Recent
press 2011, 2012:
"Pronsky is an allusive, poetic lyricist who isn't interested in
providing clear, linear meanings so much as impressions, dreams, and
moods. Pronsky makes observations in a clear, resonant tenor, strumming
her acoustic guitar over a rhythm section, while Bennett provides the
musical color on lead electric guitar, piano, mandolin, and organ. Whatever
the dissatisfactions the singer expresses, Bennett's playing provides
a counterweight; life may not be good, but the music can be.
~
All Music Guide
"In 'Hard Times,' the opening track from her fine new album Viewfinder,
Brooklyn-based singer-songwriter Rebecca Pronsky addresses the struggles
of a generation attempting to get by. Over a propulsive beat and a wash
of noirishly twangy guitars, Pronsky echoes sentiments familiar to many:
"Numbers used to be so small: pennies, nickels, dimes / Now, the
same collectors call, fallen on hard times." As is frequently the
case with the best topical music, "Hard Times" feels personal,
anecdotal and emotional rather than devolving into a didactic indictment
of the institutions at fault. A commanding, low-register warble, Pronsky's
voice conveys the wisdom of experience without crossing the line into
defeatist world-weariness. To the contrary, Pronsky's song is more rallying
cry than lament: "Get yourself together," she implores, "'cause
it's hard times."
~ NPR (Song
of the Day)
"(4 STARS) Viewfinder gives rein to Pronsky's country leanings
on a superbly crafted set of descriptive and atmospheric songs. With
a jazz-trained voice that's capable of delivering plenty of convincing
emotion to her material, Pronsky's performance stands head and shoulders
above most of her contemporaries, especially in combination with her
superlative writing skills. Pretty close to perfection, the whole package
is nicely paced with a well-judged balance of subject matter that deals
with the familliar themese of love and loss without recourse to cliche.
An album that comes into sharper focus with each hearing. Viewfinder
reveals Pronsky to be an outstanding lyricist with the ability to stop
you in your tracks..."
~
R2 (Rock n Reel) UK
"Keeps that yearning sound of love and loss burning strong. If
Pronsky can draw comparisons to Neko Case (and she has), that has less
to do with imitation than it does with her possession of another version
of The Voice: a strong instrument that doesn't need to over-emote since
it projects with authority. A sense of economy filters through the whole
album, as well. Some songs skillfully wrap up after two verses, knowing
that one more would be too much; a couple use the circular trick of
ending the song by singing the first line of a verse, leaving you dangling...
Along with Pronsky's pipes, guitarist Rich Bennett puts the trimmings
on the music with a battery of echo drenched, twangy leads, which brings
us back to the high lonesome texture to the music. These songs would
sound pretty strong on their own, but Bennett's attention to detail
is what makes them really memorable. "The Wheel" ultimately
becomes one of the album's strongest tracks because its slow tempo and
chord changes create a suspense that never fully resolves. All that
dreamy reverb only helps the matter. Viewfinder has her poised to take
off in a direction that could bring fans of good country music and songwriters
together in her camp. Hopefully it'll fall into the right hands."
(8/10)
~
Blurt
"Witty americana songstress."
~
Time Out London
"Most Americana-UK regulars will be
familiar with the wonderful Rebecca Pronsky. Since bringing us her sound
she has been talked about quite a lot around our site not to mention
critics all over the globe. Pronsky’s new record ‘Viewfinder’
is out and shaking it all about, what a superb record it is too... 'Viewfinder'
is music for the generation; largely a reflection of recession, war
and loss and how it has affected our lives. However, to read between
the lines and decipher the abstract and metaphorical content of her
words is to take heart. She is an optimist. Her heart is strong but
tender. Her words are at first disillusioned but then point to a better
future, her melodies both exhilarating and haunting and her delivery
immaculate... It’s clear that this lady’s crooning chords
have been honed to perfection. And it’s not for the ipod shuffle
setting either. Although there are potential hits at every turn something
about the gradual unravelling of her perceptions makes this more of
a start to finish in a comfy armchair listen, or indeed a dimly lit
basement bar with a gin and tonic. Its thinking music while so many
of her contemporaries remain background... Currently touring the UK
(I caught her at Camden Town’s Green Note), it seems she is finally
ready to take us by storm over here."
~
Americana UK
"A delightful discovery. Pronsky's crystal-bright yet
earthily sensuous voice and melodically alluring songcraft, the latter
a shifting blend of country, blues, rock, folk and vintage jazz elements,
at times recalled Nanci Griffith, Iris DeMent and kd lang in mood or
nuance. Rich Bennett, on electric guitar, whose lean chords and riffs,
by turns shimmery and squally, also evoked shades of The Doors, Morricone
and classic rockabilly. A warmly personable way with her audience, interspersing
songs drawn mainly from her new second album Viewfinder, completed an
evening's thorough enjoyment.
~
Sue Wilson, The Scotsman
"Very fine! Worth seeking out. I'm particularly impressed with
Pronsky's voice."
~
Iain Anderson - BBC Radio Scotland
"Don't be fooled by the jaunty melodies; her lyrics are fairly
intense. Very interesting indeed!"
~
Donal Broughan, RTÉ Radio 1
Ireland
"It's quality! 'Hard Times' rocks along
like a 50s honky tonk thing. 'Aberdeen', another fine tune. Definitely
wanna keep an eye out for her."
~
Ralph McLean, BBC Radio Ulster
(4 STARS) "Her clear strong expressive
vocals also have an appealing languorous feel that only seems to enhance
the strength of these beautifully written songs. If not totally dark
many of the songs are at least marked down with an air of gloom, although
a beautiful gloom, fighting back against lifes kicks but with a realisation
that all this is doing is just stemming the tide! Overall they almost
give a nicely balanced down to earth view of life that seems quite realistic
but without any great optimism, more in hope than anything else. Despite
hailing from Brooklyn she seems to have come naturally to her rural
earthy feeling music with it’s emotional flow and fluidity that
seems, just as you think a little optimism might be about to be revealed,
to hold back! People often describe particular artists music as being
‘real’ and this certainly is. In a strange way that slightly
dark haunting feel of the album is made more so by it’s beautiful
sounds of Rebecca’s exquisite vocals and the gorgeously tuneful
lead guitar rather than it’s strong themes. An album of rare beauty
that demands repeated listening sessions!"
~
Americana Roots UK
"Rebecca Pronsky’s music bobs along at a deceptively jaunty
pace. For behind the full-on vocals are songs of the heart which delve
deep into human emotions... Pronsky keeps her city girl attitude but
swamps it with the kind of openness that a country cousin brings to
town. And that is the background to the €ne balancing act which gives
latest album View€nder its wholesome but edgy feel. And much credit
must be paid to twangy guitarist Rich Bennett who co-produced with Pronsky,
for helping create a terri€c sound... It’s the maturity of her
writing and arrangements that sets View€nder in a €eld of its own.
~
The Star, Sheffield
"This is a record clearly defined by its treatment of mature topics
– featuring a young vibrant vocal delivered by an old soul....
It is this soul-searching – both personal and yet universal –
that ultimately keeps the album’s scope varied. Often these topics
are tinged with a double meaning, perhaps relevant only to the singer:
fleeting references to struggle and freedom, loss and gain, growth and
war which all have their roots placed deeper than we may think upon
a first listening."
~
The Line of the Best Fit
"Rebecca’s superb jazz–trained voice combines eloquently
with the country twang and sweeping landscapes of songs, which, in their
detail of relationships and breakdown, of anger, regret and love, call
to mind Carolyn Mark and Neko Case. Rebecca Pronsky tours extensively,
and has just wowed audiences on her UK shows. Can I ask that she make
it back to the UK soon, please..."
~
Carl J., Leicester Bangs
"Viewfinder has three outstanding features: Rebecca's instantly
recognisable voice, her mature songs and a prominent twangy guitar,
courtesy of partner Rich Bennett... With a voice that seems to have
shades of both Carly Simon and Laura Veirs at the same time (imagine
that?) amongst its many influences, Rebecca Pronsky confidently straddles
the boundaries of folk, rockabilly and country roots in order to create
her own distinctive sound, which at times feels like The Smiths relocated
to Nashville..."
~
Allan Wilkinson, Northern Sky UK
"Songwriter Rebecca Pronsky breezed
in this week from New York City briefly stopping at the Inn at Lathones
then on to Leith Folk Club. Her latest album Viewfinder (Nine Mile),
released this week is a fine vehicle for her writing and classic folk
voice quite unusual for a Brooklyn girl. 'Fragile World' highlights
her range over simple acoustic backing. 'Give Up Too Easily' is an uptempo
full band song, 'Anything But Good' reminds me of (a Harvest Moon) Neil
Young with reverb guitar in a dusty hall and 'Mercury News' is refreshingly
swing country -- sweet Americana."
~ Fife Free Press
"One of the finest singer-songwriter records of 2011.
The opening song, "Hard Times," is an instant attention-getter
and country hit. It aptly introduces the album’s solid country
influence and overall theme of lost innocence, cold reality, doubt and
relationships."
~
Common Folk Music
"Rebecca Pronsky veers away from country
into something a bit more honky-tonk — a bit more classy without
abandoning a certain twang that sounds more retro than redneck."
~
Creative Loafing, Charlotte
"What makes Rebecca an interesting artist, and ‘Viewfinder’
a fantastic disc, is the convincing way she moves between styles, the
eleven songs here cover some ground, but the songwriting, her band,
and especially her vocals make the transitions natural and seamless.
An excellent album."
~
FishRecords.co.uk
"On new release Viewfinder from Brooklyn-based (& Brown alum)
Rebecca Pronsky, it's the voice that time and again grabs attention
over the course of its 11 tracks. It's a supple instrument that Pronsky
possesses that effortlessly ebbs and flows with the emotional tack of
the songs, all but one an original, by the way. Viewfinder lands somewhere
in that void between Americana and pop, oft-times taking its cue from
the tremolo twang tones of guitarist Richard Bennett and at other times
the singing of Ms. Pronsky."
~
Dan Ferguson, WRIU-FM 90.3
"Viewfinder (Nine Mile), Rebecca Pronsky's third full-length, gets
off to a strong start with "Hard Times"; its galloping pace,
brooding pedal steel and firm vocals set the tone for the darkness to
come. But the disc's first peak comes just a song later, with "Day
of the Dead." By the time she reaches the album's other side, she's
been on the wrong end of a breakup, the wrong part of town and the wrong
point of a love triangle. So when Viewfinder rolls to a close with the
grateful, loping "Good Life," you know she's earned it."
~
Philadelphia City Paper
"There isn’t much on Rebecca Pronsky’s “Viewfinder”
that hints of her Brooklyn origins. The opener, “Hard Times,”
has a twangy, wide-open “Ghost Riders in the Sky” vibe,
and the lyrics are pure country, her high, pure voice sailing over a
pedal steel. A similar twang rumbles through “Mercury News."
It’s a song Pronsky turns into the soundtrack for a Sergio Leone
film. In the strummy, acoustic “Fragile World," Pronsky’s
jazz training shines through, sounding something like a female Carlos
Jobim. Other songs... drip with melancholy, and in Pronsky’s capable
hands, that’s a good thing."
~
Billings Gazette
"If you're any sort of a country music fan, the opening bars of
Viewfinder will have you drooling with pleasure. There's at least a
couple of songs here, Hard Times is one and Aberdeen, with it's driving
bass line, is the other, which ought to pick up plenty of radio play
- memorable and distinctive enough to ensure that she's much better
known by the end of the year. In her songs here there is a persistent
air of loss of innocence, of being aware of becoming a grown-up. Whether
it's the financial collapse, the nation at war or the emotional growing
up of learning to live with loss, this feels like the literate voice
of a generation coming of age in the new millenium."
~ John Davy,
No Depression / Flyinshoes Review
2010 and earlier:
"Rebecca Pronsky knows her way around a metaphor, and though residing
in Brooklyn, she sings like she has Nashville in her blood. She can
easily remind listeners of Neko Case, both in terms of her ability to
belt the lyrics and the way she stands out above the sea of thoughtful
women with guitars. The songs follow a tension-and-release set-up much
like traditional country music, but her writing and that voice keep
them from sounding standard. Pronsky seems the type of singer whose
pipes can cut through the background noise at the bar and lure listeners
to the stage, where her lyrics sustain interest for a whole set."
~ Pittsburgh
City Paper
"Songbird. With a brutal, cutting lyricism and a jazz trained voice,
Ms. Pronsky is an act worth catching. Her latest EP, The Best Game in
Town, [is] a lush combination of indie pop, Americana, folk and jazz."
~ Ithaca Times
"Brooklyn singer/songwriter Rebecca Pronsky shuffles through the
dark territory where old-fashioned rock ’n’ roll, country,
and folk come together. It’s roughly the same territory where
Neko Case and Kelly Hogan operate, and any accusations of carpetbagging
are shot down by both the conviction of her songs and the strength of
her voice."
~
Metro Pulse, Knoxville, TN
"Vintagely dapper Rebecca Pronsky offered up clear-voiced and cleanly
written songs with a nice spare electric guitar backup. “Big City
Lights” proved a nice, swaying audience participation number.
She’s on her way to Memphis for Folk Alliance, and we hope she
makes a splash there."
~ Craig
Havighurst, Music City Roots, Nashville, TN
"She has her own unique sound... it grabs you and doesn’t
let go. She’s got great songwriter qualities and her supporting
band is excellent... Rebecca delivered such a great piece of music,
that we are looking forward to her concert in Belgium and her upcoming
album release."
~ Rootstime.be
"An artist you should know about: sweet-voiced chanteuse Rebecca
Pronsky. This little lady is a top-notch writer of poppy folk songs
(or folky pop songs) that pack a powerful punch."
~
Star News / Cape Fear Music
"Pronsky is a Brooklyn native with a rich, jazzy voice that adds
grit to her Americana sound."
~ The Patriot-News
"Listening to Rebecca Pronsky’s new EP, The Best Game in
Town invokes probably the strongest feelings of western nostalgia you
could possibly experience in the comfort of your Brooklyn home. Despite
her NY roots, her passionate vocals and textured sandy tones vibe a
southern belle who just wandered off the range to find herself eye-level
with a mic... Her heart-lorn loneliness combined with her openly friendly
and observational disposition draw the listener into her graceful lyrics....
Once again, Rebecca Pronsky has proven that songwriting is her game
and she knows how to deliver it best – through impressively simple
production." [Rated A]
~
Jezebel Music
"Rebecca Pronsky struck a deep chord on last year's Departures & Arrivals,
with a little twang and a lot of empathy." * TOP TEN BEST ALBUMS
OF 2008 Critic's List *
~
Philadelphia City Paper
"Her poetic depth would be enough for me, but that voice!
If you're half as blown away by Rebecca Pronsky as I was, you'll still
never forget her."
~ Matt Morelock,
host of Blue Plate Special - WDVX 102.9 Knoxville,
TN
"She's a born and bred Brooklynite, but lately Rebecca Pronsky
has a little extra twang in her step. Departures and Arrivals,
is her third release... It's also her most polished effort yet with
a distinct country-pop flavor. Pronsky
[is] one of the rising stars of Brooklyn's indie music scene... With
slicker, ballsier vocals and jazzier progressions than your average
folksinger, she bridges the gaps between folk, Americana, jazz, and
indie pop. "
~
East Bay Express (Oakland, CA)
"Talented local folk-pop songsmith Rebecca Pronsky explores a country-tinged
sound. Her writing is literate, passionate, and wry."
~ Time Out NY
"Singer/songwriter
Rebecca Pronsky offers a smart collection of 11 self-penned songs in
the quirky pop arena. Swirling guitars announce 'Birds'...'Million Days'
has a peppy country pop flavor, while the dreamy 'Digging Graves' is
a highlight... Pronsky's lovely lush, jazz-trained voice makes anything
sound enticing."
~ Daily Freeman (Kingston,
NY)
"Her new full-length album, "Departures & Arrivals,"
which comes out this week, is yet another sure-footed step in the right
direction. My favorite track is the nervy "Pensacola," but
the shimmery mid-tempo rocker "Gone" sounds like it'll sizzle
on stage. Other strong songs are "Birds" and "Digging
Graves," in which the singer displays the same remarkable mix of
grace and grit as Neko Case. Now 27, she used the three years between
releases to sharpen her skills. She's turned away from the fussier jazz
influences on her early work and toward a "roots"-ier sound
she can fully inhabit. Pronsky, who grew up in Brooklyn and studied
music at Brown University, doesn't get quite so specific in her lyrics...
[her] songs provide the framework; her clear, supple voice is a natural
vehicle for empathy. And she trusts her listeners to use their imaginations
to fill in the details. Definitely one to watch."
~ Jewish Exponent
(Philadelphia, PA)
"After listening to her six song E.P.
The Early Hours I was hard pressed to come up with a contemporary pop
artist she resembles, let alone one who I would want to compare her
too... Her songs have an emotional edge that breaks through the usual
wall of cool that surrounds so many female jazz vocalists... Rebecca
Pronsky doesn't need to dazzle her audience with technique, and is a
mature enough performer to have the confidence in her voice to let it
be part of the material, rather than the centre of attention.... Rebecca
Pronsky is a new and exciting vocalist who bears watching. She might
just turn out to be the next?well, Rebecca Pronsky.
~ Blogcritics.org
"On "The Early Hours," New York-native Rebecca Pronsky
offers six perfect songs that sound as natural and unforced as a spring
breeze in late April... Rebecca’s voice is both dark and hopeful,
and she has surrounded herself with a first-rate band to help drive
them home... There isn’t a complicated thing on this entire record,
and that is testament to how well the songs are written."
~ Portsmouth Herald
"More than just a solid band backing her smooth music and clever
lyrics, it’s Pronsky’s voice that sets her apart from the
stereotypical folk singer... With her jazz background and penchant for
rocking, Rebecca Pronsky plays folk unlike most folkies."
~ New Haven
Register
Feature
Articles on Rebecca:
Dirty
Dozen Q&A
from: Americana UK
Interview
A
Lament Becomes a Rallying Cry
from: NPR Song of the Day
feature on "Hard Times"
Gig
Review: Rebecca Pronsky
from: The Scotsman
live performance review
Viewfinder
CD review
from: Americana UK
feature/review of the album
Viewfinder
CD Review
from: No Depression/Flyin Shoes Review
feature/review of the album
Singer-songwriter Rebecca Pronsky knows her way around metaphor and
story
from Pittsburgh City Paper
Feature/review
Boom Box: Rebecca Pronsky
Digs Through Old Albums by Leon Russell and Lucinda Williams
from Metro Pulse (Knoxville)
Review/Interview
Delivering on a Notable Promise
from Jewish Exponent (Philadelphia)
Feature on "Departures & Arrivals"
New Release Q & A
from Indie
Sounds NY
An interview with Rebecca about "Departures & Arrivals"
Country Girl, City Girl
from the East Bay Express
Feature on bay area show and new record
Songwriter Gives Singers
a Voice
from the NY Daily News
Feature on Rebecca and the Songwriters Exchange
An Alum in the Real
Music World
from Post- Magazine
(of Brown University)
A interview with Rebecca from her alma mater
Rebecca's EPK:
