Billie Burke Estate 'Let Your Heart Break' album

The brainchild of Seattle singer-songwriter Andy Liotta, The Billie Burke Estate is the product of a decade of patient craftsmanship and mad science, developing a sound that is succinct, unpredictable and fun. In 2005, after years of demos and scores of recordings, The Billie Burke Estate released the debut album Give It All Away. Rolling Stone endorsed the result with a three-star album review, writing that “Liotta tops off studied pop-rock craft with homespun charm and a big dollop of sunshine: Seventies-style piano pop with melodies upfront…and bright hooks.”

The Billie Burke Estate is about to release its second album, Let Your Heart Break, a dynamic collection of surprising pop songs that are inventive and deeply imagined. Though only the second album for The Billie Burke Estate, Let Your Heart Break brings an advanced musical focus and clarity of vision that Liotta honed over twenty years of writing and performing his own music. Let Your Heart Break is a concept album - a tragedy in four acts (each act contains three songs). The album art contains a list of clues to the identity of the numerous characters in the songs, many of whom recur in multiple tunes. Inspired by the adventurous free spirit of The Beatles and Nilsson, the literate song craft of Randy Newman and Elvis Costello, and the soulful compassion of Cat Stevens and Stevie Wonder, The Billie Burke Estate makes music that is cinematic, emotionally resonant, and has more hooks than a tackle shop.

biography
The Billie Burke Estate celebrates ambitious smart pop. Inspired by the adventurous free spirit of the Beatles and Nilsson, the literate songcraft of Randy Newman and Elvis Costello, and the soulful compassion of Cat Stevens and Stevie Wonder, the Billie Burke Estate makes music that is cinematic, emotionally resonant, and has more hooks than a tackle shop. The brainchild of Seattle singer-songwriter Andy Liotta, BBE is the product of a decade of patient craftsmanship and mad science, developing a sound that is succinct, unpredictable and fun. Rolling Stone endorsed the result, writing that "Liotta tops off studied pop-rock craft with homespun charm and a big dollop of sunshine: Seventies-style piano pop with melodies upfront...and bright hooks."

The Billie Burke Estate is about to release its second album, Let Your Heart Break, a dynamic collection of surprising pop songs that are inventive and deeply imagined. From the manic enthusiasm of "99 Liberty Lane" to the bitter disappointment of "Dreams Come True," from the gentle perversion of "Perky Muscle Girl" to the life-affirming redemption of the title track, the songs paint vivid portraits and deliver unexpected delights. The clear production and groovy arrangements showcase the range of Liotta's vocals, strong but empathic, vulnerable yet assured. The twelve well-paced tracks come together into an album that's compulsively easy to listen to from start to finish, and this is music that rewards repeat listening: the real world is lurking here in all its magical familiarity.

Though only the second album for the Billie Burke Estate, Let Your Heart Break brings an advanced musical focus and clarity of vision that Liotta honed over twenty years of writing and performing his own music. He spent the late '80s and most of the '90s fronting two notorious SF power trios, Smokin' Rhythm Prawns ('87 to '92) and Walrus ('93 to '98). With over 500 shows between the two, and sharing the stage with the likes of Green Day, Primus, Counting Crows, fIREHOSE, and Blues Traveler, Liotta became a ferocious performer, combining intricate bass lines with powerful vocals, and making it look easy.

When the Walrus era came to a close, Liotta started a family and moved to the Northwest, where he pursued a new musical direction. Volume and distortion no longer a shield, he began crafting lyrics and melodies that were more intimate, inspired by the beauty of Pet Sounds and the passion of the early Beatles solo albums. With a used 8-track as the foundation, Liotta created a one-man band, layering piano, bass, guitar, vocals and drums to construct a unique flavor of brainy pop. He dubbed the project "The Billie Burke Estate" after the late actress' home, which hosted winter sledding and summer carnivals during his youth in Hastings-on-Hudson, New York.

After years of demos and scores of recordings, in 2005, the Billie Burke Estate released the debut album, Give It All Away, to positive reviews in Rolling Stone and elsewhere. In July of 2006, BBE was named local artist of the month for KMTT-The Mountain. In the SF Bay Area, the song "Gay" has been featured on the Pride Week "10 at 10" set on KFOG for three years running. In October 2006, BBE released its first video, "Dear George," a moving commentary on the failures of our president. There are plans for a number of performance videos to be released early next year, as well as a pair of promo videos from the new album. The momentum is growing, so keep your ears open: the smart pop revolution is coming...

Do you also would like to share your opinion? If so, please register or login here.

Tags

Details

Billie Burke Estate - Let Your Heart Break