-
Google Artist Hub - Indie Artist Spokesperson (11/2011)
[+ Show ]
Bird Call is an indie artist spokesperson in the new Google campaign and viral video promoting the n...Bird Call is an indie artist spokesperson in the new Google campaign and viral video promoting the new Artist Hub on Google Music
-
CMJ Music Marathon Showcase 2011
"The singer's distinctive voice leads ethereal, playful vespers."
-
The Best Cover EPs Of 2011 (12/2011)
[+ Show ]
"Bird Call’s lilting voice recalls Kate Bush (whom she covers) and Björk (whom she should cover). Sh..."Bird Call’s lilting voice recalls Kate Bush (whom she covers) and Björk (whom she should cover). She can do percussive cabaret and weepy sentiment with equal precision..."
-
1st Place Winner in 2010 ISC Performance Category
First Place winner in the 2011 ISC
-
Plan A: Bird Call at Soda Bar, San Diego August 2011
[+ Show ]
"Bird Call mastermind Chiara Angelicola is a gifted folk artist with an ear for lush arrangements, f..."Bird Call mastermind Chiara Angelicola is a gifted folk artist with an ear for lush arrangements, full-bodied harmonies and memorable hooks. But what really gets me is her voice, a stunning warble that’s rich and mature, yet slightly fragile."
-
Bird Call Tours Austin (August 2011)
[+ Show ]
"There’s nothing simple about these songs; each one is packed with pianos, guitars, autoharps, and A..."There’s nothing simple about these songs; each one is packed with pianos, guitars, autoharps, and Angelicola’s creaky voice."
-
Bird Call, The Animals Know 9/10 Stars
[+ Show ]
Brooklyn New York’s own Bird Call featuring singer, songwriter, musician Chiara Angelicola releases ...Brooklyn New York’s own Bird Call featuring singer, songwriter, musician Chiara Angelicola releases her new EP entitled “The Animals Know" in 2010. This EP contains 6 new tracks. Bird Call was produced by well known producer Joel Hamilton (Tom Waits, Elvis Costello, & The Black Keys).
The EP takes flight with “Waltz in the Snow”, a powerful intro lullaby that serves up inviting orchestral style strings, delightful melodies & unique vocal flair from Angelicola who I might add also plays piano on the EP Track 2 “Berlin” delivering yet another epic piece of music, with its solitary piano intro, well placed sonic layering & passionate vocal delivery. Track 3 “The Animals Know” delivers yet another gripping track with its epic vocals & stoic piano presence flowing together in perfect tandem making for 3 impressive songs in a row. As the CD slowly unfolds I can hear many different musical influences reminiscent of classic acts like Peter Gabriel, Sarah McLaughlin, Tori Amos & even Simon & Garfunkel. The music is very solitary in nature yet extremely powerful note for note with it's gripping orchestral overtones reminiscent of a classic Broadway musical. Now turning our attention squarely over to vocalist, pianist & songwriter Chiara Angelicola. She has am amazing vocal timber reminiscent of Gwen Stefani, Bjork, Feist, with perhaps a dash of Kate Bush & Tori Amos. Angelicola’s showcases an amazing vibrato on this EP, with breathtaking falsettos & a vocal presence that can be described as absolutely mesmerizing to the ear. So impressive is her vocal instrument she is able to dominate the entire sonic space alone with no outside assistance. The musicianship is first rate. The songs are short & sweet musical experiences with each song possessing a unique personality, flair, & signature groove. From upbeat “Bye Bye Honeymoon” to passionate "The Races” to the gripping finale “The Battles Outside the Gates of your Arms”, this EP delivers 6 amazing songs that are like pieces of artwork for the ears.
It’s hard to find any weaknesses at all when listening to this EP. In close “The Animals Know” is a world class musical production from start to finish. The personality of the music itself possesses a very unique musical signature & is highly creative, uniquely brilliant & original. My hats off to the production genius of Joel Hamilton (Tom Waits, Elvis Costello, & The Black Keys) who adds his amazing producers touch to the EP. He clearly created a sonic environment that showcases the vocal abilities of Chiara Angelicola. The impact this has on the overall production cannot be overstated - it's a brilliant approach. Chiara Angelicola is clearly a premier talent worthy of attention spotlight & praise. I am eager to hear more music via a full length as soon as humanly possible.
-
Bird Call, EP Release Show Promotion
[+ Show ]
Singer songwriter Chiara Angelicola is coming back with a new stage name, Bird Call, and an updated ...Singer songwriter Chiara Angelicola is coming back with a new stage name, Bird Call, and an updated and improved sound, in the new EP "The Animals Know". This bird decided to bring a piano to the forest to record a collection of leisurely atmospheric folky tunes and mellow waltzes that draw inspiration from the sound of Regina Spektor and Fiona Apple. Its musical "nest", a wisely sparse orchestration that allows Chiara's soulful soprano (reminiscent at times of Kate Bush) to shine and charm, was built by Joel Hamilton, whose portfolio will impress any music fan (among others Hamilton worked with Tom Waits and Elvis Costello). "The Animals Know" will be released on 09.25 with a show at Pete's Candy's Store in Williamsburg. Bird Call is also scheduled to play Rockwood Music Hall on October 10. - Mikhael Agafonov
-
Bird Call, The Animals Know EP Review
[+ Show ]
Anyone familiar with Brooklynite Chiara Angelicola's work from her previous releases Masquerade ...
Anyone familiar with Brooklynite Chiara Angelicola's work from her previous releases Masquerade and Bird Songs may be in for a surprise with her latest forthcoming EP release The Animals Know. She shed not only her primarily folk-rock sound with a country edge for a much more intimate bluesy ethereal style, but also changed the name to Bird Call. It's all about a refreshing newness on this record for an already unique and promising artist.
Chiara is teamed up with producer Joel Hamilton (whose credits include Elvis Costello, Tom Waits, Talib Kweli, Justin Timberlake, The Black Keys, and many more). The result is a creative venture that is both short and sweet, as well as extremely focused. All at once the music is enchanting, contemplative, romantic, majestic, bluesy, and ever beautiful.
It opens up with a slightly quirky piano riff in "Waltz in the Snow". The song is deceivingly simple-sounding. Peel back the layers and you'll find a musical bed made up of strings, horns, piano, drums, and Chiara's voice (an instrument in its own right). The chorus is my favorite part, both for its melody and words, "There's no monsters round here, in Brooklyn".
"Bye, Bye Honeymoon" is my favorite track out of the bunch. For the first forty seconds or so, it has nothing but piano, bass, guitar, and vocals. Then bursting out of nowhere is a steady drum and clap rhythm that raises the energy level a hundred percent without Chiara having to raise the volume of her voice. She makes no effort to match the intensity of the song - nor does she need to.
The Animals Know is a solid effort through and through. People who are already fans of artists such as Norah Jones, Amy Winehouse, and even Billie Holiday will be right at home with Bird Call. Returning fans of Chiara Angelicola may be disappointed at the turn her music has taken from past work. What can I say? Some people don't like change. That being said, the change is not an erroneous one but rather an issue of maturity and growth. There is quality and true artistry represented here. My only complaint about the EP is that it is just that - an EP. No points taken off for that though. I look forward to some longer releases in the future.
-
Bird Call, The Animals Know
[+ Show ]
Not your ordinary, every day bird calls here as Chiara Angelicola proves to you that The Animals Kno...Not your ordinary, every day bird calls here as Chiara Angelicola proves to you that The Animals Know best. The Brooklyn-based singer/songwriter gives you a six-track EP full of fine musicianship & artistry. The Animals Know has some wonderful moments that will keep your mind engaged throughout the whole set.
Originally from San Francisco, Bird Call feels that this new work signifies the evolution of an artist and a woman. Angelicola has found herself through this new EP and she is now ready to share this rewarding & gratifying experience with the whole world. The multi-dimensional musician Bird Call wrote and composed all six tracks on the new disc. Noah Hoffeld and Karen Waltuch add in string arrangements to songs like “Waltz in the Snow” while music vet Ralph Carney, who has worked with Tom Waits, Elvis Costello & They Might Be Giants, plays baritone sax on “Berlin”. Bird Call also has a well-known producer on her side; Joel Hamilton who has previously produced Tom Waits, Elvis Costello & The Black Keys. With musical talent coming from all directions, I can’t wait to hear this entire EP now!
The recording starts up with “Waltz in the Snow” and right away you hear uniqueness in Bird Call’s voice. Her singing style reminds me of the singer Adele in ways and I’m actually not a fan of that approach. Nothing against Chiara or Adele, but personally I just don’t care for that type of singing. What I did hear in Bird Call’s voice was a tremendous amount of conviction; I knew right away we had a special kind of artist here. Carrying into her next song “Berlin”, you get nothing but compassion from Chiara as she spills out her heart to you. I also sensed a feeling of extreme sincerity being portrayed throughout especially on the title track “The Animals Know”. On songs 5 & 6, “The Races” and “The Battle Outside the Gates to Your Arms”, you’re hearing graspy vocals that are being emphasized here. This element gives the songs such a raw feeling and in turn you receive a gripping & powerful performance from Bird Call.
In the end, I have to say that Chiara Angelicola aka Bird Call is a genuine artist who knows what she wants out of her music. This singer/songwriter also wants to connect with the audience on a higher level and I believe she accomplished that. For more on Bird Call and her new release The Animals Know, SKOPE out www.birdcallmusic.com.
-
Bird Call, The Animals Know EP
[+ Show ]
Bird Call, formally known as Chiara Angelicola is the project of well, Chiara Angelicola the Italian...Bird Call, formally known as Chiara Angelicola is the project of well, Chiara Angelicola the Italian bombshell and Bay Area native who’s been wowing audiences with her powerful voice and stage presence around the Bay for almost a decade. Her latest release is her new EP “The Animals Know” and it’s an incredible chapter in her already prolific musical story. Chiara sings contemplative songs in a slow waltz like timing. They draw you in with the subtleties of lush vocal harmonies that feel like whispers and a roar at the same time.
She released her EP last night with a wonderful show at Bottom of the Hill in SF where she debuted many of the tracks from the new album as well as some old favorites such as “Momentum” and “Masquerade” all with the added bonus of a killer string quartet accompanying her. Check out a video from the standout track from the EP Waltz in the Snow–Live at Bottom of the Hill and sink into Bird Call.
-
Q & A with Bird Call
[+ Show ]
Hello Chiara! It’s so wonderful to be doing this interview with you. I’m really enjoying your new ...Hello Chiara! It’s so wonderful to be doing this interview with you. I’m really enjoying your new EP, The Animals Know, which was released in September. You’ve been performing for a while now, starting out in California with the band Morning Theory in 2002, and currently in Brooklyn, NY as a solo artist under the name Bird Call.
As Bird Call you released the EP Bird Songs in February 2007, the album Masquerade in November 2008, and your latest EP a few weeks ago. Can you go into the details of The Animals Know EP and how it differs from your previous output as Bird Call?
Well, actually this is my first release under that name, Bird Call. I feel like I am in a very different space musically and creatively than before. I feel like after I moved to New York, I grew into a different artist, which is a wonderful feeling, and I felt I had to express it this way.
What led you to pick producer Joel Hamilton for your EP? Were there specific aspects of his production on Tom Waits, The Black Keys, and Elvis Costello albums that piqued your interest?
I’d actually been listening to his work with Jolie Holland on her new record, and I loved everything he did with the textures of her voice, the microphones, and the overall feel of the record. He has a way of channeling something really classic, but keeping it as modern as possible.
You’re originally from San Francisco, CA, but you moved to Brooklyn, NY last year. What prompted your cross-country relocation and is the change in locale what you are expecting?
I was just ready to jump into something more challenging. It’s challenging in a good way. Everyone here is making something for themselves, constantly, and everywhere you turn. I’m always meeting new artists, musicians, designers. There is a constant flow of creativity through Brooklyn and New York.
Photo Credit: Gretchen Robinette
When I first listened to your new EP, what grabbed me was your voice. You are so richly emotive and mercurial, where you alter the sonic shape and emotional expression of notes in mid-flight. It’s such a breath-taking delight to listen to your range and depth. Do you do anything special to take care of your voice?
I have listened to all sorts of advice and have followed some very peculiar ones, as well. I just have come to understand my voice. I don’t freak out before shows. I don’t usually do warm-ups. I just stopped thinking too much. It’s more a part of me now. Before, I feel like I treated it too much like a separate entity and instrument. I’m able to channel where I need to be sonically before I go on stage and while I’m up there. I just feel the emotion and it comes…kinda cheesy.
Congratulations on your nomination for Hot New Contemporary Artist for the 20th Annual LA Music Awards! Is there a way to vote for you online?
Thank you very much! There’s a voting party at The Whiskey A-Go-Go in Los Angeles, CA on Thursday, October 7th.
Photo Credit: Michelle Sibrian
You’ve been playing several shows in September and October on both the East and West coasts. That’s a lot of miles you’re racking up! How are your handling the long-distance commute and how are the shows going?
I went back to California to do a hometown EP Release Show and Party in San Francisco. I just feel like that is where I started and I owe it to my family and friends to show them what I’ve been up to. I’m currently exploring a lot more orchestrated strings onstage. It’s more of an ethereal experience. I feel like I’ve grown out of my rock phase. Who knows, maybe I’ll be doing more full band rock stuff later on. For now, I like what I’m doing.
Your blog on MySpace is very intimate and intriguing and not the usual self-promotional, music-related postings. You write both prose and poetry and share your views and ideas about life in general and your specific life. Have you ever considered gathering your text and publishing everything in book format?
I definitely am a “heart-on-my-sleeve” kinda person. I think you can tell from my songwriting, that it is very personal and emotional. It’s just how I write. It’s the most natural. Some people really understand it. Others don’t. I usually don’t have good ties with the latter sort of people. I am actually really considering putting all my songwriting and free-writings into a short book of some sort. It’s another avenue of creativity that I am working on and exploring. There is just so much going on!
What is your musical background? From what I’ve read, your mother is a musician too and you started out taking piano lessons and learning about jazz.
My creativity and musicianship comes in great, great part from my Mother. She grew up with a very strict, classical piano training regimen. She lived in Florence, Italy and studied with a private instructor and then almost went to Paris, France to study at the Conservatory. I grew up listening to a lot of her 70’s records, Fleetwood, Stevie, Roberta Flack, even a lot of Basha. There was a lot of female vocal music around the house, so I definitely picked that up from a very young age. She also played in a Bossa Nova band in Marin County and I’d frequent their rehearsals as a little girl. I still play with my Mom when we see each other. It’s nice to have her play the piano, since she’s better at it, and sing with her.
Looking deeper into your The Animals Know EP, all 6 songs feature a framework of your voice, piano, and/or strings. I love the two lines of strings on your ode to Brooklyn, “Waltz in the Snow”, where one is sweet and poignant and the other is lower and mournful. I also love the killer lyric line “…I’m in my mind half the time…”. Do your lyrics always draw specifically from your own life or do you ever take on the role of observer and recount the details from a remove?
It’s all a part of what I’m going through or have gone through in the past. It’s healthy for me.
There is a vintage sound to “Berlin” where you seem to channel a 1940s chanteuse singing in a nightclub in a war-torn city. Was it your intent to create that type of atmosphere? What was running through your mind when you formed that song? Did you pull images or ideas from history or cinema?
Interestingly enough, I wrote “Berlin” after reading a David Benioff novel called City of Thieves. It takes place in 1942 Leningrad. A Jewish soldier has been living in hiding with a group of hideaways and his love. They separate when running from the NKVD and his whole journey for survival begins. I was really moved by the subtle love story that exists in the novel. I thought about being in a similar place like Berlin at the time and being away from the one you loved, but in the end it made you stronger. Something about the snow. Something about the distance. It all was a part of a similar situation I was going through with my partner at the time. So I tied it all together.
The resonating piano and sharp, distant sound on “The Animals Know” create the feeling of echoed, but spare space in the song. Were you recording this in the studio or in some other type of room? Did you record the song in “real time”, with your vocals and the instruments playing together, or did you layer and mix individual tracks to get final song?
The whole record was done at Studio G and we did a lot of stuff live. All of my vocals and piano were tracked live. It made the record. It’s how I normally play and write songs, so it was perfect.
I love the lyrics “The animals know when to run from the fire / and it hasn’t even started.” from “The Animals Know”. Do the words and ideas flow through you easily when you write a song? Are you constantly writing down your thoughts and have pen and paper (or some electronic recording device – LOL) by you at all times?
I write in various ways. I’ve been writing a lot more on the piano. I’ll play around with chords that resonate with me emotionally and the lyrics will come out. Sometimes I’ll fine-tune them, but more often than not, I keep them.
I’m picking up a classic 1960s vibe on the track “Bye, Bye Honeymoon, with the strong drum, piano, and clapping rhythm. Is that what you were aiming for or am I off the descriptive mark?
Well, I definitely love The Beatles…Joel and I really felt the same way about the direction the song should take.
Please list your website where we can go to find out more about you and your music. Thanks so much Chiara!
Visit my Official Website at http://www.birdcallmusic.com/fr_home.cfm
I also tweet a lot! http://twitter.com/BirdCallMusic
-
Masquerade Album Review
[+ Show ]
"Physically, Angelicola is petite and unassuming, but her vocal chords are another story. Her vibran..."Physically, Angelicola is petite and unassuming, but her vocal chords are another story. Her vibrant, soulful wail at times recalls the romance of Billie Holiday or the sideways grin of Macy Gray, while challenging young contemporaries like Adele and Duffy. Stellar guitar and organ accompaniment help make this a standout local album." -Nate Seltenrich for East Bay Express, The Daily Lick, November, 2008
-
Masuerade Album Promotion & Artist Review
[+ Show ]
"It's like in Guitar Hero; you start off with the baby venues and I've gradually progressed to the b..."It's like in Guitar Hero; you start off with the baby venues and I've gradually progressed to the bigger ones," says Chiara Angelicola with a smile, excited about her upcoming CD release and celebratory gig this week. The 24-year-old singer/songwriter has come quite a ways since the days of fronting her college rock band Morning Theory at spots like Joe's Pizza at UC Santa Cruz. Less than two years after college graduation, the self-driven artist has kept busy having already released two albums in addition to constant live performances in both Santa Cruz and San Francisco, headlining such monumental venues as The Great American Music Hall and The Independent . Angelicola's vintage sound began with her upbringing in a highly creative environment, raised in Marin by a Bossa Nova musician mother, and has been further developed over the years under the influence of great female songstresses such as Roberta Flack and Stevie Nicks. Her latest offering, the full-length Masquerade, highlights the tremendous vocal prowess of the angelic singer against soulful, folk-inspired instrumentals. With neither a label or a manager, Angelicola admits, "I've got a lot on my plate." Her experience leading Morning Theory coupled with a genuine and fervent enthusiasm to be heard has made her music career a primarily one-woman project as she handles all aspects of her business, booking and promoting her own performances. She speaks fondly of the type of community present at her small and intimate shows in Santa Cruz: "The vibe, you just feel so good that you're playing to a group of accepting people. Santa Cruz is very unique in that sense." Her new album hits stores on Tuesday, coinciding with her CD release show that night at The Crepe Place alongside fellow Bay Area musician Taylor Brown ." - by Brian Echon for The Good Times, Santa Cruz November 2008
-
Artist Review
[+ Show ]
"And now for something completely different. Like a breath of crisp Autumn air, Chiara Angelicola is..."And now for something completely different. Like a breath of crisp Autumn air, Chiara Angelicola is wonderfully refreshing amidst what can sometimes seem like a monotonous supply of local music offerings..."-Sara Ferracone (Music Editor)
supersonic
