PRESS || KIND WORDS
“THIS TEXAS-TO-TENNESSEE TRANSPLANT IS ESSENTIALLY AN INTROSPECTIVE FOLK-FLAVORED TROUBADOUR WITH A HEALTHY DOSE OF DEEP SOUL. START YOUR WELCOME-TO-NASHVILLE APPLAUSE RIGHT NOW, BECAUSE THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST PROMISING DEBUT DISCS I’VE HEARD THIS YEAR.”
ROBERT K. OERMANN || MUSIC ROW MAGAZINE
“…USES COUNTRY MUSIC AS A JUMPING-OFF POINT FOR A BROADER, BOLDER SOUND…
AMERICANA ATMOSPHERICS WITH OVERDRIVEN GUITAR AND THROATY HOOKS FIT FOR POP ROYALTY.”
ROBERT CRAWFORD || ROLLING STONE COUNTRY
“VAN DARIEN IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE SONGWRITERS.
HER SONGS CUT STRAIGHT TO THE BONE.
DEPTH AND PURITY, IT’S A DANGEROUS COMBINATION.”
SHAYNE HOLLINGER || MUSIC DIRECTOR, KFWR 95.9 “THE RANCH” (DALLAS/FORT WORTH)
“POETIC…POSSESSES A RESTRAINED POWER THAT IS
REMINISCENT OF GREAT ARTISTS LIKE MELISSA ETHERIDGE.”
RYAN BALTZ || AMERICAN SONGWRITER
“IF SPRINGSTEEN AND EVERYTHING I LOVE ABOUT SHERYL CROW HAD A LOVE CHILD WITH THE PRODUCTION OF
A MY MORNING JACKET RECORD, THAT’S WHAT I HEAR.”
PAUL CAUTHEN || ARTIST
"THE DRIVING GRINDING GROOVE OF THE TRACK LENDS TO ITS DANGEROUS SUBJECT,
WITH VAN DARIEN’S CUTTING VOCALS SEARING WITH INTENSITY.
ITS CINEMATIC VIDEO IS A PERFECT DEPICTION OF THE RACE TO DESTRUCTION."
LAURA B. WHITMORE || PARADE MAGAZINE
“FROM THE WIDE-OPEN VISTAS OF GONE, TO BOOTS ON THE GROUND TRACKS LIKE AMERICAN STEEL,
LEVEE PAINTS WITH LAYERS OF SOUND AS VAN DARIEN LEADS YOU THROUGH A DREAM-LIKE TWILIGHT LANDSCAPE.”
ED JURDI || ARTIST
“…THE RECORD PULSES WITH SUCH RICH CONNECTION, ONLY SERVING TO GIVE DARIEN A HIGHER PLATFORM FROM WHICH TO DISPLAY HER ART. AND IT’S THE KIND OF RELEASE THAT TRULY ASTOUNDS AND SETS HER UP AS ONE OF THE YEAR’S BEST MUSICIANS.”
JASON SCOTT || B-SIDES AND BADLANDS
“IT'S SPECIAL AND EXCITING WHEN A NEW ARTIST STANDS OUT AND IMMEDIATELY CAPTURES MY ATTENTION AS BOTH A MUSIC FAN AND REVIEWER, AND SUCH IS THE CASE WITH VAN DARIEN AND HER FULL-LENGTH DEBUT ALBUM, LEVEE.”
MEGAN BLEDSOE || FARCE THE MUSIC
