Tag Archives: Debbie Hennessey

Single Review: Debbie Hennessey – “Last Call”

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Debbie Hennessey

photo courtesy of Debbie Hennessey

Single Review of Debbie Hennessey: “Last Call”

You’ve read about Debbie Hennessey here at the Blog before. Four years ago, Eric Harabadian reviewed Debbie’s single “True Me.” A few years before that, I reviewed her album No Longer Broken. Well, this seasoned, dependably good California country singer is back – by “California country,” I mean both the style and, in the case of this LA-based artist, her location. Debbie’s newest single, “Last Call,” is slated to be the title track of an upcoming EP whose release date is yet-to-be-determined.

Debbie Hennessey – "Last Call"

image courtesy of Debbie Hennessey

“Last Call” is a slow-tempoed ballad, with a steady, twangy acoustic strum supporting Debbie’s emotional, deliberate vocals. Her vocals are smooth and textured, rising and falling in intensity as the lyrics demand, with a subtly distressed cry reserved for moments when the lyrics are painting a lonesome picture, leading up to lyrics of acceptance. Except, of course, at the end of the song; there, you’ll discover Debbie has saved her most anguished wail for the lyric “I just can’t believe the call was our last,” before settling down for the final notes, fading with the closing strum. It’s a well-written, impeccably-performed song, one that’ll gain Debbie some new fans and will please existing fans who’ve been waiting for a new release.

Looking Ahead

I don’t see any upcoming dates on the “Calendar” page of Debbie’s website, but check back periodically for new shows to be added. And, as you’re enjoying this single, keep an eye out for the eventual release date of the Last Call EP.

Single Review: Debbie Hennessey – “True Me”

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Debbie Hennessey

photo by Matt Gendal; photo courtesy of Debbie Hennessey

by Eric Harabadian, Contributing Blogger

Single Review of Debbie Hennessey: “True Me”

Debbie Hennessey - True Me Single Cover

photo by Matt Gendal; image courtesy of Debbie Hennessey

Debbie Hennessey is an award-winning singer-songwriter, with many television and film credits. She has also released three full-length albums and seven singles. Her latest single is called “True Me.” It’s a heartfelt ballad that seems to draw from personal experience. Trying to put thoughts and feelings into words is, perhaps, quite challenging for most, but Hennessey does it in a plaintive yet uplifting manner. She sings with seemingly effortless phrasing that hits you where you live. The singer-songwriter’s vocals are full, rich, and dynamic, supported by Jonathan Haynes’ ethereal and somewhat bluesy guitar. “True Me” is a stellar tune in the vein of Bonnie Raitt or Sheryl Crow but remains totally unique in style and substance.

Live Performances

Debbie has a performance scheduled for February 20th Petie’s Place in Tarzana, CA. Check the calendar page of her website periodically for additional dates as they’re added.

Album Review: Debbie Hennessey – No Longer Broken

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Debbie Hennessey – No Longer Broken

Debbie Hennessey

photo courtesy of Debbie Hennessey

Album Review of Debbie Hennessey: No Longer Broken

Debbie Hennessey‘s music is folk-styled songwriting with an overarching country/Americana musical style, but her voice is that of a gravelly rock vocalist, and she augments that effectively with occasional mid-tempo rock electric guitar parts. It’s a combination that allows her to stand out from otherwise-similar artists.

Debbie Hennessey - No Longer Broken

image courtesy of Debbie Hennessey

In fact, the album begins with a rock beat and a guitar riff that dances through the rhythm, kicking off with soft rock-flavored “Every Song is You.” Like so many of Debbie’s songs, this one is simultaneously energetic and laid-back.

It’s followed by what may be the catchiest song on the disc, “Whiskey Charm,” with Southwestern guitar flair and a stop-and-start rhythmic beat complementing Hennessey’s persistent vocals.

Another song that jumps out is “You Can’t Unpull a Trigger,” featuring its harmonica and thoughtfully-constructed lyrics, forcefully delivered with attitude by Hennessey.

Debbie Hennessey

photo courtesy of Debbie Hennessey

Debbie slows things down nicely, too, with a mellow, western-tinged guitar line supporting the heartfelt vocals in “Let Me Go.” A purer country ballad is “Sugar and Rain,” where subtly dancing guitar lines combine a vocal touch that holds onto some lyrics just that extra split-second for emotion to produce a powerful, impactful country crooner.

The disc closes with “Woman,” a duet ballad in which Debbie’s voice is nicely offset by Lexie Hofer’s crisper, higher tone. A great way to end a solid disc.

In its entirely, No Longer Broken lands on the soft to mid-tempo rock end of the country music spectrum. Her songs would blend well on a playlist with the Eagles, Stevie Nicks, Karen Nash, and Foreigner. Such a strong album, of course, was to be expected from a singer like Debbie Hennessey, whose web page lists accolades spanning more than a decade.

Looking Ahead

There are no upcoming dates listed on Debbie’s concert calendar, but keep an eye out for future gigs from this talented L.A.-based singer.