Search - Heather Eatman :: Mascara Falls

Intelligent debut from a promising lady

dev1 | Baltimore | 03/09/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Tag along for a stroll around New York City with Heather and you'll meet a queer assortment of characters - all of them trailer park rejects. There's the embarrassingly inapt actress named Betty-Jean (Goodbye Betty-Jean), the recovering druggie named Mary G. (Halfway House) and the female bus companion with "two black eyes and a fake fur coat" (Greyhound).On first hearing Heather, I assumed she was 13 years old. Big mistake. Lines such as "My mother's hands are made of forks and knives" and "Lies like a cheap violin" show a mature songstress. "Mascara Falls" is a collection of tales of fallen women. Heather observes each deplorable character with tenderness and compassion, but from a distance. The exception is "Miss Liberty" - the statue is freed then adopted by Heather.The music on this disc is also compelling: an assortment of genres including screaming guitar rock (Barbs and Used Cars) and country tinged pop (Miss Liberty). Much of the guitar work (Lucky You and Greyhound) is reminiscent of Roger McGuinn's Rickenbacker.You can enjoy "Mascara Falls" on a superficial level (very accessible) or peer deeper into the subject of abuse. An intelligent debut from a promising lady."

Just the oddest little disc....

M. Anderson | Salt Lake City, UT | 10/12/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Stories. That's what these songs are - a collection of whacky stories that are catchy and quirky. Heather Eatman sounds most like Jill Sobule, but is a little smarter, a little more caustic, and just plain smarter. Think of a more uptempo Suzanne Vega with a much stronger voice. A good folk/pop/rock disc."