“Coast to coast, performers as singular and enticing as Farrell Spence, Kevin House, Blackie & The Rodeo Kings and Share are cropping up and committing memorable debut albums to the annals of Roots-rock history..." -Tim Peacock - Whisperin and Hollerin' (Ireland)
“Farrell makes you feel as though you've somehow made it through the Pearly Gates alive, and you're listening to songs about that other life you used to live, in that other world you use to live in. I kept looking for the angel with the cream cheese and crackers, but she was nowhere to be found. Her songs are so sweetly and beautifully done that even the Tasmanian Devil on Speed would drop on the spot, and sink down into a passive heap before the stage, mesmerized and at total peace. Watch how much wine, or how many cocktails/spirits you consume at "Farrell Spence and The Widowmakers" shows. Remember the scene in "Oh, Brother Where Art Thou?" when the sirens start to sing??? Well, you'll be every bit as defenseless as those boys found themselves. -Glynis Burke - YVR Productions (Canada)
“Songs of sadness and experience, of course, can rarely be beaten if they are done well, and believe me, Farrell Spence is very much at home in this enigmatic, melancholy-soused landscape. Yes, both her emotive delivery and the haunting sparseness of most of the songs will inevitably recall her Canadian countryfolk such as The Cowboy Junkies, but Farrell is very much her own woman and these songs resonate beautifully within their own time and space". -Tim Peacock - Whisperin and Hollerin (Ireland)
“Discover her today, tell someone else about her tomorrow." -Mike Davies - NetRhythms - UK (England)
“Farrell Spence delivers an album of sweet backwoods ballads charting the claustrophobic relationships and stunted dreams of isolated prairie town life: "Nothing ever happens in a town called hell". She's no Judith Chalmers that's for sure. It has a dusty wind blown lonesome flavour with clear and crisp playing of acoustic and steel guitar and occasional fiddle; sweet sounding but at the same time an indie album that steers clear of schmaltz and over production." -Andrew Duwall - The Line of the Best Fit (England)
“ A Town Called Hell - A stunning debut album from Canadian-based singer-songwriter Farrell Spence, whose songs of life on the edge are both real and completely compelling. Real songs, real feelings / raw songs, raw feelings…this is an album for those of us who know the world around us is not and is never going to be perfect, but for as long as we have the Farrell Spences of this world giving us just that flicker of hope in their vocals that maybe, just maybe, there's a chance it might just get better, we should support and cherish the music they make that gets the rest of us through. A stunning debut and a collection of songs that deserved to be heard." -Malcolm Carter - Penny Black Music Magazine (England)
“FARRELL SPENCE is a Canadian songwriter who produces occasional moments of majestic beauty on her debut album, A Town Called Hell. Ghostly and atmospheric soundscapes serve as an almost perfect foil to her delicate delivery and chiming, overlayered guitar tracks. Weaving autobiographical tales over her musical canvasses bringing to mind the earlier work of The Cowboy Junkies, Spence demonstrates real imagination and musical vision”. -Sean McGhee – Rock n’ Reel Magazine (England)
“She has a haunting quality all her own which hints at longevity and suggests shows of this nature will become a thing of the past as her popularity grows. Discover her before she moves to the next level." -Tim Peacock - Suite 101 (Ireland)
"Farrell’s voice and song writing will attract many Americana fans." -Andy Riggs - Americana UK (England)
"A Town Called Hell conjures up the perfect soundtrack to this world. It's melancholy ambience goes far deeper as it explores landscapes both real and within the psyche. A Town Called Hell can't be found on any map, but Spence has been there. If there is a silver lining to be found from her experiences there then it's in her unearthly and beautiful songs." -Don O'Mahony - The Evening Echo (Cork, Ireland)
"There is something far deeper and soulful in her sound than simple ballads and lullabies. This is art that does what art is meant to do. " -Bill McNamara, Host, Thundering Word (Vancouver, BC)
"A Town Called Hell is a great record on so many levels. The songs, the singing, the distinct mood it puts me in. The flavors are well thought out and comprise a great dish. As I gave this record a first listen I found myself reaching for the liner notes to see who was in the producer's chair, only to discover it was Farrell herself. Not only producing, but engineering and mixing the entire record in a studio she put together in her apartment. Quite an accomplishment. " -John Raham, Producer/Engineer. Ogre Studios (Vancouver, BC)
"Folk-like lullabies, country ballads, all topped with a delicate touch of blues hiding somewhere deep... It's an exceptional record for its own style, because it seems that Farrell seems to be an exceptional artist." -Taclem Folkowa - Folkowa Art (Gdansk, Poland)
"Her intimate lyrics are perfectly delivered with so much grace and beauty that it completely captivates the listener like only the highest quality vocalists can." -Dave Walker - Free Souls Recordings (Cornwall, England)
"A Town Called Hell is the first release for Canadian singer, Farrell Spence. It is a CD that sounds off country and bluegrass atmospheres typical of Folk/Americana/Roots sound, but marked by the angelical and unique voice of Farrell, beautiful and damned." -Alessandro Sgritta - Musical News Magazine (Rome, Italy)
“Farrell Spence, voce mozzafiato!” (Translation:" Farrell Spence, breathtaking voice!”) -Roma e Dintorni - Il Manifesto (Rome, Italy)
To purchase A TOWN CALLED HELL click below and buy from CD Baby or iTunes:
Farrell Spence is a Canadian Roots/Americana singer and songwriter from Vancouver, Canada, who currently resides in Ireland.
Her debut album, A Town Called Hell, was released in May of 2007. The album is a collection of heartfelt brooding ballads and lullabies delivered with ghostly, heart-wrenching beauty. Farrell's smoky, mournful vocalisations and guitar work continue a long-standing tradition of soulful bluegrass/alt-country balladry and guitar stylings inspired by The Cowboy Junkies, Gillian Welch and Neil Young. Her lyrics are poetic and honest, woven into songs that create a haunting sensation that often lingers in the listener long after the final chords have been struck.
Farrell has performed to sold-out houses in her hometown of Vancouver as well as in Ireland, the UK and Italy. In Vancouver in 2008 she joined an ensemble band with Trish Klein and Frazey Ford of The Be Good Tanyas, Simon Kendall, Rob Wilson, Mark Beatty, Khari McClelland and John Raham for a series of live gospel shows titled "The Sweet Sounds Gospel Show". In the spring of 2009 Farrell teamed up with Italian musician Francesco Forni to play live dates in Italy, Ireland and Northern Ireland. The two were featured in a live interview and performance on BBC Radio in May of 2009.
Two of Farrell's songs have been licensed for Showtime’s ‘The Chris Isaak Show’ and she can be heard on regular rotation on CBC Radio in Canada, RTE Radio in Ireland, BBC Radio in the UK and a myriad of college and independent radio stations and net-stations broadcasting from the USA, Canada and Europe.
Spence is currently recording her second CD in Ireland and in Italy with a scheduled launch date of July 2010.
Farrell Spence's CDs are distributed by CD Baby and can also be purchased on iTunes.
In the UK and EUROPE, publicity inquiries directed to:
G Promo PR
UK/European Press & Radio
Contact: Geraint Jones / Deb Jones
Phone: + 44 (0) 1691 622356
Mobile: + 44 (0) 7855 724798 gpromo@btinternet.com
Farrell, thank you for having a wee listen and for your candor. I will be down Cork way before too long and I look forward to seeing you perform, so please keep me posted. Your site is lovely and scrupulously professional. My blessings to you.
Farrell, I look forward to meeting you on the trail. Thank you for your lovely and generous outpouring of music and for being a friend. Next time I get down Cork way I'll give you a holler and hopefully we can play, maybe even write one together.
I am in fact doing progressivly more music as I readjust my reality back where it should be. I have an evening I'd like to get recorded, planned for October'09. Gonna share a night with Keri Latimer from 'Nathan', she does one set, I do likewise and we do one together to cap the night. Looking forward to that whether or not it gets recorded.
Pumpkin Creek Faire sporadically rears it's head, last time bout 4 years ago, maybe more. Folks out there are gettin too old I fear ..would be nice tho.
Stay in touch....looks like you're "livin'the dream" of late...long may it continue...still doin; same here.. ...
Cobble Hill is on Vancouver Island, about 50km North of Victoria. If you ever come home for a visit, be sure to play a show or two, so I can hear you live... Thanks for being awesome.
Hiya Farrell. Thank you kindly and nice to make your acquaintance. I live in The Republic and play here from time to time. Might play more as time goes on. That's an idea!
Thanx for the add Farrell, Your music and voice sound great. Congrats... I hope you'll like my tunes too... Take care and thanx again. Cheers from France Steph
You spoke too soon Ferrell.It rained today but here's hoping it's going to be a good hot sunny Summer.Eoin(aka Spank) played a gig in Mc Carthys in Dingle last Friday Night and apparently it went down good.I didn't make it down there unfortunately.Other than that it's been pretty quiet around these here parts(cowboy talk,ha,ha)Keep the great music flowing Ferrell.You deserve a big break.
