Get used to hearing this name, Katelyn Berreth, a young singer – songwriter from Seattle, who fronts the band Fortune Dwellers and whose vocals can be both stunningly beautiful and cutting when they the song calls for it. Her phrasing is impeccable and as it is easy to detect her smile in the upbeat and brightly colored opening song “Keep It Simple,” from the album Schizophonic, as keys man Chris Rude combines with drummer Ehssan Karimi to establish a staccato beat. Rude who also mixed and produced Berreth’s album is to be commended for recognizing the gifts of this tremendous singer, allowing her vocals to be showcased and then finding the right balance for the musicians.

The R&B feel to “Yes!” complimented by trumpets courtesy of Brennan Carter and Andrew Miller and Rude’s magnificent playing create the perfect musical canvas for Katelyn Berreth who understands the importance of vocal intonation, as she asks, “Are you about to be my man?,” and then infuses the line, “Yes! I really want you to, the way you make me feel,” with the excitement of one who eagerly anticipates that he is going to say yes to her question.  Ohhh this song is sooo good, as Berreth’s vocals soar, demonstrating good range and the instrumental and vocal arrangements are delicious.

The mid-tempo “Halfway,” starts off slowly, introduced by pianist Rude, before this soft Pop / Adult Contemporary song picks up the pace. There is warmth to Katelyn Berreth’s vocals that invite the listener to share in the experience and to sing these songs with her. Good music and good singers should evoke an emotional response from the listener, causing him or her to make those feelings their own, and Katelyn Berreth does this very well. “Halfway,” is a song about building walls in relationships and shutting the other person out, it is about reclaiming love or restoring love to a relationship, in which one person or both have been hurt. It is not about being bitter; it is about looking for a way to fix this, in the middle of the hurt.  Berreth’s strong connection with her lyrics is evident and very personal and it should be, as she was the sole writer for all of these songs, with the exception of “Hello Goodbye,” which was co-written with Evan Anderson. Two-thirds of the way through the song, the decision was made to have only drummer Ehssan Karimi accompany Katelyn Berreth on the chorus and that was a good choice as it makes the words even more poignant.  Throughout this album Karimi is magnificent and he plays very emotively.  

Speaking of Evan Anderson, he joins Katelyn Berreth for a vocal duet on the song they co-wrote “Hello Goodbye,” and although they both do a good job as they trade off lines, the harmonies sound a bit sharp, which runs against the grain of a jazzy song that is more mellow and soft edged. 

Berreth relates what appears to be personal experiences or a synthesis of personal experiences, her own and those of others, and there is no need to be complicated, so for the most part, her lyrical choices are more direct, rather than relying on a lot of metaphors or symbolism.  She tells the story simply, her words fit well with the music, she lets her vocals take over and she has surrounded herself with good musicians. The musicians are too many to note, but since the horns are so prominent on this album, let us also take time to acknowledge, trombonist Colin Pulkrabek and tenor saxophonist Scott Macpherson. “Think About You,” is one of those simple stories about girl meets boy at a party and drops hints that she would like to get to know him better and wonders if he feels the same. 

Demonstrating both a fondness for both jagged rhythms and relationship songs, the Fortune Dwellers and Berreth return to both themes for the song “Ambition,” a story about breaking up. As she coos “I’m not here to get in your way,” the singer lays her cards on the table and lets the guy know, hey you know what, I believe in love and I want to be in love and “I am astonished,” that you are now telling me that you “never dreamt of love.”

Katelyn Berreth’s songs are not all upbeat and rosey as she tells her man in explicit terms what he can do, in the song “Al’s Song,” and “Not Fair,” talks about cocaine use. The song “Tomorrow,” asks tough questions and poses strong statements, while expressing hope for a better world.  Why are there so many plans to hurt other people, she asks and the people whom perhaps we only know as images on a television screen or computer monitor have children just “like ours, but with nuclear scars.”  Again, it is Berreth’s ability to be direct and yet remain a poet, whose cadence fits easily within a melody, that are her brilliance as a songwriter.

The album Schizophonic ends on a somber note, as it closes out with the moody songs “Geography,” about saying goodbye to a lover as she boards a plane, the bitter “Angel,” and the chiding “Temper Temper.” Berreth also gives us something different, grittier vocals. 

The Fortune Dwellers, featuring singer Katelyn Berreth have created a very good album with Schizophonic and yet it also appears to tell two stories, one that is more upbeat and possesses lighter melodies, comprising most of the songs on the first half of Schizophonic, while the mood becomes decidedly more somber and at times almost bitter or angry with the later tracks. If your budget only permits you to make one music purchase this month, Riveting Riffs Magazine would suggest that you buy Schizophonic by the Fortune Dwellers featuring Katelyn Berreth.

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