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Reviews of Alice Di Micele's "Demons & Angels"
The Sentient Times, March 1998
by Deborah Mokma Alice
Di Micele, a prolific singer songwriter from Ashland,
Oregon, fills her new recording "Demons & Angels" with
an 11 song personal journey. With the strength of
a five octave vocal range Alice shares her experience
with soul, humor and plenty of heart. Along with
a variety of musical styles - including blues, rock,
bluegrass and jazz - and a journey of universal experience
to which most of us can relate, Alice's poetry is
filled with a visual imagery rich in nature's sights
and sounds. "Tell Me the Way", a musically diverse
tune with accompaniment on pedal steel, fiddle, and
banjo, is uniquely flavored with bluegrass, jazz,
and just a hint of Emerson, Lake, and Palmer-like
sounds. Alice's vocals on "Find It There", inspired
by the lonliness and longing shared by many of us
at sometime in our lives, have a sound reminiscent
of Phoebe Snow. "Alive, Awake," a very moving tune
dedicated to the memory of a friend, is a particularly
fine example of Alice's range - lyrically, musically
and personally. With a haunting sound, it is the
kind of piece that remains with the listener long
after the song has ended. The "Chinook Blues" takes
us along on a day in the life of an endangered species
who is trying to survive in a world where clearcut
forests are "pouring dirt into the middle of my home...when
you muddy up my bedroom, I ain't got nowhere to spawn." The
seriousness of the situation is not lost to the listener,
even if the blues as sung by a fish may be an unusual
approach.
"Demons & Angels" will be enjoyed
by discerning listeners of varied musical tastes,
and will undoubtedly find a home in the collections
of many of our readers.
Rock N' Reel, 1998 Oregon
Based Alice Di Micele has proven herself one of the most
promising singer/songwriter talents to emerge from America
in recent years. A strong gutsy voice with buckets of
attitude and confidence she must be one of the US's best
kept musical secrets and "Demons & Angels" confirms her chosen path. "Spirit
of the River" highlights her strong deep vocals while
the compassionate "Find It There" shows a gentler
more sensitive side. Ranging from radio rock through
acoustic folk and bluegrass to Shelly Phillips's
celtic harp on "Angel" and "Alive, Awake" she paints
a multi-hewed canvas of sharp incisive lyrics delivered
with passion, guts and commitment. "Demons & Angels" proves
that Alice Di Micele has ace cards where others have
perished....superb. (by John O'Regan)
Ladyslipper, 1998 On
these acoustic alternative tunes from the Northwest indie
diva, the "singer-songwriter's
octave-leaping voice recalls Rory Block's in its
gorgeous elasticity and Tracy Chapman's in its warm
resonance" (East Bay Express). Her kick-ass band--which
includes June Millington, drummer/percussionist Janelle
Burdell (D'Cuckoo), Shelley Phillips, and Freyda
Epstein--gives a pssionate performance on this 1998
release, the album Alice has always wanted to make.
Love the edgy "Witch's Magic" (butch in shining armor/come
to save me make me pure), the bluesy "Do You Dare" (I
need a woman who knows where she belongs), and the
redemptive "Alive, Awake".
KXCI Newsletter (Tuscon Arizona) and Folk_dj-list,
1998 Each entity, at least
in the "natural" world
(is there really another?), is alive. Its spirit
will speak to you if only you will listen. Angels
flock and touch, especially in the wild places, but
also in offices and mega-marts, where they are after
all most needed. Individual self-affirmation cohabitates
with the call of a freedom beckoning immersive return
to the great common ocean of being. The music of
New Age egoistic spiritual animism seems largely
to call forth more vacuous prettiness than childlike
wonder. But there is another way. The Di Micele way. "Demons & Angels" represents a quantum
leap over Di Micele's previous release, "Naked," itself
a work of depth and energy. Doing justice to it requires
attention to both its lyrical and musical forks,
which Di Micele merges comfortably. But "Demons & Angels" is,
above all, music, so let's focus on that. "Spirit of the River" is a lively celebration,
acoustic rock with Steve Hesh's fine dobro, dominated,
as is every track, by Di Micele's expansive, driven
alto, a full, resounding, articulated voice sounding
as if it had spent an age reverberating through deep
caverns, gathering force before erupting into the
open, strengthened in effect by dense harmony vocals. "Locked
Inside" begins quietly, a prelude reminiscent of
some old show tunes, explodes into another driven
acoustic rock refrain, returning again and again
to the initial melody. Shelley Phillips' Irish harp
adds fluttery flourish to "Angel," a swinging waltz
to love, and her whistle adds a diabolical power
to "Witch's Magic," a stunning song, another reeling
rock waltz, featuring powerful, multi-faceted lyrics,
resentment and wisdom dovetailing, and an irresistible
contrapuntal chorus. The pace slows a bit on the
meditative yet forceful "Do You Dare," Di Micele
belting out a romantic challenge with the support
a moody fiddle and enterprising percussion.
There are other slower tunes on "Demons & Angels," other
quick ones, including the bitter yet joyful "Alligator" (as
in "see you later?"), all different, all well-produced,
all sharing in the expressive richness of Di Micele's
vocals. Extended theses might be spawned by analysis
of Di Micele's lyrical imagery; no song emerges without
meaning, but the meaning always fits the song. (By
Jim Foley)
Our Own Community Press, Norfolk, VA, August, 1998
"Demons & Angels" is exactly
what the title implies. The topics range from soft
earthy love songs to the ex-relationship hate songs
that are so prevalent in women's music today. There
is an overall sense of healing and overcoming life's
obstacles in this CD; the feeling that scars are
but reminders of what we have survived successfully.
As with her other recordings (Naked,
Searching, Make A Change, Too Controversial, It's
A Miracle, and Circle of Women), Di Micele has
successfully brought the blues and folk music to
the pop scene. The energy with which she depicts
the small town concerns of Oregon in "Chinook Blues" comes
from her personal experience (she hails from Ashland,
Oregon). This true blues tune will make you smile
even as it makes you aware of environmental concerns.
Di Micele also brings superb vocals to such songs
as "Witch's Magic", "Do You Dare?", and "Find It
There". Having had the opportunity to see Di
Micele perform in Manhatten in June during her
cross-country tour, we were impressed with her
stage presence and the way she interacted with
her audience. Although her recent tour is over,
if you have the opportunity to see her in concert--do
it; you won't be disappointed. "Demons & Angels" is a definite
must for anyone in the mood to shut of the lights
and light those candles. It has blues, folk, and
pop to sooth every tired muscle and brain cell
in your body. There are serious-issue songs, tunes
that will make you laugh, and Di Micele's seductive
voice will lure you into another realm. This is
one of those CDs that can make you think while
it relaxes you. It will certainly leave you feeling
refreshed, like a walk in the fresh Oregon air
after a rain (Cindy Keltner and Ravigo Zomana)
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