Trentalange 'Awakening Level One' album

Barbara Trentalange is a veteran musician who began expressing herself musically before she could read. Her talent has carried her around the world and allowed her to play with amazing performers like Crooked Fingers, Calexico, Micah P. Hinson, Head Like A Kite, Sushirobo and Mark Pickerel (formerly of Screaming Trees.) Trentalange’s songs are vibrant powerful portraits of complex and compelling characters.

After fronting the darkly sophisticated Seattle band Spyglass for five years, Trentalange released her first solo project on Coco Tauro Records in 2006 called, Photo Album of Complex Relationships. The critic’s response to the record was overwhelmingly positive. Trentalange’s haunting voice and hypnotic beats grabbed the attention of the music editors at MTV, VH1, and the Oxygen channel, where her music is in regular rotation on a wide variety of dramatic series.

Trentalange’s music is a balance between raw power, vulnerability, early heavy metal and disco beats. Her new release Awakening, Level One. continues the momentum started with Photo Album… and sonically shoots into outer space landing on planet Moog. She mines the depths of the human psyche to compose character studies that would make Edger Allen Poe, Nick Cave, and members of Pink Floyd proud. Though dark in nature the listener can’t help their body from moving and heart from racing to her sonic sequel. Drawing from diverse influences, such as Black Sabbath, Massive Attack and Blondie, Trentalange crafted a sound that is both unique and compelling.

Trentalange composed, performed and recorded the songs on Awakening, Level One. With producer Martin Feveyear (Jupiter Studios), drummers Mark Pickerel and Faith Stankevich, and backup singers Dave “Head Like A Kite” Einmo, and Daniel G. Harmann, Trentalange has created a solid repertoire of songs that she skillfully recreates live. Seattle’s Sound Magazine put her in the top ten artists to watch in 2008.

With a lifetime of passion and dedication her skill and creativity are astounding. Her music defies description; and cannot easily be put into any one genre. Trentalange’s songs are so saturated with emotion and style new sonic discoveries will be made with each listen.

press quotes
“Named one of the top 10 up-and-coming Seattle acts with the potential to blow your mind... Photo Album... is subtle and complex, while boasting solid songwriting and stand-out musicianship from Trentalange and guest musicians including Mark Pickerel and Head Like A Kite’s Dave Einmo.” – Sound Magazine

“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. 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. 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.” – VenusZine

“...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 …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.” – West Coast Performer

“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. This solid first album will leave listeners hoping for another.” – Daily Tar Heel, University of North Carolina

“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.” – Daily Aztec, San Diego State University

“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. Photo Album is a powerful and affecting work by any measure, but as Barbara Trentalange’s debut solo statement, it is an astonishing achievement.” – Amplifier

“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. Nice and haunting.” – Smother.net, Editor’s Pick

“...Trentalange has made some of the more compelling rock music I’ve heard this year. This is an 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.” – Aiding and Abetting

“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.” – The Bubble Death Blog

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Trentalange - Awakening Level One