"Awakening, Level One" named one of the top albums of 2009. #12 out of 25
Intermittent Signals
"the Seattle-based singer/songwriter's "extras" are more compelling than many of her peers' banner-year creations. I've referred to Barbara Trentalange as a chanteuse, a Siren; many local hipsters would agree that she' s one of the West Coast's best female vocalists. However, the former descriptions are criminally incomplete; the latter, myopically sexist. Multi-instrumentalist, arranger, songwriter; possessor of an amazing voice, beauty and style to spare, Trentalange is one of Seattle's finest and most multi-dimensional talents, period."
-Steve Stav
City Beat
"Trentalange's dark vocals smolder with the passion of Annie Lennox and the quiet thrum of a sedated Exene Cervenka and she writes songs that adhere to no standard musical format and consistently touches listeners on a visceral level. Trentalange's latest release is B-Sides, a 19-minute EP featuring a quintet of tracks that didn't make either of her solo albums. Don't judge them on their absence there or their appearance here --all five are prime examples of Trentalange's impressive abilities."
-Brian Baker
NPR
Featured song of the day
"Trentalange, the musical project of Crooked Fingers alum, Barbara Trentalange, combines sultry vocals and moody tones to create a thick but welcoming atmosphere on her second solo album, Awakening, Level One. Thanks to hearty vocals and evocative lyrics, Trentalange's music seems well-suited for its rainy Seattle home, or for a saloon somewhere in the old west, where she could freely break hearts and fill dark, smoky rooms with her confident and alluring songs."
-Rachel Kowal
Blurt Magazine
"Barbara Trentalange boasts an impressive resume, having paid her dues with such illustrious alt-entities as Crooked Fingers, Calexico, Sushirobo, Micah P. Hinson, and the like. It's no wonder then that her current solo set, her second under her own auspices, sounds so unerringly familiar, even with its undulating ambiance. Trentalange leans towards hypnotic rhythms well suited to dance designs, often sounding kind of like a cross between Deborah Harry and Massive Attack with Everything But the Girl peering through the spaces in-between.
In a genuine sense, Awakening, Level One lives up to its title; the album starts out in a somewhat lighter vein, with songs such as "Shadow Man" and "Valentine" parlaying hypnotic suggestion into ready refrains. Then the set shifts towards darker realms, thanks to the menacing entry of "Fire Awakes the Sky" and the haunting ascent of "Caged Blue" and the title track. This is, after all, a disc that deals more with mood than melody, testament to the specialized skills Trentalange's offered to others and now employs on her own. Still, given the fact she's yet to establish her name, anyone uninitiated might find this Awakening a rather eye-opening introduction."
-Lee Zimmerman
Synthesis
"Barbara Trentalange has created a mature masterwork with her sophomore release, Awakening, Level One. From beginning to end, Trentalange exhibits signs of advanced intelligence and experience in the realm of songwriting. With the exception of two guest drummers, Trentalange alone methodically uses and arranges a plethora of instruments including moog, theremin, piano and Tibetan singing bowls, which are specified as standing bells. Using these tools gives songs such as "Fire Lights the Sky" and "Fever" a certain swagger without being pretentious. The listener is invited into the pseudo-psychedelic world provided, which at its height is similar to riding gracefully on a carousel. "
-Zachary Ahern
BabySue.com
"Trentalange - Awakening, Level One (Independently released CD, Progressive pop) This album grew on us slowly over the course of a half-dozen spins. Awakening, Level One is the second full-length release from Barbara Trentalange (who releases music using only her last name). This album features thick well-produced modern pop songs with subtle, moody, dark undercurrents. The songs are, for the most part, restrained pop music. But the sounds and arrangements push the music to a different level. There's a lot going on here...much more so than you realize on the first spin. Barbara writes cool songs...and then obviously spends a great deal of time arranging them to perfection. She's got a really cool voice...and her backing vocals are superb. We really like the synth/keyboard sounds that tend to really beef up the sound. The louder you turn this one up...the better it sounds. Cool mental pop cuts include "Fever," "Ultimate Machine" (an outstanding track), "Racing With Nowhere To Go," and "Fire Lights the Sky." (Rating: 5+)
Blog Critics Online
"Now, Awakening, Level One picks up where Photo Album left off and maintains its sense of spirit, bravado, intrinsic pluck, and class. It seems that Trentalange manages to stun people into submission, whether sheÕs on stage or on CD. Something about her sense of urgency and her sense of character grants her well-dressed authority.
It's too easy to reach for comparisons when it comes to Trentalange. There are bits of Portishead, smidgens of Massive Attack, and maybe even a bit of Blondie, but make no mistake about it, Barbara Trentalange and all of the characters within her mind are hers and hers alone. Her style, her sway, her ability to steadily construct beautiful sounds, her resolute nerve, her everything - that's all hers. And within a few minutes and maybe a few more drinks, youÕll be all hers, too. Don't say I didn't warn you. "
-Jordan Richardson
First Coast News
"Awakening, Level One is a diverse album that combines all of her strengths into songs that pack a punch. With metallic riffs, disco synths, and soaring vocals this is one artist that's going to take your ears on a ride whether they want to go along or not. Perhaps a bit 90's or maybe even a bit like PJ Harvey at times, Trentalange is about as far from being a cliche solo performer as one can be. What makes her even more impressive is that she played everything on this record herself and penned all the songs as well; at this point you might as well just throw the book of cliches out the window.
Barbara Trentalange has truly made one heck of an album with Awakening, Level One. It's a powerful statement of her ability as a musician and songwriter that you can truly do anything you want, and do it well, if you set your mind to it. Trippy, spacey, powerful, angsty, and occasionally dancey, Awakening, Level One covers all the bases and takes no prisoners doing so. It's an impressive effort that's earns even more props for being a true solo project."
-Paul Pop!
Venus Zine.com
The first solo album by Crooked Fingers alum Barbara Trentalange bridges the gap between Portishead's Dummy in 1995 and a post-meltdown sound of the future. The Seattle-based singer and multi-instrumentalist, who wrote and recorded all of the disc's songs, takes the moody, hypnotic quality of mid-90's trip-hop and adds an art-rockish urgency that pays a bigger debt to Kraftwerk than to Roxy Music. The result is twelve magnetic songs in minor keys that are a far cry from your older sister's goth records.
Layers of cello, piano, flute, organ, and a slithery theremin flesh out the down-tempo compositions and prevent the listener from slipping into the land of Nod. Trentalange's voice is like warm caramel spiked with bourbon on these dark vignettes - a mix of Annie Lennox's most sinister growl and PJ Harvey's vocal anguish.
No one could ever accuse Trentalange of being blithe. The first track, "Boxer's Wife," grabs one by the throat with a tribal drumbeat and propulsive chorus of grief and desperation, while "Lonely Land" speaks of seduction by a handsome devil with its mellow piano chords and sultry tempo. In "Monster," the album's most daring song, the singer places herself in the role of an abusive lover. Over a deceptively sexy rhythm she threatens, "Cover up your bruises babe / No one believes they're from my hands." The heaviness is then alleviated by "Take Me Home," a lilting love song that counteracts the album's chill.
With Photo Album of Complex Relationships, Trentalange boldly voices a beautiful anxiety that seems unusually prescient. This is disturbing music for disturbing times. 8 out of 10.
-Kat Long
West Coast Performer
Trentalange is the performing name of Barbara Trentalange, a moody noir chanteuse from Seattle. Previously in the bands Spyglass and Crooked Fingers, Trentalange sets out solo with her new work, entitled Photo Album of Complex Relationships. Multitalented, Trentalange not only wrote all of the music, she also played everything from keyboards to wineglasses and co-produced the collection.
The results are a stew of mixed emotions and surprise endings. Trentalange waxes lyrically on topics from the more sinister side of life, with slender symbolic threads connecting several of the subjects from song to song. "Rabbit" draws parallels between a hunted animal and the female victim of a killer. The murder theme surfaces again in "Stand Alone," whose streetwalker victim wears flowers as for her own funeral, an icon echoed elsewhere in the rose petals of "Sweetheart."
"Boxer's Wife" uses melancholy words to express the fears of a woman who loves a fighting man. This song has the distinct resonance of Joy Division in its use of a thumping drum and droning sound. Other moments on the album bring to mind both Sarah McLachlan with their soaring harmonies, and Lisa Gerrard of Dead Can Dance with their more primal vocalizing. There is a smoky cabaret influence here as well, most notably on "Lonely Land," which has some of the album's best lines: "He was perched upon the barstool / Looking casual and cool / Looking for submission / From some sweet little fool." A neon sign could not state that sentiment more clearly.
A visual artist as well as a musician, Trentalange also designed the CD sleeve imagery; it's dark but with a subtext of self-empowerment that depicts her slipping out of the bonds of emotional entrapment - a far more positive fate than some of her own self-made heroines. This final vision rings true: a lady this smart wouldn't stay in a bad relationship for long; she'd mine it for exactly this kind of creative material and move on.
-Susan Brooks
Daily Tar Heel, University of N. Carolina
4 Stars
Former Crooked Fingers member Barbara Trentalange takes listeners for a ride on an emotional roller coaster in her first solo album Photo Album of Complex Relationships. The creative efforts of singer/songwriter Trentalange - she's dropped the Barbara from her moniker - result in a moving and interesting album.
Photo Album of Complex Relationships is a triple threat of strong instrumentation, lyrics and vocals. The album's 12 tracks incorporate Trentalange's unique and oftentimes haunting voice woven into diverse instrumentation of strings, piano and strong percussion lines.
Trentalange offers the listener thoughtful, dark lyrics without crossing the line over to melodrama. The song "Rabbit" has eerie, broken sounds coupled with the description of a hunt, "the ground vibrates underfoot/ nothing but a skittish rabbit/ it was the last breath that it took." "Rabbit" and other tracks can be unsettling experiences but are nonetheless intriguing and will hold the listener's attention.
Though Trentalange's sound is different and engaging, some of the tracks run together and the moody feel becomes repetitive. But mostly the songs are stimulating. Tracks such as "Take Me Home" use a simple phrasing and build musically and vocally into a beautiful and abrupt climax.
This solid first album will leave listeners hoping for another.
-Rachel Brody
Daily Aztec, San Diego State University
Step into the world of musician Barbara Trentalange, one that is full of mystery and sorrow.
She started off in the bands Spyglass and Crooked Fingers, but Trentalange recently released her solo album, "Photo Album of Complex Relationships."
Trentalange said doing a solo album "allowed me to push myself creatively to craft the type of record I have always wanted without compromising my ideas to accommodate someone else's vision."æ
There are many aspects that make this a strong album, but the main one is the instrumental works that are performed by Trentalange. The variety of the instruments contained on this album is nothing short of astounding - from piano to flute to wine glasses.
Trentalange uses the piano in a way that is so often forgotten to evoke emotions such as mourning, loss and sorrow.
The music on "Photo Album of Complex Relationships" is always complementary, not only to the actual pitch and tone of Trentalange's voice, but also the lyrics of each song. There are times when it seems as though both the music and the vocals blend together, making it difficult to differ between the two.
It is not solely the music that makes this a great album, but her vocals, as well. They are haunting, yet soothing at the same time. At various, points listeners may feel as though they are hearing the laments of a fallen angel.
During songs such as "Monster," one can sense the emotion and passion that Trentalange put into the album. Luca Jensen, Trentalange's public relations official, described the album as "darker, moodier and layered."
The description comes alive on Trentalange's album. For the most part, the lyrics are a downer, with topics ranging from abuse to solitude.
"It can be a scary place to go sometime when you find yourself rooting for the 'bad guy,' which is why some people would rather close their eyes to it all," Trentalange said.
Overall, this is a great album that will both stir you and cause you to think about the darker side of life.
-Damien Sutton
amplifier september 2006
Lest anyone become too infatuated with the atmospheric greatness of Thom Yorke and Co. and operate under the delusion that they are unapproachably singular, Barbara Trentalange's solo debut, Photo Album of Complex Relationships, is proof that moody, contemplative soundscapes and evocative lyrics are not the domain of any one single artist. Multi-instrumentalist Trentalange, formerly with Spyglass and Crooked Fingers, does nearly everything on Photo Album, and her sonic ambitions are the equal of her musical talent as she presents her intimate songs with a delicate balance of understatement and richness.
Trentalange's vulnerable and melancholy voice suggests a more brittle Sarah McLachlan or a less mannered Annie Lennox, while the accompanying music has the expansive vision and psychological grip of the aforementioned Radiohead (Boxer's Wife) with flecks of Peter Gabriel's early dark constructs (Donna's Gonna Crack) and Nick Cave's less psychotic moments (Monster). Photo Album is a powerful and affecting work by any measure, but as Barbara Trentalange's debut solo statement, it is an astonishing achievement.
-Brian Baker
herohill.com
Reviews:: Feist and Trentalange
...as the piano starts on Lonely Land, you really start to understand the strength of her vocals. The imperfections in her voice are what makes Barbara's vocals sink in. Her voice strains and stretches and you can feel her thoughts with almost every note. I've often said that these subtle mistakes are what make a singer great (Nico, Bjork, Marianne Faithful).
Combining cello, drums, piano and flute (and about 15 more instruments) almost forces overproduction, but in most of these tracks, her voice still stands out. Nowhere is this more evident than the track, Monster. An upbeat drum, piano and haunting strings all enter and exit the track many times, but the vocals provide the feel and structure of the song.
The album is very diverse (the intro to Sweetheart almost sounds like an Eminem track), but Barbara is at her best when the track is upbeat. The driving drums and cello on Take Me Home craft a simple but enjoyable track. Let's call this what it is: a powerful female voice singing over ambient, multi-instrumented tracks. It's a type of music that is usually filled with overproduction & studio magic, mistakes and leaves me flat (like those Imogen Heap tracks filled with cheesy guitars). Instead, Trentalange mixes her frailties, flaws and emotion perfectly to create a nice record.
Smother.net
Editors pick
Evocative soundscapes with whirling and lush melodies that are born from exotic instrumentation including piano, cello, and flute. Vocally it's different with female vocals that whisper of a myriad of emotions touching your spine with special tingles. Emotional rock that picks at Nick Cave and Peter Gabriel, Trentalange is a special hypnotic band. Featuring members of Spyglass, Head Like a Kite, and Crooked Fingers added dramatic flairs with drummer Mark Pickerel (Neko Case, Screaming Trees) developing rhythms. Nice and haunting.
- J-Sin (Link to this music review)
Team Clermont blog
Former singer of the Seattle band Spyglass and a member of the most recent Crooked Fingers lineup, Barbara Trentalage has put out one emotionally stirring record of atmospheric rock that recalls the early Peter Gabriel work as well as the storytelling aspects of Nick Cave. Trentalange wrote, recorded and performed the vast majority of the album herself. Members of Crooked Fingers, Spyglass, and Head Like a Kite added flourishes before Trentalange joined producer Martin Feveyear (Rosie Thomas, The Dark Fantastic) and drummer Mark Pickerel (Screaming Trees, Neko Case, Brandi Carlisle) at Seattle's Jupiter Studios to add the finishing touches of drums and vocals. Stunning stuff... and anybody who cites the first four Peter Gabriel records as an influence is okay by me!
aiding and abetting august 2006
Barbara Trentalange, once of Crooked Fingers has crafted an album that reminds me a bit of her old mates, but has more bite. As an old Archers fan, I kept waiting for the Fingers to really get mean. Didn't happen. But Trentalage starts on the edge and then heads off the cliff. The sound is similar, but the content of the lyrics and music are more daring. I know, it's always lame to make these sorts of comparisons, so perhaps I'll simply speak to the present. Which is that Trentalange has made some of the more compelling rock music I've heard this year.
The little sticker on the cover makes reference to the Floyd, Nick Cave and Peter Gabriel. Yeah, yeah, but this isn't a 70s album. Or even an 80s one. It's modern music. Arty and dramatic, to be sure, but modern. Pretty, engaging and often challenging. Try getting all the pieces on the first listen. I didn't. But I liked it from the start. And repeat listens confirm my instincts. This is a inspired work, the sort of album that will sound better five years down the line. Gorgeous, strong and unwavering. I'd put it in a vault to save, but I just have to hear it once more.
fingertipsmusic.com august 2006
Barbara Trentalange has a voice, all smoke and ash, made for singing about barstools and shotglasses and no-good men and infinite gazes. It's a blessing and a curse, actually - because, I mean, really, how seriously can we take this slightly too cliched tale of a shadowy figure in a bar? Well, maybe not all that seriously--until my friend the chorus arrives, and oh boy: the soaring harmonies, the grand sad elegance of the melody, the despondent cello (which arrives the second time through) all work to transform, basically, everything. This song sticks with me, hard. On top of that, the chorus also yields a lyrical gem--the story of a woman meeting a shady man in a bar may seem a cliche, but the catch phrase "Follow me to lonely land" is brilliant in its catchy concise complexity--just want I want from a good pop song.
So if "Lonely Land" does indeed walk that sometimes fine line between cliche and transcendence, perhaps it's doing so, to interpret this generously, to teach us that transcendence may yet be a heartbeat away, even when we least expect it. In any case, Trentalange is the latest project from Barbara Trentalange, formerly the lead singer of a Seattle-based band called Spyglass; she also toured in a recent incarnation of Crooked Fingers. "Lonely Land" is a song off the forthcoming CD, Photo Album of Complex Relationships, scheduled for an October release on Coco Tauro Records. The MP3 is available via her site.
the bubble death blog
I always want to start Mondays off with a bang, and end the week with something close. You know, something utterly upbeat and catchy that you'll be excited for the days to come. But...when shifting through my stack of emails (I've been slacking off with this new music thing, I've mentioned?) and songs like this one appear, utterly calm and a whirling drain of dark, melodic beauty, a stare, a challenge, a lush air of mystery, of vaguely Gothic appeal, of full and flowing emotion, of wonderful, hooking sound that despite its smooth exterior, is attention snapping at its best, then I've got no choice but to post, and let the dreamy landscaping of Trentalange speak for itself
PAST PRESS
Crooked Fingers Press:
The Between Blog, Apr. 2005
Trentalange was one of the evening's pleasant surprises. For the live shows, it seems, the band is touring with Trentalange, whose voice came across as much more complimentary for the songs and for Bachmann in particularly. She has a slightly lower-pitched, more smoky and sultry voice that wove in and out throughout the songs, proving to be a very compatible and complimentary presence that added nice depth to the music.
Billboard.com, Apr. 2005
Barbara Trentalange filled in for vocalist Lara Meyerratken, nicely playing off Bachmann on "Sleep All Summer" and "Call to Love."
Spyglass Press:
Seattle Weekly, Aug, 2001
Barbara Trentalange's sultry vocals wind over the part-time orchestra and plenty of guitar noise, giving the songs a Brian Eno-meets-Lush landscape.
Splendid, Sept, 2001
...takes their music into lush, dark, velvety depths, with the help of Barbara Trentalange's deep, ghostly voice...
Ink19, Sept. 2001
Barbara Trentalange's vocals float over the chords effortlessly and gracefully, soft as silk, deep as snow.