Click to watch the video: "Dear George"
What you need to know:
The Billie Burke Estate celebrates ambitious smart pop. Inspired by the adventurous free spirit of the Beatles and Nilsson, the literate songcraft of Randy Newman and Elvis Costello, and the soulful compassion of Cat Stevens and Stevie Wonder, the Billie Burke Estate makes music that is cinematic, emotionally resonant, and has more hooks than a tackle shop. The brainchild of Seattle singer-songwriter Andy Liotta, BBE is the product of a decade of patient craftsmanship and mad science, developing a sound that is succinct, unpredictable and fun. Rolling Stone endorsed the result, writing that “Liotta tops off studied pop-rock craft with homespun charm and a big dollop of sunshine: Seventies-style piano pop with melodies upfront…and bright hooks.â€
The Billie Burke Estate is about to release its second album, Let Your Heart Break, a dynamic collection of surprising pop songs that are inventive and deeply imagined. From the manic enthusiasm of “99 Liberty Lane†to the bitter disappointment of “Dreams Come True,†from the gentle perversion of “Perky Muscle Girl†to the life-affirming redemption of the title track, the songs paint vivid portraits and deliver unexpected delights. The clear production and groovy arrangements showcase the range of Liotta’s vocals, strong but empathic, vulnerable yet assured. The twelve well-paced tracks come together into an album that's compulsively easy to listen to from start to finish, and this is music that rewards repeat listening: the real world is lurking here in all its magical familiarity.
