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     Jill Sissel is a song crafter extraordinaire. This is not her first CD and you can tell as you listen to it that a lot of thought went into the arrangements. The songs are vibrant and well structured and paint a picture as you listen.  These songs are not what you will hear on your top 40 country radio. Jill Sissel writes from the heart and stays true to herself and her roots with “Forever Free.”  My guess is that you are here in search of something different for your aural pleasure. Let’s dig in and see how well “Forever Free” meets the challenge.  Continue on for Nashville singer songwriter Jill Sissel remains Forever Free with her current release.

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Silver Highway

Silver Highway is a nice blues tinted song with some nice guitar work. There is an all too short guitar start that sets the tone for a great little driving highway song. It makes me want to jump in the car and crank it up on the way to somewhere.

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Forever Free

The title track is an often forgotten thing these days. This title track, Forever Free is one song that even after a few times through still hangs on as a strong song. Both melodically and lyrically this song is outstanding and shows Jill’s vocal chops and some fine guitar work.

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Sweet Magic

Nice mellow bongos and some tasty guitar playing lead you into a nice mellow feeling as the song mellows on. Sweet Magic certainly works some nice magic in your ears.

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The Tennessee Farmer

Tennessee Farmer is a song with a surprise twist. I am not going to say anymore about it as I don’t want to ruin it for the potential listener by revealing the plot. This certainly was not at all what I expected which is a good thing.

 

When I Think of You

If you are in the mood for a little mellow tune that shows how strong chords and pretty lyrics can transport you back in time, this song can and does do that. I can imagine people sitting and playing this on a old Victrola or listening to it live in a Chicago speakeasy back in the day.

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What Do You Know?

Sissel lets her voice and vocal rendering do what a good song is supposed to do. What Do You Know? This song hits all the right spots at the right times.

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Water and Tree

When Water and Tree starts off it made me think I was going to be hearing some epic classic song like something from Simon and Garfunkel. I don’t mean it sounds like it melodically, but it has that nice feel and groove like a classic song from that day. Having a nice message is a huge plus as well.

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Set My World on Fire

A rock and roll beat with distorted guitar and passionate powerful lyrics have always been the things needed to make a song explode off a CD and into your psyche. Set My World on Fire certainly stands well on those two points.

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Salty Mountain

Salty Mountain must be a purely personal look back into the youth of a youngster and her parents helping her learn and guide her on the path that parents seem to have forgotten these days. You may see yourself and your family in this song.

 

Until We Meet Up Again

Many artists seem to have trouble finding the right tune to end a CD. How it starts and how it ends is often more important than the songs that wind through the album. Until We Meet Again is a perfect end to a great listening experience.

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As a whole the album meanders from one musical adventure to the next and never loses its way on the journey.  It is one of the CDs you should own.  You will definitely find yourself playing it from time to time as life rushes by and you feel the need for some musical honesty.

     Forever Free is one of those gems you should add to your collection.  We hope you enjoyed Nashville singer songwriter Jill Sissel remains Forever Free with her current release.

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by Dashal Jennings  The Daily Banner  October 21st, 2019

We give this CD 5 out of 5 stars.

Pick up this CD at CD Baby , AmazonSpotifyApple iTunes and anywhere else digital downloads or CD’s are available.

"Music Row, Robert K. Oermann Single Review for "Love Knows no Distance" written by Jill Sissel (ASCAP) and Steve Bigler (BMI). It's a little under produced, but the song has a cool hook 

and the wha-wha electric guitar behind her "dry" vocal is teasing and wonderfully ear-catching."

- Robert Oermann, Music Row

 

"Her voice is soft and alluring, her guitar playing is solid, and her lyrics are evocative with a slightly playful undertone. To make that long story a bit shorter, Jill Sissel’s got it. The proverbial “it.” 

Not just talent—although she certainly has enough of that to go around—but a drive and earnestness that so many talented people seem to lack in today’s music industry. Just looking at the liner notes 

is enough to make me feel inadequate. Jill Sissel is the lead vocalist; she’s the guitarist (acoustic and electric); she plays the keyboard, the bass, the harmonica; she either wrote or co-wrote every song on the album.

 Is there anything she can’t do? "

- Vince Gaetano, Nashville Underground (Jan 25, 2011)

 

 

"CD - Love Knows No Distance - "The 10 songs on this CD are all co-written by this multi-talented artist. Sissel has a warm, sexy voice and sets the tone of the album with the title song. 

She also gets to show off her guitar pickin' skills on every track as well as her other instrumental talents. "

- Brad Fisher, Nashville Music Guide (Feb 04, 2001)

 

 

"I Googled, “Jill Sissel!” WOW! Six pages of info choices immediately slapped me in the face! She is an incredibly talented and prolific music machine! She does it all. I learned quickly (YouTube never lies) 

that Jill is an accomplished blues guitarist. "

- Tim Ross, Nashville Music Scene (Feb 15, 2010)

 I really like all the songs on the album! By far my two favorites are “Sticks and Stones” and “Now’s The Time”. Maybe it’s the words or the easy flow of the songs or maybe the groove that they create, but those two really get me. I love them. Overall you have really created a Blues type album that somehow does not feel trendy or forced. It has a great Blues feel but it does not rely on the same old cliché’s that seem to be non-stop with many of today’s Blues artists. Not in style, but in feeling, it reminds me of how Clapton approaches the Blues. Somehow he remains authentic to the art form while remaining distinctly Eric Clapton. I feel you have also captured that elusive mix of traditional and fresh. Many “Blues” albums bore me because they all sound like copy bands. Yours is new and electric and fresh and timely. As usual, your words are creative but to the point, the imagery is strong and tells a story, something lacking in many of today’s artists. The production is very good, the recording very nice. I really love the lead work of your guitarist and of course, your instrumental work is very captivating. I really think the bass parts are solid and fit the CD well. Liz did a superb job all around and the whole effort comes across very professional. 

Gene Swift songwriter

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Read the Nashville Underground interview with Jill HERE:  

 

 

"Out Of Nowhere" is her best album yet. It was recorded at Little Hollywood studio where magic takes place on a regular basis. Producer Joe Webber brought his magnificent stable of great players into the proceedings. Besides Webber playing bass, keyboards and back-up vocals, Bob Hatter shows once again why he's so many people's favorite guitarist. Our own Shake! magazine editor, Chris P. James turns out to be "Mr. Tamboura Man." Mark Sissel also plays guitar, Paul Jackson adds piano and the drummer is Rod Evans. Melissa Lewis, who co-wrote a couple of the tunes sings beautiful background harmonies. This CD sounds bright and creative from the beginning to end. Jill wrote or co-wrote all the songs and is not afraid to take cool chances with different kinds of instrumentation such as tambouras and ethnic percussion, Sissel's voice is expressive and immanently likeable. Her sincerity shines through. Recommended.

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Jess Marich For SHAKE! magazine

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This is a CD you will be playing over and over again!

From the lively title cut "Out of Nowhere", the funky rhythms of "Get it Together", to the flowing and compelling lyrics of "Beauty", this CD is at once remarkable for its fine muscianship, its originality (all songs were written or co-written by Jill), and its soul. This is a CD you will be playing over and over again. Check it out!!

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 Patricia Martin editor: Health and Wellness Magazine Nashville


  

"Out Of Nowhere" the 2003 release and third CD from Jill Sissel is an upbeat and rainbow bright blending of rock/pop music. Sissel comments, "Out of Nowhere is the song that I never get tired of playing." Sissel fills the music with graceful instrumentation and lyrical butterflies that you would be hard pressed to find on most records today. 
She has a unique ability to transport the listener to another era; the Sixties when she does her song "Get It Together", mixing beautiful, melodic harmonies with her backup singer Melissa Lewis in this Korene Greenwood/Sissel co-write. Sissel is an excellent singer/songwriter and superb guitarist. I don’t use the term singer/songwriter lightly either. Sissel has a story to tell each and every time a song is played. Somewhat Sissel reminds us of Eva Cassidy in her abilities to sing any musical style she desired. Sissel brings all of her instrumental skills out of the bag with "Beauty" as she alone does all instrumentation. One of my favorite songs is "Magic World of 10" brings fond memories of the carefree days of childhood. "Out Of Nowhere" has variety and eclectic styling, taking us from one scenario to the next, changing the backdrop and setting with each song and the heartfelt exuberance that makes music simply good. "Out Of Nowhere" is a beautiful, blend of musical storytelling.

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  Jane Powell - Music Journalist MTSU

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I have really enjoyed "The Builder"....of songs, and heart

I have tried to put my thoughts and emotions into one place while listening to this disc. Jill has a way of taking the simple beauty of everyday life and bringing it to a new light of understanding. In her songs I find that love is defined and hope is a staple; That in the waking up to the day and living out the hours in "the moment" there is all of our individual obvious gifts laid out before us. We need more songs like these to live with, to laugh with, and to think about when the lights go out. Buy a copy yourself and enjoy Jill Sissel's beautifully built gifts to all of us. Thanks Jill.

-Ian Charles (songwriter)

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"Part rock, part folk, part pop and all good. Jill Sissel's signature songs are instantly likable, such as the opening, "That Far" with its fold/pop groove and into the ballad "The Builder" with its smooth relationship analogies and beyond. Jill's songs are simple, straight forward and quite enjoyable, with easy hooks to sing along with in the car, which I often did while listening to her CD. Keeping songs simple, straight forward and still interesting is not easy to do well. I found these songs very engaging."-JPFolks nominated "The Builder" for best Americana Album in the 1999 songwriting contest.


   

I love this CD!

Just as she does live, this CD blew me away! Great songs from the heart, excellent production and overall, just FANTASTIC! (enough said)

-Tom Chapman



Love it! Especially Attached at the Soul and In love again

Loved your Cd and the songs I mentioned.  I was given the CD backstage at the Opry one Saturday night.  Clark Wells,a friend from Chicago,made me promise to listen to it and I did and I was glad.

_Bob Stamper (heartakesongs.com)


Jill Sissel is refreshing and her lyrics are inspiring.  Jill Sissel is just what music is missing today. Her CD is refreshing and her words inspiring. I 
cannot think of another artist I have heard recently who moved me the way her music does. I strongly suggest you buy this CD and see her perform. 

-Michelle Shelhamer

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