Lisa Moscatiello

Country of origin:

USA

Type of music generally:

evocative/eclectic

Status:

Most recent release, Trouble from the Start (2005)

See also:

Lisa Moscatiello's site

Lisa Moscatiello's CD Baby page, Arthur Loves Plastic and Lisa Moscatiello's CD Baby page

Wikipedia's entry on Lisa Moscatiello

Comparisons:

Mary Coughlan, Julie London

Covers/own material:

Own, covers, co-written

General comments:

What a voice Lisa Moscatiello has—rich and lush. (billonline@adlerbooks.com)

Comments about live performance:

She had a really nice voice, and an interesting selection of songs, but was accompanied by a guitarist and rhythm section that managed to turn everything they touched into really bland, MOR pop stuff. Solo and with slight accompaniment, she was quite good though. (c. 1997, neal)

Recommended first album:

Trouble from the Start

Recordings:

• Innocent When You Dream (1996)
• Second Avenue (2000)
• Trouble from the Start (2005)

Innocent When You Dream

Release info:

1996

Availability:

Seems to be out of print. Check Lisa Moscatiello's site for availability

Ecto priority:

Recommended if the description appeals to you

Comments:

Her debut solo album, Innocent When You Dream runs the gamut from Celtic to Country to Cabaret. (candre@enteract.com

Second Avenue

Release info:

2000

Availability:

See Lisa Moscatiello's site for availability

Ecto priority:

Recommended

Comments:

When you listen to Second Avenue, a well of old memories and feelings comes rushing up. Although it's not a perfect analogy, listing to Second Avenue is like eating very spicy Asian food: Each bite is a little painful, bringing tears to your eyes. Yet you feel compelled to eat more, because the pain is mixed with an exquisite pleasure. (billonline@adlerbooks.com)

Trouble from the Start

Release info:

2005—Machine Heart—-2005mhrlm1

Availability:

See Lisa Moscatiello's site for availability

Ecto priority:

Recommended

Group members:

Lisa Moscatiello—vocals, acoustic guitar, electronic keyboards

Guest artists:

Harry Appelman—organ, electronic keyboards, piano
Marco Delmar—electric guitar
Stefanie Gogerty—trombone
Robbie Magruder—drums
Stacy Sloan—alto saxophone, horn arrangement
Cheryl Terwilliger—trumpet, horn arrangement
Jon Nazdin—upright bass, vocals
Erik Wenberg—electric guitar
Bev Stanton—horn arrangement, loops
Marco Carson—drums
Gerry O'Beirne—twelve-string guitar
Fred Lieder—cello
Phil Mathieu—twelve-string guitar
Anita Murkham—harmony vocals

Produced by:

Marco Delmar

Comments:

Lisa Moscatiello has a lovely voice and her choice of original material and covers is spot on. It's a pleasant but far from bald record. The folk stylings of "Exile" remind me of Mary Coughlan. The midnight blue "You're Crying" is a classic torch song. Suddenly Julie London springs to mind. The Italian song "Come Sinfonia" is seductive and moving. Dusty Springfield's "Brand new me" gets a lovely reading. This is a very mixed record style-wise, but it all holds together well. (stjarnell@yahoo.com)

Further info:

Lisa Moscatiello has also recorded duo albums: What Happens After Love (with Fred Lieder) and Well Kept Secrets (with Rosie Shipley). She also was featured on Arthur Loves Plastic's album, Troubled (2006). She was previously with The New St. George and Whirligig, and the Space Dots.

The band Arthus Loves Plastic's release Troubled (2006) is an electronic deconstruction of Trouble from the Start.

Thanks to stjarnell@yahoo.com for work on this entry.