RACHAEL YAMAGATA |
TIGHTROPE WALKER |
RACHAEL YAMAGATA — TIGHTROPE WALKER (Sept. 23, 2016)★λ★• → Singer~songwriter with a tendency toward melodic, adult alternative pop.
Born: September 23, 1977, Arlington, Virginia, United States
Location: Woodstock, New York, NY
Genre: Pop/Rock, Reggae, Vocal
Album release: September 23, 2016
Record Label: Frankenfish Records/Thirty Tigers
Duration: 46:44
Tracks:
01 Tightrope Walker 5:43
02 Nobody 4:53
03 EZ Target 4:01
04 Over 4:14
05 Let Me Be Your Girl 4:49
06 Break Apart 4:59
07 I’m Going Back 5:58
08 Rainsong 4:41
09 Black Sheep 3:39
10 Money Fame Thunder 3:50
Producer: Rachael Yamagata and John AlagiaCredits:
•→ John Alagia Bass, Drum Editing, Farfisa Organ, Fender Rhodes, Flute, Guitar (Acoustic), Hammond B3, Mellotron, Mixing, Omnichord, Organ, Percussion, Producer, Programming, String Pads, Synthesizer Bass, Vocals (Background), Wurlitzer
•→ Clive Barnes Guitar (Electric)
•→ Owen Biddle Bass, Bass (Upright), Guitar (Acoustic), Moog Synthesizer
•→ Chris Bittner Engineer
•→ Brad Blackwood Mastering
•→ Billy Centenaro Engineer, Mixing
•→ Matt Chamberlain Drums, Engineer
•→ Michael Chaves Engineer, Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar (Electric), Ukulele
•→ Aaron Comess Drums, Percussion
•→ Randy Cooke Drums, Engineer
•→ Zach Djanikian Banjo, Bells, Guitar (Acoustic), Mandolin, Moog Synthesizer, Piano, Saxophone, Saxophone Arrangement, Wurlitzer
•→ Shawn Everett Mixing
•→ Lee Falco Drums
•→ Paloma Gil Spoken Word, Translation
•→ Pete Hanlon Additional Production, Drums, Engineer, Guitar (Electric), Percussion, Producer, Programming, Tambourine
•→ Jamie Hartman Vocals (Background)
•→ Louise Hayat~Camard Translation
•→ Victor Indrizzo Drums, Engineer, Shaker
•→ Oli Krauss Cello, Engineer, String Arrangements, Strings
•→ Shervin Lainez Photography
•→ Brandon Morrison Bass
•→ Jesse O’Driscoll Art Direction
•→ Ben Perowsky Drums, Percussion
•→ Daniel Piscina Drum Editing, Engineer, Mixing
•→ Jeff Powell Mastering
•→ Manuel Quintana Drums, Shaker
•→ Kevin Salem Additional Production, Engineer, Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar (Electric), Harmonica, Mixing, Synthesizer Pads
•→ Simone Schiess Art Direction
•→ Russell Simins Cabasa, Drums, Kalimba, Piano (Thumb)
•→ Jon Solo Piano
•→ Chris Steffen Engineer
•→ Rachael Yamagata Composer, Drum Editing, Engineer, Glockenspiel, Guitar (Acoustic), Keyboard Bass, Mellotron, Piano, Piano Strings, Producer, Programming, Shaker, Synthesizer Bass, Tambourine, VocalsReview
BY ERIC HARABADIAN, NOVEMBER 10, 2016 / Score: 9/10
★λ★• → Singer~songwriter Rachael Yamagata returns with a collection of tunes that almost feel like a series of dreams. There is a surreal and cinematic quality to the production and the artist’s delivery that is stark and ethereal. Each track on the album takes on a very personal tone where sound design is as important as lyric content. Top cuts include the torrid torch song “Nobody,” the Tom Waits~meets~Jonatha Brooke~ish “EZ Target” and the traditionally bluesy number “Let Me Be Your Girl.” The songs flow freely in a sequence that is both otherworldly and enchanting.
★λ★• → http://www.musicconnection.com/ © RACHAEL YAMAGATA MusicMag, Sept Oct 2011, SPOTLIGHT
Review
by Pete Whalley; Score: ****
•→ Virginia based singer~songwriter Rachael Yamagata’s 4th studio album is something of a departure on a number of levels.
•→ Inspired by the ‘there is no why’ philosophy of Philippe Petit — the French high-wire artist famed for tightrope walking between the World Trade Centre Twin Towers in 1974, Yamagata dispersed with her usual process of narrowing down of around 200 songs, instead, focusing on just 15, repeatedly editing and reworking to find the right musical expression for each song, before whittling them down to a perfect 10.
•→ Featuring a host of musicians, including 5 Grammy winners, and an eclectic array of instrumentation including saxophones, mandolins, rain recorded on an iPhone, French spoken word, metallic ironing boards and ladder drums, myriad harmonies and loops, the gestation of Tightrope Walker also saw Yamagata become a mother, a self~manager and producer.
•→ The opening title track — an observational take on Petit’s remarkable feat — delivered with fluttering heart vocals over an atmospherically percussive backbeat takes the listener to a higher place, dripping with tension.
•→ In a sometimes experimental set, Yamagata also manages to neatly straddle mainstream appeal, ‘Nobody’ builds to a sensual climax with breathy bedtime vocals, sultry pulsing keyboard beat, and off kilter guitar lines, while ‘Over’ is more Annie Lennox terrain. ‘Let Me Be Your Girl’ visits classic Isley Brothers territory and could easily be a smash hit, and the reflective ‘Break Apart’ bleeds like a pierced heart.
•→ Without question, Yamagata’s most intimate, and personal album to date, ‘Money Fame Thunder’ closes the set by neatly analogising traversing the travails of life with tightrope walking. It’s nice to see an artist take a few chances without taking a tumble.
•→ http://getreadytorock.me.uk/
Website: https://rachaelyamagata.com/
Discography:
★ 2004 Happenstance Private Music / RCA
★ 2005 Live at the Loft BMG International
★ 2008 Elephants...Teeth Sinking Into Heart Warner Bros.
★ 2011 Chesapeake Frankenfish Records
★ 2013 Heavyweight Frankenfish Records
★ 2016 Tightrope Walker Frankenfish Records
★λ★•→★λ★•→★λ★•→★λ★•→★λ★•→★λ★•→★λ★•→★λ★•→★λ★•→★λ★•→
RACHAEL YAMAGATA |
TIGHTROPE WALKER |
RACHAEL YAMAGATA — TIGHTROPE WALKER (Sept. 23, 2016)★λ★• → Singer~songwriter with a tendency toward melodic, adult alternative pop.
Born: September 23, 1977, Arlington, Virginia, United States
Location: Woodstock, New York, NY
Genre: Pop/Rock, Reggae, Vocal
Album release: September 23, 2016
Record Label: Frankenfish Records/Thirty Tigers
Duration: 46:44
Tracks:
01 Tightrope Walker 5:43
02 Nobody 4:53
03 EZ Target 4:01
04 Over 4:14
05 Let Me Be Your Girl 4:49
06 Break Apart 4:59
07 I’m Going Back 5:58
08 Rainsong 4:41
09 Black Sheep 3:39
10 Money Fame Thunder 3:50
Producer: Rachael Yamagata and John AlagiaCredits:
•→ John Alagia Bass, Drum Editing, Farfisa Organ, Fender Rhodes, Flute, Guitar (Acoustic), Hammond B3, Mellotron, Mixing, Omnichord, Organ, Percussion, Producer, Programming, String Pads, Synthesizer Bass, Vocals (Background), Wurlitzer
•→ Clive Barnes Guitar (Electric)
•→ Owen Biddle Bass, Bass (Upright), Guitar (Acoustic), Moog Synthesizer
•→ Chris Bittner Engineer
•→ Brad Blackwood Mastering
•→ Billy Centenaro Engineer, Mixing
•→ Matt Chamberlain Drums, Engineer
•→ Michael Chaves Engineer, Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar (Electric), Ukulele
•→ Aaron Comess Drums, Percussion
•→ Randy Cooke Drums, Engineer
•→ Zach Djanikian Banjo, Bells, Guitar (Acoustic), Mandolin, Moog Synthesizer, Piano, Saxophone, Saxophone Arrangement, Wurlitzer
•→ Shawn Everett Mixing
•→ Lee Falco Drums
•→ Paloma Gil Spoken Word, Translation
•→ Pete Hanlon Additional Production, Drums, Engineer, Guitar (Electric), Percussion, Producer, Programming, Tambourine
•→ Jamie Hartman Vocals (Background)
•→ Louise Hayat~Camard Translation
•→ Victor Indrizzo Drums, Engineer, Shaker
•→ Oli Krauss Cello, Engineer, String Arrangements, Strings
•→ Shervin Lainez Photography
•→ Brandon Morrison Bass
•→ Jesse O’Driscoll Art Direction
•→ Ben Perowsky Drums, Percussion
•→ Daniel Piscina Drum Editing, Engineer, Mixing
•→ Jeff Powell Mastering
•→ Manuel Quintana Drums, Shaker
•→ Kevin Salem Additional Production, Engineer, Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar (Electric), Harmonica, Mixing, Synthesizer Pads
•→ Simone Schiess Art Direction
•→ Russell Simins Cabasa, Drums, Kalimba, Piano (Thumb)
•→ Jon Solo Piano
•→ Chris Steffen Engineer
•→ Rachael Yamagata Composer, Drum Editing, Engineer, Glockenspiel, Guitar (Acoustic), Keyboard Bass, Mellotron, Piano, Piano Strings, Producer, Programming, Shaker, Synthesizer Bass, Tambourine, VocalsReview
BY ERIC HARABADIAN, NOVEMBER 10, 2016 / Score: 9/10
★λ★• → Singer~songwriter Rachael Yamagata returns with a collection of tunes that almost feel like a series of dreams. There is a surreal and cinematic quality to the production and the artist’s delivery that is stark and ethereal. Each track on the album takes on a very personal tone where sound design is as important as lyric content. Top cuts include the torrid torch song “Nobody,” the Tom Waits~meets~Jonatha Brooke~ish “EZ Target” and the traditionally bluesy number “Let Me Be Your Girl.” The songs flow freely in a sequence that is both otherworldly and enchanting.
★λ★• → http://www.musicconnection.com/ © RACHAEL YAMAGATA MusicMag, Sept Oct 2011, SPOTLIGHT
Review
by Pete Whalley; Score: ****
•→ Virginia based singer~songwriter Rachael Yamagata’s 4th studio album is something of a departure on a number of levels.
•→ Inspired by the ‘there is no why’ philosophy of Philippe Petit — the French high-wire artist famed for tightrope walking between the World Trade Centre Twin Towers in 1974, Yamagata dispersed with her usual process of narrowing down of around 200 songs, instead, focusing on just 15, repeatedly editing and reworking to find the right musical expression for each song, before whittling them down to a perfect 10.
•→ Featuring a host of musicians, including 5 Grammy winners, and an eclectic array of instrumentation including saxophones, mandolins, rain recorded on an iPhone, French spoken word, metallic ironing boards and ladder drums, myriad harmonies and loops, the gestation of Tightrope Walker also saw Yamagata become a mother, a self~manager and producer.
•→ The opening title track — an observational take on Petit’s remarkable feat — delivered with fluttering heart vocals over an atmospherically percussive backbeat takes the listener to a higher place, dripping with tension.
•→ In a sometimes experimental set, Yamagata also manages to neatly straddle mainstream appeal, ‘Nobody’ builds to a sensual climax with breathy bedtime vocals, sultry pulsing keyboard beat, and off kilter guitar lines, while ‘Over’ is more Annie Lennox terrain. ‘Let Me Be Your Girl’ visits classic Isley Brothers territory and could easily be a smash hit, and the reflective ‘Break Apart’ bleeds like a pierced heart.
•→ Without question, Yamagata’s most intimate, and personal album to date, ‘Money Fame Thunder’ closes the set by neatly analogising traversing the travails of life with tightrope walking. It’s nice to see an artist take a few chances without taking a tumble.
•→ http://getreadytorock.me.uk/
Website: https://rachaelyamagata.com/
Discography:
★ 2004 Happenstance Private Music / RCA
★ 2005 Live at the Loft BMG International
★ 2008 Elephants...Teeth Sinking Into Heart Warner Bros.
★ 2011 Chesapeake Frankenfish Records
★ 2013 Heavyweight Frankenfish Records
★ 2016 Tightrope Walker Frankenfish Records
★λ★•→★λ★•→★λ★•→★λ★•→★λ★•→★λ★•→★λ★•→★λ★•→★λ★•→★λ★•→