Reviews of The Orcas Sessions:
"This is lizzard are an American/Dutch (although to these ears the overall sound is very British), Male/Female Acoustic trio and this mini-album takes its name from the Washington State island on which it was recorded. The threesome have created something very special on this six tracker (5 originals plus a mellow cover of Tom Petty's Free Fallin') which bristles with stunningly beautiful songs and performances and whilst each member brings something to the table the overall pride of place goes to Lizanne Hennessey whose wonderfully ethereal vocals take the project to a higher level and induce some spine-tingling moments. Sheer quality!"
- SW Classic Rock Society 23 Feb 2012
- SW Classic Rock Society 23 Feb 2012
"A loose collective, This Is Lizard was formed in 1998 by American vocalist / lyricist Lizzane Hennessey and Dutch guitarist Roland Stolk. It took thirteen years for their debut Won't Give Up to see the light of day but luckily they had other strings to their bows - Lizzane is a vocal coach and professional voiceover artist, while Roland, as well as being proficient on keyboards, drums and vibes is a studio engineer.
When visiting Orcas Island in 2010 they recruited American multi instrumentalist Gene Nery (guitar, trumpet, percussion and vocals) to the fold, resulting in this 6 track, unplugged, EP.
And in these days of over used ProTools, the production is a breath of fresh air. It's as if the trio are sat in the room with you, or the back seat of your car. The informal stripped back nature of the set allowing the quality of the songs and the artists to shine.
It's a bit like an impromptu, secretly recorded, after hours acoustic jam between New Zealand singer songwriter Sonny Southon and Hall & Oates, orchestrated by Burt Bacharach. Sumptuous. ****"
- Pete Whalley Get Ready to Rock 20 Jan 2012
"Despite the individual members being as far flung as Washington state and the Netherlands this transatlantic affair is as intimate as you're likely to get.
The 6 songs herein present the band as a stripped down and unplugged unit with the songs mostly being composed of two acoustic guitars and vocals courtesy of Hennessey.
Nery adds some upright bass to the stripped down blues of 'Alright' and some wistful muted trumpet to 'It's Got Me Again'.
On tracks like 'How Come' and the aforementioned 'Alright' the vibe reminds me of the spacious and folky elements as heard on Heart's 'Magazine'. Hennessey has elements of both Wilson sisters in her voice but I'd plump for a greater similarity with Nancy over Ann. But even then I'd be tempted to compare her to Lisa Miskovsky or especially Eddi Reader for the overall vibe of this EP.
The most distinctive element, however, is the strength of the three voices of Hennessey, Stolk and Nery put together. This is the sound that sets them apart and makes them instantly recognisable. And they can do it live too based on the evidence of a cover of Tom Petty's 'Free Fallin'' - tight and harmonious in the extreme.
- Russ P uberrock.co.uk January 17, 2012
Reviews of Won't Give Up:
"On a previous episode of NNM, we played [This is lizzard's] first single, “Won’t
Give Up”. As the name suggests, it is a beautiful song about optimism
and sticking it out. I fell in love with this song immediately; it
stands out in a sea of dark and brooding arrangements and equally dark
and brooding lyrics. Who needs that 24/7?
It’s absolutely fantastic when you meet someone who can’t live
without their bliss. For This is Lizzard, clearly it’s making this
wonderful music. For me, it’s bringing it to you. Thank you Lizanne,
Roland, and Gene for breathing life in to this song today. It’s
beautiful."
- Kris Roley, Wyrd101 November 2011
"Voice of an Angel *****
All cuts are remarkable and the lead/title single "Won't Give Up' dazzles.
This group has a big future not only in Western Europe, but abroad as well. Lizanne Hennessey has the voice of an angel. Move over Dido!"
Linda Bokach, iTunes, November 2011
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- Scott Carmichael, September 2011
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- Michael Miller, Radio Waves September 2011
"10 songs are included [on 'Won't give Up'] and it all sounds very professional and quite impressive. Lizanne is a great singer, with a strong soulful approach in her voice and despite each song is featuring a wide range of music influences that go from Reggae, Folk, Rock to even a bit of Country and Dance, the music has a feel-good summer poprock feeling all the time. The absolute highlights however are the AOR based tunes “How can I get you to stay” and “Be with you” that both remind a lot of earlier mentioned acts, but also closing Soul Ballad “Through your eyes” should be mentioned, because this song has got a classic early 80s US R&B/Soul Ballad feel (a bit like Peabe Bryson, George Benson, Sergio Mendes)."
- Gabor Kleinbloesem Strutter'zine Magazine September 2011
"Bringing a very marketable brand of pop mixed with folk, reggae and country it really is a treat for the ears when listening to their songs. You know those songs you think you know but you don’t? They sound familiar but you’re just not sure? There’s a certain art to that type of song and ‘This is Lizzard’ nail it. The reason you think you know it is because it’s good enough and catchy enough that it should be on the radio… In short, it sounds like something you should be listening to!
They say their influences range from The Police, to Coldplay and John Mayer and it really shows as they showcase an array of melodic treats for the listener. The production value in their records is clean and clearly devised in a way that aims to keep it simple while sending the message behind the song with an almighty burst of sound.
The featured song ‘Wont Give up’ is a essentially a pop song which would not look out of place on Colbie Caillat album. It’s beautifully produced and has a real summer feel to it with a video to match. After watching a live video or two you will see a real chemistry between both Lizanne and Roland and clearly these two are musically twined and going to be writing and producing music together for a long time. Go check them out and see for yourself !"
- Ciarán Brennan The Music Ladder July 2, 2011
"There is absolutely no one genre that can explain the sound of band This is lizzard’s new album Won’t Give Up. Just when you think a genre description works for one of their songs, they turn right around and give the next song different musical characteristics. From modern day pop, alternative, and rock to folk, country, reggae, and 80’s pop, they make sure to cover all of the bases. On top of that, Singer Lizanne Hennessey’s voice has a bit of a country twang to it, giving the band a unique edge to their sound."
-Alec Cunningham, ReviewYou May 12, 2011
"We thought your track had rousing energy that moved us as listeners... Your lead vocals really grabbed us. We think your rhythmic elements on this release can hang with the best of them. Tight, clean and interesting playing. Keep writing those anthems. Above almost everything else, melody is an essential musical quality. Yours jumped out at us. Good melodies don't come easy; you should be proud."
- Hello Music, Apr 15 2011
