Vincent Van Gogh “loved life so bad, his paintings had twice the color other paintings had”. So sings Jonathan Richman (on Rockin’ and Romance).

And that tells you something about musician Allison Crowe.

A modern lover of music, blogger Muruch frames it like this: "There's really no way to convey through mere words how much the music... moves me, or how I want other people to listen to and adore it as much as I do. Allison sings with such an intensity of emotion, it's easy to see why she's often quoted as saying 'Why music? Why breathing?'... that kind of artistic passion seems extremely rare these days."

"I love singing for people," says Allison Crowe. "It's a way to connect and share with others. Communication is crucial. Just being able to do what I do, to write and sing and perform, makes me feel not only alive, but incredibly lucky. Knowing at any moment everything could change, I don't take one second for granted."

Born 26 years ago, on an island, in the harbour city of Nanaimo, B.C., today Crowe's reach is global. The audience for her music videos and song downloads numbers in the millions.

"Allison Crowe has a voice to fall in love with," says UK music industry journal Record of the Day. "She is from Vancouver Island in Canada, descended from Scottish, Irish and Manx stock. She's exactly the sort of artist who can make serious headway on her own label and that's just what she's doing."

When this phenomenon 'from the islands' reached the mainland she steered a path clear of what Joni Mitchell knowingly calls the record industry’s “style inventions”. With Ani DiFranco and Loreena McKennitt as models Crowe created her own label. Since 2003, Rubenesque Records Ltd has released five critically and commercially successful albums: Lisa's Song+ 6 Songs; Secrets; Tidings; Live at Wood Hall; and This Little Bird.

"The first thing you notice about Allison Crowe is her voice. Rich and dark, it seems to come from a place most singers can only dream of accessing. Then there are the songs. Filled with raw passion and accompanied by Crowe's eloquent piano playing," writes Clodagh O'Connell (The Courier). Hers is a joyous sound: "Elton John meets Edith Piaf."

A sensation at the UK’s John Lennon Northern Lights Festival, “Canadian angel Alison Crowe gave one of the weekend's most magical moments," says The Scotsman. Festival Director Mike Merritt describes Crowe as "awesome" and "spine-tingling", noting her performance “put hairs on the back of your neck! She brought the house down."

A true grassroots success, Crowe’s praised not only as a singularly talented songwriter - on themes personal as well as worldly - and as a visceral performer, but, also, as a supreme interpreter of song. Her vital takes on such 21st century standards as Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah" and Joni Mitchell's "River" are applauded as "truly transcendent". Her Tidings CD, a mix of traditional carols plus songs of joy, peace, and redemption from the secular songbook, is an emerging classic: "music for the season and all time".

"Her voice celebrates the music with a bluesy rock-gospel intensity; her controlled vibrato, silken rasp, and powerful projection rivet your attention. This is no casual background music. be prepared to be amazed," says Hamline University Professor Of Law - and CD reviewer - Carol Swanson. "Every song radiates sincerity, creative flair, and emotional intensity."

”It takes a lot of self-confidence to tackle Aretha (Franklin)'s version of 'I Never Loved a Man...' but Allison does and nails it just as good as the Queen of Soul herself. Her piano playing is equally exquisite," says Bob Muller, curator of song covers at JoniMitchell.com in his review of Crowe’s newest album, This Little Bird. He sums up: "Treat yourself to one of the mightiest talents on the singer-songwriter scene today."

David Powell, Welsh-based tech writes: "I'm listening to 'Effortless' on (Allison Crowe's) This Little Bird album with my Pro-Ject headphone amplifier turned up about a quarter more than on most modern records. It sounds fantastic because unlike most modern records it hasn't had the **** compressed out of it to raise the loudness."

Vocalist, pianist, guitarist, songwriter, engineer, producer and arranger, Allison Crowe now lives in Nanaimo, British Columbia and Corner Brook, Newfoundland. From these home-bases, (spanning the full 7000 km breadth of Canada), she tours steadily, earning a reputation for exciting live shows that stir together her original songs with much-loved interpretations in an organic blend of rock, jazz, folk, Broadway, gospel and soul.

"Ever wonder what it would have been like to listen to a gifted singer/songwriter from Saskatchewan in a small, intimate hall before she became Joni Mitchell? Don't fret the missed opportunity. There's no need to turn back the clock. Check out Allison Crowe," says Robert Reid in The Record.

"Allison has a special gift that is so very rare in musicians today. She is true to her mind, heart and spirit," says Ross Hocker, long-time public broadcaster with NPR affiliate WGTE. Hocker, whose musical taste embraces Thelonious Monk, Bela Bartok and Charles Gounod, calls Allison Crowe's live performance "the most honest, heartfelt, and directly intimate concert in my entire life."

"In an entertainment world that increasingly genuflects at the altar of instant fame, Crowe seems an anomaly, building her career slowly and carefully," notes Adrian Chamberlain, of Canada's Times Colonist newspaper.

"Soulful. Alive. Joyous. Grievous. Real, true, music is what I want to make," says Allison Crowe.

You can lend an ear...

Plunkett: an English boy and an Italian girl.
Both Ian and Lara had a love for music from a very early age.
After studying music at Rome, writing and recording with the ambient project Ex Machina and alternative electro pop group Otero, Lara became a partner and A&R of the Dune Records, an independent italian label based in Florence.
Ian had always played in bands and after finally finding like minded musicians the electro pop/rock band ‘Pukromo' was born. In late 1999 Pukromo signed to Dune Records recording their debut album ‘Promise Me Kill Me' during 2000.
Life’s funny sometimes and although the label and band folded, Ian and Lara got together.
Frustrated by the mechanisms and ties of the music biz and tired of their ‘electronic’ past, they focused on their emotions, on themselves. Without any thought or the pressure of trying be anything other than that. Themselves.
In 2006 their debut album ’14 Days’ was released. An acoustic orientated, intimate album of alternative contemporary folk rock. The album received an unexpected critic and listener's acclaim through the internet leading them to being featured artists on some of the most important independent music sites throughout the world. Many of the songs have also since been used in two American independent films: Dave's Date (Forbidden Foot) by Natasha Guruleva (Accent Works) and A Hell Shared by Karl Rose (Current Production).
2008 sees the release of Plunkett’s second album ‘Folk Songs’. Contrasting its predecessor, although still remaining alternative contemporary folk rock, the sound and feeling of the album is much more direct with as much emphasis on the lyrics as on the music.

With a desire to only write songs and move people, Plunkett choose to remain independent artists and work outside of the mainstream music business.

Plunkett make Independent music for independent minds.

To know more about Plunkett and their upcoming releases visit their website www.plunkett-music.com.

•  Short and Sweet.
•  Simon and Garfunkle Like
• cool river

It's Just A Number - FEB 14, 2006

OR, to buy individual songs for a buck-a-piece, go here:


DASHA on ProjectOpus.com

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The girl next door meets the devil that everybody pretends they dont know. With writing that is "...dramatic, dynamic, emotive, and unpredictable" (Gian Fiero - The Muse's Muse ), Dasha showcases her own style of modern day piano-centric rock in a very unforgettable way.

Dasha, a classically trained pianist, grew up listening to an unlikely mix of Rachmaninoff, Chopin, Pantera, Metallica, Tool, Faith no More and Guns n Roses. She wrote her first song when she was 13, received a FACTOR grant soon thereafter and currently spends most of her time on stage and in the studio with bands and as a solo artist.

Dasha spent just over a year with a Vancouver hard-rock band called SoWhatNothing. Dasha was the core songwriter as well as singer and pianist in this original band. SoWhatNothing quickly received a lot of attention in a very short time. A few of their most notable accomplishments included receiving a full clothing sponsorship from MACHINE Clothing out of Toronto ON, playing 30+ live gigs in 9 months, touring to Toronto, receiving frequent radio play on Vancouver's rock giant 99.3 CFOX's Indie Night In Canada, playing twice Live On Air on CFOX (6 O'Clock Rock Report as well as on Indie Night In Canada), and playing live on local TV show Urban Rush.

After gaining a great deal of experience and creating a bunch of new fans, Dasha opted to go solo and pursue the music that suited her most; a little bit of rock, a little bit of aggression, a little bit of hook and a whole lot of passion.

RECENT ACCOMPLISHMENTS:


2005 - Dasha received a FACTOR Professional Demo Award for 3 new songs

2006 - Released Full-Length CD "It's Just A Number"

2006 - "Atheist" was added to indie104.com in Los Angeles

2006 - Received a feature interview on LOCALS 102.7

2006 - Dasha and her band secured a clothing endorsement with APARTMENT CLOTHING, an innovative company that retails at such notable chains as Holt Renfrew and Bloomingdales, as well as several other reputable shops throughout Canada, the US, and Japan.

2006 - "Downhill" receives airplay on 99.3 CFOX's Indie Night In Canada

2006 - Received a feature spotlight and interview on PROJECT OPUS

2006 - December Featured Artist Profile on ONLINE ROCK

2006 - December Featured Artist Profile on CATSASK MUSIC & ENTERTAINMENT

2006 - Winner of 3 Muse's Muse Awards 2006 MUSE'S MUSE AWARDS


2006 - "The Last Time" #1 Song on PROJECT OPUS.com

ALBUM REVIEWS:

"Dasha's writing talent is immense and her potential for industry success is enormous...she is simply on another level. Both the music and publishing industries will strike gold when they get their hands on her catalogue. Congratulations on completing a project that is commercially strong, artistically developed, and musically sound." (Gian Fiero - The Muse's Muse - READ MORE!)

"What a perfectly-expressed declaration of emotions. Dasha Postnikova's collection of tunes are soaring, cascading realms of power balladry. Move over boys, here come the ladies. Postnikova's voice is rough yet still undeniably feminine, and in its stronger moments not unlike Alanis Morissette." (Andy Scheffler - CORDMAG.com - READ MORE!)

"Dasha's powerful, personal vocals and melodic piano style is supported by a solid band. Listening to her, we discover a full rock sound that grabs you with its power and then treats us to some interesting arrangements. Its classic, but not at all predictable." (Project Opus Team - ProjectOpus.com - READ MORE!)

"As unique as her name, Dasha's music is a brilliant compilation of grace, exquisite talent, intellect, rock and freedom. Compared to Tori Amos, Alanis Morrisette and Fiona Apple, Dasha Postnikova far exceeds the comparison in her own rights. Her strong classical training shines in a fabulous rhythm of rock, and heartfelt lyrics accomplished by life experiences." (L. Fine - Northeast In-Tune Magazine - READ MORE!)

"When the first few chords rung out...I knew Dasha was about to hit me with something special. Her songs are so well written, listening to them is a real treat. The overall musical composition is so engaging when she lets go. Wonderful piano, guitar, hard rock melodies and extremely powerful lyrics bring her basket of musical goodies right to the senses. " (Cats Ask Reviews - Featured Artists on Catsask Music & Entertainment - READ MORE!)

View Dasha's EPK

ATHEIST has been added to indie104.7 FM iRADIO in L.A. - America's No. 1 Independent Radio Station. Please help me out by requesting it!!

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ROXY FEB 14, 2006 - Andy Scheffler

Downhill

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The Last Time

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Empty

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Thank you Patrick & Adrienne for the video footage!!

•  written
• The Best
• Beautiful...
•  Very soothing but also emotional
• So many levels to this...

It took a while, but Elese grew up. She grew up tall, she grew up proud, she grew up singing. And, of course (as in every good story) she grew up restless. So she sold her problems for a penny, put her hopes in her pocket, and set out to embrace the world.
But each corner of that world had problems of it's own. One was too hard, one was too hot, one was too cold and one just didn't speak her language. Thus, left with no recourse, she voiced her frustration at displacement with her only available weapon: music. The powers that be heard, and granted her a land of her own, Song. So, tired and satisfied, she emptied out her suitcase and from the sand at the bottom, made diamonds.

"To me, music is passion - without this passion, I have nothing. It is the universal language. Emotions can be brought out by a voice, a song, a sound... I'm just doing what I love to do. Thanks for stopping by and I hope that you enjoy my music just as much as I've enjoyed writing it. It is an ongoing journey of life." XO Elese

With emotionally complex lyrics laid upon bittersweet melodies, Angie’s songs recount tales of empty rooms, cold hearts and dreamy longings. Evoking a diverse range of influences, her music is a fleeting nuance of dark piano-drenched pop alternative. Her live performances are deceptively simple and equally impassioned with beautiful harmonic textures. She is a singer songwriter with a sweet, yet strong & unique voice, style and sensibility. www.angiemusic.com