How did stop-you-in-your-tracks vocalist and songwriter Christine Sweeney go from singing along with R&B radio and tapes by Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, and Destiny’s Child as a kid; to choice slots at the Connecticut Folk Fest and Falcon Ridge Folk Fest, airplay on WFUV, on bills with Graham Parker and Jill Sobule, and in a Paste Magazine 2021 session?
To her, the R&B vocal influence isn’t unnatural in settings ranging from hushed folk stages to full band rock shows. Her music reminds her fans of Susan Tedeschi, Brandi Carlile, Sheryl Crow, KT Tunstall, or Grace Potter with music that grooves and rocks but also reveals her story.
Her new album Heart In a Hurry, out April 22, generously dashes blues, pop, Americana, folk, and yes, R&B, in sharp, open-hearted songs, some drawn from hard-earned life lessons. The message has connected with her fans; she’s had people approach her after concerts to tell her hearing her song helped with something they were experiencing. Even when telling a deeply personal story, Christine has the ability to tap into universal feelings. Heart In a Hurry tells a tale of perseverance.
Musically, the album ranges from the rolling soul music of “Feeling So Low,” the message of self-love hidden in the howling blues of “Coyote,” the catchy character studies of “Denial,” full-on New York rocker “Do You Have To Go?,” and the swinging, grin-inducing “Better Parts” (out as a single March 22). In the cathartic, crashing “Down to The River” (single out April 5), she imagines a car driven off the road and into the water and the lightning-strike thoughts that would go through one’s mind. In the heart-rending “Anywhere, Anyway,” she powerfully likens the relationship to taking turns treading water.
Christine crafted Heart In a Hurry with long-time collaborators Sam Kantor (on harmony vocals), Dave Ferro (guitar), and consulting producer Matt Einsidler. “Rising Americana artist” (NPR Music) Pete Mancini contributed guitar parts to several tracks.
Whether rocking a festival stage with her full band or a hushed, candle-lit folk club, Christine Sweeney will give you goosebumps with her voice and then hit you with the depth of her storytelling. While she got her start singing to songs taped from the radio, now she can be heard on the airwaves herself.
Christine Sweeney Tour Dates:
March 11 – Lithology – Farmingdale, NY
March 14 – Live stream Monday Night Muses w/ Rorie Kelly – online via Facebook, YouTube, and Twitch
March 27 – Michael Braceland Art Gallery – Patchogue, NY
April 16 – Industry Makers – Huntington, NY (album release show)
May 3 – Mary O’s – New York, NY
May 27 Michael Braceland Art Gallery – Patchogue, NY
May 28 – Mather Homestead – Darien, CT
Heart In a Hurry Track List:
1. Better Parts
2. Denial
3. Coyote
4. Do You Have To Go?
5. Feeling So Low
6. Anywhere, Anyway
7. Down To the River
