Carla Ulbrich: Press

I dropped Carla on her head when she was a baby.

"The truth with some artistic license is basically where a lot of my songs come from," Ulbrich explains.
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The cheeky Ulrich (sic), who writes perky, kischy light-hearted ditties ... has a gift for making catchy jingles from mundane experiences.

Anything but ordinary. Immensely witty."

"There's something about adversity that makes Carla Ulbrich sing"
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"Carla Ulbrich must have been a difficult child."
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"...her humor displays an edge that makes the listener laugh at first but then ruminate afterwards."
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"A warm and engaging album which does a pretty good job of living up to its name."
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"Are you ready to hear one of the most amusing CDs you have heard in a long while? Carla Ulbrich (pronounced "ole brick") has released a thoroughly enjoyable CD, appropriately titled Her Fabulous Debut. It is hysterical."

Carla Ulbrich's gift for turning a phrase is second to none. Her songs make you think, and they bring a smile to your face at the same time; and this South Carolinian doesn't just strum a guitar, she actually plays it. Very well.

While most songsmiths these days can't even define many of the words they make rhyme, Ulbrich seems fully in touch with the emotions that plague most ordinary Americans. She takes heartbreak and turns it on its head in numbers like "What If Your Girlfriend Was Gone," "Love Connection," and "It Reminds Me of You," which is one of the more deft, crafty, and heart-tugging songs written in the past few years -- not just on the Southeastern independent scene but anywhere, period. She even frets about how unoriginal she is in "Nothing To Say" and turns the song into an understated classic of originality. Think Nanci Griffith meets Ani Difranco -- but with an even keener sense of humor.

With tongue planted firmly in cheek, Ulbrich calls this debut CD "Her Fabulous Debut" -- and it doesn't disappoint. Picking favorite song on this disc would be akin to picking a favorite child; these tunes stay with you to an almost to an annoying degree; they are extremely hummable, and you might find yourself banging your head against the shower wall trying to get them out of your brain.

Consider yourself warned ... that is, if you're lucky enough to get your hands on a copy of this disc.

Al Grierson's Folk_DJ on Her Fabulous Debut

Some satire comes on flashy, like a Kung Fu cowboy, full of fancy-ass high kicking and swoosh! swoosh! sound effects punctuated with an exaggerated crunch of flesh and bone meeting flesh and bone. It leaves you rolling on the floor, holding your sides with laughter and screaming for it to stop. But there's also satire of another sort that comes on like a tiny wizened prune of a Tai Chi master, with moves so slow they almost seem to be going backwards, and sound effects recollective of an eyelash falling on a Persian carpet. It barely raises more than a smile and, because it doesn't break your funny bone, you barely notice it until you find it's rearranged your entire sense of humor. I love the first kind for its craft and cleverness and the wonderful catharsis it provokes (there are few things more satisfying than a damn good guffaw), but I treasure the second for a sort of reverse catharsis that seems to put something in my soul that wasn't there before.

Carla Kay Ulbrich is not a Kung Fu cowboy.

Nor is she "the new Christine Lavin." (Hell, there's nothing wrong with the old one that I can see.) She is a drop-dead gorgeous blonde with killer guitar chops, and, in some ways, that's a pity, given the tendency of the prevailing ethos not to notice anything beyond the obvious. Have thrown that dog it's obligatory bone, I shall now move on to what else she is and what a masterful CD she's come out with.

Certainly, credit must go to the redoubtable Jack Williams, who produced the disc and to "A Man Called Wrycraft" from Toronto, who did the art direction, design and layout, but ultimately, it's Carla Ulbrich who bears the responsibility for the whole project, as the expression of her personal vision.

I'm going to eschew the usual approach of commenting on the various tracks and describing the cover and the booklet and try to speak to the vision itself. Like even the greatest records, some tracks are "stronger" or "better" than others. Suffice to say the musicianship on this disc is exceptional and Jack Williams's production is a model of how to make this music shine -- nobody overplays, not even once, a tribute to the artistry of both Williams and Ulbrich who, between them, have heavy enough chops to play all the notes.

Ulbrich is a songwriter of uncommon subtlety, a mistress of verbal nuance with an all too rare gift for melody, a wizened little Tai Chi master in a masquerade so effective many, if not most, will miss the point, but that's okay -- this record works well on a superficial level too, another mark of mastery.

As to the cover and the booklet, it's one of the most quietly brilliant and funny pieces of record packaging I've ever seen. From it's title and the name of Ulbrich's record company, to the color scheme, to the chord she's playing in the photo on the back tray card and the graphic on the disc itself, it's definitely more than the sum of its parts and keeps revealing new delights with repeated lookings.

Is she clever? (Does the Pope bowl?) Is she funny? (Are the shoes of the Fisherman made by Brunswick?) Carla Ulbrich's wit, as demonstrated here, is a gestalt manifesting on many levels at once in an artistic vision that stays precisely within a set of small boundaries; "Her Fabulous Debut"--a single, tightly compact and exquisite bud rose, rather than a boastful, eye-grabbing, big-ass bold bouquet, the work of Tai Chi master, rather than a Kung Fu cowboy.

I hestitate to say things like "This CD changed my life," but harkening back to what I said in the first paragraph about the two different sorts of satire and reverse catharsis, to say anything less would be dishonest. The change was not on the order of a major religious conversion or falling in love for the first time). It didn't have to be. A marvelous little record, about as close to being perfectly true to itself as anything I've ever run on to, "Her Fabulous Debut" has added something precious to my life that wasn't there before, the way a really splendid sunrise or your first spring in the Texas Hill Country does. Bring it into yours and it might just have the same effect.

For the roses,
Al Grierson, Folk_DJ

It takes cleverness and courage for a singer/songwriter to come up with a descriptive, self-depricating song that gently pokes fun at the whole bare-your-soul/group-therapy/open-mic scene that supports the propagation of contemporary folk music. Such is the case with the wonderfully funny, melodically catchy song, "Nothing to Say", written by Clemson-based performer Carla Ulbrich, and included on Carla's recently released, acoustically-based CD, "Her Fabulous Debut". "I sat and listened to each story/ Deep, profound, evocatory/ Courageous men who risked their lives/ Love songs written for their wives/ And then it was my turn/ I took my lyric sheet outside to burn/ 'Cause I had nothing to say/ Nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing to say"

Fortunately, Ulbrich does have something to say, particularly on her excellent, insightful song, "Not Your Jesus." This is one of those infectous tunes that could (--folk purists, close your eyes--) crossover into the realm of popular music. It's one of those songs you can listen to again and again, and enjoy again and again. Vocally, Ulbrich sounds like Jewel's Southern cousin, and the song itself has a sincere spiritual message, asking an over-the-top fan to find enlightenment and fulfillment elsewhere: "You think I'm some kind of hero/ You think I have all the answers/ But if you knew the mistakes that I had paid for/ You'd see that I'm not your Jesus/ I'm not your savior."

If you're looking for outright comedy, it'd be had to beat "What If Your Girlfriend Was Gone", a hypothetical exploration of desired romantic opportunities that might present themselves if a certain other woman were made to disappear by means fair or foul: "If she disappeared without a trace and everyone looked all over the place/ Why do you have that look on you face? It's not like I have any plans/ But if I were around and I could appease ya and she was suddenly struck with amnesia/ And never again would be able to please ya, would you still wanna be her man?" The only thing that might be funnier on this disc is an outtake of this song performed live, with Ulbrich singing a Freudian lyrical slip that must be heard to be appreciated.

Ulbrich displays the sensuous, jazzy side of her musical talents with a cover of "Learn to Love", but she's also not above performing a comic but corny country novelty song, "Toasted Chicken Sandwich." Instrumentally, Ulbrich's playing on acoustic guitar is impressive throughout, particularly on her rendition of "Zippedydodah". In a few of her original songs, Ulbrich adds her perspective to the topic of love with "Please Do Something Stupid," "It Reminds Me of You" and "Love Connection." Another song, "Boy Wonder" expresses a preference for childhood innocence and the experience of growing, rather than forced pre-mature maturity. This new disc, "Her Fabulous Debut" comes highly recommended and is well worth checking out.

A fresh tongue-in-cheek delivery that Garrison Keillor should know about... A lot of fun, and a refreshing change from the norm.

Ulbrich has her own spunky style and sings beautifully. 'What If Your Girlfriend Was Gone' is a masterpiece.

"Back in the 1960s, author Norman Cousins first twined the provinces of humor and healing. Consider this release an update, the musical, funnier version for the 2000s."

Click below to read a review of Sick Humor.

"The success of the humor of this independent release funny song CD lies in the continuity." Click below for the full review.

"Sick Humor is a collection of darkly funny songs (they are about illness, after all) sung with tongue firmly in cheek and an optimistic viewpoint that is truly "contagious." (Click Below for full review).

Sick Humor is heartfelt and, of course, very funny.

When I began to ponder, how I might best approach the task of reviewing this book for musicians between the ages of 8-12, my first thought was, "I'm not 8-12."

I was a musician when I was 8 years old and yes... they did have music theory way back then but... it was a while ago. I then got the idea that since I teach music theory to 65 guitar and piano students in my private teaching practice, and many of them are between 8 and 12, I would get them to check the book out and I would let their comments be the content of this review.

To put some of these comments into context, I would first explain that this book is a work book where students fill in note names, draw musical notes and symbols, and can color in pictures, There are re-occurring characters; Slick the cat and a lady named Dee Dee.

Jamie 8: "Cool cover... pass me a pencil and I'll fill in the answers right now"

Sarah 9: "This is a good way to learn note names, and Slick is a good name for a cat, and Dee Dee is a good name too. This is a good book for names."

Jessica 11: "I can do this book at the cottage, I'll bring it back in a month, ok?"

Gabriel 9: "Oh man, can I fill in the names and then play the notes and then color the pictures and then keep the book... Or do you need it?"

Jake 7: "It teaches you a little bit about music and you get to fill in the notes... I'm impressed!"

Jordan 10: "The answers are in the back!?!... Hey, are you trying to trick me... how do you know I won't look up the answers and cheat... oh! I guess I wouldn't learn much if I did that... and my mom would freak!"

Jameson 11: "It's interesting, it guides you through music, it works with all instruments, it teaches notes and it's fun and that's it"

Rae 13: "A must read for beginner musicians"

There you have it, a review from a perfect test group of end users of this very cool little book. If you teach music or you've got kids who are learning music, then this is one music theory book you will find that they simply will not put down.

Pencil, crayons, and a good sense of humour required.