Canadian born singer/songwriter Serena Ryder has been performing since the age of thirteen. Serena is already a major star in her native Canada. Her major label debut, If Your Memory Serves You Well, a set of twelve covers and three original songs was released in Canada in late 2006 and hit store shelves in the United States soon after.
Hot on the heels of her first major success, Ryder has released a five song acoustic EP, Told You in a Whispered Song produced by David Bendeth on Atlantic Records. Listening to the tracks evokes thoughts of artists such as Melissa Etheridge and Joni Mitchell. Ryder’s voice quakes with a sense of urgency, while her lyrics are deep, honest and down to earth. Serena sings with an intense soulfulness that is neither over the undercooked or overwrought. Listening to Told You in a Whispered Song feels as though we are hearing an artist trying to carve out her own personal sound rather than trying to follow a preset formula.
The EP’s title track, “Told You in a Whispered Song” is a tune about lying and deceit. “Hiding Place” is about taking a chance on love. If your radio didn’t work/and your friends all ran away/would you let yourself fall in love /if only for one day? “Brand New Love” features a softer acoustic accompaniment that blends well with Ryder’s soft delivery. The standout track is “Weak in the Knees,” with its easy sing-along chorus and alt-country sound. I’m weak in the knees for you, /but I’ll stand if you want me to. /My legs are strong and I’ll move on, /but honey I’m weak, in the knees. “Blown Like the Wind at Night” finds Ryder with a strong inflection to her voice as she sings about political issues and concern for the future.
Serena Ryder has a three octave range, which gives her voice a very unique sound as it melds in with the guitar on all of the songs presented on Told You in a Whispered Song. The EP undoubtedly is a great primer to her first full length album for Atlantic which is expected to be out sometime in early 2008. Ryder says of her upcoming album: “It’s going to be pretty stripped down; I’m really into having a very direct, really organic sound.”
Serena is currently touring America with artists such as Chris Issak and Xavier Rudd. Ryder is an extremely talented singer/songwriter/guitarist. My hunch is that Told You in a Whispered Song only scratches the surface of what she can do, but it is well worth a listen.
Performance of “Weak in the Knees”
