Treebone by Maria Daines

Paul Killington musicianship should be envied, in the best sense of that word, when you hear his playing on this CD. Paul is the King of Tastefully played Guitar! His playing and the sounds he magically summons from his instruments will take your breath away. He also mixed and mastered the CD and it is a sonic gem. If you want to record, mix and master an independent CD look here to see how it is done.

The song "You Don't Love Me" is worth the price of the CD even if it cost twice as much as it does now! This song, should be on the Radio, on a Film Soundtrack at the top of the charts on your car and home CD players!!

Some of my other favorite tracks are:

Bring Your Love Along

'Til I Feel Better

Pack-A-Punch- Mama

Wicked Eye Mule

If Maria Daines and Paul Killington were on a Major label, that label would be bringing in a small fortune from this CD, and would be looking forward to a King's Ransom in the short term. However, Maria and Paul are independent musicians whose talent is rare and only need that magic "word of mouth" promotion that will spread the hot fire that they have ignited in the heart of the United Kingdom! The word has been given! Pass it on!

Downbeat Magazine, March issue, 2007

Maria Daines: Treebone (Maison Alas; 65.41) *** Daines, in England, has the tremendously exciting voice of a blues diva in the making. Her bluesy rock album with Paul Killington on guitar and all other instruments tantalizes as the precursor to her straight blues recording promised for release later this year. Many vocalists go an entire career without reaching the rarefied heights attained by Daines on the edgy, atmospheric 'Ain't Nobody' and the potent ballad 'Bring Your Love Along.'

Frank-John Hadley

'Congratulations Maria and Paul on your Artist of the Year Award for the second year running and for your 2007 International Online Music Award nominations for Best Female Solo Artist, and Best Songwriter. It's a huge achievement by any standard but then it's the kind of thing you should expect for producing such fabulous music!"

regards..

Colin Lynch

Executive Director

R Cat Communications

"Purveyors of Excellence in Independent Music"

R Cat Communications International Online Music Review

by: Colin Lynch - November 06 2005

I love it when a fellow Brit emerges onto the scene with a refreshingly brilliant album and Maria and Paul have done just that on so many levels that it's actually quite laughingly astonishing! What Paul's stunning musicianship and production do to this classic album is beyond words really but then Maria's eye-widening and intuitively passionate vocals are what provides the necessary balance for an award winning soulful performance.

The album opens up with the unmercifully amazing Ain't Nobody - an Aretha-esque adventure into the land of the heart and soul enriching audio realm where few vocalists of the same standard are adorned with praise and appreciation. Beautifully expressed vocals and stunning bass and guitar work are so well complimenting that you're hit on a whole load of emotional levels in a kinda state of awe! One Good Man delivers mesmerizing vocals and guitar work that is the stuff of the greats and I do mean the 'true' greats darlings! Wouldn't you love to live next door to Maria and Paul just to have the pleasure of being kept awake by the rehearsals and recordings going on in that house? Yep... told yaaa!

The dreamy guitar riffs that open up the rather unforgivingly lovely Bring Your Love Along have obviously been imported from the other half of the sky... and the part where the sun is just happens to be in the hands of Maria's stunning vocals for this incredible masterpiece in songwriting. If the record industry hasn't woken up to this amazing artist yet... then the medication they have taken must be absolutely lethal!

Brandy Queen is the kind of Janis/Tina song my Aunty Mary would have given up a whole carton of Embassy Mild and three crates of Guinness for! Very clever vocals and lyrics are married in such a way that firmly establishes Maria as one of the Best British Female Vocalists of our current times. The versatility and style meanderings that occur in this song are rather amazing to say the least... I'm already getting the impression that Maria's TV license and Council Tax must be provided free of charge as a token of national appreciation! But then we arrive at Tear Down the Walls which is, without a doubt, one of the finest examples of rock and roll that I have heard come out of England in many, many years! Startling vocals and fantastically meandered fret board work make this song a real classic and Maria and Paul should truly be walking on air having their names assigned to the responsibility for this song! What an intensely amazing live performance these guys would have us enduring!

Til I Feel Better is the song that almost had me booking a flight back to the UK just to say hello! mesmerizing and soulfully enchanting vocals are of the kind that pierces all the right places at once. Again, we are reminiscing on what made Tina Turner and Janis Joplin and Patti Labelle and Millie Jackson divas of their time cos it's just happened here to Maria. There's no doubt that we are indeed not only feeling 'treated' to something wonderful here... but you feel rather 'blessed' at simply having the opportunity to listen. It's that good folks... get your credit/debit card ready and tell British Telecom they're gonna have to wait!

Pack-a-Punch-Mama is what my partner Elley Wilson describes as 'pure unadulterated head bliss for the soul!' with it's country connotations and communions that leave you suitably impressed and in no doubt of Maria's vocal range and prowess. The guitar playing is incredible and at this point I'm gonna ask Paul to send me a guitar pick of his to hang on the R Cat office wall that I can have blessed to ward off evil!

Wicked Eyed Mule delivers that delightfully clever Stevie Nicks/John Martyn style vocal right into the heart of your lap, then your chest, then deep into your soul! After the first minute, the piano arrives to pack in the prizes besides the guitars and you feel like you're in a kinda 'Music R Us' Superstore without the security guys and a huge shopping trolley full of Maria Daines songs!

Too Bad Henry meanwhile, is perhaps one of the best female-fronted rock songs I have heard in decades! The production is superb (as it has been throughout the album) and the arrangement is stunning. Lyrically, the elements of wit and sarcasm work brilliantly and you realize that the scale you set earlier for good ole classic rock has just been extended! You Don't Love Me follows your complete and utter disbelief from the previous vocal performance with some even more meaningful disbelief in the truly classy vocal performance here. 'You don't love me' is a beautiful and passionately delivered song filled with a heightened sense of realism that we can all relate to.

We revisit 'Henry' in Henry's Mother and again we are treated to some very clever songwriting with the kind of arrangement some of the world's best producers must dream of working with... The thing is they'd have to at least equal or surpass Maria and Paul's production here and I honestly can't see that happening can you? It takes some doing to get vocals this well recorded and they've done it perfectly. Brilliant!

You Ain't the Pickety Po takes us back to the kind of vocals that classic female artists build careers upon. I really do hate comparing cos it's silly really when you're this good a singer but you'll find hints of Buffy Sainte Marie, Cher (at her best), and Janis Joplin to name a few. If you let go of the comparisons however, you get Maria Daines at her throat engaging best. A consummate artist with a magnificent arrangement and startling production all over again!

Number 13 is the final track on the album and I really do wish it wasn't. You see... magical performances are drug-like once you get the first few fixes...it's a long time before you can be truly rehabilitated. With this song... with these fine vocals over such a superb song... you don't wanna be rescued or de-sensitized from anything. You just want more and more and...

Maria Daines and Paul Killington are without a doubt, two of the finest musical virtuosos ever to have mastered their craft in England, packaged it up, and made it possible for us to share in many, many years. Treebone is an important album in many respects... buying the album should be made mandatory and, for Her Majesty's Government, Maria and Paul are assets that should be given their TV Licenses and Council Tax vouchers free for life at the very least simply for making such wonderful music possible.

Review by: Charlie 'Pinedog' Williams 7 Nov 2005

Treebone is Awesome

Hey there you two! Guess what the mailman brought me today...straight from Jolly Old England! I was impressed with the artwork and layout and i figured the Cd would be good. It wasn't. It was fantastic. I don't know how the hell you did this at home...i guess maybe it's called talent, hard work, and determination. Well it certainly paid off in my book. This is a really great CD full of assorted blues styles that never gets boring. I could go on and on but i'll just say to others that if you haven't ordered a signed, limited edition copy yet better grab one. They won't be around long if they even still are. Treebone is HOT! Great job you guys...Congrats!!!

Reviewed by: Denny Tate May 20 2005

'Number 13'

Maria you are simply amazing ! You never cease to amaze us with the energy and performances of your musical theatre. You always set the stage ablaze by your magnificent presence of emotion. We, the audience are left breathless every time. The angel of the opera, the bag lady,

the folk hero, the southern-gospel soul diva, the sassy-elegant madame, the cowgirl, the mystery-woman, the beatnik, the gypsy, etc., God gave you to us. You are definitely one talented, and gifted diva !

We Love You !

Maria Daines (You Don't Love Me)

Reviewed by: Mary Gottschalk 29 May 2005

It's a shame the audience for blues has almost disappeared or has changed drastically from the way I have always known it. It just seems that the new sounds these days are not what I would really be called Blues. I guess it depends on what you call blues.

It's not every day that you would stumble across a song that grabs you instantly as soon as it starts to play but for some reason, Maria Daines Blues tune, "You Don't Love Me", did just that.

This is a soft ballad, full of meaning and heart moving feelings from the very first seconds to the last fading sounds. You can't help but enjoy every instant of it; the instruments, voice, the words. Speechless is the best word to use here to describe what I have to say. The song simply speaks for itself.

"You Don't Love Me" is a perfect illustration of Maria's love of genre and her ability to incorporate folk and blues into a seamless entity. I find this track brilliantly executed and exquisitely produced.

As for Maria's voice,,,,,what can I say other than ,,,,,Unbelievable!! I can't believe how much her voice grabbed me the instant I starting playing her track. It's a rare kind of sound, a sound that once you've heard, you're not going to easily forget. It's also a sound that leaves you wanting more . . . and more . . .

Maria has a rich deep vocal tone that expands in range from low to high with great control. With her unique voice and well expressed dynamics, she is able to capture her audience with this heart wrenching song. If anyone has felt love in their lives, Maria displays the overall emotion when a heart is broken. She brings life to the song with displayed emotion and ranging vocals. Although Maria has a distinctive voice, she does remind me of Amanda Marshall, Michelle Wright and a young Janis Joplin. The guitarist and backing band were exceptional and combined with Maria's voice a #1 hit and in my opinion a seller!

I guarantee you won't be disappointed as I was very impressed with the overall production of this track.

Steve Gilmore Reviews Maria Daines and Paul Killington

Title: Black Mariah/Rolling

Regular readers will already know of my propensity to talk about the small band of musicians we all know as being part of a 'scene', a concept that is about as difficult to nail down as jelly. Apparently I rattle on so much about this that someone emailed me the other day asking for a review because 'I seem to know everybody' according to my reviews. An impossible task innit? After all there are over 270,000 artists just on Soundclick alone, never mind the other sites I frequent. I do, however, know an awful lot of musicians, both from my extended stay at Soundclick and the many friends I made long before I came to SC. There is no doubt that among the sites I inhabit there is an amorphous, hard to grasp 'scene' - a collection of like minded people who basically know what they are doing here, and are busy getting on with it. The scene I am talking about stretches over three main sites right now - MP3 Unsigned, Songplanet and Soundclick, with little pools in various other sites.

What all this pompous pontificating means is that the collective mind that I know as a 'scene' has been blown away in double quick time bu one Maria Daines, aided and abetted in grand style by Paul Killington. In what seems like a couple of seconds, Maria and Paul have come to attention of almost everyone I know and socialise with, and along the way become firm favourites of radio almost everywhere you look. Part of the impetus for this increased visibility has to be the cracking job they did on Carol Douglas's Va-rog, Va-rog which I reviewed last month and was so favourably impressed by Maria's vocal style that I decided right then and there to give them a closer look. The real surprise here is that Maria - despite the impression Va-rog may have given - is a good, old fashioned wailer of the blues. Not just ANY old wailer of the blues mind, a truly authentic voice that should rightly belong to a (slightly shop soiled obviously) angel and music that not only backs up that claim but can probably stand up well enough on its own.

See, here's the problem. Do you wax lyrical about the guitar licks, the clean bass, the mix to die for?? Or do you just carry on orgasmically how Maria has the smokiest, sexiest style you've heard for many a year. Great if you love blues - which I do - but even great if you don't because this duo of extremely viable talent will still deliver a musical poke in the eye to any detractors. Take Black Mariah for example, a rough, dirty bar room blues in the grand manner, where Maria delivers a blues vocal you would swear was from an old trouper who has spent 94,000 years touring every gin joint in every hick town in the USA's old Deep South. It's the authority this lady brings to the vocals that really make the tracks stand out but take a moment to savour just how good, tight and fluid this music is. As hard as it is to draw your attention away from this incredible vocalist, the music really deserves immense plaudits for it's freshness, dexterity and feel.

I may have started with Black Mariah but this is one artist who you just CANNOT listen to once... So far I've listened (and downloaded) almost everything these people are up to, and it's ALL up to this incredible (nay impossible) standard. Rollin, Ain't Nobody, One Good Man and let me tell you early Tina Turner is the best touchstone here, and I mean that as the highest compliment. Take a listen to the enormously captivating Brandy Queen for a great example of this.

Rollin' also has that feel too it, more so since it's one of the only fully rock (ie bass drums et al) produced track on there, and when I listen to it I can see that younger Tina Turner and yes, I still get all hot and sweaty in that prescence. For a extra treat, get a listen to Number 13, the first number from their upcoming Treebone project and see just how good M&P can be. Or, failing that, the absolutely incredible emotional roller coaster that is You Don't Love Me. There's just too many good ones to be able to choose.

A sure contender for my 2005 awards methinks....

From Dorraine Bennett's Music Muscle

http://www.dorraine.supanet.com/themaria.htm

Here's what Paul has to say about Maria:

As long time guitarist, co-writer and soul-mate with Maria, I guess I'm the one who knows her best artistically and personally. I was always impressed by the gut-wrenching intensity of her singing style, and her emotive intuition has spilled over into her writing, the scale of which inevitably forced us to come off the road as a band and throw ourselves into recording.

Once the sessions began, her endless stream of consciousness and ideas was quite staggering and her grasp of melody and lyrics astounding. In fact, as far as I'm concerned, as a lyricist she's second to none.

For me as a guitarist, she's a dream to work with and the power and emotion of her voice is the icing on the cake. We were thinking of putting out a double CD, but the fact is we've already written enough material for twenty albums!

I sincerely hope the soul of these songs moves you as it did us. Incidentally, Maria is spoilt, bossy and selfish (she was once caught eating chocolates behind the cupboard door after telling everyone they'd all gone, and the boys in the band used to call her 'The General'. We made sure we looked busy when we heard her footsteps coming up the stairs of the rehearsal room) But I love her just the same.

- Paul

Reviewed by: KMP 5/4/2005 'Brandy Queen'

The lyrics to this song stand out so much.. beautifully written. Vocals remind me of Tina Turner which is just great. Very pro sound you guys have. It's a wonderful song. Radio ready material. Acoustics are top notch. Hard to find any faults. Congrats.

Reviewed by: Bow of knightmoods 5/5/2005

Paul and maria..it is such a pleasure to listen to your songs..the talent and diversity you guys show is truly wonderful. I believe your art will truly stand the test of time...

Reviewed by: Greg Buck - Perth, Australia

Fantastic in your face blues rock, this talented artist is the find of the century. What a performer and that voice, raunchy, sexy, in the face and up front, what a truly fantastic talent. This lady will top the heap very soon so move over Bonnie Raitt. So come on those promoters of music and get your act together as this lady has it.

I must also give special mention to the backings and production behind this music it is top class A NUMBER 1

Listen and enjoy. Wow wow wow, rock my soul!!!!!!!

MAY 7 2005 LIVE ON CYGNUS RADIO

Written by: Swannie, presenter

MARIA DAINES DELIVERS !!

Some independent artists compare themselves to popular artists and when you hear them, you wish they hadn't, NOT SO with MARIA DAINES ... Maria delivers her songs with a voice, music and lyrics that could easily be on the same stage with the people she lists as "influences" (JANIS JOPLIN, BONNIE RAITT) and not only would she hold her own, she might even outshine them from time to time! I would LOVE to see her LIVE!!! That would be a soul shaking blues rocking experience! Some of the finest blues and blues rock I have heard in a very long time comes from the talented voice, heart and soul of Maria Daines, accompanied by Paul Killington producer and guitarist. Look for the new CD coming out soon TREEBONE and join us this SATURDAY MAY 7 for an exclusive live interview with Maria on GODDESS RADIO INTERNET @ CYGNUS RADIO. You will not be disappointed you will be coming back for more because Maria touches hearts and souls and brings rocking blues back the way it was meant to be!

Brandy Queen - reviewed by: David Pendragon 5/4/2005

BAG LADY, I love you

There is almost a performance theatre piece here. The imagery is very, very strong, I felt at the end of the song that I had met the character and spent time in conversation, even a faint whiff of brandy hung on the air. Very cool expression all round, I love that light and shade in the delivery, guitar and vocal both. I would like to have more conversation with this character, is she going to appear in other songs I wonder? Very fine work people, high recommendation from me.

Black Mariah - reviewed by: exhippiedude 31.08.05

Yes indeed...this smokes! Very incredible sounding female blues singer. Flawless intonation and soulful execution...If Big Brother and the Holding Co had found this lady before Janis, well the rest of Rock and Blues history would have to be re-written.

Brilliant guitar work, drums and bass as well.

Two thumbs way UP!

Translation of review on www.rootstime.be

by: Francois Braeken August 2005

Paul sounds modest, the "I Want" of Maria aren't that easy to all be realized, the duo Daines/Killington, independent artists from Cambridge, England, are in my humble opinion on their way to soon present a bit more than fuss. Their album "Treebone" ("an eclectic mix of all that we are and some things that we're not. Whatever it is we're proud of it." M & P) could be a breakthrough to sign a contract with a major label. With the opener "Ain't Nobody" it sounds as if 'our' Dani Klein & Vaya Con Dios resound through the speakers. But soon Maria Daines proves with the bluesy "One Good Man" and the (soul)jewel "Bring Your Love Along" why, at her home base, her voice's considered as a combination of the voices of Janis Joplin, Elkie Brooks, Maggie Bell, Melissa Etheridge and Aretha Franklin. "Don't you know I'm crazy" or the relation between women and brandy is explained in the beautiful acoustic "Brandy Queen". As to me...the 'sea of fire' and the tempo are being pulled up with the little blues rockers "Til I Feel Better" "Too Bad Henry" and "Tear Down The Walls". Paul Kilington's rockin' guitars and Maria's voice are the fundamental tools! A bit less speed with some country sounds on "Pack-A-Punch-Mama" roots/rock on "You Ain't The Pickety-Po" (with a very 'fat' laugh) and the fortune hit "You Don't Love Me". It's been yeeeeeeeears since I've heard a song with so much hit potential as this ballad. Totally suitable to scream out your pangs of love, in the car or in your room, it makes you take out your handkerchief as movie soundtracks do and Radio 1 (a very popular radio in Belgium) should be playing the tune over and over and again... "You Don't Love Me" on it's own would justify the act of buying this wonderful album, but also the other songs on it, all made by the duo Daines/Killington... let there be no doubts, it's a first class album! A voice that gives you the goose-pimples, an awesome guitarist (Les Paul) who even plays all instruments + has the role as co-producer... it's a recommendation... "This is a woman who sings with her heart in her mouth" You can always view an extensive interview on http://www.mixposure.com/zzaj-mp.php

http://www.wickmanmusic.com/reviews.html

reviewed by: Bryan Anthony

Maria Daines comes on like a Janis Joplin crossed with Genya Ravan, Juile Driscoll (This Wheel's On Fire) and Tina Turner. You know that, with a title like "TREEBONE", she, and Paul Killington (on guitar), gotta be up to something that's gonna be more than just a "piece of fluff". Well, you're in for a treat. The moment you hear the first song, "Ain't Nobody", you will know, instinctively, that the rest which follows has to be just as substantial. It is! The next song, "One Good Man", confirms this. It starts off nice and gentle, and then, in comes Maria's bluesy vocal. When was the last time you heard raw emotion like this? I bet you'll say "not in a long time".

The album moves on into the next song and, for a slight change of pace, Maria and Paul dive into something almost countryish, "Bring Your Love Along". The blues edge never goes away. Move on to the slower moving "Brandy Queen". It's still there. And there it is again, in the sheer rock and roll pleasure of crunchy guitar laden "Tear Down The Walls".

At this point, you gotta ask: " when was the last time you got your hands on an album you could listen to, start to finish, without having to skip tracks to find something that will grab your attention and keep it?" Every track on this CD drips with energy and raw emotion, even the quiet songs. A well paced album that delivers from beginning to end what others only promise. This is not a pale watered down imitation of classic rock blues. This is the real thing. So, if you're into music with a bite, then "TREEBONE" is just the ablum for you, a bonafide must have.

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