"She uses spiritual and mythological language in her songs, but less toward any obtuse mystical end than as a means of exploring the essense of intimacy - between lovers, between the artist and her muse, between people and the earth." - East Bay Express

Lost and Found

Eliza Gilkyson's newest release on Red House Records, Lost and Found, is a natural evolution from her critically acclaimed previous recording, Hard Times in Babylon. Utilizing co-producer Mark Hallman and the same team of top-notch Austin musicians, as well as her brother Tony Gilkyson (of "X" fame) on guitar, this CD is a collection of stories of lives and loves lost and found. The production is sparse, the lyrics convey Eliza's depth of experience, and her voice is, as always, commanding and assured, conveying a tough vulnerability as she weaves tales both personal and archetypical. "I feel the human story is that of losing and finding ourselves again and again, as individuals and as a collective, hopefully figuring out a few things along the way." Eliza has lived to tell the tale in her own unique way, of a soul that has been "lost and found" in its myriad forms.

"I was bent but I was not broken
I was sinking but I did not drown
I was reeling but I was still hoping
I could be lost and found"
--Welcome Back

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Hard Times in Babylon is the recording Eliza Gilkyson has been building towards for many years, as a singer, writer and producer. The collection of songs, which she describes as "a diary of a season of love and loss", is stripped down and presented with a hard-earned confidence that she has only hinted at in previous recordings, allowing her voice and experience to convey her lyrics with no need for over-embellishment.

Drawing on Austin's finest musicians and the expertise of co-producer/engineer, Mark Hallman, Eliza has gathered a lean and mean team of players who shared her vision for this project. Utilizing the core rhythm section of bassist Glenn Fukanaga and drummer Rafael Gayol, this recording flows easily between the ballads and the rock tunes. The addition of Mike Hardwick on acoustic guitars was, according to Eliza, "essential because Mike is a virtuoso/minimalist who says more by playing less than any guitar player I know". She also uses slide guitarist Matt Andes for the "extremes", and adds simple cameo performances by Austin artists David Webb, Mark Hallman, and Randy McCullough.

The songs chronicle a year of love, loss and personal growth. The CD opens with "Beauty Way", a semi-autobiographical homage to the plight of being a guitar slinger by trade. It goes to the depths of sorrow and grief, re-emerges with a brighter perspective, and ends with the comforting "Sanctuary". "This last year was one of the most difficult times of my life and make no mistake about it, this recording is a diary of how I negotiated those dark waters. Between the death of my father (folksinger Terry Gilkyson), a difficult relationship breakup, and the path I took to get myself through it all, the music was my vehicle for expressing the whole process of coming to terms with loss". Fans of Eliza's live shows will be happy to find the title song, "Baby's Waking" and other recent songs included.

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"Misfits is filled with personal stories and striking melodies, all conveyed with an uncommon amount of magic from a woman, who after years of searching, has found her voice." - The Austin Chronicle

Misfits, released in 1999, is a collection of songs recorded over seven years that rock a little harder than Eliza's usual atmospheric style, revealing an attitude and personality often downplayed on previous recordings. Featuring stellar performances by veteran musicians Matt and Mark Andes,Tony Gilkyson, D.J. Bonebrake and a duet of Bob Dylan's "Chimes of Freedom" with John Doe, this compilation of "misfits" was, almost by accident, Eliza's most radio-friendly effort to date.

The material is relaxed and incredibly angst-free for Eliza (witness the "fishin' musician" cover photo), who has been known to delve deeply into relationships, emotions, soul searching and the pondering of the imponderables. Not that she doesn't dig deep, but the attitude is less vulnerable, and she's more in her power as a woman and a singer.

The songs range from an irreverent portrait of an almost-affair between a priest and a neophyte ("Father Jesus") to a sexy tropical island fantasy ("Beautiful Dreamer"), to the alternative country approach on "Bad Boy/Good Man," a winner in the John Lennon Imagine Songwriting Competition. "Hollywood Years" is a quirky East Indian-style storytelling of her years in the trenches of the music business in Los Angeles.

Eliza's production really shines on this disc. There are the usual layers of acoustic instrumentation, and with this team of artists the result is musical interplay and support of her larger-than-life pipes. The band rocks, but Eliza never loses command of the show or the primary need for her stories to be told.

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"In this year filled with haunting women's voices, Gilkyson's fourth album, Redemption Road is a standout, with its soulful tunes of questing for faith, self-awareness and stability." - San Jose Mercury News

Redemption Road, released in 1997, covers a wide range of Eliza's musical and lyrical heritage. It's the story of a woman's journey through love, disillusionment, keen observation and self-reflection to find her voice. "I was working with the concept of redemption on this recording, not in the religious sense, but more on the personal level."

From the sexy come-on of "Unless You Want Me" to the wrenching appeal to a suicidal youth on "Our Time," Eliza "seems to shed light on the darkest and most intimate reaches of her soul" (Hollywood Reporter). To honor her family tradition of songwriting, she has included a song, "Solitary Singer;" the lyrics were written by her grandmother in 1948 and the music by her father. "Rose of Sharon" is Eliza's reinterpretation of "The Song of Solomon" from the Old Testament, and "Prayer 2000" is a bold statement of gratitude.

From the opening glimpse into the soul's mirror on "Pools of Eden" to the closing self-acceptance of the title song, Redemption Road is a refined, creative and passionate work.

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Through the Looking Glass (1992) marked Eliza's debut as a self-producer and the beginning of her journey to find her own unique sound. This recording exhibits her folk roots while still staying ever-mindful of her personal quest of exploration into the mysteries.

Standout tracks include the "Lights of Santa Fe", a "lament of the loss of that little town's soul", and "Take Off Your Old Coat", a remake of father Terry's version which includes Tony on guitar and Terry on a dramatic bass vocal harmony. Eliza calls this her most spiritual album, with songs like "When We Cross Over" and the Anglican Church-inspired "Emmanuel" or the questing of "Odyssey".

As the title track indicates, Eliza likens her approach to life's experiences as "as if seen through the lens of a looking glass--finding the beauty wherever possible, accepting the wins and losses of the greenfields and the minefields, staying in touch with the love along the way."

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"Eliza Gilkyson writes songs for the soul." --Tower Pulse

The songs on Pilgrims (1987) tell the story of a quest. "Calling All Angels" is an invocation to a higher order in this time of imbalance. "Shadows and Footprints" is a warning about the state of nature. "Material Man" is about man out of touch with his inner female, as "Foolish Heart" shows us woman out of touch with her inner male. "Mister Mystery" and "Pilgrims" tell of the search for union while "My Baby is a Universe" is human love found. "One Heart in Time" tells of love's power to restore hope and bring change. Yet inevitably this journey leads back to ourselves, as "Closer" reminds us that the path is internal and individual.

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