Goodnight Venus by Libby Kirkpatrick

" - Jim Manion, PD/MD, WFHB Bloomington, IN

"Libby Kirkpatrick's 'Goodnight Venus' is a soulful, groovy blend of folk, pop, r & b and jazz. Her edgy, mercurial vocals bob and weave among masterfully layered instrumental arrangements and shifting rhythmic and tonal currents. The sound is at once familiar and unexpected, full of surprises that continually catch the ear. Cool stuff - recommended." - Sing Out Magazine

"This Austin-based songstress possesses a clear voice that weaves itself unexpectedly through a melody, and a firm command of acoustic guitar...she easily shares the lineage of Joni Mitchell, Rickie Lee Jones, or Ani DiFranco." - Carrie Havranek, The Village Voice

"Libby Kirkpatrick jubilantly invokes the goddess herself in the first track of "Goodnight Venus", a vibrant tribute to love, from romantic to brotherly: "We're no more separate from this earth than we are from each other." Kirkpatrick shines superbly on her Ricky-Lee Jones-like jazzy romp, "Vaulted heart", with its swelling trumpets and soars. The haunting, childlike "Wake Me Up" recalls early Suzanne Vega and the song's transition from fingerpicking to spirited electric guitar is seamless. "To A Child" is a gleeful-yet-funky-yet-sincere invitation to remain upbeat about life. Singer/songwriter Kirkpatrick shares compelling stories no matter what the genre." - C.J. Carrillo Harp Magazine

"A fluid, dark, utterly beautiful record. Kirkpatrick’s breathtaking, agile voice and fearless delivery take this already solid set of songs and lift them into the stratosphere. Conjuring heartbreaking voices from Rickie Lee Jones to PJ Harvey and Cat Power, she keens, howls, croons and chirps her way through smart contemporary pop, brooding folk and luscious, pulsating laments. The sonic textures of ‘Goodnight Venus’ are as deep and luxurious as the content of her lyrics. Standouts ‘Circus,’ ‘To a Child,’ and ‘Vaulted Heart’ illustrate Kirkpatrick’s ease with lyrical complexity and mind-bending melody and harmony. Patty Griffin, watch your back." — Clay Steakley, Performing Songwriter Magazine

“Libby Kirkpatrick is, by anyone's measure, one of the best songwriters in Austin. Though her striking style most closely resembles that of Patty Griffin, her third album (and first national release) ‘Goodnight Venus,’ certainly breaks new ground with a marked departure from typical Texas folk. Libby's soulful vocals and heartfelt lyrics lend the album an intimate, at times whimsical character that seems to have escaped the younger generation of Austin songwriters. While the effortlessness of her lyrical delivery on tunes such as ‘Vaulted Heart’ and album-closer ‘This Raging Moment’ might remind listeners of more contemporary sounds (Ani DiFranco), her melodic sense seems more typical of artists like Joni Mitchell or Rose Polenzani. A remarkable contribution to Austin's music culture, this is simply a must-have album for fans of the genre ... especially the aspiring songwriter/guitarist." ****1/2 (4.5 out of 5 stars) -– Max Harger, The Daily Texan

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