Christene LeDoux: PRESS

As heard on BBC throughout England, Scotland & Ireland including Bob Harris' BBC Radio 2....

Radio play throughout Europe & Australia

"dust 'n' branches ... songs from a wanderer" is a CDBABY.COM Editors Pick!

What a truly beguiling voice. I put on Dust ‘N’ Branches... Songs From A Wanderer when I got home from work yesterday and didn’t realise I was swooning until I fell right over on to my face. I was still captivated, though. “Ouch...” I muttered distractedly...she could melt the walls of the strongest fortifications with the warmth of that voice. In all honesty, I can’t even point you towards an album highlight because the minute you put this on, its quiet, delicate, enveloping surfaces engender a complete mood that you won’t want to interrupt until the album is finished.

If the toast catches fire behind you, you’ll stoically let the house crumble into ashes around you before you even consider pressing ‘eject’."

"...beautiful...a feel of Nanci Griffith."

"Excellent follow up to Christene's 'Little Lighthouse' album. Produced by Mark Hallman (Eliza Gilkyson, Gretchen Peters, Shawn Colvin), this new disc is a great collection of songs that will bring Christene to a much hight profile in the UK...

...A prolific touring artist, it’s obvious these songs have been fine-tuned and honed in front of many audiences; the eleven songs are well constructed, melody led pieces that flow and sit together perfectly, and from the simple acoustic arrangement of ‘Tumbleweed’ through to the fuller band track ‘Whiskey Night’, the collection feels rounded and well considered.
Christene is a strong lyricist, and from the reflective ‘For My Roses’ through to the direct and clear message of ‘Dear Mr President’ (which also sees Eliza Gilkyson helping out), she paints vivid pictures in her songs, throughout the disc she’s both thoughtful and direct and often gives the listener much to consider.
An independent storyteller in the true sense of the word, her songs are glimpses into the sights, sounds and stories of her own experiences and the lives of the people populating her tales.
The experience of an established producer has given a new edge to the songs and the quality of the instrumentation and production means that this disc deserves to find a wide audience across both Europe and the US."

"The effervescent Christene LeDoux is an American with plenty of audience participation in mind. Hers are songs of personal experiences; a road trip through her life with warm descriptive narratives set over extended song introductions. LeDoux is from the East Coast of America but is certainly well travelled, telling us of her journey across the U.S. and Europe. She asks for permission before using the F-word, which almost contradicts the crystal clear complexion of her vocals which when combined with the sparkling guitar work all serve to captivate. Some of Christene's storyboards are well over ten minutes long, but it’s time well spent as she shifts straight into sweet protest lullabies that close the story. An intant favourite carries the line “I Am Tumbleweed” - it's a pin-drop moment.

As LeDoux takes us on this journey, the crowd are asked to provide a chorus and beats, along with, quite oddly, an open forum on recommended alcoholic cold remedies. She pays homage to the seminal American roots folk musician Utah Phillips who died just a few weeks ago, who she cites as a major influence on her music. LeDoux closes on a protest song about Bush and the “War” , even placing a careful distinction between supporting the soldiers whilst still ably questioning the moral code of why they are there in the first place.

Entertaining, warm and as a sublime bonus, talented too."

"She played songs from her new album, produced by Mark Hallman, "Dust 'n' Branches, Songs From A Wanderer" and also from 2003's "Little Lighthouse". Christene is quite delightful and her songs enchanting. I thoroughly recommend this American born, but now Austria based, songwriter and urge you to catch her over the summer whilst she is on tour... Go on have a listen, you won't be disappointed."

"What a tremendous nights entertainment. Christene did a lovely job, she has a rather cute and mellow American way about her which made a lovely comparison with Scuppered (no review necessary, you know all about us) Her songs tell tales of her life in America and beyond, for such a young person she's certainly been around a bit. She presently lives in Innsbruck with her Austrian, non English speaking, Husband. Lovely songs embellished with bitter sweet stories of everyday life all over the world..."

"...she was a dream. We really enjoyed her coming to the station."

" 'Angel You've Come Too Soon' ...an absolute belter! She reminds me a bit of EVA CASSIDY - and the early days of OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN "'

"This entertaining lady seems to spend most of her time nowadays living out of a suitcase. Naturally, such a restless lifestyle has rubbed off on her song writing, the subject matter of which ranged from that uniquely American phenomenon the railroad hobo, given a personal twist in the person of a recently-deceased friend who had occupied that role, to the highly personal in a song like "Sweet Patty", a poignant semi-autobiographical tale of a young girl in an orphanage who leaves a favourite doll out in the rain, with a last message from her mother sewn into its dress. Musical second cousin to Nanci Griffith, her lyrical sharpness and observation parallels that of Michelle Shocked..."

CHRISTENE LEDOUX:Tales of a Tumbleweed

By Wade Phillips


Dust 'N' Branches...Songs from A Wanderer is the newest release from award winning songstress, Christene LeDoux. Not since the days of Karen Carpenter has there been such a crystal pure voice, seductively enchanting as it leads the listener from one journey to the next. A world traveler, Ledoux captures the essence of her soul's desires combined with observational experiences in another stunning collection of songs that is sure to delight her current fans, and draw in new ones.

LeDoux burst onto the folk scene in 2003 with her CD, Little Lighthouse, which sold over 11,000 copies Independently. A critic's choice for honesty and depth, as well as her intricate storytelling, she rose fast in the ranks of Folk favorites. Her songwriting collected awards worldwide, including those of Billboard, USA and Performing Songwriter, and she became a finalist in numerous Folk Festivals including Telluride Troubadour, Falcon Ridge, Rocky Mt. Folks Festival and Founders Title Folk & Bluegrass Festival. Her songs have appeared in Independent films and tv and the Compilation discs Peace Talks, Back Home (for Children's International), and GINA (for Missing Persons).

A native Californian, LeDoux was almost thirty before embarking on a professional music career. A connoisseur of life experiences, she built lipstick holders in Connecticut, fueled airplanes at the Grand Canyon, raised huskies in Alaska, waited tables in Colorado & worked in real estate, owned a dog walking business and worked as a clown and party planner in San Francisco. It was there that she began performing her originals at Fisherman's Wharf and Ghiradelli Square, and in the blink of an eye sold over 5000 home-burned demo CDs to locals and tourists.

A testament to her desire for growth and expansion as an artist, Ledoux began traveling the world with only her guitar for company, taking her stories and love for expression to many 'homes' along the way, including Austin and Nashville, and the wide scope of Europe. She currently resides in Innsbruck, Austria, where it appears the self professed 'wanderer' has found a home...

"Toward the end of each year before heading over to the States
for the holidays, I start imagining returning someday," she says. "Then after a few weeks, I start missing my home in the alps and the pace of European life. It's much more mellow. Since living in the alps I have purposely separated my music and the business from my personal life, something I could never do whilst living in America. Not to mention I neglected every
other aspect of my life other than music and the business. The pace of life in my own country was too much for me personally. I always felt I was running on empty. I don't know if it's Europe, me or both ... I just know I feel really comfortable in my new more peaceful life abroad."

That peacefulness has led to a deeper self awareness, as the songs on the newest release reveal more detailed insights into Ledoux's personality and inner workings, in an excellent production by Grammy-nominated producer/engineer Mark Hallman (Ani DiFranco, Shawn Colvin, Carole King). Recorded at The Congress House in Austin (and cover art designed by none other than Tom Russell), LeDoux recorded the CD in just six days on a visit 'home' to Austin.

"Mark played a huge array of instruments, sang a lot of back-up, was just a complete star. Amazingly talented, intuitive and a
wonderful soul and I'm proud to say, good friend. I had a lot of other talented musicians coming in both recommended by Mark and friends I have known, respected and trusted for years," LeDoux says of the experience."The entire process was overwhelming and stressful in some ways but of course when I look back on it, I get
goose bumps, really excited and cannot wait to do it again. I can't believe we all did it. I am so
proud of everyone. I admit last minute is the way I do most things, so I wasn't that surprised and honestly I wouldn't have it any other way."

There is an essence of soul filling beauty and light on "Dust", in the self reflective songs Tumbeweed and profound Love To The Grave, as well as an appearance of a sensual subtle edge as in Whiskey Night (a song about a one night affair), and a strong political stance appears, accompanied by Eliza Gilkyson on Dear Mr. President;

"Dear Mr. President, please don't speak in my name
please don't use my face,
in the picture you paint of America."

With "Dust" getting extensive airplay in Europe and selling effectively in the United States, LeDoux has solidified her stance as one of the world's top Folk and Americana artists. One hopes the "tumbleweed" blows back into the States someday soon...

"A voice that calls to mind Eva Cassidy, stories similar to Nanci Griffith ... a natural performer, gifted writer and angelic singer."

Deze Amerikaanse songwriter is een echte polyglot die het grootste deel van haar leven buiten de Verenigde Staten heeft doorgebracht. Hierdoor bekijkt ze de wereld door een andere bril en is ze zich ook gaan inzetten voor de wereldvrede en de rechtvaardigheid onder de mensen. Voor ze haar hart aan de muziek verpandde, voorzag ze in de Grand Canyon vliegtuigjes van brandstof, leidde ze huskees op in Alaska, werkte ze in Ghana met verwaarloosde kinderen, en had ze een job als bergfotografe en als serveerster in allerlei tea- en andere rooms. Een echte ‘wanderer’, zoals ze zich graag laat noemen, die ook in Europa, meer bepaald Engeland en Oostenrijk twee thuisbasissen heeft die, hier bij ons, de distributie van haar muziek helpen begeleiden. Een aantal jaren geleden bracht ze een eerste EP uit, maar de eerste bekendheid verwierf ze als finaliste van alle grote folk festivals en met het in 2003 uitgebrachte album Little Lighthouse. Van deze cd werden intussen verscheidene songs gebruikt voor projecten rond ‘Aids’, ‘Vrede’ en ‘de honger in de wereld’. Haar grote doorbraak zit er nu eindelijk aan te komen met het album Dust ’n’ Branches dat in Austin/Texas en onder de hoede van Mark Hallman (zie Eliza Gilkyson) werd opgenomen. Elf songs lang leidt Christene ons door haar levensverhaal, verheerlijkt ze haar echtgenoot Helmut (Helli) en wil ze ons behoeden voor alles wat er in de wereld fout gaat. Hierbij wordt ze maar al te graag geholpen door muzikanten als Elana James (viool), Karen Mal (mandoline en harmonies), Robert McEntee (dobro) en de grote Mark Hallman die maar liefst elf instrumenten bespeelt. Met een stem die het midden houdt tussen Eva Cassidy en Emmylou Harris en songs die kunnen concurreren met het beste werk van Nanci Griffith weet ze ons een ganse cd te bekoren. Opener For My Roses (wie gaat er voor mijn ‘bloemekes’ zorgen terwijl ik op wereldreis ben) is meteen een schot in de roos; in Wanderin’ vertelt ze haar levensverhaal en hoe moeilijk het is om als wereldburger je opnieuw te settelen; het door Kris Delmhorst geschreven Honey’d Out, waarin je onze ‘betreurde’ VDB zijn boodschap ‘Trop is teveel’ in terugvindt, wordt a capella ingezet om rootsy af te sluiten; Whiskey Night steekt Amy McDonalds This Is The Life naar de kroon, gevolgd door het hoogtepunt van de plaat, Dear Mr. President. Samen met Eliza Gilkyson hekelt Christene hierin het beleid van Bush Jr. met de prachtige woorden ‘Please don’t speak in my name, please don’t use my face in the picture that you paint of America’… wonderbaarlijk mooi! Het akoestisch afsluitende duet met Henning Kvitnes Just When You Think, met de heerlijke lapsteel van Mark Hallman, zetten de kers op de taart van een gevarieerd album dat mij van A tot Z wist te bekoren. Kortom, het zullen straffe plaatjes moeten zijn die dit kleinood uit mijn eindejaarslijst zullen houden! Als voetnoot geef ik nog graag mee dat het artwork (Christene op de fiets, met de gitaar op weg naar het Cambridge Folk Festival) van de hand is van niemand minder dan Tom Russell. Grote klasse dus en ten zeerste te ontdekken. (BD)

"There’s a definite nod to Aimee Mann in the content and intent of ‘Dear Mr President’ (no prizes for guessing the target for that one) with its strolling rock rhythm, wandering guitar lines and graceful melody that could be straight off ‘Bachelor #2’. The “please don’t speak in my name, don’t use my face in the picture you paint of America” hardly a pioneering sentiment, but its restrained personal defiance and battle-weary delivery is the albums high water-mark. ‘Open Wound’ takes us back to the country ballads, but this time backed subtly; its strength lying is its simplicity. Finally ‘Just When You Think’ rounds off the album in a gentle tranquillity.
Pristinely produced and beautifully packaged, Christene LeDoux has crafted a strong set of songs from her travels."

"If this album was a coat, I would wear it every day because it fits great and feels so damned comfortable."

(dust 'n' branches ... songs from a wanderer)

"Christene Le Doux, on tour, is a graceful woman with a rambling soul, and a honeyed voice. I bought her CD (an absolute treat for just £10). Sweet Patty is my favorite, because of its poignant truth. Each track is a winner. Christene had the room embraced around her. This lady has gone far and will go even further. I wrote pages about her, but the secret is to listen yourself."

"Studied, quiet and disarmingly honest, Christene LeDoux’s Little Lighthouse is a brave and hushed record. The 16 songs here represent the sweeping scope of LeDoux’s influences and sound, conjuring the finest and most understated qualities of the current contemporary singer-songwriter genre.
Not only is the record stripped-down in its production, but its lyrics have stripped away all barriers between singer and listener, leaving only intimacy and emotions that respond like exposed nerves.
Standouts include “Did You Ever Fall?” with Devin Hoff’s upright bass and B.Z. Lewis’ spooky electric guitar creating a solid but flexible framework for LeDoux’s sweet vocals, which call to mind Cowboy Junkies’ Margo Timmins. “Guardian Angel” is a sexy little groove of a tune that creates a nice, hard contrast to songs like “The Entertainer” and “Daddy’s Café,” which are powerful and deep explorations of loss and life."

"Christene Le Doux's album "Little Light House has hardly left my CD player..."

"...Upon popping in this CD, and hearing the first notes of Enya-like, Christene can transport you to other lands, or bring you home to a place within your heart..."

"...a thoroughly nice record in every way."

Maverick Magazine, England
Appearing early 2007

Christene LeDoux
Live @ The Chillingham, Newcastle
November 1st 2006

Christene's performance at the Chillingham in Newcastle, marked her first visit to North East, an area fast developing a name for it's many live music venues.

Christene began her set with Roses, a song which aches of loss, about her mom leaving behind her precious roses after divorce. To me, the roses seem synonymous with the familiar life which has been lost too; I will pack my things and go..I will say goodbye to you and this old house…but my garden without water will not grow…who'll care for my roses now?…I don't need much money…hell there's nothin' left of us…all the love the past 40 years…is growin' in the vines, of our backyard…..now that I'm gone...who will care for my roses? This opening song made it immediately clear to everyone in the audience that Christene's music is real, and from the heart about who she is, what she's lived and what she knows.

Christene was born in Torrington, Connecticut, home of Mark Twain and Harriet Beecher-Stowe. She now lives in Austin, Texas, by way of Nashville and San Francisco. She spends most of her time on the road, including several months of the year touring Europe both solo and with her Trio based in Sweden, The Black Sheep Girls. As a result of this life of travelling, Christene has collected many stories from the road, many of which find their way into songs.

One such song, Tumbleweed, is made even more special by the several minute long vignette which preceeds it. Plucking her guitar all the while, reminiscent of Nanci Griffith. By the time the song is over we are left in no doubt of either Christene's ability to create a seemingly effortless rapport with her audience, or that she truly is a Tumbleweed! I am a tumbleweed, I just go with the breeze. I am blowing, blowing, blowing where the road and the wind they take me.

Highlights of the evening for me included another new song, Lonely Stranger, with hauntingly beautiful lyrics, which brought to mind Sarah McLachlan; Are you lost, lonely stranger? Do you need a safe place to go?……Here's a shoulder…here's a pillow…here's an ear you can fill, I won't judge…..I'm no judge.

Whiskey Night brought a more upbeat song, which essentially is about enjoying what we have while it's there. Just a little whiskey on a long night…gonna have ourselves a party...doesn't really matter that we've only got tonight, time is all we got……Come on an let your hair down and the whiskey warm you up…I don't pretend this is true love, just another whiskey night.

One of Christene's most requested songs it seems, is Sweet Patty, about her mom being left in an orphanage as a little girl. I'm not sure there was a dry eye in the room as this story unfolded in front of us; I'm just a little girl with my skinny legs, without a family in this orphanage. My ma she left me a note today, sewn in my favourite doll and I'm sad cuz' I left it in the rain….

Songs such as Open Wound, Angel You've Come too Soon, Born To Roam, Wanderin' and a cover of the wonderful song Landslide, continued the evening, all interspersed with her stories and humour.

For the encore we were treated to a rockin' version of Dear Mr. President, and finally one of my favourites from her current Cd (Little Lighthouse), The Entertainer, about a real woman she met on the road. As Christene sang the chorus, ……Don't be sad she says cuz I'm not alone….when I feel sad and lonely, I call music my home, she could be singing about her own life.

The evening ended much too soon, but the audience was left in no doubt that they had just experienced something truly special, and that Christene LeDoux is destined for bigger things. She delivers both stories and songs with such passion and conviction that you can't help but know she is onto something good. I was left in no doubt that to see Christene perform live is about more than just live music. It is about being given a unique opportunity to understand who the person behind that music is, and to share for a brief time, her life on the road and be a part of that journey.

That road is sure to bring her back to the UK next year when her new Cd "Dust and Branches….songs from a Wanderer" is released and I for one will be looking up a date near me.

"Another interesting young American indie singer and composer, Christene Ledoux. Listen to The Entertainer (mp3), a nice song that's got nothing to do with Scott Joplin's famous ragtime. There's also 'Dear Mr President', which is great although more... hem... political. In the fine old tradition of the greatest American protest singers?"

"Christene paints perfect, little vignettes of life with her songs - all the richer due to the pleasure of listening to her sensual voice."

"...Little Lighthouse is packed with sixteen songs, with the first as good as the last..."

"Wow! You're going far! Great music Christene!"

"I received an email from Christene when she had just started as a professional singer/songwriter, she had recorded a few songs and the one I heard was excellent - I made a mental note to remember the name and to look out for her in the future. That was about four years ago and earlier this year she contacted me again, this time to pass on her beautifully packaged and presented debut album. She has a clear and expressive voice that demands you listen to the story she's telling, in many ways she is similar in sound and delivery style to Dar Williams, and her vocals suit the acoustic based arrangements perfectly. Christene is a wonderful writer and the lyrics are excellent throughout, but the strongest tracks on the album are stunningly good, 'Sweet Patty' is a poignant tale of a mother leaving her daughter in an orphanage, it's a great piece of songwriting, but when you realize the story relates to her own mother and grandmother the whole piece becomes sharper. This 'real-life'approach to her writing continues across the whole disc, 'The Entertainer' tells the story of a homeless lady and her journey the street, and 'Bus to the Ocean' tells of a chance meeting with widow taking her husband's ashes to be scattered in the sea - throughout the disc it's obvious that many songs are inspired by real experiences, and that gives the album a unique and intimate feel. While it may not be the most upbeat singer/songwriter disc around, the atmosphere is tempered by the strong melodies and excellent arrangements; this gives the disc a balanced feel and makes it accessible from the first listen. The instrumentation is subtle and detailed with various guitars, bass and percussion alongside the less obvious dulcimer and bowed bass; it gives the disc variety while still obviously remaining a traditional singer/songwriter album. 'Little Lighthouse' may be Christene's debut, but it's the work of a mature and focused artist, and it contains some of the strongest writing you could wish to hear. Fans of Dar Williams, Patty Griffin et al will find much to enjoy here, as it's an acoustic singer/songwriter disc of real quality and depth. Highly recommended."

Reviewing a sold-out show at Henflings: "You've got to get comfortable before baring your soul, so LeDoux took off her shoes before she sang a single note. Perched on a small stool with her beloved autographed guitar, LeDoux embarked on a lengthy set of road songs. Stories about her family, travels, remnants of old lovers, and a motley list of jobs, most of which she was fired from, consumed the subject matter of songs. LeDoux's vocals began with a low, emotive whisper and swelled to a rich, lugubrious wail while her melodies, catchy and repetitive swung over simple, but satisfying guitar accompaniment. Keeping her eyes firmly closed during all songs, LeDoux revealed her personality to the audience during interstitial conversation. The attentive audience remained respectively hushed throughout, asking politely that talkers "speak less," closing outside doors carelessly left ajar, and giving the eye to rowdy inebriates who obliviously strutted into the Tavern turned concert space. Every bar act should be so lucky."

“Christine is a Storyteller. Regardless if she is using a guitar to carry her voice, she is first a storyteller. Her stories coupled by her melody is enchanting, inviting, and most of all, personal. She is a folk singer/storyteller that includes us with each tale. As we listen we are invited to join in the memories, the pictures, and the stories. The pictures unfold from her words, her music, and most of all her. Her clearly designed craft is fashioned like a home maid quilt, each stitch echoes her life, and each fabric forms a beautiful realistic mosaic of her art and her adventures. She is a singer, a storyteller, but most of all a gift giver. Her stories and her songs are her greatest gift.”

Reviewing a show at Los Angeles’, “The Mint”: "The lyrics of Christene LeDoux are so clear and vivid that with each note and tone she emits, a detailed form seems to take shape in our minds. To call LeDoux a storyteller is to understate her skills. She is an artist creating exquisite imagery through song. Her entire performance was pure art, her voice of angelic purity. Playing songs that included "The Entertainer" and "Half Moon Bay", she also demonstrated her virtuosity that makes her such a superlative entertainer. LeDoux may be new to the music industry but her talents would make you believe otherwise. Her performance of "Daddy's Café" is a prime example. Through every song the crowd was entranced, the aura of their love and appreciation a palpable presence in the club. This is what the experience of music is all about."