Sophia Louise Holtz - sophia Louise

 Sophia Louise Holtz

Sophia Louise 
self-released; 2014

3.7 out of 5

By Ted Rogen

People are busy. Our days are filled with work, family, errands and more. Sometimes we can’t find time for ourselves. Time to reflect, be with your thoughts and take a breath. Even when we do find time to free ourselves from the daily grind we don’t always know what to do. 

The next chance you have time to take a breath I would recommend giving the album Sophia Louise by Sophia Louise Holtz a spin because it may instill the emotions you are seeking. As I listened to the album I started to feel a sense of comfort and nostalgia. The Brooklyn-based singer/songwriter has a warm voice that is aesthetically pleasing in many ways as it is usually filled with a myriad of emotions when she sings. The most prominent being melancholy, hope and nostalgia. This album contains no more than an acoustic guitar and her voice. I usually get bored pretty fast when an album doesn't contain much instrumentation but Holtz kept me fairly engaged the whole time. That being said I wouldn't mind hearing a more fleshed out album from her in the future. 

It’s almost unnecessary to go through individual songs as the basic atmosphere and feel they impart is quite similar. However, the album does contain a number of highlights that are worth mentioning. The album opens with “Like The Sea,” which is the shortest song on the album but also one of the most heartfelt. Holtz can sure sing but it doesn’t hurt that she has original lyrics that avoid clichés. She sings, “Every line on your face represents a faded moment and I kiss them each night saying these are the moments we’ve known.” “Similar Heart” was another notable highlight, which contains lyrics that are almost as comforting as the music itself.

On “Heart's Wings” Holtz softly plucks the strings on her guitar as she repeats the sentiment “don’t look back.” It’s arguably the highlight of the album and the first time you listen to it you might want to do it alone. It’s a song that might make you shed a tear and if you’re with other people it could be uncomfortable.

This album is good for rainy days and Sunday mornings with a cup of coffee. It’s not perfect but has solid songwriting, flows well and contains some attractive vocal melodies. Fans of Joni Mitchell, and Melanie Safka will want to pick this up.

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