Music
The best kept secret in music
Press
Local singer-songwriter Celia called her terrific debut album "Break". This CD was an impressive collection of bewitching songs that brought to mind the indie-folk-pop of people like Beth Orton. Born in Vermont, Celia grew up in England; there is something distinctly British about her music, which can deliver the soaring sweep of Kate Bush or the anguished bite of P.J. Harvey. Sunday at 8p.m. Celia returns to the stage at The Elevens in Northampton with a new band featuring the tasty and melodic guitar playing of Joe Boyle.
- Daily Hampshire Gazette
Celia's new CD Break is cool and entrancing, wonderful-strange-fascinating-speaking-in-tongues
pop.
- WRSI-Music Director Johnny Memphis
On "Break" the waif turns into a kind of post-punk white blues mama in her song "No Good Man," while on "Hell is in Your Mind" she half-cries, half-snarls, suggesting the kind of anger that is slowly drawn out of a usually patient person. - John Stifler
Man!!!!!!!! this gal is HOT! She makes the acoustics vibe with an entirely "different" vocal sound. I haven't seen anything close to this unique style "EVER"!! This is one of a kind. This does something to me! Man you just gotta check it out......A great addition to anybody's cd collection, this artist gets a "10+++ rating from the Reverb.... - Robert Tomberlin
... "You Make Me High", an insinuating piece of Jane Siberry-like techno-folk. ...electronic tinged...one crunching rocker, "Hell is in your Mind," but Celia also mines her rootsy, blues side... - Seth Rogovoy
Celia...sings wastrel white girl blues folk rock, along the lines of Fiona Apple but with an odder, janglier inflection. She seems to be one of those deeply introverted people who, rather than write bad poetry, or fall into narcissism, has found a way to transform her oddly-calibrated perspective into art. Break, her new album is pretty great, drenched in a hothouse atmosphere, like something by Apple or Tori Amos, but distinguished by more complicated beats. There's a little bit of Mary J. Blige in there too, and many of her songs could, with little dissonance, accomodate an MC rhyming through the resonant vocals. - Daniel Oppenheimer
"Break" would be worth the purchase just to have the second to last song, "Tenement Waltz" which is utterly haunting and subtley psychologically disturbing, like some half-remembered Poe tale. The calmly insistent piano melody supports Celia's beautiful breaking vocals and aging-centered lyrics, which are dealt with in such a straightforward manner it's unnerving. this is something to cry yourself to sleep to, and could quite possibly be the most bittersweetly depressing song ever written -...something only...some obscure European art film... could evoke. - Val Barbaro
"Break", the 10-song set of Celia originals...has to rate as one of the most compelling local releases of the year. Celia has the ability to float above genres with her ethereal voice. While the music touches on folk, jazz (Norah Jones fans will love this), and electronic pop, Celia's voice soars above it all, worthy of a descriptive phrase that has yet to be spoken. - Donny Moorhouse
Discography
"Break" is a 10 song CD with tracks "Like You" and "You make me High" which are getting airplay on various stations locally. (including WRSI and WRNX). Those along with Magical are available for streaming airplay.
Photos
Feeling a bit camera shy
Bio
Critics say: "Bewitching, entrancing, impressive" about Celia's voice and songwriting: an arresting combination of evocative lyrics and a compelling voice. Celia began her career singing gospel choruses in her preacher-father’s church. Years later she performed at the Iron Horse Music Hall in Northampton and since then has released two CD's and played all over the Northeast.She has shared the stage with Toshi Reagon, Melissa Ferrick, played in venues like The Bitter End, Club Passim, The Living Room and at area colleges. At a band showcase Celia met Robby Baier from soultube.com and asked him to produce what is now "Break". Celia’s raw elements of blues and funk-rock and gospel were emphasized in this fresh setting of sampled and live drums, hip bass lines and acoustic grooves. Released in July the album already has DJ.’s saying things like "Break sits firmly in my top ten releases of the year" (Donny Moorhouse, WRNX) and "Cool and entrancing" (Music Director Johnny Memphis WRSI). Gigging with a band from Massachusetts called "a veritable super-group" by local reviewers, Celia has a whole new set of songs waiting for their turn in the studio....
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