Leslie Nuss: Press

There is a new hot pop star in the region that fans have yet to discover.

Her name is Leslie Nuss and this talented singer-songwriter-guitarist is touting a new self-titled CD that is deservedly screaming for radio play on Hot Adult Contemporary stations like Indiana's Z-107 and Chicago's "The Mix."

Continue reading at the link below . . .

Quote: "Gutsy and sly, she captures your attention, and I mean all of it."

Whimsical and wildly imaginative, Leslie Nuss doesn’t bring a mere album, but a whole experience. A singing provocateur, she is here to rock your world with her self-titled outpouring of thoughtful challenges and fashion statements. Oh yes, on this project the artist’s stylistic sensibilities play a close second to her considerable musical potency . . . Original and creative, she’s a lotta fun.

Read the full review at the link below.

Leslie Nuss worked on overdubs for her new album with Berlin. Dan Wean is assisting/playing guitar on the sessions.

SUPERHERO SONGWRITER: Leslie Nuss clearly enjoys playing with the imagery of a sensitive tunesmith who is larger than life--thus the title of her current full-length effort, Action Hero Superstar. . . .
The material that fills "Action Superhero" introduces the listener to a wide spectrum of sounds and emotions, whether it be pain, joy, or even sensuality. It's all in there. And it's all delivered with an earnest hand. . . . More than anything, Nuss writes "songs that stick in people's heads," as she puts it.
The artist--transplanted to New York from what she describes as a "very, very small town in Illinois"--also says she strives to write songs to shake people up. "Walk around the streets [of New York] and look at the people and look at the expressions on their faces. It seems like something in them has died. I'm about living...really living and doing what you really want to do."
Do you need any more enticement to investigate this refreshing young artist? We didn't think so.

4 Stars (out of 5)

Leslie Nuss could have taken the easy route with her sophomore recording and filled Action Hero Superstar with happy pop ditties guaranteed Top 40 radio rotation. Instead, this winsome New Yorker elected for an unpretentious and quiet display of her talent.

Moving from fluid, dreamlike soundscapes ("Stars Came Down") to sassy, punk rock guitar flourishes ("Scarlet Letter"), Leslie Nuss makes her stance as an intuitive artist whose craft is reflective and self-aware.

"Time Capsule," a tale about rebounding from a failed romance, has the defining mark of a Natalie Merchant composition, and "Dynamite," bathed in the airy gentleness of strings and soft percussion, is all about desire. Both tracks sonically embrace the peculiar nature of feminine passion: subtle, underlying, and deep.

Vocally, Ms. Nuss can keen to heights matching Delores O'Riordan, and her guitar playing is top-notch. But as a songwriter, Ms. Nuss is every bit a unique craftswoman, imbuing her work with a careful touch and a meaningful grace.

NYC's Leslie Nuss is an example of a classic case of small town girl meets big city. Originally from Illinois, Nuss is a creative singer-songwriter working with various competent musicians to fill out her catchy songs. Her second album, *Action Hero Superstar* . . . starts with "Blake's England" acoustic guitar and quiet bass and very quickly comes to a very catchy chorus with electric guitar, rock drums, and multi-tracked vocals. The song is very dynamic and an impressive opener and mood setter for the rest of the album.

The following track "So Easily" also contains excellent dynamics, with mid-tempo verses, and break-out choruses reminiscent of *The Pink Album* Tuscadero. Track 3 is probably my favorite, "Dynamite", with its very quick and complex percussion (mixture of snare, shakers, and high hat) and ambient guitars. The song has a very interesting instrumental break down with strings before a fading out repetition of the chorus section, probably the most Beth Orton like track of the album. "Roses Red" follows, calming the quick pace set by "Dynamite" and really showcases
Nuss's voice and personal voice style.

The entire album is very strong and also rocks, so to speak. The album is cohesive, never straying too far from itself while employing different musicians and musical flavors, never afraid to add the right sound.

OK. I'll admit it. You know that old saying, "Never judge a book by its cover"? Well, I do. All the time. Can't help it.

So when I got the press kit for Leslie Nuss's debut CD, Heliotrope, I was expecting something floaty and ethereal -- blame it all on the flowers and butterflies gracing the
case. I was wrong. Happily wrong.

Nuss's distinctive voice has a harsh beauty that, at times, reminds me of Dolores O'Riordan of The Cranberries. Her strong delivery brings a needed edge to the CD, as some of the lyrics, when read by themselves, come across as overly-Romantic. Of course, that's only natural; the cover design is very William Blake-ish, and "Garden of Death" is a response to Blake's poem, "Garden of Love."

"Child of God" was influenced by Gabriel Garcia Marquez; Nuss imagines her own death and afterlife. Following right behind it is the meditative "Butterfly," in which Nuss sings of her desire to be reborn as a butterfly. Henry Frayne of Lanterna adds his stereo guitar to "Hold My Heart," adding depth and texture to Nuss's arrangements.

Read more at the link below . . .

Nuss' story is as follows: Promising singer/songwriter out of NYC makes a pleasant record while supporting her fashion-designing career. Said singer/songwriter falls victim to a gan initiation beating at random in a movie theater and uses the settlement money to finance her next record. Action Hero Superstar is the result and it's a damn fine album. On it, Nuss tackles some heavy issues, such as life's fleeting nature, death, love desperation and longing. The listener can hear Nuss working with her demons as the record plays, and it doesn't come off as a self-indulgent exercise. Because of the attack she survived, her musical direction has been defined and Superstar is her therapy. "Life's too short for promises / So much better when you give." These are the words of an artist emerging from the larval stage and examining the world around her with new eyes. On the insert of the CD, there is a close-up of the staples in her head. It's a stark reminder of fater and our powerlessness. Nuss has entrusted us with her most basic fears and revelations. It's the least we can do to listen. --Adam Lawrence