"Woodward’s songs are like mountain music with an MFA. References to Tolstoy and Harper Lee slip into her dark-hued, old-timey tunes; however, she’s doesn’t sound liked an affected musical anthropologist appropriating native backwoods sounds. Although based out of New York City, Woodward grew up in Virginia and South Carolina so there is an easy naturalness to her rural porch music... Alexa Woodward impresses both in concert and on disc, making her someone for Americana connoisseurs to keep an eye on." -- Michael Berick, NO DEPRESSION
A new song, Darkest Days:
So You Think You Can Dance? Ellenore Scott dances a solo to Woodward's song "Eleanor" on season six!
Woodward's song "Secrets" featured in promo trailer for Australian drama series about life in East Germany before the fall of the Berlin wall. See the trailer here:
Alexa and Linky perform "Window" at the Stillwater in Ashland, Oregon
"There’s something totally disarming about the way Woodward sings, with a roundness to her voice that plainly bears the mark of a Southern upbringing. But unlike delicate chanteuse Gillian Welch’s sepia-toned obsession with a bygone era, you don’t get the sense that Woodward needs a vintage dress to create authenticity. She surrounds her voice with plucky banjo, singing saw and wistful mandolin, which give her songs a gothic quality, as on “Spoon,” a song with lyrics as cryptic as those of Joanna Newsom. But to Woodward’s credit, her music is nowhere near as indulgent. For all the spare arrangements and spacious melodies, it’s her voice that takes the stage." --EUGENE WEEKLY
"Comparisons abound. She’s been likened to singers such as
Neko Case, Joanna Newsom, and Gillian Welch, placing Alexa Woodward
in very good company. However, despite the temptation to draft countless
other musical similes to describe Alexa Woodward’s playing, suffice it to
say this one time lawyer is penning beautiful songs sublimely set to
comfortable banjo playing and graceful vocals."
--STEREO SUBVERSION
"With banjo in hand and melodious pipes, Alexa transcends the framework of her songs and takes the listener into a world where only an experience storyteller can travel... a sophisticated songwriter who doesn’t sell her audience short. She gives listeners the opportunity to think while listening; to identify with her pain, loss, joy, suffering, and strength. You feel intimately aware of Alexa when the album is complete. A folk singer cannot ask for any more – an audience that is now one kindred spirit with the artist."
--CHICKS WITH GUNS
"Each of Alexa’s songs is structured and unfolds as if spirited
by an old soul... Hers are the kind of cliché-less, sensible and immediately
relatable words that sound as good advice or a great story spoken by a friend."
-Dan D'Ippolito, JEZEBEL MUSIC
"While some may compare Alexa’s vocals to the likes of Neko Case, Joanna Newsom, and Gillian Welch, upon my first listen I heard something more like Judy Garland; that is if Judy sang while playing the banjo. I’ll admit there is something about the banjo; I’m a sucker for it. Pair a great vocalist with it and I’m enraptured. Capturing another time and place, Alexa creates an almost haunting environment. Beautifully well-written, Alexa’s new album, Speck, is well worth the attention it has been receiving." --SEATTLE SHOW GAL
"Alexa Woodward is becoming more of a common name on the folk
scene with the release of her sophomore record Speck. She sings
flawlessly, as she strums her banjo to songs about loss and hope."
--THE FIRE NOTE
"Speck... conjures images of rural families crowding round a crackly old
radio to tap their feet and hum along."
--MAD MACKEREL
It debuted at 186 on CMJ's top 200 charts and is in rotation in over 85 college and AAA radio stations across the U.S.
Jezebel Music says, "Woodward's new album, Speck, is a stately record resplendent with uncluttered arrangements and simple, deliberately gentle banjo. Simple accompaniment-singing saw, mandolin, etc.-weaves into and around Woodward's low alto, creating a back porch vibe: Speck is best heard on the front lawn, after dark, piping off your home stereo system and through open windows."
The album was recorded and produced in Austin Texas by Bruce Chandler of 18 Oh Three Recording, and was mastered by Jonathan Byrd. Design for Speck was done by Martin Søgård Hansen, Design By Mash
older news:
*Songs featured on Lufthansa's Americana program on cross Atlantic flights
*Woodward's first album, An Early Dream, a homemade, lo-fi, self-released project, was as an editor's pick under anti-folk and urban-folk on CD Baby
*Semifinalist in the Williamsburg Live Songwriter Competition, New York's ever-growing annual songwriting competition in Brooklyn, for the song "Plants."
*two songs in two documentaries (Elizabeth Cotton's "Freight Train" and "Mr. Flink")
some news from us: Playing The Ottobar in Baltimore on Saturday, December 12, seven song EP set for release in February. Hope all is well with you! -Sin 4 Sin
I just finished an EP and would love your feedback ! I've had my music up at Myspace now for about 6 weeks and could use the support. Could you take a moment and let me know what you think ?
alright, so people always say happy hump day for Wednesdays. I think its just as strange to say happy Uphill on Tuesdays, or happy Downhill on Thursdays, but i've never ever seen or heard anyone wish that. -Brandon
Thank you so much for the friendship and also for your beautiful songs and the attractive sensibility in your vocals and in your play of guitar and banjo ,nice musicians,good rythmic,big emotion. Pleasant and long musical journey.
Hi Alexa, just passing through. Your page looks beautiful! I hope your doing well. We miss you at Balki. We did a session at Rockaway Beach the other day. So nice... even for a honky like me ;) keep all the good work love. A.
Alexa, hope you've been safe and sound, can't wait to see you back home.. or, back here... back again! Kaspar is back in town with full band + me in mid-August... I'll post the shows on my space. <3 Mark
