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9/12/2002 Ron Wynn, The City Paper, Nashville, TN Vantreese Presents Different Style

LYNETTE VANTREESE PRESENTS DIFFERENT STYLE, EXCITING NEW SOUND Singer/songwriter Lynette Vantreese has paid the proverbial dues in Nashville the past decade. She followed the identical path of many others who’ve come here from other cities seeking that big break by working a series of administrative jobs while continuing to polish and develop her craft. While working at Hummingbird studios, she met Brett Vantreese, a session guitarist working on a recording. Today, Brett and Lynette Vantreese are both a musical and personal team, and she seems poised to make a breakthrough. Her current self-titled debut album features several well-crafted, tightly sung originals which can be heard tonight at Bongo Java. “It’s been tough sometimes trying to find a place in Nashville,” she said. “This is a great songwriter’s town, but it can be hard for someone who doesn’t have real roots in country. But I’m real happy with the album, and the company’s been very supportive of the direction that I want to go.” Vantreese considers herself folk-pop, and though she said she didn’t really grow up listening to people like Joni Mitchell, once she discovered them she was quickly fascinated. Yet she’s careful not to merely imitate or absorb too much of Mitchell or any other folk-influenced artist like Shawn Colvin into her music. Her lyrics run the gamut from reflective, probing numbers to more celebratory, sentimental pieces, but none of her songs are overly simplistic or lightweight compositions in which the words are clearly intended only to be a bridge to the rhythms or play second fiddle to the arrangements. Indeed, Vantreese’s music is as much cerebral as emotional, and sometime that can be tough in a period where pop radio has become nearly as compartmentalized and conservative as it was in the pre-rock ‘n’ roll era. Still, Vantreese isn’t discouraged, and in fact feels her career is steadily progressing. She’s also quite happy to work quite closely with husband Brett. “Sometimes he’ll have an idea and he’ll play something, then I’ll put the lyrics to it,” she said. “Or I might have some words I’m working with, and he’ll find a way to match the music. There are people who wonder how tough it is to be around someone 24/7. There are times when we have to get away from the business part and just be together as a couple, but it’s wonderful to have someone who knows exactly how the business works, and who can tell you quickly and precisely whether something’s working or not, or whether a song is really right for you.” Vantreese has no illusions about becoming an instant hit, but she’s also confident that her music will get a fuller audience in the coming months. Anyone who’s given up on hearing literate, highly personal and fresh pop songs should not only give her album a listen, but see and sample her music for themselves at tonight’s show.

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