PRESS

Erin Harkes July 28th 2005, The Chronicle
I was listening to the radio the other day and found a new favorite. I was tuned in to WAMC (90.3 FM) the Albany NPR affiliate, and a musician was performing live on the air, playing acoustic guitar and singing some of the best lyrics I’d heard on the radio in some time. I figured she must be some nationally touring folk or rock girl, probably signed to a major label. I certainly hadn’t heard her voice around here before.

Well, I was wrong. She was not some big star cruising through town on a publicity stint. The singer was Albany based artist Erin Harkes, and I’ve got to say that I was pleasantly surprised at that.

Erin is known in the Albany area as lead singer of the band The Rebound. According to her website (http://www.erinharkes.com/) she is an “upstate NY” native and has managed to churn out four CD’s in the past five years, two solo and two with The Rebound.

I heard her on WAMC’s morning show “The Roundtable.” She was the featured on Tuesday’s edition of the “Performance Place” segment of the show. Two songs that stuck out for me were “Half” and “Special I Am”. She has a powerful voice, feminine but not lilting or shaky.

Her lyrics are what really nailed me though. “Half” in particular is three minutes of clever turns of phrase. In a lesser songwriter’s hands the repeated use of one word could get gimmicky, but she pulls it off with lines like, “that was only half my heart. The other half won’t break.” Good Stuff.

So after her performance I was left wishing I had a reason to write about this Albany singer in a Glens Falls newspaper, then came her list of upcoming shows. This Friday Erin Harkes will perform at the Irish Pub on South Street. I am going to try to clear my schedule for this show. I recommend you do the same. Now, I’m going back to that website to see if there is a link to buy one of her CD’s.

Metroland Best Female Solo Performer 2005
"Erin Harkes has developed an enviable stage presence over her past few years of performing. Armed with a commanding voice and catchy, soulful tunes, Harkes captures her audience’s attention and doesn’t let go until she decides to. We’ve watched as she’s built up and fleshed out a notable catalog of songs, and we love to see her perform them live."

Metroland Article on Erin Harkes and The Rebound

Fox News
May 2, 2003 - Big Break Friday May 2nd
“American idol” picked thirty pop-star wanna-bes out of tens of thousands. Troy singer Erin Harkes didn't try out for that show, but she did get her start in a talent show. The singer-songwriter found the audience reaction addicting, now she has quit her day job and is hoping for her Big Break. For more...click here: FOX

Poor Richards Journal
April, 2003 - Arthur Gonick
Erin Harkes: This is a little more esoteric than above, for currently, Erin is still mostly known around the Albany/Troy scene where she makes her home. So this is a chance for me to scoop nearly everyone in advance: this is a star. And as the talented songwriter continues to play in this vicinity it is only a matter of time until she is as well regarded as any voice that has made its way through...In the past season, she has delivered a dazzling solo performance at "Hats Off", and a few follow-up appearances at Bailey's Showcase; in either instance she captured the audience's heart in their throat with her ability to transform her voice from a sweet lyrical poignancy to raw emotional power, and back again, and forth again and again...if you haven't experienced this, please don't take my word for it; check it out when she appears at Baileys on April 10th as a solo artist, and/or with her band ("the Rebound") at Gaffney's on April 18th...and you can take all the credit when your friends think you're a music cognoscenti-- it'll be our secret: just like one of the lines from one of my favorite of Erin's songs: "It's funny how you knew Before I knew you knew."

Press Release - Erin Harkes with Folding Sky!