“Closer to the Ground” Review
I don’t know if anyone has ever said this before, “For the sake of all that is good and right in the world, if you are going to cover timeless music, make sure you bring something to the table”. Haley Sheeler, on the guitar-based, 13 -song “Closer to the Ground”, covers some lesser- touched musical classics ( including ‘For What it’s Worth’/Steven Stills, ‘Hallelujah’/Leonard Cohen, ‘You Can Close Your Eyes’/James Taylor) and brings something resembling brilliant interpretation to the table in regenerating these  pieces. While the familiar aspects of the songs are endearing, the freshness of her voice, her ability to do a sultry slide or a precision hard chop, all conspire to make a first listen to her renditions an experience akin to the first time you ever heard Sarah McLachlan, Eva Cassidy, or KT Tunstall. The 7 originals (actually 7 1/2 if you include a partial re-write of ‘What is it Good For? /War’) are nearly as impressive. Throughout, Sheeler displays a commanding use of her vocals, variously being the lamenting soul (“Goin Home”) or the wistful dreamer (“Summer Song”).  It’s hard not to be lulled into her tales by the siren of her voice. If you’re sitting at the singer-songwriter table, then invite Haley Sheeler’s “Closer to the Ground” to take a seat. Rest assured, she’ll “bring IT”.— Reviewed by John Train (Pennsylvania Musician Magazine, October, 2006)

“Walkin’ West” Review
Haley Sheeler opens her second album, “Walkin’ West,” with the sounds of giddiness in the recording studio: “Hope you’re all ready for this,” she says, before breaking into some impromptu laughter. Then she nails the opening track. The practice continues for the rest of the disc. It’s obvious the Schuylkill Valley High School graduate isn’t taking herself too seriously, but it’s also obvious that she’s serious about music. With all the sterile, emotionless product littering the charts today, it’s nice to hear an album that actually sounds real. Some minor flubs are kept in songs when the feel is right, and occasional studio chatter helps to lighten the disc’s mood.“Walkin’ West” is heavy on what Sheeler describes as alternative folk, which sounds like a cross between country and the recent wave of female singer-songwriters. The album’s instrumentation is often sparse, with Sheeler’s acoustic guitar and strong voice usually being fleshed out only with bass, keyboards and the occasional mandolin, fiddle or pedal steel guitar. Sheeler takes her time on the disc’s eight originals, almost all of which top the five-minute mark and feature engaging narratives. (Sheeler explains them all in the album’s liner notes.) She has a gift for melody, with lines usually often seeping into your memory upon first listen. Haley’s mother, Cheryl Geiger Sheeler, wrote lyrics for three of the songs. The originals are broken up by six shorter covers, including versions of songs by Dolly Parton (“Jolene”), Bob Dylan (“I’ll Be Your Baby Tonight”) and Patsy Cline (“Walking After Midnight”), and a few traditional numbers. Perhaps the album’s length could have been trimmed a bit to increase its effectiveness – 63 minutes is a lot for many new listeners to handle. But there are no duds, and the audible excitement Sheeler exudes on nearly every track is enough to keep the disc afloat.“Walkin’ West” is available at www.haleysheeler.com. (Jon Fassnacht, Reading Eagle, 2/07)