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My Shy Tune Music Publishing
Official Home for Denise Barbarita |
"Few artists can claim their voice to be as gracious and commanding as Denise Barbarita. As the first act, she stole the show following the standards set by such singer/songwriters like Ani DiFranco, Sheryl Crow, and at times even Fiona Apple."
-- Kelly Kraemer, The Daily Collegian (Sep 29, 2005)
Read the whole article (PDF, 23K).
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Denise Barbarita
"Chaos and Congeniality"
(Independent)
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"Chaos & Congeniality" is Denise Barbarita's follow up to 2002's "Beauty Lied." On this, her 2nd release, she goes deep within her soul to offer up this collection of material. To label her music might seem simple at first. To call her a singer/songwriter would be the easy description because, at the core, that's exactly what she is. I've had the pleasure of seeing her perform a number of times and, sad to say, it's always been in a singer/songwriter setting where it's just her and an acoustic guitar. She has the ability to reach deep down into her soul to offer up a song or two that will reach out and touch her audience. On this release, all one has to do is listen to "Hold On" to understand what I'm talking about. It's a beautiful song and I do enjoy this side of Denise Barbarita. However, there's a little rock 'n' roll in her heart and when she wanders over into that genre, well, it's simply explosive. I haven't been able to see that side of her in a live setting yet and that's a major disappointment for me because I know she can crank out some seriously crankin' tunes. A good example of what I'm talkin' about is the song "Happy Happy," which is a straight up rock 'n' roll song...with an edge. This is, without a doubt, my favorite track on the album. Skip down to track number five and you'll be treated to another rockin' tune, "Hush Hush" and, when you get to the end of the album, you'll hear what's probably her heaviest song to date, "The Last Breakdown." It's heavy in a classic rock sort of way. Great song. I could see drinkin' a beer to this one. At seven minutes in length, I could probably down two of 'em before the song is over. On some of the other tunes, the ones that are more, shall we say...mellow...she has a nice, soothing voice that easily draws you in and holds your attention. I could probably go on forever about how good her music is. I still wouldn't be able to do it justice though. You need to hear her music for yourself in order to really appreciate what she has to offer and, hopefully, you'll give this release a chance.
by Paul Autry, BALLBUSTER Magazine, 2006
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"Chaos & Congeniality" nominated as a top album of 2005!
Dan Herman of Radio Crystal Blue announced his list of top 10 CDs released in 2005.
The top 10 of 2005: |
1 Girlyman "little star" (Daemon)
2 Elisa Korenne "favorite" (Edgy & Elegant Music)
3 Kelly Buchanan "Bastard Daughter" (Velvet X Productions)
··· 4 Denise Barbarita "Chaos & Congeniality" ···
5 Michael Tiernan "jumping in"
6 Geoffrey Armes "Elemental Red"
7 Tom Russell "Hotwalker" (Hightone)
8 Christine Havrilla "Ruby Red" (Boxrilla Music)
9 Tiffany Petrossi "sweet groove" (Esmeralda)
10 Josh Lederman Y Los Diablos "Let's Waste Another Evening" (Coffeestain Music)
The weekly radio show, Radio Crystal Blue, presents a unique look at artists on indepedent labels and those rising in popularity on the Internet. Shows are broadcast live on the Live365 network, Sunday evenings, from New York. Podcast versions as well as streaming audio of archived shows, are kept for several weeks after the live shows.
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Denise Barbarita
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Denise is a diva extraordinaire who pushes the envelope and keeps you
wanting more. Her sounds are an eclectic mix that is ear catching and
soul grabbing. Catching one of her performances is a must. She can be
found at www.myshytune.com. Find her! Find where she is playing and go
catch her show. Show a little love and buy her a CD. You will wear
this CD out and that is a promise.
by GirlAudioProductions
www.myspace.com/girlaudio
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Denise Barbarita: Chaos & Congeniality
3.5 stars (out of 4)
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Denise Barbarita is a sultry and original chick rocker with some beautifully rough edges and darker sensibilities. With lush guitar work and intelligent production, Chaos & Congeniality is a serious and mature rock record that shows real passion. Add to that Ms. Barbarita's confident and free vocals, and you can understand how this is a strong and settled album, meticulously planned and exceptionally pro.
by Kevin Keating
Origivation Magazine (PA monthly music magazine)
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Denise Barbarita
"Chaos and Congeniality"
August, 2005 |
Barbarita has a tough act to follow...her own. Her debut album, "Beauty Lied" gained popularity and momentum with features on daytime television, benefit concerts and a national tour. Stretching out her talents for an encore, "Chaos and Congeniality", Denise's sophomore release, will no doubt be as successful as the debut of her career. This release is startlingly raw with complex lyrics that are a bit more energetic and genuine than the first. The opening song, "In Pieces" draws metaphorical images of the chaos of real life, while musically challenging the artistic borders. The CD completes the mood, full of sophisticated musings on love, life, heartache, and the contradictions of a sensitive mind. Denise Barbarita is a superior rock chick, one who can take a stage and the audience will immediately shut up. She's a badass, lit match that's taking the Indie music industry at full storm and won't stop 'til she's unplugged. Don't believe me? Check it out for yourself! You can listen to Denise Barbarita's "In Pieces" on myspace.com. Denise is my monthly editor's pick for July. Congratulations Denise! Rock on, girl! |
Reviewed by Heather Corcoran
CHT Pick: "In Pieces"
coffeehousetour.com |
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Kim Sweet, DJ
"Hush Hush" is nothing to be quiet about. With a driving guitar and Barbarita's incredible vocals it's a song that nobody should be quiet about. With her sultry vocals once again titillating the music world Barbarita shows her musical growth and ability in her recent CD, Chaos and Congeniality.
Thanks for the great music!
WRDL 88.9 FM
http://www.ashland.edu/~ksweet1 |
Artist:Denise Barbarita
Album: Chaos & Congeniality
Producer, guitarist and singer-songwriter Denise Barbarita's second CD explodes out of the starting gate with three chilly-sweet songs that restore your faith in the spirit of art-pop originality. Barbarita's talents as producer and sonic guitar artist are matched by her vocal power and, most important, a fine melodic sense that lifts her best songs to majestic heights.
Starting the CD with the spooky "In Pieces" might have been a little risky but it turns out to be an excellent introduction to all her strengths. Imagine a Tori Amos (circa Little Earthquakes ) style melody over a Led Zeppelin acoustic-guitar hum with a gushing U2 production, and you'll have some idea of what this song is made of. "Happy Happy" is a a short and sweet knockout punch of an anger song (it's the most requested at her shows), and "Appleseed" has a gorgeous melody, swelling choral backing vocals and sweeping waves of sound from keyboards, guitars and percussion that form a bed of lush aural blossoms for the song's somewhat abstract narrative.
Reviewer, Jon Sobel
October, 2005
http://blogcritics.org/archives/2005/08/25/212244.php |
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Denise Barbarita
Soothing while seething, the siren sounds sweet before she smashes your boat to pieces. This is how I would sum up the sound of Denise Barbarita. This 1994 graduate of Berklee College of Music put her degree to use when she self-produced her albums, "Beauty Lied" (2002)and "Chaos and Congeniality"(2005). Both are available for purchase now at www.CDBaby.com, www.TowerRecords.com, www.Amazon.com and www.womanrock.com
Touring the U.S. and Canada to tirelessly promote her music, Denise Barbarita is running her own show. She plays acoustic and electric guitar, bowed guitar, and vocals with Rich Kulsar on drums, Jason Wallenstein on bassand David Weintraub adding additional electric guitar the songs created are soft and thoughtful, rolling but focused. The album is an illuminated example of artistic expression from a woman in control; proud to show she's got a heart of rock and roll.
Heretically approaching an industry that tends to package its players in perfectly neat boxes, her music comes like rain on the wind, scattering free, tempting to taste every style the world has to offer before its time is through. Perhaps it's the tangible emotion or sudden shifts of surprise twists. Maybe the unique rhythmic lyrical flow, but that's just one of a plethora of excuses for the popularity of Barbarita's songs which have experienced their fair share of radio play as well as provided a regular backdrop to TV's well-known drama, "One Life To Live." As far as obvious influences, I'd say Barbarita's breathy and throaty voice often bears a striking resemblance to Tori Amos' and the music sometimes reminiscent of Led Zeppelin's most mellow moods, but otherwise this is original, inspired music, well worth a listen or two--hundred.
Reviewer: Nikki Chipman, Northeast In-Tune.com, November, 2005
New York City
Unsigned
www.myshytune.com |
Denise Barbarita "Chaos and Congeniality"
(2005/ My Shy Tune www.myshytune.com |
Tracklisting:
01- In Pieces
02- Happy Happy
03- Appleseed
04- For what it's worth
05- Hush Hush
06- Fractured
07- Only Blue
08- Hold On
09- The Last Breakdown
To check out some tunes visit
www.myspace.com/denisebarbarita |
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Sugar and Spice and everything, not so nice?
Adult Alternative Groove Rock with a Folk/Blues feel. Producer/Engineer Denise Barbarita delivers her sophomore album "Chaos and Congeniality", a 9-track delight with a lil surprise at the end that blends folk, adult alternative rock, and a hint of blues. Starting off with "In Pieces", a mellow acoustic tune, one may assume that this album may be none other than a lame sappy acoustic album. However, digging deeper that conception changes as the next track "Happy Happy" is a groove laden one that asks, "Are you happy happy? Although, the structure of the album does not flow as seamlessly as it could from acoustic to rocking tracks it makes up with the presence of exquisitely soothing instrumentation that features a piano, cello, organ, and mandolin. Backed by musicians Jason Wallenstein on bass, David Weintraub on guitars, and Rich Kulsar on drums and percussion along with a host of other musicians, "Chaos and Congeniality" definitely lives up to its name, providing both the "disordered" on some tracks and the "nice" ones as well. Denise is quite the musician herself as she plays the acoustic, bowed, and electric guitar in addition to her singing and vocalizing. Lyrically, Denise tells it like it is, not being afraid to say what's on her mind as revealed by such notable tracks "Hush Hush" and "For What It's Worth". The last track "The Final Breakdown" is a mighty splendid 7-minute ending to the album that includes background screams, various guitar sounds, and explicitly demonstrates Denise's soulful, strong vocal range. This is a promising album that's perfect if you want to vent about the daily frustrations in life, mellow out to or, and even with some tracks dance and sing along to. By Star Child |
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Denise Barbarita Chaos and Congeniality
MyShyTune 2005
www.myshytune.com
There’s a lot to like on Denise Barbarita’s album Chaos and Congeniality. It begins with a bang; “In Pieces” is a work of haunting beauty—with lush vocals and indelible hooks. At times, Barbarita’s vocals enter the tough-girl realm of Chrissie Hynde, particularly on the album’s single, “Hush Hush.” There’s a little incongruity; a fair number of pedestrian ballads mix with more straight-ahead rock tunes, but perhaps they’re meant as congenial musical offerings amidst the surrounding chaos. At any rate, the NYC-based Barbarita leaves off with a strong closer, “The Last Breakdown,” a seven-minute rock exploration that takes listeners on quite a journey. Favorite Track: Track 1, “In Pieces”
Online Rock review, 2006
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Artist: Denise Barbarita
CD: Chaos & Congeniality
Home: New York City
Style: Pop Rock
There's a feline quality about Denise Barbarita's music, something wonderfully animalistic in the best sense of the word. First track "In Pieces" caught my attention immediately with its throbbing opening and vocal acrobatics. The sizzling "Happy Happy" brings to mind a cat stretching in the sun, regal and focused. But rocker "Hush Hush" is downright feral, Barbarita growling accusations backed by a solid rhythm section, guitars burning up the atmosphere until you finally notice you've been holding your breath. Now I'm sure you think I'm taking this cat thing too far, and I'm more than willing to drop it, but what am I to do about the beautifully languorous phrasing of "Fractured"? Please take a second and vote for this article: Vote Options Printer Friendly Page Send this Story to a Friend.
By Kevan Breitinger |
Incredible!
by CA Rating: 10
I just love this cd. I can't get enough of it! It rocks, it soothes, it has it all. Denise Barbarita has an awesome voice and an even more awesome talent for writing songs with meaning and substance. |
The Girl ROCKS!
by Natasha Rating: 10
A Great Talent! A Great CD! In an industry with so little ingenuity Denise Barbarita is an amazingly fresh exception. Her songs are great, the hooks are awesome, and the amazing lyrics turn the songs inside out. Lyrically she takes us into her web and speaks to that little voice inside us all. Vocally she brings her uniquely natural sound to a record filled with passion, pain and experience. It would do us all some good to listen to her songs, we might learn something!
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Aaaahhhhh....
by Frank H Carter III Rating: 9
Listening to this CD is like taking a stroll through Ms Barbarita's thoughts: Hard rockers, melacholy memories & personal declarations wrapped up in an incredible singing voice & great, phat arrangements! This reviewer first fell in love with her voice - a strong, sensual, espressive & supple alto. Add to that her mastery of these INCREDIBLE harmonies (see 'A Warm Place' in particular...) & you realize that honey is gifted! Another thing one notices is that Denise is NOT interested in the obvious - She wants you to work when it comes to her lyrics. On any record, that might be a bad thing. But since she sounds so damned good, it just draws you in! But I have to say she did the first most important thing on ANY album - she wrote some GREAT songs! My personal favorites on the album are 'In My Darkest Hour,' 'A Warm Place,' 'Only For My Sake,' 'On Your Side' & the title cut. Personally, it's good to come across a record with a point of view that I? interested in listening to. She made one & I'm already looking forward to next one!
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Rob Jones
I spent some quality time with your cd last night. I love the way you captured those sounds. I'm in love with your kick drum, and your vocals, I want to love them but I know they'll only break my heart so I have to keep my distance and play it cool. I think Beauty Lied is my current favorite. Great stuff.
Check out mebeeb's site for reviews and pics of the other SirensWildRide members.
by Rob Jones Rating: n/a |
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