Lori Yates: Press

Lori Yates "The Book of Minerva"

Heartfelt and touching, "The Book of Minerva" is one humdinger of an album...

After an illustrious career on the Canadian Alt.Country music scene, Lori Yates seems to have departed from her days playing punk-tinged country to produce the luscious, acoustic solo album "The Book of Minerva".
Inspired by the likes of Steve Earle, Bruce Springsteen and Lucinda Williams, Yates' songs tell compassionate and engaging stories about love lost, love rekindled, and of course, "Breaking out of mommy jail" - across the world she echoes the cries of a million mothers: I love my kids but give me a break!!!!
"The Book of Minerva" is a solid collection of great acoustic country numbers. We have everything we could possibly want: plenty of heartache, references to Jesus, gasoline, good/bad girls, factory whistles, great tunes and engaging narrative. We also have guest appearances from musical heavyweights such as Tom Wilson, Justin Rutledge, Dottie Cormier and Bazil Donovan. With all this going for it, you can't go wrong.
7/10

If you missed Lori Yates' engaging performance at Library and Archives Canada earlier this month, here's your chance to catch up with the Hamilton musician. Yates, who released her last album eight years ago, has written a clutch of outstanding tunes for this disc; given them classic country, acoustically based arrangements; and rounded up folks like Tom Wilson and Justin Rutledge to help out on vocals. Yates is a stellar country performer with an ache in her voice that leaves strong men weak-kneed, self-possessed women misty-eyed and pretty much everyone on contemporary country radio sounding like Pollyanna. She does get rowdy, too, channeling Loretta Lynn on I'm Breaking Out of Mommy Jail, and walks the gospel road on Far Away. But when Yates ends the album with a tune called Walking Wounded, you know where her heart's mostly at.
Rating: 4/5
Excellent

The luminous voice behind Toronto alt-country bands Rang Tango and Hey Stella! makes a long overdue return with the kind of austere, atomspheric ballad you could image being performed by Emmylou Harris or Gillian Welch.
#4 Anti-Hit List

ON THE BOOK OF MINERVA by LORI YATES

I tend to feel an affinity for a heart breaking, country infused, dust-on-the-plains that transcends even my love of a ass shaking pop number. I have to say I feel like I somehow failed myself by not being more familiar with more than the name "Lori Yates" for the five years I've been in music journalism.
Lori's voice and songwrting are the stuff my musical dreams are made of. There are few voices of Lori's calibre in country music--or any music for that matter--that are also gifted with the ability to pen their own poignant lyrics and melodies with which to wrap their voice around. Whether you're two-stepping across "Fire & Gasoline" or weeping in "Simcoe" you will love the torturously beautiful The Book of Minerva.

Lori Yates has recorded the best "Acoustic Album" of the Year, so far. The recipe was easy!
To the melodic songs that she has written, add her stunning voice, mix in a simple, minimal background of acoustic guitar with pinches of electric, throw in ample quantities of surprise guests and your audio hunger will be truly satisfied!
Lori Yates is definitely rising to the top of the musical pot.

LORI YATES - A PIONEER & THE MOST UNDERRATED GEM.

Lori Yates' newest record is called THE BOOK OF MINERVA. Its solid, its simple, its melodic, its happy, its sad, its beautiful! It features Lori Yates and her gorgeous voice with the accompaniment of minimal musical instruments. Acoustic guitar and splashes of electric guitar back up Canada most amazing voice.

There are 13 songs in total, and there are wonderful surprises all over the place. For an example, the song "You and Me, Maria" is a duet with Tom Wilson. The passion from their voices trigger goose bumps as far as the 401 West.

Other artists like Justin Rutledge, Randall Hill, Tim Gibbons, Dottie Cormier, Michael Birthelmer (engineer), Victor Bateman, and Lisa Winn make this record sparkle.
The States have Lucinda Williams, and that is not too bad. Yet, we have Lori Yates.

Quite honestly, in my opinion Lori Yates is the BEST Canadian vocalist in this country. THE BOOK OF MINERVA is an example of how a pioneer does not gamble with her God given talent. Lori does what she knows best. She sings songs that she can sing flawlessly. Do not get me wrong, Lori can sing anything.

Lori has never sounded better, and she has never written better.

"Canada's Lori Yates brings a raspy vocal conviction, and casual fashion sense to the contemporary country female image".

"Lori Yates is an exceptional talent".