Amy Regan – You Sing I Write

Two years ago, I introduced you to Amy Regan as an artist to watch. Since then, the New York singer-songwriter has continued to record new material, tour and have her music featured in a national Hertz commercial. (Watch video below).

In fact, it was at a gig playing Rockwood Music Hall in New York that art director Haley Fulop witnessed Regan live and later brought her on with the idea for the Hertz campaign. While she’s been compared to Norah Jones and Joni Mitchell, Regan continues to make a name for herself with latest EP, Gonna Get Better.

The four-track EP kicks off with energetic title track, “Gonna Get Better.” Complete with edgy guitar and percussion accentuated by her soulful vocals, Regan quickly grabs the listener’s attention. Next song,
“Keep You Warm” is a ballad with fitting piano accompaniment. With her deep and powerful singing style, the song strikes a chord.

Though only four tracks, Gonna Get Better demonstrates Regan’s versatility as a singer. Effortlessly jumping from a sultry ballad to a more energetic number, she manages to keep the listener intrigued. “Crazy” is just one example. The track showcases Regan’s more playful side and is a surprising transition from “Keep You Warm.” With piano and vocals that bring to mind Sara Bareilles, one can only expect to hear more from Regan in the near future.

For more on Amy Regan, be sure to visit her MySpace or Web site. Stay tuned for a full album release later this year.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UN39rkphWqQ?fs=1]

New Artist to Listen For: Amy Regan

From the second her voice introduces first track on her EP, Amy Regan catches the listener’s attention. Her EP, And Then There Is This, is the perfect compilation of soft ballads and soulful songs. While at times Regan’s voice is reminiscent to that of angelic Priscilla Ahn, she most certainly has a flavor of her own.

New York singer-songwriter Regan began classical vocal training when she was just 11-years-old and her most recent release showcases her dynamic versatility. From edgy track “Everybody Needs Somewhere To Go” to jazzy number “Nighttime Bird,” Regan’s six-track EP is rich and refreshing.

The light guitar strumming in the beginning of first song, “Everybody Needs Somewhere To Go” soon speeds up to become quite the interesting storyline. Lyrics like “I’m too quick for my own tricks/’Cause I left him at nine, found another by six/I said I’d try him just for kicks/But then I’m cravin’ him like an addict needs a fix” leaves the listener curious and asking for more. While she may be classically

trained, it is no doubt that Regan’s vocal ability stretches among many genres.

“So In Love” starts off with acoustic guitar as Regan’s soft singing tie the musical accompaniment and vocals together ever so gingerly. The ballad talks of a couple in love who seem “better off as friends with some small mistakes to hide.” A heartfelt song, you feel the pain and confusion throughout Regan’s singing. “So In Love” segues fittingly into “Carry On,” a more upbeat song with its fast drumbeat, while Regan seems to be questioning the world around her as well as a past relationship.

Possibly the strongest, most diverse track on the EP is “Nighttime Bird” — an incredibly jazzy Ella Fitzgerald-esque number that takes the listener back in time. Featuring piano, light percussion and vocals, “Nighttime Bird” sounds like it could easily fit in at a speakeasy or jazz club in the 1900s. While we’re well into the 21st century, Amy Regan has that classic spark that survives the test of time.

For more on Amy, check her out on MySpace or her Web site and be sure to catch a show of hers, she’ll be playing many New York gigs in the upcoming weeks.