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EMURG / Review; Sunrise Highway
September 28, 2012

Reviewed by Kyle on September 28, 2012

http://emurg.com/review/lisa-matassa-sunrise-highway/


The story of Lisa Matassa’s journey in the country music business is truly one that is remarkable. Lisa may seem new to the country music scene but it’s her unprecedented comeback story and her album, “Sunrise Highway”, that truly makes her a gem in the constantly expanding genre of country music. Lisa originally hit the scene as Lysa Lynn at the age of nineteen in which she released two singles, “I’ve Got The Hots For You” and “Rock Me Baby”, where she received both national and international airplay on the Dance Music Charts in the late 80′s. She eventually decided to settle down and start a family, but the fire of her love for music could not be calmed for very long. With the release of Sunrise Highway in 2012, the Long Island mother presents a collection of empowering country songs that show that country music just doesn’t come out of Nashville. Most importantly, it’s Lisa’s music that displays an artist as someone who has come full circle in their career.

The opening track, “Wouldn’t You Like To Know”, starts the album off with an energetic country rock-based tone. Lisa does an excellent job with delivering an almost soulful vocal performance that draws resemblance to female country singers Reba McEntire or Martina McBride. Furthermore, the guitar solo executed in this song will leave any guitarist begging for more! Lisa continues with the country rock vibe with the song, “Somebody’s Baby”, in which she sings a catchy, but heartfelt chorus:

Cause you’re somebody’s baby

You’re somebody’s favorite song to sing

You’re somebody’s whole wide world

Somebody’s everything

And wherever you go I hope you know always be

Somebody’s baby

The first single off Sunrise Highway, “Me Time”, is a song that is very personal to Lisa as a mother. Lisa emphasizes her journey as not only as musician, but as mother by stating, “I bring a unique perspective to my music now. Not many mothers with teenagers embark on a recording career later in life”. “Me Time”, seems to encompass the talents of Lisa’s abilities to craft a song that can relate to all mothers out there, especially with the lyrics:

I’ll throw my hair in a pony tail
Put on my ripped up blue jeans
Take a walk and breathe some fresh air
And only stop for coffee
Nowhere to be, No schedule to keep
Lose the routine, Yea just turn off the phone
I wanna be alone for

Surprisingly, Lisa captivates the listener with not an original song, but with Bryan Adam’s song, “Heaven”. It is not the fact that Lisa captivates the listener with an interesting rendition of a fairly well known song, but it’s her vocal execution that really displays herself as someone with the heart and love for what they do as a musician. Her vocal abilities as being trained as a classical vocalist and her love for music by such artist as Barbra Streisand, Loretta Lynn, and Patsy Cline, shows that she is fully capable of turning such a classic song into something entirely new and beautiful.

Even though Lisa Matassa may not be new to the music scene, it’s her journey that has brought her full circle as a truly talented musician. Lisa states, “I am happy I continued my dream, even with the downfalls, because I still have that fire inside of me. You’ve got to figure out what is is you love and have the courage to do that”. It is musicians like her that truly make it a joy to write about and share with the world. I only wish the best for Lisa and her future musical endeavors as not only as musician, but as a person that has found their place in the world. Be sure to check out Lisa and her new album, “Sunrise Highway”!



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