Pauline Pisano

Inside The Wheel has its origins in a cancelled tour and a relationship dissolution, and Pisano subsequently retreating to a secluded family cottage where she could think, write, reflect, write more, and ultimately look within herself for the narrative that emerged. Indeed, it is a concept album involving three main characters: the self, the youngest/oldest self, and the furies. Using a harmonizer, each character is assigned a vocal timbre: The self is Pauline’s voice unaffected, the wise youngest/oldest self is a voice heard an octave below, and the furies are heard in hard-tuned 3rds, 4ths, and 6ths. These characters flow in and out of each song and often speak to each other. The album is meant to be heard from start to finish as song order of the album was embedded in its initial stages of construction.

By Blurt Staff

A founding member of Decima, The Crushes, and I, Revere (not to mention an auxiliary player for Walking For Pennies, The New Hotness, The Black Atlas, and BETS), keyboardist/vocalist/composer Pauline Pisano is now prepping an ambitious new solo album, Inside The Wheel, due in August. We are honored at BLURT to be able to give our readers an advance taste. Check out “Calling All Angels”:

To capture the dark/hopeful vibe of this record Pauline’s producer, Dan Weiner, utilized bass synths, soft acoustic guitars, a vibraphone, a piano, Rhodes, spacey electric guitars, marimba, cello, percussion and electric/acoustic drums. For Pisano this is a new sound, however there are certain songs that pay homage to her earlier works.

Find out more about Pisano, including her work as a social activist and advocate for mental health, at her official website.

Photo Credit: Chris Montgomery - Blurt Magazine

Ars Nova in New York is hosting a series of music events for the next 10 days featuring 54 artists. The program is called “54/10 Music Marathon.” I attended the opening night festivities and it was an evening of great music. We were fortunate enough to watch a trio of singers: Pauline Pisano, Lana Mir and Jay Brannan perform sets for us in a very intimate setting and it was great!

Pauline Pisanso opened the show and has an amazing voice! I couldn’t say it any better than her offiical website, so here’s the best way to describe her sound: Pauline Pisano is an edgy romantic singer/songwriter with an unexpected pop/rock twist. There were times where she literally belted the hell out of the song she was singing. The sold out crowd often cheered mid-song. Her words were very inspirational too as she sang a particular song about being yourself and not bowing to the man. If you love power-ballads with a mix of rock and roll, check out Pauline’s music. - According To G

In addition to Block (9 to 5), Doyle (Spring Awakening, Bye Bye Birdie) and Clarke (The Light in the Piazza), the disc also features Alex Brightman (Wicked), Morgan James (Addams Family), Jay Armstrong Johnson (Hair), Adam Kantor (Rent), Josh Lamon (Hair), Carrie Manolakos (Mamma Mia!, Wicked) and John Eric Parker (Memphis, All Shook Up).
Also expect to hear the voices of Morgan Karr, Katie Gassert, Preston Sadleir and Sam Tedaldi. Singer/songwriters Pauline Pisano and Danica Dora lend their voices to the album. Andrew Lippa, Van Dyke's mentor, is also featured on piano for one track. - Playbill

"if audience members left the Atlas ready to find Pisano’s tracks on Bandcamp, or to Wikipedia to look up Clarke, that was very much in the spirit of DancEthos." - Washington Post

Jay Brannan, New York-based singer- songwriter and actor ("Shortbus"). He plays at the Iron Horse Music Hall in Northampton tomorrow night.

Despite our best efforts to coax some Hootie & the Blowfish from Brannan's iPod, we got an assortment of his friends (Pauline Pisano, Danica Dora) and influences (Ani DiFranco, whom he often covers in concert). "Actually, I use my iPod mostly when I'm on the treadmill," Brannan says. "And sometimes I put stuff on there that I haven't listened to in a long time so that I can evaluate it. When I'm on the treadmill, I'm like, 'Hmm, I haven't ever heard this whole CD. I'm gonna put it on my iPod and see if I like it.' "

1. "Lullaby," the Dixie Chicks

2. "Override," Pauline Pisano

3. "Out There," Pauline Pisano

4. "Manhole," Ani DiFranco

5. "Letter to a John," Ani DiFranco

6. "Let's Not [Expletive] Ourselves," Bright Eyes

7. "Hope It Felt Good," Nikka Costa

8. "I Shall Believe," Sheryl Crow

9. "Suicide," Danica Dora

10. "Brooklyn Blues," the Postal Service

Total songs: 348

Glad we missed: Guilty pleasures include Britney Spears's "Piece of Me" ("I actually love that song") and Rihanna's "Umbrella." When told that they're not that bad, he says, "Yes, they are. But don't tell Rihanna or Britney. I'm slated to open for Rihanna."

JAMES REED

http://www.boston.com/ae/music/articles/2008/11/07/ipod_shuffle/ - Boston Globe - JAMES REED

Rarely in today's music talent do we come across an artist who is both true to themselves, their roots, and their style. However Pauline Pisano embodies these philosophies in her profound vocal arrangements and emotionally-charged songwriting. The recent release of Pisano's second EP, "In The Middle," once again showcases her songwriting, piano and production savvy, as she continues to construct deep, radiant vocals. - Reviewed by Elliott Townsend

I'm totally hooked by this girl's voice. She so genuinely intense. She sings like some crash a pinata.; blind abandon and every blow straight from the gut. She's a very inventive songwriter too, she takes you on a journey with each song.

(review appears on iTunes for Pauli's Album IN THE MIDDLE) - P.James

"In The Middle" won 1st place at the Twin Rivers Media Festival - Pauline

Solo performer Pauline Pisano is an intriguing songwriter with solid lyrics and a profoundly unusual voice. This is a huge under-statement, because Pisano’s vocals are more than powerful — she has pipes that are rare and impressive with a range that sails easily from the basement to the heavens.

There’s also a catch in her voice that is beautifully showcased in her phrasing and it’s a voice with a quality I call “broken glass.” It’s not smooth and perfect like an operatic soprano…it’s textured and rich and “vocastic.” That’s a made-up word I use to describe someone who performs vocal gymnastics. There may be a lot of good places to be on Friday, March 27th, but the Brown Room at Congress Hall at 9:30PM is an excellent bet.

Posted 3/10/09
By Debra Donahue - Cape-May Times

MMP032 - Are These Artists Worthy of a 2009 Grammy Nomination?

Here’s a few artists that you most likely won’t see on stage getting an award or even performing at the Grammy’s BUT certainly could be.

See if you agree by pressing play now.

Here are the songs heard on this podcast and the links to each artists website;
Hype - “Push Me” (Available at CDBaby and iTunes)
Kelly Richey Band - “I Want You” (get it free on eMusic)
John Taglieri - “Booty Call” (get his older stuff free on eMusic)
*PAULINE PISANO - “Don’t Forget” (get it free on eMusic)
G Tom Mac - “Wish You Well” (get their older stuff free on eMusic)
Daydream On Autopilot - “Better Off Alone” (get it free on eMusic)
Daydream on Autopilot - “Call Me” (Blondie Cover)

Websites Mentioned on this podcast;
Mike Cameo’s Indie Top 10
Social Blend
Mixx.com - Corey Koehler | December 2, 2008

the World/Folk Music Room showcased the international flavor of the music of Brazil, Colombia, and Scotland. Maeve Gilchrist playing Celtic harp and up-and-coming folk singer Pauline Pisano were among the highlights. - by Beverly Tryon

One reason songs about the recession and inequality are hard to find may be psychological. The Brooklyn musician Pauline Pisano lost her job as a web designer when the recession hit, and has struggled financially since. But it wasn’t until an NYU course and an exposure to the books of David Graeber that she focused on economic matters and the corrosive effects of debt. (“I feel like the people who cheated won,” she says now. “And for the people who played by the rules, the rules changed.”) She’s since led a musical tour of the South talking to people across the political spectrum about the subject, and her work has been politically energized.

“I was hit by the recession very heavily — why didn’t I put that in my art?” Pisano asks. “Maybe I thought, ‘This is just the way things are.’”

As crucial an issue and as destructive a force as inequality is, it’s not a natural driver for songwriting. “Inequality is the ultimate abstraction,” says Keith Payne. “Art is not typically about abstractions — it tends to be about concrete images. Inequality is neither wealth nor poverty, but the distribution of resources. And who wants to sing about that?” - Vox