…simply oozes with subtle emotion …soft-spoken ferocity …country hooks that will make you remember them …twists of humor and insight

The minute I put this CD in, I immediately thought of Samantha Mathis’s character in the movie The Thing Called Love. Mathis plays a young girl — equal parts street-smart tough girl and vulnerable romantic — who travels to Nashville to make it as a singer-songwriter. That character could be Cindy Kalmenson, who ended a teaching career to travel to Nashville and produce her first CD, Let Me Out Here.

From the start, I was hooked by Kalmenson’s sweet voice; she moves easily from tender love songs to tongue-in-cheek country musings without sacrificing clarity or strength. The title track, “Could Have Been You,” showcases the former. Again, the comparison to Samantha Mathis comes to mind; the rhythm and melody of this song are highly reminiscient of Mathis’s song “Big Dream.” The title track, about a relationship going nowhere, follows in the same vein and contains a solid rhythm and catchy lyrics: “I may never hold a candle to your rising sun / But I won’t be a dreamer riding shotgun / Don’t want to lose you we’ve come this far / But I can’t plant a garden in the back of this car.”
Kalmenson slips into a playful mood with “The Damage Was Done,” proving she can hold her own with catchy hooks that would do any country songwriter proud. “Alabama Bliss” starts off slow and sweet but builds in intensity with a rocking guitar solo before slipping back into meditative peace. “Tears From My Face” reminds me of an Eagles tune, harking back to Kalmenson’s California life.

“The Colors Underground” is a beautiful tune about learning from experiences; Darrel Scott provides accompaniment on mandolin, which stands out as the focal point of this song. Without losing the contemplative feel, Kalmenson then segues into the rockin’ “Fairy Tale Blues,” a warning about kissing frogs. From there she moves to “Oh Espana,” a lyrical tribute to Spain; Kalmenson spent eight years teaching Spanish in California. “Bachata Rosa,” the final song on the CD, gives the listener another taste of Kalmenson’s previous job; it’s written in Spanish (unfortunately, there’s no translation in the liner notes).
Kalmenson keeps the good stuff coming; the final songs on the CD are just as good as the ones at the beginning. “Break the Shell” has reggae-influenced rhythms captured on mandolin, while “Was It Just the Wine” presents another chance to become better acquainted with Kalmenson’s clear deliveries and solid arrangements. Kalmenson doesn’t pass up another opportunity to inject a little humor into her music with “Rock and Roll Hero”; she reveals her daring exploits to get close to her own personal rock-and-roll hero, Neil Young. Kalmenson’s delivery contains just the right combination of self-mockery and wide-eyed adoration to make this song one of my favorites.
Based on this CD, Cindy Kalmenson has a promising career in music. I’m looking forward to hearing more from her; she deserves all the radio airplay she can get.

… While her music’s initial impact might be jaw dropping, the songs have the kind of depth that only repeated listening reveal. The bottom line is this music is enjoyable to hear again and again …

The Herald Bulletin Feb 1998

Cindy’s debut CD successfully reveals a different layer of who she is with each song. Kalmenson’s sweet, yet strong vocals reverberate with an underlying intensity throughout. Let Me Out Here displays an overall Americana feel. The title track, “Let Me Out Here” simply oozes with subtle emotion. The intertwining vocals of Kalmenson and Lisa Carver (co- writer) on this song will hit you with a soft-spoken ferocity. The song ends with a one minute instrumental signaling not the end but the beginning of something new and exciting. Based on the CD I would say the Cindy Kalmenson can look forward to the same.

Nashville's Music Magazine: Blink January 1998

…. she’s got a nice understanding of how to write and perform songs with country hooks that will make you remember them, and follows them up with lyrics offering twists of humor and insight enough to make them memorable as well. This is her debut self-produced album – she’s one to watch…

Crossroads Magazine July 1998

Let Me Out Here is a solid offering sure to please fans of Folk and acoustic music…

Performing Songwriter Magazine Sept/Oct. 1998

In her debut release singer/songwriter Cindy Kalmenson reveals a sense of humor as well as a sense of perspective. She can handle the evocative blues/ballad style of “Alabama Bliss” and “Oh España”, sustain the funny story song “Rock ‘n’ Roll Hero” and write the catchy hooks of “The Damage Was Done”. Kalmenson offers engaging songs with substance beyond their surface – she’s an artist to watch …

Dirty Linen Dec. 1998

Droll and spirited, this former UCSC student and local actress returns to Santa Cruz from Nashville to sing her original songs in a voice that sounds like a cross between Lisa Loeb and Sheryl Crow.

Santa Cruz Sentinel Jan 1998