A full-length album recorded with Julie Wolf in a state of the art studio with seasoned session musicians, Bekah Barnett's sophomore album Rise is one of those albums that once you begin to play it, to listen to it, to absorb it, you just simply cannot allow the experience, quite literally re: repeat, to end!

Barnett, the self-proclaimed "Urban Minstrel" is an operatically trained singer-songwriter who has been playing regularly in the Bay Area, winning fans one song at a time. Her songs are smart, thoughtful and heartfelt, most times piano-driven ballads, sometimes torch-songs, always anthems born out of healing, growth and love.

Having created this new album solely via a brand new IndieGoGo.com campaign, to get it funded she even went as far as offering such personal items to the donators as handmade fridge magnets, gluten-free and vegan baked goods, unreleased bonus tracks, a personalized song, private house concerts, and so much more!

Well, it worked, because the album is out and it is GREAT! Every time she sings/performs her songs on this album, all 13 of the tracks come across as if each one mattered to her more than the last. They are just so powerful, connecting so easily with everyone that hears them. It's easy to sense the vibe that they are freely giving off is resonating with all within her circle of awareness.

Tracks such as 'Grace,' 'Every Road,' 'See You Soon,' and 'I Don't Believe In Love' all open up, and fully lyrically expose Barnett's more vulnerable side, and yet the more emotional they are perceived to be, the stronger the connection there is to the listener. Her vocal tone, reminiscent of some of the greatest solo female's sat at a piano (indeed, imagine the piano skills of Tori Amos combined with the vocal deep of Fiona Apple), their voices storytelling in such a manner that you start to picture the scenes they are selling, is like butter melting on a slice of warm toast. It just doesn't get any better than this, trust me!

She has been heard saying that, in general, "Music is magical," but listening to this incredible sophomore album, well, it's plain to hear that her music is the magic that is missing from a lot of the chart "hits these days" - and that we should get her more fully recognized soon, before the world believes that talent like Bekah Barnett doesn't even exist any more.

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