Global Musicians Fish Pond

Maria Bohm is the very essence of distinctive – she has flavors of Tori Amos and classic Kate Bush, but honestly, I’ve never heard anything like her, or seen performance art of the type she produces.  Born July 1984, after ten years of classic piano schooling and three years of musical university preparation school at Fässberg in Mölndal, she found herself wanting to break free from all the strict rules of music and how it “should be”. ‘Animalic’ is her second album, and delivers an emotional listen for fans of the truly unconventional.

Four songs; I won’t even pretend to be able to read the full meaning into these dark emotional creations. The lyrics are intriguing, at times highly disturbing, musically art from chaos, using multiple timings in each song, with a surprising mix of instruments, but above it all that treetop soaring vocal of Maria’s. ‘Animalic’ is a dark episode aired powerfully and no mistake. It’s very hard to do it justice in a review like this one, of the whole album, so if you like it, I suggest strongly that you take a listen and judge for yourself. There are intricacies beyond the imagination to delve into at every turn.

Ponies is straight in with the vocal, it’s frivolous, yet hides a snarling message in it’s dark equine heart:

“Wha-wha-wha-wha-wha
what’s up with all the little ponies,
It seems they’ve found the breadcrumbs
You have hidden in the shed,
and I cannot make friends,
Cannot make nice with all your ponies,
Cause they all seem to know you,
And you know them so well”

It’s a “nice” catching tune, with the piano, Maria’s main instrument, playing a strong role. There are soft undertones of a minor key which moves into a funky chorus, guitars and spitting venomous lyrics, making the song a mix of fancy-free and pissed off. Unlike Kate Bush’s musings, Maria gives this feeling of been truly flipping angry – and she’s not going to take it anymore.

“Ants” is the quietest number of the four, the combination of minor chords and Maria’s distinct  voice carrying a lovely intro, if still on a slightly horrifying theme.

“Well it’s seven a.m. and I still can’t sleep,
but I’m trying to straighten out,
And I’m sorry my friend, but stop squeezing my hand,
It’s hard enough coming down,
I’m coming down”

The refrain is somehow such a welcome chord progression, but is sure, with its twisting harmonies, to make you mentally itch:

“Those ants, all over my body
Those ants, are fooling nobody”

I listen with a slight frown, especially as the fairground-ish theme kicks in, but still I find myself nodding along to the beat. I’ve never felt like ants were crawling all over me, but I’m getting my head into this song, and it makes it an ambiguous experience; listening to a nicely put together piece of music, while imagining the horror of…what could this be…cold turkey perhaps. I don’t know, but I kind of like it.

“Wasps” – the only thing that could possibly follow “Ants”, is as prickly and full of sting as it promises. Drum led, something of a march beat, with a harpsichord driving the accompaniment along. By far my favorite lyric, because it evokes the biggest reaction, is this one:

“and the wasps, they don’t make a sound,
They just f*cking go on and buzz around,
Pretending that no-one’s crashing down,
No-one’s crashing down,
F*cking crashing down,
Well I’m crashing down”

It’s not so much the shocking expletives, but the fact that it’s so very much in the theme of the album, and is repeated often, as it’s the chorus. So matter of fact, it’s terrifying in that the feeling is so final, yet so light and breezy in the telling. It’s a perfect fit for ‘Animalic’. In the meantime, the semi-tone shifts, odd vocal effects, and arpeggiated harpsichord throughout makes this a curious and interesting work, pleasant on the ear, and explosive in the chorus.

Now to my favorite of the bunch – “Little Dragon”, which you can listen to here as you read:

I’ll be honest about this song. From it’s release, I loved the music, but actually pushed the post from the Fish Pond FaceBook page; I felt the content was disturbing enough that it might really upset some of our younger readers. However having listened over and over, I have a fondness for the song, although the theme still makes me cry.

“Goodbye, little dragon,
I always keep my eyes up high,
Just secretly wishing you would land again,
Little dragon,
No matter where you fly you know you’re mine,
My love for you will stand the test of time”

A lost child, fond memories of precious days and a life never to be found again, this song is musically the closest to classic Tori Amos. It’s more mainstream, it’s beautifully written and performed for the recording. I love the harmonies and the drifting instrumental behind the summer morning rain-shower of a melody.

“It burns to be the one to stay behind”

All in all, in many ways this song explains a lot; it’s so desperately sorrowful, it gives me much more insight into “Wasps” and “Ants”. Asking Maria about this track, she simply tells me; “we’ve all lost someone at some time or another”. It’s a nice spin on this work; that it has applicability to many, if you’ll just listen to it in the right way.

Listening to this album, and seeing Maria’s previous work as I have, these songs are such a mysterious combination. I realize in the above I have mixed adjectives outrageously – “horrifying”, “terrifying”, “desperately sorrowful”, “light and breezy”, “curious”, “interesting”. Perhaps this explains; I watched the “blooper reel” for the making of “Little Dragon” and realized how much of a sense of humor Maria truly has.  She’s an enigma, in many senses so dark and troubled, yet capping it all with a smile and a laugh. I enjoyed the listen very much, troubled as I was by the themes and lyrics at times. I’m left feeling that Maria has put out a clever work of art here, and I’ve just lamely misunderstood the intent behind all of it.

Fittingly, this review will probably make her laugh out loud.  And in doing so she will likely sound like Kate Bush at her best 😉

David Mark Smith,
CEO and Founder, the Fish Pond
www.globalmusiciansfishpond.com

You can read more about Maria on her Fish Pond profile here.

You can support Maria and purchase ‘Animalic’ here.

With his latest single, ‘Trap Of Time’, a single released off his new album titled ‘The Sounds Of Sleep’, available for download here, Matthew Politoski delivers nothing short of the amazing and unique talent we’ve come to expect from this musician. Acting as a solo project under the name ‘Animal Flag’, Matt not only has been writing his own music for the past 6 years, but he produces his own music as well.

Successfully blending a variety of styles through his music such as Indie Rock, Electronic, Folk, and at times classical elements, his music is never one note sheet music.

You can watch and listen to “Trap of Time” here.

Beginning with a sensual yet eerie feel in this single, I’m instantly transported to another world, a world filled with spells and magical creatures, long since forgotten days of moonlit strolls through dark and mysterious forests. The artwork for the song’s cover only adds certainty to my speculation that this has a “fairy tale” vibe. I’m heavily reminded of the band ‘Evanescence’ in the way that the song seems to be creating itself around you; spinning with intrigue in the way it’s rhythm bleeds almost transparent sounds into the listening ears, creating depth to the song. Matt blends so well the electronic base of this song with his smoky and unique voice, while the song’s many layers offer a place to safely escape to.

“So harmless at first
You were golden from birth
A new breath off the lips of God sent to earth
To a mother and father, so grateful, so thankful
Too speechless for words
Oh how long they waited to gaze in the eyes of their beautiful girl
You were finally there”

Matt keeps his vocals in mid range throughout, but creatively hinting that you’re only barely tasting the heights of his vocal range; keeping the listener wondering just how much more could be in store. Harmony vocals from Kelsey Byrne add yet another element to the song, soaring it to new peaks, yet it never leaves the steady theme and escape the song takes you at the start. There are so many thoughtful touches immersed throughout; moments of pause, effects of static, and natural piano leads that fill the song, and make it more “real” and not sounding only digitally created.

The chorus, though it keeps a similar melody, is easily recognizable as the music builds nicely in the background and Matt sings his hook….

“Every memory is just a picture of something we’ve lost
In the trap of time
The paradigm
In the shifts that take us by surprise”

There are enough repeats of the chorus, you may just find yourself singing along by the final round or two. Drifting out of the song in beautiful harmony with Kelsey in a lyrical outro, yet never easing off the steady pulse that is the beating heart of this piece in song, it ends in the same manner of artsy talent it began with.

If ‘The Sounds Of Sleep’ keeps up with half the intensity and creative talent that’s in obvious and popular demand like ‘Trap Of Time’ does, there is no doubt in my mind Matt’s latest work will be a success, and an album that I’m sure he’s rightfully proud of.

By Pranam Bai Richter
Singer/Songwriter, The Richter Sisters
Head of Global Publicity, the Fish Pond

Ola Weel Skram is a superb vocal talent from Sogndal in Norway. I heard Ola originally in a YouTube clip, performing “Raining in Baltimore” by Counting Crows at a high school stadium with friend and fellow Fish Pond member, Ole Martin Volle. I was immediately taken with his range and pitch-perfection; a short Facebook conversation later, and Ola joined us with material from his early-years band, House of Clowns, and brought kind of an electronica rock sound to the our family. Since that time, and his stint in the top 10 of Norwegian Idol, he comes back to us with a collaboration with Leon Frick, and new project UAO; appropriately after the Idol experience, and what was a huge surprise to his many fans when he left, he’s “Moving On”.

Ola has always struck me as a very hard worker; his pitch-perfection is testament to the fact that he takes his craft very seriously. In this newest track, he explores the electronica side of his writing and vocal, but the voice is distinctly “Ola” all the way. Listen with me here.

Quietly introducing itself as a summer hit of a Euro-beat song, its already catchy before our Ola’s voice comes in. It’s establishing a melody for the song even before we get to the theme:

“Lately I’ve been holding on to you,
I think it’s time I realized the truth;
Because after all these years, I don’t know who I am,
I’ve got to start to breathe, to live my life again.”

It’s a realization, a plea, yet a coming of age lyric wrapped up in a classic dance number. I can’t help but feel like I’m at the beach in Ibiza with thousands of other people getting into the summer groove. It’s what I’d call very “light” electronica, and uses some lovely keyboard effects, bringing the beat out and complementing it, with feathery organic effects, nice touches of “wah”, and a little piano letting us – in some lighter moments – forget the percussion, and expectantly listen for  the vocal again. It doesn’t disappoint.

“I keep on dreaming, we’ll be together again,
I have to wake up, got to stop, to pretend,
It’s about time that I’ll be moving on,
I’ll leave you behind, because I am strong.”

This last word is beautifully held, and demonstrates all of the talent that got Ola to where he is today. In this last verse you can hear that range, that huskiness, that makes him so unique. Watch any of his YouTube efforts through the years (and he’s only 22 by the way) and you’ll see what I mean; attention to detail, and not a note out of place, even live. He carried that principle through beautifully in the semi-finals of Idol, which you can witness here.

The song is carried out by the melody and the beat, the vocal not over-powering the song and left behind in this last strong minute or so of outtro; it’s what a good dance number should be. The vocal is very well executed, but it doesn’t leave you following a complex story; it’s an equal component of the overall work, and allows you to lose yourself in the rhythm. And it really “works”; so it is that the beat and keyboard, and that familiar melody takes us through softly to the end of the song. I can see this perfectly fitting any Southern Riviera party scene, smoothly slotting into a DJ’s set. And that’s what I fully expect it to do.

It’ll have you dancing, even in your seat (as I did writing this). It’s a worthy return for Ola Weel Skram, who since the early days of House of Clowns and his partnership with Ole Martin Volle has thrived on partnerships and putting out immaculate vocal pieces. We wish UAO, Ola and Leon, all the very best with this effort, and all of their future work as Fish Pond family.

David Mark Smith,
Founder and CEO, the Fish Pond
www.globalmusiciansfishpond.com

You can find out more about Ola Weel Skram on his profile here.

You can also read about his Idol experience through an interview here.

It was an absolute pleasure to re-discover Josh Doyle in 2012, the lead singer, guitarist, and songwriter for one of my favorite bands in the UK in the 2000’s, the Dum Dums.  They were all over the UK Charts with classic early “light” pop punk like ‘Everything I Do’, and the fabulous and memorable ballad, ‘Army of Two’. It was an acoustic version of this last song on his YouTube account that led me to Josh as he began his 2012 successful campaign to become Guitar Center’s Singer Songwriter of the Year. Still writing distinct and captivating guitar and vocal epics, the first new work I heard from him in years was ‘I Figured the World Out’, which we reviewed here, and then strong new late 2012 single ‘Solarstorms’; Josh goes from strength to strength, and it’s a pleasure to pick up his latest work, ‘My Jerusalem’ for review.

Josh has a very distinct all-round performance and writing style; I like the fact that most of his video work is live, generally just himself and a guitar. Clearly where he is at his very best; open, singing, playing, and being utterly vulnerable and emotional in his delivery, in Josh you can see and hear a real passion to get his message out there. In conversation, coming across as humbly witty, a little clumsy and shy in front of an audience, the man transforms when he gets behind that guitar and mic. And so it is that I’ve deliberately given you the live version of single ‘My Jerusalem’ at the Rutledge, at his home in Nashville, Tennessee, at the foot of this post so you can get a true sense of what an impassioned and committed performance by a real artist is all about. Josh is one of the best, a musician with integrity through and through.

Listen with me to the studio version of ‘My Jerusalem’.

The opening chords are beautiful; clean, bright guitars, preempting the powerful work we’re about to hear; and Josh is in with the vocal. As I mentioned, he has a unique voice – it’s been evident through his entire career, a tone which you can’t mistake and is very much “Josh Doyle”.  Starting the song quietly and understated, leaving room for the skyscraper he is about to build before our eyes, he introduces us to this observation on life:

“In the modern world, nothing is steadfast,
Nothing to hold on to, years go by so fast,
Need someone to talk to, to slow down the moment,
To help me forgive.”

It’s low, gravelly, it draws you in. I’m reviewing at 11 p.m. on a US East Coast Friday night in the dark, a perfect setting to lose yourself in the music. The strings add beautifully to the guitars in the verse. The transition into the chorus is a perfect step up, fits into the verse like a glove, as he raises the stakes, raises an octave, and makes the song rangy and pleading:

“And I come to the lord,
In my times of trouble,
I can’t find my Jerusalem”

It’s a piece of songwriting comparable in skill to the powerful Sarah Kelly, and to the worldly and remarkable Margo Rey, currently sitting in the Billboard AC at number 28. I’ve always said that you can hear the hard work put into a great song, one that is not only listenable, but a complete sensory experience; it’s not random or fly-by-night, it takes skill and commitment to paint an evocative work of art; and you’ve got a very good example here.

The feet stay firmly on the gas pedal for the second verse, allowing more of a beat, the engine humming, and inviting you to relax into the warmth of the song and the journey within it. The guitars are stronger, the drums are in, and I’m hooked.

“I’ve been so down, Jesus it’s trying,
I wanted to leave life but I’m scared of dying,
Been looking through fresh eyes,
I’m overcoming, demons and loneliness.”

I can hear shades of U2’s Bono and the Edge, the combined guitars taking the wheel and driving us on, and Josh allowing his voice to lead the mood of the song completely as the second verse completes:

“And the years are like rivers rolling over us,
Though my sins are like,
Mountains that can not be crossed,
Oh I know in my soul,
I believe in the blood that will save me now.”

By this time, you’ll be immersed. It’s a Doyle trademark not to insert flashy guitar solos, but instead to use that well-used, well-loved, and well-played guitar to power-chord through an instrumental which, live, allows him to get totally into the moment, and throw himself headlong into the blissful musical void. It’s a wonder he gets through a live show, with the energy that goes into each one. He’s an artist who loves what he’s doing, and totally believes in what he’s singing.  It is refreshing, and is at the same time completely convincing.

Coming down to bare bones again for the final verse, minimal guitar, and that one-of-a-kind tone, listen out for the vocal runs; the whole verse in compelling, but the emotions are are truly beautiful, especially in this line:

“I’ve been looking through fresh eyes,
I’m overcoming demons of loneliness”

Left gloriously hanging on that last sweet note, and wringing the last drops of sweet melancholy out of his guitar, it’s nothing short of a wonderful listening experience.

I have followed Josh Doyle’s work for a long time. As mentioned, his previous band were (primarily due to his unique vocal, emotional songwriting, and driven guitar playing) among my top hits in the 2000’s; with this new work, I’ve found a new favorite, which is remarkable given the strength of the songs this one competes against; in my time, I have covered ‘Army of Two’ and ‘Everything I Do’, and more recently have enjoyed ‘I Figured the World Out’ as a technical and beautiful piece of writing, and single ‘Solarstorms’ as a solid album leader. ‘My Jerusalem’, though, is in a league of its own. Anthemic, evocative, full of emotion, and so very listenable and singable, it is a winner and a work of art with long, long legs.

Josh is, and will always be, a solid ‘recommend’ for me; a nice guy, a hard worker, and a genuinely excellent songwriter and performer.  Buy his album and all of his very latest songs, including ‘My Jerusalem’, right here.

David Mark Smith
Founder and CEO, the Fish Pond
One world, one family, one musical heartbeat
www.globalmusiciansfishpond.com

You can find out more about Josh at his Fish Pond profile here.

You can watch his live performance at the Rutledge, in his home town of Nashville, Tennessee, here:

Singer songwriter Ada Pasternak joined our Fish Pond family in May 2013. Coming to us with origins in Moscow, having emigrated to the USA at the age of 6, Ada has deep roots in her classical training on the violin, crossing it with contemporary music to produce some beautiful results. In 2007 she was awarded the Presidential Scholarship to Berklee College of Music, where she discovered a passion for songwriting.

A lovely quirky number, which has shades of California’s Good King Friday, and a little of New York-based Cyra Morgan in the mix; ‘Lonely Little Painting’ is the type of work that has so many facets to it, both technical and emotional, that I could listen over and over, and take away something a little different every time. Listen with me.

At only 2:15 in length, this song is a huge showcase number in a compact cover; with Ada’s sparkling background with the violin, it is so appropriate that the song starts with just her distinct vocal and beautifully plucked chords;

“Lonely little painting
in a corner of the room,
Colors slowly fading…”

The vocal precision, the tone of her voice, is so crisp and clear, that the mood of the song is immediately set; it’s already classical, quirky, and quite breathtaking. From the first few seconds, I was captivated. In short, this is so filled with personality, Ada is quite clearly a musician who can stamp her unique style all over her work.

“Painted a sunset,
orange and gray,
if there was a rainbow,
would it make you stay”

The piano is in at this point, supported by a beautiful double bass, and as mentioned, it’s bringing on memories of everything I love about Good King Friday’s work (although they are not the same, they share a basis which is so beautifully rooted in really well-rehearsed and educated classical instrumentation). The feel of this song is gloriously Eastern European, images of Topol and Fiddler on the Roof playing through my mind. It’s a series of smiles packaged in a Matryoshka (Russian) doll.  For every layer you remove, a new surprise lays underneath.

“Nameless and dateless,
it’s all by itself;
Why hasn’t somebody
purchased it yet?”

The violin solo which follows is lovely to listen to, soaring, using runs, the best of the low end tones, and strongly ending on a superb slide into heaven to preface her final lyrical delight.

“and all the other paintings
in the middle of the room;
No one even glances,
at the one that made me think of you”

After a final chorus, a repeat of the first line just to remind us:

“Lonely little painting,
in a corner of the room”

And the lyric is done; now to the most beautiful piece of violin work I have heard, perhaps in a lifetime, simply because it is so appropriate to the feeling of the song; it’s a classical solo at it’s very best, quite honestly bringing me to tears with it’s intensity, feeling, and technical brillance. Pauses, runs, arpeggios, she’s all over the fingerboard, and yet it’s not a clinical performance; it’s Ada at her very emotional best, bringing this lovely little piece to a close with a final chord, and one of the most breathtaking 2 minutes of music I have ever listened to.

In every sense, that ‘Lonely Little Painting’ is quite the masterpiece.

David Mark Smith
Founder and CEO, the Fish Pond
www.globalmusiciansfishpond.com

Ada is currently living in Fairfield CT and recently released her 6 song EP titled “Ada”. It is available on CD Baby and iTunes here.

Margo Rey is no stranger to chart success; from her last album release, ‘Habit’ (2012) which we reviewed here, the singles “Let the Rain” and “Between Us” charted in the top 20 in the Billboard AC. A caring Fish Pond family member, she stands out in my mind as a huge advocate of heart-led and natural music, and an inspiration to our global family. She has even gone to the trouble of creating her own genre, Organica, and the Organica Music Group, to make the point; that she recognizes the beauty of an art form that requires hard work, dedication, and a commitment to remain true to the music and to the self.

In what turns out to be a super choice of song, Margo releases her own twist on the classic 80’s Squeeze number, ‘Tempted’. Covers can be risky; with such a popular number (which I grew up with, and so I took the trouble to re-acquaint myself with it a couple of times before listening to Margo’s newest single), I was looking for a really excellent take on the original, which was so 80’s, so smooth, and so laid back.  I needed something with a punch, something ‘Margo’…and I got it. She has the voice and the ‘organica’ approach down to a tee, producing an upbeat and beautifully executed version, totally for our times, and funky as hell. Have a listen with me.

It’s a beautiful sunny day, lovely for music listening, and perfect for music reviewing; when it’s Margo, you can be pretty sure it’s going to be a pleasure. Straight in with that voice, it takes me right back to my first listen to ‘Habit’, a diverse album, with each song telling a story instrumentally and lyrically. The keyboard, the accented husky vocal, the runs, and the funky drumming; all a wonderful build up to what is to come. Let the groove commence.

“I said to my reflection
let’s get out of this place,
Past the church and the steeple
The laundry on the hill
The billboards and the buildings
Memories of it still”

It’s reminiscent of the more upbeat tracks on ‘Habit’; a bit ‘Get Back’, and a bit ’10 Reasons’, and clear that she owns the song from the very first verse.  Lyrically, it’s taking me right back to the 80’s and the original, but vocally and instrumentally, this version is an original, a swinging toe-tapper and shoulder shaker, with no doubt. The verse is nicely understated, something of a 3 a.m. listen at Ronnie Scott’s in Soho, London.  It makes that build into the chorus so welcome when it comes.

“Tempted by the fruit of another
Tempted but the truth is discovered
What’s been going on,
Now that you have gone,
There’s no other”

It has me genuinely, and broadly, smiling at this point, sitting in a Northern Virginia library and nodding my head, tapping my fingers on the MacBook (I think that’s what the empty space next to the trackpad is for). You can hear the hard work that’s gone into production to keep me listening and satisfied, the little harmonies and attention to detail in the mix of every track. It’s my compliment to Margo, honestly, that I started hearing the very faintest reflections of the seminal ‘Tom’s Diner’ by Suzanne Vega. I love it when a song has hints like that, and can spin you off into memories of other classic works.  It’s bringing on musical immersion :-).

Another verse, another chorus, just as punchy, and it’s noteworthy to me that, as on ‘Habit’, the musicians and the band as an entity are so superbly tight, you don’t notice individual instruments unless you really listen out for them; it works as a piece of music, supporting the main feature, Margo’s vocal.

At just the right time, the song comes down to the bare bones again, highlighting the brilliant lyric of Al Turney:

“I bought a novel, some perfume
A fortune all for you
But it’s not my conscience
Hating to be untrue
I asked of my reflection
What is there to do?”

That lovely keyboard is back again, bringing the song to a swinging and jammin’ climax, soaring harmony vocals complementing; and another signature ‘Margo’ touch, with the briefest of warning notes, the song closes. It’s a super snappy ending to a track that had me wanting to dance along to it all the way.

From my perspective, this deserves all the credit it is currently getting. Margo is not a one-hit sensation; she is a proven phenomenon, musically well-educated, hard working, a principled artist, no stranger to adversity, and a believer in the quality of real music. This is a lovely memory of my childhood, it pays homage to the original, and at the same time it is a fresh new work of art and an excellent follow up to the epic (13 songs worth) ‘Habit’ in 2012. I look forward to seeing where sales go from here.  I expect to be looking up to follow its path.

I suppose the general public agrees. Debuting at number 28 on the Billboard AC, Margo has once again put her unique stamp on a track which I’m sure is set to run and run. Margo, your Fish Pond family are proud of you, and with you all the way to the top.

David Mark Smith
Founder and CEO, The Fish Pond
www.globalmusiciansfishpond.com

You can buy the single on iTunes here.

You can read more about Margo on her Fish Pond profile here.

To keep up with Margo, check out her website here.

Deni Hlavinka is a Fish Pond original. I’ve made no secret of the fact that I think she’s the closest thing to a musical genius I have ever had the pleasure of listening to. So when she went to study at Berklee back in the fall of 2011, and met Chris West (who she had already worked with), Bermudan and absolutely amazing vocalist, musician, and all around nice guy, it was a musical match made in heaven. On the 18th May 2013, on the closing leg of a 4 state tour supporting Melissa Ferrick’s full album release of ‘The Truth Is”, The Western Den played 2 shows to a packed house at Jammin’ Java in Vienna, VA.

Meeting these guys again is fabulous. I last saw Deni and Chris (our first meeting) the day after Thanksgiving 2012, when they played an intimate little gig at a coffee house in Winchester, VA. The setting has changed, but the personalities have not. I meet them at the merch table before the show, and Chris and Deni are exactly the  same humble, grateful, enthusiastic, loving souls, they have always been, and always will be.

They take to the stage, a well-intended mysterious musical start, until the sustain pedal craps out (it’s not plugged in). Actually it’s an intimate introductory moment, memorable in a good way, an ice breaker which allows Deni to “do her thing” and draw the crowd in. Within a minute, they launch into their opener:

“I am not the one,
who can bring you to the altar,
I am not the one who can free you
from your faltering heart”

It’s perfect from the outset, typical Chris and Deni, at its heart a beautiful, mesmerizing vocal from both; clearly they have worked and worked to get to the perfect harmonies they are achieving, amidst guitar harmonics and beautiful piano licks galore.

‘For the Sake of Seeking’ comes next, and introduces the EP. Bringing the brilliant cellist Ro Rowan (pictured) into the performance, once again the vocal is haunting and echoey, using not only lyric but a wealth of well planned “ooh” and “aah” to bring a symphonic feel to the song. Deni’s songs have always been vocally very clever (listen to my favorite of her early works, ‘The Dove and the Boulder’), so meaningful and packed with metaphor and classical reference, and it’s clear that she’s brought all of that and more to her partnership with Chris; Chris, who adds a huge depth that puts the “West” in “The Western Den”, with a voice that’s smoother that silk, and a feel for the guitar – and everything it can do – that I’ve rarely seen in a lifetime.

‘The Minister’ is their third number, and by now the crowd are so with them; louder applause, they realize they are witnessing something special, and Melissa must be pleased. Warming a venue-full of people is exactly what a rock-solid support band needs to do. It’s a remarkable ballad; Chris leads more in this number, showcasing a vocal that I’ve not heard before from him, powerful and comfortable. The cello adds a swell like the ocean tides to the number, as it builds into a wonderful guitar and piano crescendo;

“What can make the minister fall?”

Their next number, ‘Desert Ground’, was written, as Chris announced, about a little boy who witnessed a hot air balloon crash over Egypt; a very recent and painful tragedy which brought Cairo into the press this spring.

“Come on down to the desert ground”

It’s a back and forth between Chris and Deni, using the best of both of their voices; a sad theme, and yet a compelling work which pulls you in. The outstanding feature of this song is the particularly emphasized use of Deni’s two vocal mikes, one with a huge echo for that soaring backing, and one clipped, crisp, and capturing every detail for the lead on the verses. Deni at her absolute best vocal I have heard, Chris proving that he has an amazing songwriting skill which will produce and produce.

The next song is a fascinating story; Melissa Ferrick, the headliner and songwriting teacher at Berklee accompanying on percussion, has a particular connection, because this is the first song Deni turned in for a grade in Melissa’s class at Berklee. As with so many of Deni’s early work, it includes several references to the sea, the Virginia shoreline, shifting tides, and waves. It’s lovely, Melissa is clearly incredibly into it, mouthing the words all through as she adds some perfect percussive ripples.

By the way, Melissa is another story and an epic review to come; quite brilliant as an established musician, guitar player, singer, and songwriter, I had not heard her before this gig (shame on me).  Her headline act was jaw-dropping, masterful, and the fact that she endorses ‘The Western Den’ gives them all the more kudos in the years to come.

Their last is a cover, ‘Round Here’ by Counting Crows. It’s a perfect ending for these two. Flawless vocal brings me, quite honestly, to tears; Chris and his smooth style, and Deni with that amazing classical and contemporary sound. They sing it like they mean it, EVERY time.

“Step out the front door like a ghost
Into the fog where no one notices
The contrast of white on white.
And in between the moon and you
The angels get a better view
Of the crumbling difference between wrong and right.
I walk in the air between the rain
Through myself and back again”

To see The Western Den live is, without exaggeration, perfection. The hard work which they put in is evident, but without the incredible natural talent which they both bring to the table, this incarnation would never be possible. Always on pitch, attention to instrumental detail obvious, and vocal harmonies to absolutely die for. I’ve enjoyed Deni’s music for two years, since her senior high school recital in fact, and always marveled at her musicianship. Chris I’ve met more recently, and come to embrace as a superb musician, and seriously committed young man. Delightful through and through. Watch out for these two, they will be impressing and amazing for years to come.

Finally, I’d like to give a shout out to the very supportive Hlavinka family, who I’ve had the pleasure of knowing for years now; they have always embraced my own live performances in Northern Virginia throughout the years (it was my privilege to perform several times on the same stage with Deni). A more encouraging and positive pair you will never meet.  Dave and Patty, you’re a force to be reckoned with, and The Fish Pond family can see the results of your care and nurturing approach in the successful young woman who is already yielding results in this difficult industry.

Also credit to Melissa Ferrick (who I did not get to meet) and Ro Rowan (who I met after the show), delightful people and fabulous musicians both, and wishing them the best on the remainder of their East Coast tour, and all success with ‘The Truth Is’.  They deserve it.

You can read more about Deni at her Fish Pond profile here, and Chris at his Fish Pond profile here.  Expect much more to come from the Western Den.  We wish them all the luck in the world, Fish Pond family from the start, and Fish Pond family forever.

One world, one family, one musical heartbeat.

David Mark Smith,
Founder and CEO, The Fish Pond
Singer/Songwriter, My Lucky Fish

You can listen to The Western Den’s E.P., “Battle Hymns” here.

What do you expect to hear when you think of a Bulgarian singer living in Los Angeles, CA, named Anna Yanova-Cattoor? Probably not an extremely talented singer/songwriter with years of experience releasing her debut album titled; ‘UP’. Since the early age of 5, Anna began discovering her passion for music; taking up piano and vocal lessons, she had little thought it would lead to such a wonderful journey filled with music and love.

At the age of 10, Anna made her first appearance on national TV on the music show “Kato Lavovete”, after which at 13 she was chosen to perform on the stage of “Rock In Rila” festival in front of 20,000 people, that year and the following 5 years in a row. Continuing on her musical journey, she shared the stage with Stevie Wonder, Chaka Khan, Eric Benet and many others in the “Artist for Peace” choir at the Gibson Amphitheater.

In her album-starting track ‘Love Heart Soul’ you’ll hear the playful side of Anna’s music; while still receiving meaningful lyrics that inspire you to look for and bring out the best in yourself. From the guitar intro, I can’t help snapping my fingers along to the beat as Anna sings the first lyric…

“I’m looking at the cars, passing by
I’ve got some heavy thoughts, in my head
Walking down the street, I’m wondering why
Do we always choose red”

The entire song has a lovely rise and fall; not an overly complicated rhythm, there’s plenty of room for Anna’s beautiful voice to seep in and out like hot chocolate; warm and delicious. The guitar holds strong and true throughout. One of my favorite parts about the song musically; when the guitar comes back in with the finger-picking for the outro that made it’s first appearance in the intro of the song. The years of experience shine through in her vocal control and tasteful choice of placement for runs and riffs. The perfect song to start the album; feel-good at some of it’s finest.

Following after a few tracks is a completely different style in ‘I Pray’. Filled with breathy and smokey vocals that create the feeling of a sensual atmosphere in a song, whose lyrics suggest barely holding on to someone you’re losing. It’s a quiet and tensed battle that’s so well put together, demonstrating humble brilliance. It’s hard to hear past the emotion Anna pours into every word and pick out special moments instrumentally, but in my opinion that shows the skill of a great band; to be able to know when to shine, and to be able to know when to fill a song and let the vocals take over. Filling the background setting with steady electric guitar, snare drum beat-keeping, piano with an effect, and the accents of an occasional guitar solo, Anna spins a web with the lyrics…

“You saw me today
Like a ghost in your way
If i turn around and sing
Would you let it ring?
I pray
For your reverie
I stay
If you’ll let me
I hope
You don’t leave me alone”

Second to last on the album is ‘Partners In Crime’ a beautiful piano based tune about two people lost but finding life, love and themselves in each other. Anna shows off more of her range, touching upon some higher octave notes, again showing her vocal control.

“And you reached for the candle
You took off your sandals
Sat beside me
With a bottle of wine
And you told me the story
Of how you lost your glory
Said darlin’ you’ll be just fine
We are partners in crime”

The song peaks it’s instrumental impact in the bridge, dropping off slightly for a few final rounds of “Partners in Crime” sung in a airy and distant way; like angels calling. The piano rings throughout the song like a golden sun shining down, and I can’t help but have the mental image of a summers’s day romance at a little old coffee shop where, through the blinding of the sun, a stranger comes to rescue a lost girl down on love. Taking a turn at the end, where she suddenly realizes that she’s not lost anymore, she has found love, she has found….her partner in crime.

The entire album has a steady thread that links all the songs together, though each one has it’s own “moment”. Anna’s voice is well deserving of the praise it has received, and she has created a strong first album. Feel-good in it’s listen; quality and creative in it’s making; set to repeat on your iPod.

By Pranam Bai Richter
Singer/Songwriter, The Richter Sisters
Head of Global Publicity, the Fish Pond

With a successful EP; ‘Hope and Heartbreak’ released in 2012, a growing following of her music, and a vocal style all her own; Natania Lalwani releases another stellar single and its official music video titled ‘The Letter’, set to air on VH1 shortly. Making the bold decision to relocate to Los Angeles CA when she was 19, Natania began sharing her musical gift with the world. She fuses charming and witty lyrics with beautiful guitar work to create songs that are true to herself yet easily understood to the listening ear. Her personality is present in every song, and it will take you but the second repeat of the chorus to find yourself singing along to any one of her songs.

Her most recent published work; ‘The Letter’ is a reflection of the best of Natania Lalwani, introduced with all the tenderness of a love song turned sad with heartbreak and emotion. Starting off with a beautiful intro of finger-picked guitar, Natania’s voice plays across the notes, gently caressing the melody into life. Musically the song builds slowly; adding to the rhythm with tasteful drums and a short guitar solo almost hidden within the blend. Although by the second verse the complexity of the instrumental side has increased; her voice still lays just above the music with as much affection as at the start of the first verse. This songs’ impact doesn’t come from screeching guitar solos, high octave notes, or massive rhythm builds; it comes purely from the raw emotion that’s sung in every note. The lyrics themselves are cleverly written; with the playfulness you will come to expect from Natania, and the honesty you will have to empathize with, she holds nothing back.

“Now that you’re gone and I’m growing
I can finally see that
You were the ocean
And no matter how hard I swim
I’ll never make it past your wave”

The song reaches it’s peak in the bridge; a guitar solo rings out, adding flavor and a signature moment that creates the perfect setting for a slight drop off into the final round of the chorus. Easily familiar at this point, it won’t be hard for you to sing along; completely lost in the moment she has created with her lyrics…

“I’ll write you a letter
Put it away
Maybe December’s when I’ll send it away
Maybe by next year, things would’ve changed
Cause I’ll be better
And you’ll be better
For me”

The song leaves you lingering on the last phrase; “and you’ll be better” …almost daring you to listen to it again. There’s something that’s somewhat familiar about this song, that most likely anyone can relate to; things left unsaid, people changing, love lost then found again. It is, I feel, a credit to Natania as a songwriter to take a risk and become so vulnerable and open when she sings, because she knows that’s how musical connection is really made.

The music video is very well produced, and contains the imagery to match the emotions and essence of the song. A solid piece of digital artwork, Natania is off to a strong start to a more-than promising career.

By Pranam Bai Richter
Singer/Songwriter, The Richter Sisters
Head of Global Publicity, the Fish Pond

You can watch the video right here: