“‘Cosmopolitan Folk in Your Ears’ is Kathy’s description of this 5 track ep. It arrived wrapped in handmade cardboard curtains, sealed shut with a sticker, the packaging a tiny performance in its own right. This is modern New York folk, comprised of nods to early 60s Greenwich Village, a voice with the enunciation but not the abstract purity of Joan Baez, and hints at a fondness for English pastoral folk (perhaps as redone by the Smoke Fairies). This is combined with something very 21st century in the small drops of violin and percussion: the first tiny whirl of cymbals on ‘Winter’ is repeated once, then again, bigger and a little bolder, but just a small moment in the entire song. It takes someone smart to be careful not to inundate her sound with extraneousness, and even smarter to do this without sounding ethereal. This is innovative. None of the five songs are particularly distinct from the others, though perhaps the repetition and madrigal-esque echoes of the words ‘coming back, coming back’ in Fairytale make it stand out. All are wordy and soft. A whole album would be too much, unless Kathy can differentiate between tracks without losing what is special about her sound, but this is a very nice EP."
“Kathy Zimmer's The Opening Band EP is so lovingly packaged that it's almost a shame to break into it. Once inside there are five pretty, melodic songs smoothly sung and played.”
“On her fourth CD-release, The Opening Band, Nebraska-bred, New York City-based singer/songwriter Kathy Zimmer conveys a sense of wonderment, not only through her angelic-sounding voice and sweet melodies, but through her words, best exemplified by the line, "I've been in love since the beginning of my life", from the first track, "Fairy Tale". Even when the songs express a contradictory sentiment--like the cynical "Place Holder", in which she laments spending time with a lover she doesn't love--one can't help but feel she can never be so cruel, if only because the song is so pleasant to the ear. Whereas these songs could lend themselves to a big production, the sparseness here seems right, and gives it the kind of intimacy one would find at their local folk-club. In all of the songs here, one can spot a through-line: Zimmer's resilience in the face of life's unfairness (even her own), coupled with a determination to get to a better place: "Turned every corner onto streets that I knew/ And on every street, shit was shaking down/ I walked though it all on my way to you" (from "On My Way To You"). With that in mind, one can only look forward to what she has to offer next. ”
“... it is in this track that we feel all the promise of Zimmer’s lush soprano. She luxuriates on this melody, and her distinctive swagger basks in the tradition of the beloved Laura Nyro and hints at that other singer-songwriter, Joni Mitchell.
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“KATHY ZIMMER has such a lovely voice. I find people who have some operatic training tend to force their vocals, but not Kathy. The proof is further expressed in her new 5-song EP, The Opening Band. It’s by sheer luck I ran into Kathy at a Tamara Hey show a couple years back, but I’m grateful, because now I have the chance to introduce you to her, once again. Right from the first song, “Fairy Tale,” she lilts and tilts her tunes over and around her acoustic guitar. Swirling about as well are an electric guitar, violin and percussion. She continues the light ballad trend through all the originals here, giving the listener a warm, cozy feeling. All five are keepers, so go for it. Oh, lest I forget, my only complaint about the whole thing is that all the covers are hand-put-together, so no two are identical, and being the collector I am, I didn’t want to break the seal! But I did, and it was worth it… ”
“There is something very special about the songwriting talent of Kathy Zimmer that she presents on this new album, Spare Key, that is uncommon and such a delight to listen to. Heartfelt stories of living everyday life and being in love delivered with a vocal performance that is both honest and direct. Kathy simply sings wonderful lyrics with her unique vocal ability that are mind provoking and easy to believe. One of the top new folk releases to cross our desks here at Roots Music Report in 2009. ”
“Kathy Zimmer moves through NYC swinging an umbrella and exuding a zany sensuality in the video for her song "Summer"- it's like she's Ginger Rogers reincarnated as a fun-loving NYC singer/songwriter.”
“... infinitely listenable and rewards with every listen. Spare Key is both playful and serious, cleverly revealing a variety of sounds and moods as well as showcasing the fantastic band. If Zimmer has been saving her best songs for a full-length album, who knows what other wonders she’ll come up with next?"
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“I've been listening to a lot of Joni Mitchell lately. Her '60s and '70s output was consistently inspired, with Blue probably her best record. I think Kathy Zimmer might be a fan, too. Spare Key is a compact six track mini-album which draws heavily on that legacy. It's the attention to everyday detail, that Zimmer instills in her songs which gives the most pleasure. It's a 'chatty' style, which almost feels like you're shooting the breeze over a coffee. And her voice. It's got a catch in it which brings to mind another '60s folk icon, Joan Baez, though it's nowhere near as pure. Indeed, the songs, the singer, the whole package, you'll have to decide for yourself whether Kathy Zimmer is retro or timeless. I'm not sure, but I like it, whatever you want to call it. ”
“Kathy Zimmer follows the adage 'write about what you know' on her Spare Key EP, which contains six autobiographical snapshots from her life delivered in a confident and distinctive vocal warble that, on one of the better tracks - 'Summer', brings to mind a latter day Joan Baez.”
“KATHY ZIMMER has, by far, one of the more cultured voices among the singer-songwriter circles in New York. This makes her CD Spare Key certainly an easy listen. Kathy possesses pipes that are an unusual mix of folk flavor, with a more formal soft-spoken chanteuse, with a touch of even more formal operatic, and yet her presentation is that of comfort and a high level of enjoyability (okay, that's not a real word, but Kathy is the real thing, and that's what matters, right?) And it doesn't stop there--the songs here, written by Kathy, are smart and totally accessible. All six cuts are equal in quality, which is another reason to give a listen. I haven't seen her live as of this writing, but I'm looking forward to it.”
“Listening to this after days immersed in new weird Americana is like sticking a lump of Vicks up your nose and breathing in for all you're worth. Suddenly everything is crystal clear, in tune, beautifully produced and completely straightforward.”
“... moments of instrumental elegance now are intertwined cohesively with Zimmer’s seemingly natural use of story-led lyrical intricacy. It makes Spare Key something of a breakout album, both stylistically and commercially.”click here to read entire review
“Sure it’s folk, but there’s a sophistication about the composition and instrumentation of Spare Key. Most striking is the quality of Kathy’s voice.”
“Ms. Zimmer's voice reminds me of the British folkie Bridget St, Jones. 'Summer' is beautiful and languid- like a sunny summer day.”
“Singer-songwriter Kathy Zimmer’s tunes display an unusual combination of conversational lyrics and crisp, mannered vocals. Tonight she celebrates the release of her new CD, Spare Key.”
“To say that Kathy Zimmer is only a folk singer would be doing her a great disservice, for she is that and much more. She continues that well-established tradition of artist-as-storyteller, but differs with a vocal style that is steeped in church music and irregular phrasing—a style more reminiscent of European folk music than American folk music. Her songs display elements of folk, pop, jazz and gospel with simple uncluttered arrangements and imaginative use of backing vocal harmonies. The subject matters of the songs are bittersweet tales of human relationships. Kathy has incorporated all of the above elements and presented a set of songs that on the surface may be simple, but are almost cinematic in their lyrical imagery. This no doubt is a tip of her musical hat to someone who used to go by the name of Zimmerman. There is a lot to enjoy here and I hope it achieves the broad exposure it deserves.”
"Her voice is silky and cultured like a pearl, with a velvet smoothness that is reminiscent of laying in a bubble bath."
Kristen Sollee, Big Takeover, Issue 58 (http://www.bigtakeover.com/issue)
"Art folk rocker Kathy Zimmer blends elements from back-in-the-day folk chanteuses like Joan Baez and Joni Mitchell and spunky old country music with an urbanized-classical twist to create a unique and interesting sound. On her EP dreamin', Zimmer has crafted four songs, each of a different character, that convey feelings of alienation, loneliness and rebelliousness. At the forefront in the music is Zimmer's warm, soulful (and powerful) voice which is complemented nicely by her sparse and moody arrangements. Watch for Zimmer live on the NYC concert circuit!"
Music Connection
"A New York via Nebraska artist with a folk-based upbringing, Zimmer has a well-schooled voice that exudes lots of husky humanity."
OpenCity.com
"The MySpace site says cosmopolitan folk. I don't hear folk but folk may be what you make it and it's high quality music nonetheless. Ambient rock elements on 'Gospel Book', guitar textures for atmosphere, rolling drums. Layered vocals on the chorus, drums move into a backbeat. 'Winter' and 'St. Patrick' revolved around jazz textures, acoustic bass, light drums, simple repeated (looped?) guitar figures. Very true vocal pitch, a true lead voice, bell tones along the lines of Joni Mitchell. Veers into a country Americana feel with 'Holy Terror'. The songs are more art songs than pop songs, the melodies winding, words rushing past, but the strength in the lead vocal and the sureness of the arrangements makes this an interesting, slightly exotic journey."
http://blog.myspace.com/davidjmitchell
"1970? Kathy's music is timeless; it easily could have been pulled out of a Joan Baez back catalogue. I imagine that Kathy would be a great live show. Her voice is raw but perfectly pitched. 'Winter' is song that you can shut your eyes to and be swept away, the music just subtle enough to allow the fullness of her voice to shine through. If you are into 1970's folk then Kathy is for you. I'm looking forward to hearing more from her soon."
Urban Folk,
"She can sing rings around you -- unless it's Kathy Zimmer reading this, in which case, Kathy, you sing real good."
Les Reynold, indie-music.com
"She weaves a seductive web of intrigue, desire and playfulness and just pulls you in before you know it."
Jennifer Layton, indie-music.com
"Zimmer has a dramatic, operatic yet breathlessly delicate voice, and I found myself holding my breath to catch the words. I feel like I'm watching a Shakespearean musical. The hypnotic yet energizing and tribal music, combined with the poetic lyrics, really does feel like performance art."
Andrew Aber, The Village Voice
"Under Your Spell is a collection of quirky grown-up tunes with perhaps a nod to the work of Maria Muldaur."
Major Matt Mason USA, Olive Juice Records
“Classic minimal Americana with a a hint of quirk. Kathy's got a set of pipes to rival your best Broadway musical crooner."
Michael McHugh, New Century Productions
"Kathy Zimmer's music and her unaffected trad folk voice harken back to a simpler time when idealistic folkies thought music could change the world. She's young and just starting up but as a singer... she could be our Baez."
Lach, Fortified Records
"Zimmer has retained her operatic voice and gentle melodies but these are infused by experimentation which reveals a funkiness and humor that is refreshing to see."
Steve Bryne, Scene, www.clevescene.com
"... one might think she was the adopted daughter of Joni Mitchell. She combines elegant guitar work with rich vocals that engulf songs without smothering them. Her lyrics are imaginitive, a little bit dark and a touch sardonic. Lovers of modern acoustic music should find a way to give a listen to this bright and earnest new artist."
Bill Ribas, NY Rock, www.nyrock.com
"Her voice is deep and inviting....And it is in those sultry pipes that your listening pleasure is attained....A fine debut." Full review here.
