Hilary Scott - The Floating World (2002)

When Hilary Scott sings, people stop and listen. One of the first times she performed at a bar in Seattle she was told, 'don't worry if people don't really pay attention. The music here is more for background.' The place fell silent when she opened her mouth. People seem drawn to her style and her music because it provides them with a total and unique 'experience.' A musician since the age of three and a writer since the age of five, it seemed natural that Hilary would one day combine the two, and the result has been explosive. Raised on piano, violin, voice and guitar, she experiments with different sounds, instruments, and styles to create unique audio artwork. Her influences when she were growing up were vast, but she felt a special connection to the music of Peter Gabriel and Nick Drake. From Peter Gabriel grew her passion for percussion and orchestration, and from Nick Drake came her love of honest lyrics and heartbreaking guitar melodies. Female artists she has been compared to include Sarah MacLachlan, Ani DiFranco, Melissa Ferrick, and other modern songwriters. Listeners can be gratified with blues, folk, rock, pop and classical influences in her music, and yet still find they are listening to something completely fresh and difficult to define. 'Just finished listening to Hilary Scott. She is difficult to categorize... Sinead O'Connor meets Alanis Morisette meets Enya, Meets Sarah MacLachlan. Her guitar playing and her band remind me of acoustic Led Zeppelin meets U2 meets Celtic Cajun/Goth...All in all she is very original. Even though she reminds me of above artists and styles, she has a uniqueness about her. At times it's a little spooky. In fact it reminds me of New Orleans, not sure why...My favorite song was 'When It's Done'. In my opinion she sounds most relaxed on this cut, and her song/story/playing seems to have a unique honesty/vibe about it...She is very original' - Joseph Patrick Moore Hilary performed solo for many years in the Northwest, but two years ago moved to Missouri where she formed a six piece band called LaidDownEight. Her style flourished as she began working with people whose jam-band past expanded upon the songs she was writing. The band helped her record, 'The Floating World,' and they continue to perform with her around the Midwest. Although Hilary self-produced two albums prior to 'The Floating World,' this album is the first to be produced on a large scale. Without major label backing Hilary and her band have received commercial radio airplay and have opened up for acts such as Jonatha Brook. Record labels have shown an interest in the short two months since her record began selling, and the word is spreading quickly. When she opened for Jonatha Brook at The Blue Note in Columbia, MO, listeners were wowed: '...I was completely blown away by Brook's opening band. Hilary Scott is amazing, and I hope to see a lot more of her and her band in the future.' -Taken from the Blue Note website. Hilary's songs are personal, yet appeal to an extremely large audience. There seems to be something here for everyone. Lyrically significant, thoughtfully arranged, and excellently performed, the ten songs on The Floating World will take you on a journey. Check out this up and coming artist and be able to say you were one of the first to purchase her CD. 'I have a new soundtrack to my life...' -Hilary Scott fan 'Somewhere between the heavy angst of Canadian artist Lynn Miles and the light musical sophistry of Amy Rigby there lies a young vanilla-haired singer/songwriter named Hilary Scott...The music that carries [Hilary's] lyric dreams reminds me of Paul McCartney's 'Hope of Deliverance.' Track 9, 'That Kind of Woman,' is just screaming for heavy rotation radio airplay not only because of it's strong musical hook but because of it's persuasive story line to which both sexes can relate.' - Rocket Kirchner 'It's EXCELLENT! I was digging it this morning in the car.' - David Cohen, WORT 89.9 Madison, WI 'Tasty Stuff!' - Scott Keeton, KPFA 94.1, Berkeley, CA '...rich and introspective lyrics...the maturity of Scott's music is what is most impressive about her album...full of real emotion and reflection...' - Liz Van Hooser, Columbia Daily Tribune.