EP Review: Lissie – Cryin’ To You
2 min read
Illinois raised singer-songwriter Lissie (real name Elisabeth Maurus) has released a 5-track EP of covers, offering her take on popular hits from artists including One Direction and Bob Dylan. The new EP Cryin’ To You becomes her fifth, joining several full-length collections in her catalogue.
Cryin’ To You is the first Independent release from Lissie and Co. but you wouldn’t know it due to the professionalism and smoothness of its production. After playing the collection through a few times, the only flaw or criticism I could muster is that it isn’t long enough! Cryin’ To You is a beautiful collection which sees Lissie provide a refreshing take on some recent and some not-so-recent hits.
Beginning with a cover of Judas Priest’s Electric Eye, Lissie makes a strong start to the EP, showing that she has a talent for making songs her own as opposed to simply re-recording them as carbon copies. The powerful Priest classic is followed by an elegant cover of Drake’s Hold On, We’re Going Home which is accompanied by a rock inspired instrumental backing, giving the song an interesting raw edge.
Next up is Lissie’s smooth and sultry version of Mother by Danzig which emphasises the stunning power and control of her voice as she weaves between high and low notes. This song embodies Lissie’s own description of the EP and the future direction of her and her band’s music, labelled as “raw and tough, yet still tender and vulnerable”.
Just when you think they couldn’t top the last song, Lissie and her band do just that in their touching rendition of One Direction’s ballad The Story of My Life and finish off the EP with Bob Dylan’s To Ramona. Only the brave dare to attempt covers of someone as iconic and influential as Bob Dylan, but as they say, “fortune favours the brave” and Lissie does a beautiful job.
Cryin’ To You is a breathtaking collection of covers, offering a unique and original twist on a handful of well-known hits. The song choice is appropriate and well suited by Lissie’s versatile smooth yet edgy voice as they flow effortlessly into each other. Lissie and her band have produced a wonderful EP which they should be proud of and which would not be out of place in any music fan’s collection.
