Ellen Tipper- Flanagan's Field Review

Artist: Ellen Tipper
Title: Flanagan's Field
Website: http://www.ellentipper.com
CDBaby Site: http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/ellentipper
Style: Singer Songwriter/ Piano Folk
Label: Self- Released
Rating: 8.9 out of 10
By C.W. Ross

 

Ellen Tipper is a Maine-based artist. Her new release Flanagan's Field is a collection of eleven songs that will entertain you while also pulling at your heartstrings. Most of the songs are driven by Ellen's stellar piano playing, but the song's lyrics are what really reach out and grab you.

 

The songs take on some tough subjects head on like in, "Not This Time," a story about a husband who constantly degrades his wife with emotional abuse, seeing her only as an object for his sexual pleasures and the woman finally getting the courage to say enough is enough. 

 

"Let it Be Real," deals with the issue of divorce and blindly searching for love in the aftermath of such a tough situation.  "Play It Blue" offers up suggestions for living with the disappointments that can be found sometimes in long-term type relationships.  The songs are written in a way to be honest but also offer up some hope and strength.

 

Another main theme found in Flanagan's Field is the need to slow down your life, to relax and enjoy even the simplest things in life. One example of this is found in the title track, "Flanagan's Field", the song talks about the joy that can be found in the simplest things like viewing a beautiful sunset.

 

One of the more interesting tracks, style wise is, "Fatima" with its African rhythms.  Ellen has a connection with the country. After college and grad school in the U.S. and her studies in London, she moved to West Africa where she worked with women's cooperatives and AIDS education efforts.

 

When asked about her songs Ellen said, "Songs allow you to be transported, like traveling, it's the crooked path that's usually the most interesting. Distilling songs to their essence from that faucet of raw ideas is like emerging from that path, renewed, emboldened and ready for more."

 

With Flanagan's Field Ellen Tipper has shown that she has both the talent and heart to entertain, inform, and move people to make this world a better place. What more could you ask for from someone's music.