Check out the CDs
| "Singer-songwriters working in the folk tradition aren't hard to find. Those who keep you interested are. Hamden-based Menta falls in with the latter. While she isn't doing anything new -- the 12 cuts on "When the Love Ran Deep" are typical folk-informed pop and the lyrics largely deal with falling in and out of love and finding one's self -- she exudes such a pleasant warmth that it's hard not to like her. | ||||||
| "She possesses a welcoming voice that fits perfectly with the wispy "I Never Knew" and country-ish "You've Got a Story." Other standout tracks include "Carolina Letter," a song of regret, and "Promise," a country rocker from which the disc takes its title. | ||||||
| "Her backing band is equipped to follow her in exciting directions. Dick Neal's mandolin flourishes on "I Never Knew" add a downhome warmth to the lead-off track. The Cajun flavoring of "World I Live In" is extremely refreshing and not easy for musicians to pull off if they aren't schooled in Louisiana culture." | ||||||
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-- Ray Hogan, Stamford Advocate, March 25, 2004 |
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| "Menta was stellar as usual . . . In some ways, Menta's songs are a little like pages in an album full of wrinkled yellowed photographs. | ||||||
| Each song is a moment captured: While some portray in black and white the sadness that may seem achingly familiar, still others, like Menta, give way to the rich colors of immense joy and hope that life sometimes provides." | ||||||
-- Chris Buskey, New Haven Advocate |
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| "Anne Marie Menta has been a standard on the local folk scene for some time. | ||||||
| "Throughout the years of perpetual gigging and product release (her last CD, Untried & True, is a consummate example of her talents), Menta has not only received praise from press, peers and fans but gained a fair amount of respect from the musical community. Fine conveyance of story and emotion." | ||||||
-- Grand Band Slam, New Haven Advocate |
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| ". . . an acoustic pop performer with the trappings of a coffeehouse folk musician, Anne Marie Menta has a voice at once wholesome and resonant. | ||||||
| "Her 1999 debut album "Untried and True" is rich in melodic hooks." | ||||||
-- John Stifler, Daily Hampshire Gazette |
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| "This debut album is immediately notable for the quality of the songwriting. Menta knows how to set the mood with a catchy chorus and capture big feelings in the small details of a story. | ||||||
| "There is a strong sense of time and place that gives emotional impact without resorting to sentimentality. . .Whether the songs are going for something deep or light, they are consistently well-crafted." | ||||||
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-- Michael Devlin, editor, Music Matters Review, Smithtown NY |
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(click here to read the entire review) |
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| "Her debut folk album showcases her sweet voice and several striking songs, many of them with a jangly pop country feel. | ||||||
| ". . . my personal favorite is "Exception to Every Rule", a light waltz whose tune stays with you. There are many nice moments on this album. . ." | ||||||
-- Rob Weir, Valley Advocate (MA) |
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| "Anne Marie Menta's exquisite new CD has lots of critics gushing, and she's just as good live." | ||||||
-- Christopher Arnott, New Haven Advocate |
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| "Let's just say I wasn't expecting a national-quality local recording at the beginning of January. . . the 'true' half of the title couldn't be any truer, both in sound and content. | ||||||
| "Above all, it's an honest album. Like many of her musical heroes - Lucinda Williams, Rosanne Cash, Mary Chapin Carpenter. . . Menta can't sing a song she doesn't believe in. | ||||||
| "The album is sweet and upbeat and sad and nostalgic without milking any of the above emotions the way Hollywood does. | ||||||
| "Deserves a listen at least on a roots/Americana format." | ||||||
-- Fran Fried, New Haven Register |
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(click here to read the entire review) |
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| "Soft but firm, whimsical but dignified, airy yet centered acoustic folk-popstress Anne Marie Menta has become a listening-room and coffeehouse staple in Connecticut." |
-- The New Haven Advocate |
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