melissa moshe

Melissa Moshe’s songs are poetry. There simply is no other way to describe her songwriting. Her music digs deep into the soul of the listener; forcing them to look inward and analyze their lives. I listened to her Cd several times and the more I listened, the more I found that her music was relatable to a broad audience. She sings of love, loss and inward searching and yearning. The music is always arranged perfectly and her vocals though poignant and many times heartbreakingly real have a soul that transcends what most people think an Indie Folk Musician should be. Folk music is meant to make a person reflect; Melissa does that with near perfection. As I listened over and over, I found myself flashing back to times in my life; heartbreak and all. The Cello music played on various songs by Hope Easton and Adrienne Woods, add a touch that draws the discerning taste of a music lover in; while Melissa sings in her pitch perfect voice. Though every song on her Cd is worth a mention; “Suburbia” hits home for those stuck between their lives inside and outside their careers, and yearning to be someplace quiet for a change. Her 1st track song “Small World for Left Hands” ponders what your life would be like if you chose one decision rather than the other and makes you want to ponder whether you had made the right moves and actions in your own life, do we ever know if the twists and turns we took in our lives from our own free will are ever right? I am not sure, but she brings what we all think to the forefront. In “Time or Place” She sings of what seems to be a lost love, and how she wants that person in her life forever. The yearning for a lost or relationship that never quite hit its stride love lingers deep into a person’s psyche. Every song is worth a listen; especially for those into deep contemplation of where their lives are now and where they were. - Christi Broekemeier

November 2008 Issue.

Those of us who are left-handed may feel a resonance with Melissa Moshe's 'Small World for Left Hands'. The constant need to improvise in a world designed for right-handers gives us a special appreciation for Moshe's offbeat lyrics and unusual arrangements. But even the right-handed majority will be impressed by the debut from this L.A. artist.

The album features fresh arrangements with plenty of cello, often set in an eerily high register. Standard topics of love and regret are interspersed with spunky tunes like "Ugly", "Not That Day" and "Suburbia" - a tongue-in-cheek tribute to TiVo, strip malls and "standardized coffee."

You don't have to be left-handed to enjoy Moshe's "Small World" - just be ready for a new way of looking at the world.



- Mare Wakefield

Moshé aims for a spare, unadorned presentation, with just guitar and sometimes cello accompanying her vocals, and it works well as her voice exudes warmth and smarts. "Ugly" is our favorite tune, with its satisfying melodic progression and straightforward, even homespun, arrangement. "Time or Place" pleases with its vocal harmonies, while "Suburbia" misfires due to its obvious lyrics. Blessed with an appealing voice, Moshé still needs to develop a sound that has more overall impact than these undercooked recordings.

7 out of 10 - music connection

"Singer/songwriter meets indie-cello folk rock" is the description given by Melissa Moshe of her first full-length album since separating in 2005 from the duo Table Twelve. The album features Moshe's beautiful, soulful voice and plenty of cello. Standard topics of love and regret in "Ugly," a heart-breaking song that laments the ending and general disappointment of a relationship, are blended with satirical songs like "Suburbia" which light-heartedly mocks TiVo, strip malls and standardized coffee. The album has an overall melancholy vibe that is mastered sweetly by the combination of Moshe's vocals and cellist Adrienne Woods' notable contributions on "Ugly" and "Other Side".

- Angelica Bonomo