what the title says it is, and her ballads "Lazy Days," "Paper Thin," and "Northern Star" are beautifully sung. Naess isn't a terrific artist, she's not the best lyricist out there, and she's certainly not reinventing the wheel on this record, but there's a pop energy that's unmistakable to her, and Comatised is the best display of that.

Something about Leona Naess's music grabbed hold of me and won't let go. This was as good or better than her most recent effort; she makes it seem effortless to create such memorable music; breezy, ingenuous pop at its best. Especial favorites are "Hurricane," "All The Stars," "I Tried to Rock You," "Sunny Sunday," "Mayor of Your Town." An instant classic. Needless to say, wish I'd given this five stars instead of four. That happens to me a lot ...

Leona's performance on ''i tried to rock you but you only roll'' is quite good..I liked it and i will follow her new works..

Another female singer/songwriter in a field of thousands is better than 80% of what's out there but 20% of thousands is still a lot to compete with. Maybe being Diana Ross' stepdaughter will help her stand out from the pack...plus she's pretty cute.

After hearing Charm Attack just over a year ago, I managed to get hold of Leona Naess' first album in a second-hand store and was slightly disappointed. Whilst it had a few great cuts - Earthquake, Chase, Anything - it felt a bit rushed, but showed a lot of potential. On her second album, Naess has produced the kind of album that most female singer/songwriters can only dream of: heartfelt, intelligent, fragile vocals and catchy. Marking a vast change from Comatised in a lot of ways, this album applies a drum loop and electronic beats to a lot of songs, whilst also retreating to the softer love songs familiar to the first album.

Perhaps most important is the fact that there isn't one duff track on here. Each one is good in its own right, although Boys Like You (a clever hark back to The Cure's classic), the title track, All The Stars and Hurricane stand out. Of course, the question becomes why isn't Leona Naess more popular than she already is? An artist of this quality usually receives their fair share of hype, but Leona has received comparitively little. Whilst it's easy to compare her to other female chanteuses out there she's more upbeat and less poetic than Sarah McLachlan. And she's certainly a lot better than a great deal of the Lilith group following in Sarah's wake. For one, she's cleverer. She knows her relationships inside out and she isn't afraid to wear her heart on her sleeve but, unlike Alanis Morissette per say, she doesn't seem so jaded about love that she can't sing soft tracks that carry you along with her, such as Mexico or Serenade. If comparing Leona to anyone it would probably be as a cross between Amanda Ghost (who also employs dance beats) and Nerina Pallot (vocally they're very similar), which is a high compliment indeed.

In short, this is a brilliant album, and well worth buying even if you were disappointed by Comatised. From reviews of her third album though, Leona shouldn't need much help getting the hype she deserves sometime soon.

This is the second album from Leon Naess, and it shows some definite growth from the inconsistency of "Comatised". She has a smooth voice, and her upbeat pop songs and cool ballads are guaranteed to please. Unfortunately you probably won't recognize anything on here from the radio, which is a shame because several songs are quite worthy of attention. Although I hate drawing such connections, if I had to compare her sound to anyone, Leona most closely resembles the more upbeat works of Sheryl Crow or possibly at times even Emm Gryner.

The first four songs are definitely the strongest, with the upbeat "Mexico" kicking off the set. The drawling "Mayor of Your Town" and "All the Stars" follow it up beautifully, and the quartet is capped by the wistful title track. The best of the rest include the slower "Baby Eyed Blue" and "Hurricane". One of the real strengths of this album are the sensible and impassioned lyrics, and when put to Leona's voice they're truly a pleasure to listen to.

Given the development from her debut to "I Tried to Rock You", it's evident that Leona is a singer/songwriter very much on the rise. She is a promising young artist, and I hope that her popularity someday catches up with her talent. Three cheers, and I'm very much looking forward to her new album. (due out soon!)

This song is great!!!!!.....I heard it on a film and had to buy it. Hope the recording industry thinks as I do so we can enjoy more songs from Leona

Leona Naess is one of those people who totally stands out from the crowd - everything she does is ORIGINAL - even within the group of my all time favorite singers, such as Annie Lennox, Sinead O'Conner, Jewel, Alanis Morrisette, she is unique, and before long, I'm sure she'll take her place among them as an equal.

Leona Naess will be a future star if the rest of the songs from her debut album Comatised are anything close to Charm Attack. Naess is a singer songwriter in the mold of Liz Phair but more haunting. Charm Attack features smooth vocals over cool guitar riffs. Naess' voice is mesmerizing. The album features thirteen tracks. Highly recommended

Something about Leona Naess's music grabbed hold of me and won't let go. This was as good or better than her most recent effort; she makes it seem effortless to create such memorable music; breezy, ingenuous pop at its best. Especial favorites are "Hurricane," "All The Stars," "I Tried to Rock You," "Sunny Sunday," "Mayor of Your Town." An instant classic. Needless to say, wish I'd given this five stars instead of four. That happens to me a lot ...

Leona's performance on ''i tried to rock you but you only roll'' is quite good..I liked it and i will follow her new works..

Another female singer/songwriter in a field of thousands is better than 80% of what's out there but 20% of thousands is still a lot to compete with. Maybe being Diana Ross' stepdaughter will help her stand out from the pack...plus she's pretty cute.

After hearing Charm Attack just over a year ago, I managed to get hold of Leona Naess' first album in a second-hand store and was slightly disappointed. Whilst it had a few great cuts - Earthquake, Chase, Anything - it felt a bit rushed, but showed a lot of potential. On her second album, Naess has produced the kind of album that most female singer/songwriters can only dream of: heartfelt, intelligent, fragile vocals and catchy. Marking a vast change from Comatised in a lot of ways, this album applies a drum loop and electronic beats to a lot of songs, whilst also retreating to the softer love songs familiar to the first album.

Perhaps most important is the fact that there isn't one duff track on here. Each one is good in its own right, although Boys Like You (a clever hark back to The Cure's classic), the title track, All The Stars and Hurricane stand out. Of course, the question becomes why isn't Leona Naess more popular than she already is? An artist of this quality usually receives their fair share of hype, but Leona has received comparitively little. Whilst it's easy to compare her to other female chanteuses out there she's more upbeat and less poetic than Sarah McLachlan. And she's certainly a lot better than a great deal of the Lilith group following in Sarah's wake. For one, she's cleverer. She knows her relationships inside out and she isn't afraid to wear her heart on her sleeve but, unlike Alanis Morissette per say, she doesn't seem so jaded about love that she can't sing soft tracks that carry you along with her, such as Mexico or Serenade. If comparing Leona to anyone it would probably be as a cross between Amanda Ghost (who also employs dance beats) and Nerina Pallot (vocally they're very similar), which is a high compliment indeed.

In short, this is a brilliant album, and well worth buying even if you were disappointed by Comatised. From reviews of her third album though, Leona shouldn't need much help getting the hype she deserves sometime soon.

This is the second album from Leon Naess, and it shows some definite growth from the inconsistency of "Comatised". She has a smooth voice, and her upbeat pop songs and cool ballads are guaranteed to please. Unfortunately you probably won't recognize anything on here from the radio, which is a shame because several songs are quite worthy of attention. Although I hate drawing such connections, if I had to compare her sound to anyone, Leona most closely resembles the more upbeat works of Sheryl Crow or possibly at times even Emm Gryner.

The first four songs are definitely the strongest, with the upbeat "Mexico" kicking off the set. The drawling "Mayor of Your Town" and "All the Stars" follow it up beautifully, and the quartet is capped by the wistful title track. The best of the rest include the slower "Baby Eyed Blue" and "Hurricane". One of the real strengths of this album are the sensible and impassioned lyrics, and when put to Leona's voice they're truly a pleasure to listen to.

Given the development from her debut to "I Tried to Rock You", it's evident that Leona is a singer/songwriter very much on the rise. She is a promising young artist, and I hope that her popularity someday catches up with her talent. Three cheers, and I'm very much looking forward to her new album. (due out soon!)

it's been a few years since Comatised came out. she's currently working on her 4th album, the samples from which are amazing. i'm kind of glad she hasn't really been discovered and exploited like so many good artists are these days. she's still putting out albums, earning the respect of real music fans and musicians alike, and doesn't need all that overexposure to be successful at what she does. she's amazing, and i love her.

I am 41 yrs of age ... and in my younger years i just loved Edie Brickell. I found this CD in a record store as a pre-owned CD (2nd Hand CD) so i bought it not really knowing what to expect .. and to be truthful i can't stop playing the bloody thing .. when i got to the 4th song - lonely boy i couldn't help asking myself who the hell does she sound like .. and then within a few seconds i thought my god this is Edie's daughter .. there are also traces of Deborah Harry in a couple of her songs as well .. but Edie Brickell shines through in a few songs .. i actually had to look on the inside cover to see if Edie was actually singing .. so convincing is Leona .. and that is a good thing. Then i read a bio of Leona and read the Edie is an influence of hers. But Lazy Days & Comatised are signature songs for Leona .. a great find .. she is hot .. she is fresh .. she is talent .. we will be hearing a lot more from Ms Naess i am sure ..

The only problem with Leona Naess is that she robs me of adjectives to use to describe her incredible music. To listen to some critics one would think that Leona is good now but used to be mediocre. This could not be further from the truth. "Comatised" is a stunning debut from an extraordinary talent. Why this cd wasn't as big or bigger than AM's "Jagged Little Pill" is inconceivable. "Charm Attack" and "Anything" are equally powerful tracks, there is something wonderful going on here. "Lonely Boy" blew me away, to the point I couldn't believe what I was hearing, it was so darned (stronger language warranted, wary of Amazon editors) good. More uneven than her most recent or "I Tried to Rock You," it goes without saying that this is a must have for Naess fans, and would be a good introduction to Leona's music for new listeners. If you think this one is good, I say to you, wait until you hear her others.

I've had this CD for a couple years after a friend recommended it to me, and I still love it as much as I did when I first bought it. It's very inspirational for me when I'm painting or writing, and the lyrics are just amazing. "Northern Star" is probably my favorite, though every song is good. A must have.

I started with Leona Naess's later, "more mature" works and worked backwards to this one, and as it turns out, this one is her best record. Her third, Leona Naess, was sweet enough, but what that one doesn't have that this one abounds in is a sense of fun, a playfulness about her lyrics and songs that gets bogged down on later releases. "Anything" is the most propulsive thing she's ever done, the single "Charm Attack" is exactly what the title says it is, and her ballads "Lazy Days," "Paper Thin," and "Northern Star" are beautifully sung. Naess isn't a terrific artist, she's not the best lyricist out there, and she's certainly not reinventing the wheel on this record, but there's a pop energy that's unmistakable to her, and Comatised is the best display of that.