Based out of the Washington D.C. area, Caroline Ferrante’s second studio release Sky is a four song EP highlighting her unique recasting of folk and Americana into a personal idiom informed, but never controlled, by those influences. The 2017 has already produced an impressive single with the song “Feels like a Holiday”, awarded the Top Ten Singles of 2017 laurel from Ark of Music. Much of her performances are fueled by muscular, yet sensitive vocals and songwriting rife with personal meaning but, likewise, intensely engaged with the world and with a potent humanist perspective. Her hope for a brighter dawn for all of us comes through on this EP, but never in a heavy handed or cheesy way. Instead, the writing on Sky proves every bit as intelligent as what we heard from her debut studio release Brighter Day. The EP’s brief running time never prevents it from standing as a substantive statement from an important recording artist.
It’s impressive how unabashed Ferrante is about embracing hopeful, well written songs. The folk/roots genre often obsesses itself with dark, weighty songwriting frequently verging on despair, but Ferrante rejects those stereotypes and writes material, with creative partner Austin Bello, accurately reflecting her inner world rather than posing for listeners. Guitar isn’t omnipresent on Sky, but the EP’s songwriting often uses the instrument in a distinctly commercial, pop oriented fashion. The most intense number, both lyrically and musically, on the EP is the second song “Better Angels”, but it’s likewise a song retaining hope for a subject in dire straits. There’s strong blues influences making this tune crackle and Ferrante’s bloodstained bellow makes the emotional stakes for this song really come to life. The song, by far, shows off the strongest presence of muscular guitar on the EP.
“Great Big Beautiful World” is, in some ways, a further elaboration on the opener, but this is a wider hope than she takes on with the first tune and it has a brisker musical attack than the earlier cut. The vocals for this song are stronger as well and she highlights that aforementioned talent for making happy memorable in an artistic sense. The final song on her EP, Sky, is entitled “Symphony” and benefits a lot from her talent for writing suggestive, poetically inspired lyrical content that never risks sounding self-indulgent or overwrought. Caroline Ferrante’s new EP stands out from a crowded field of releases for a number of reasons, but chief among them are her voice and the songwriting’s talent for escaping any arbitrary restrictions other acts and artists readily embrace. This is quite an individual effort and promises that future releases will show her pursuing her own Muse as resolutely as ever. Sky has four songs packed with more entertainment value than you’ll find on many new full length releases and crackles with palpable inspiration.
Mindy McCall
Submitted by Pamela Bellmore
The four song EP Sky, Caroline Ferrante’s second studio release and third overall, solidifies her growing stature as one of the indie folk scene’s brightest songwriting talents. The first single from the release “ Feel Like a Holiday” has already enjoyed considerable success, including garnering a coveted award for one of 2017’s best singles from Ark of Music, and Ferrante continues to push this richly rewarding release. It deserves a wide hearing. Ferrante’s songs are uniformly exceptional and further enhanced by her forceful singing that explores a wide range of emotions with a clear ear turned towards balanced interpretation. Unlike many purveyors of this style who merely look to hit specific marks, Ferrante is a writer and performer who imbue her vision of traditional music with clear charisma and individuality that makes these recordings her own, beholden to no obvious influences. Sky will generate a lot of momentum for this artist and we can only wonder what direction she’ll turn next.
Co-written with Austin Bello, “Feels Like a Holiday” sells hopefulness in such a compelling way it gives lie to anyone who’s ever said happy emotions don’t make for good art. The line by line writing for this song is much more than your customary grab-bag of clichés and there’s some powerful imagery laced into these verses paying off quite nicely with the chorus. The lyrical mood is well matched by jaunty instrumentation that never grates on listener’s nerves. The second cut “Better Angels” is a deeply felt, immensely soulful number with an especially nuanced vocal from Ferrante and biting lyrics orchestrating its emotional tenor into a lean, pointed response to a tortured relationship. The bluesy flourishes are strewn throughout this tune mark it as distinctly different from the opener and, clearly for novices to Ferrante, she is far from content working out her songs in a purist folk/roots style. Thankfully.
Ferrante and Bello scores as songwriters once again with a song that, based on the title alone, has a lot to live up to. The redemptive spirit driving the airy bounce of “Great Big Beautiful World” never feels phony, however, and the music has an engaging snap from the first. Songs like this and the opener are crafted, as all Ferrante/Bello songs are, with the economy in mind and it’s an attribute that serves a song like this particularly well. The closer “Symphony” is a cinematic finale that, perhaps, you might not expect from Ferrante, but it’s well worth the surprise. She dispenses with the usual suspects instrumentally in favor of a song dominated by piano and the balladic aspects of the tune obviously play into her strengths. Her songwriting collaboration with Austin Bello never means that there isn’t a personal stamp on each of these four songs – Caroline Ferrante comes across as a fully realized songwriter and recording artist with a long and promising future ahead of her. Sky is well worth the time of both devoted and casual music fans.
There are far too many songs out there buried under cliches and the same old symbolism. An artist willing to take the challenge to avoid this somewhat easy way out will always inspire. Our recent find Caroline Ferrante does just that with her music that approaches the world in a much more real way.
The Americana singer-songwriter is truly the heart of the American experience. Caroline Ferrante grew up on the busy south side of Chicago and spent summers on the farms in Kansas. To complement this diverse upbringing, she went on to Northwestern University to study theater and voice. Now Caroline is based in Washington, D.C. to experience another side of America, and gain more inspiration.
Caroline Ferrante has now found her own style. It is based on Americana but sprinkled with R&B, Roots, Folk, and genuine happiness. She says “I write songs that take an unexpected angle: the untold story, the unsung hero. I challenge clichés, symbols, and assumptions by turning them on their head.” This is making her a fan favorite as listeners can truly relate to what she is singing about.
Caroline Ferrante Will Make Your Ears Smile
This past summer, Caroline Ferrante released her EP Sky. The 4 song record puts all her talent out there for us to enjoy.
If the opener “Feels Like A Holiday” doesn’t put a smile on your face immediately you better check your pulse. The rootsy acoustic guitar (possibly ukulele) and whimsical whistling track give it an air of positivity immediately. Once the beautiful voice of Ferrante hits the package is complete. The fun continues on “Great Big Beautiful World” with a bouncy vocal style leading the charge.
We get a little darker on the blues influenced “Better Angels”. The beat creeps along with splashes of anthemic instrumentation lifting the track to higher levels. The vocals bring to mind the classic female voices of Janis Joplin and Mama Cass.
The closer “Symphony” is an epic song. The pretty piano meshes with the big voice to create something truly inspiring. There is a positivity that just oozes out of this whole EP. Enjoy it on her BANDCAMP and find more news on Caroline Ferrante’s WEBSITE.
Caroline Ferrante is an alt Americana artist out of Chicago. At Northwestern University she studied theatre and voice which fueled her passion for music. In 2011, she opened for the Birds of Chicago and played the leading role in “Rain Follows the Plow: A Dust opera.” By June 2014, Caroline produced her first original CD through Cabbage Run Records. Now she is working on collaborating on film projects with producer Austin Bello. Her song “Better Angels” from her ‘SKY’ project showcases her talent as a musician.
The song kicks off with substantial energy with an engaging instrumental arrangement paired by backing vocals that give the simple arrangement a big sound. The mix is crystal clear allowing each element of the arrangement its own spotlight. As the intro transitions into the first verse, the instrumentals back off leaving just guitar as Caroline’s vocals enter. Singing, “You say I’m the Devil/You’re a Savior to me/The demons you wrestled /Stayed offa me,” Caroline’s voice sends shivers up your spine with an immaculate tone and emotive phrases.
“Better Angels” reflects on Caroline’s past home struggles and her survivors guilt after losing her sister to cancer. To Caroline, this song is an offering to let go. In the chorus she sings, “No guardian wings were there for our release/I know that what he did to you is what he did to me/I pray Better angels set you free,” making an emotionally intense moment in the song and creating an unforgettable music experience.
Caroline Ferrante is an undeniably talented vocalist with heart-wrenching songs that will establish a deep connection with her and her fans. “Better Angels” is just one song to rave about from Caroline. Her music is available for purchase via bandcamp. For more information on Caroline, visit her website.
Caroline Ferrante sings with a sunny optimism on the fantastic thoughtful pop of “SKY”. With such an incredible fervor, Caroline Ferrante shows off her considerable chops. Over the course of the collection Caroline Ferrante draws upon twee, country, classical, jazz, all brought together through carefully woven stories. Attention to detail works wonders as she incorporates guitar, ukulele, piano, giving her work such warmth. Downright comforting Caroline Ferrante opts for a poetic quality to her pieces, helping to imbue them with a strong sense of life.
Stripping things down to the essentials “Feels Like a Holiday” has a joyous choir. At first quite small the way that Caroline Ferrante incorporates additional sounds into the mix feels outright masterful. When the percussion enters the equation things really start up. Easily the highlight of the collection “Better Angels” chooses a bluesy temperament while everything works itself up into a frenzied, fiery passion. Featuring a perfectly executed melody the track has an expansive, all-consuming presence to it. Tremendous energy pours out of the rush of “Great Big Beautiful World”. Choosing an almost rainbow like energy layer upon layer of sound comes into focus as the song evolves with grace. Caroline Ferrante really shows off her voice on the angelic “Symphony”. Letting things start soft, Caroline Ferrante allows for a little bit of shoegaze to give the song an atmospheric vibe.
By choosing such an eclectic blend of styles Caroline Ferrante delivers an incredible kaleidoscope of color with the powerful “SKY”.
The folk-pop fundamental texture of Caroline Ferrante’s newly released EP ‘Sky’ is turning heads within the indy music scene as a rhythmically- revolutionary sensation of intricate compositions.
The vocals maintain a sustainability throughout the tracks that surface a constant state of distinctiveness with hearty guitar portions embedded on each track. The songs are orchestrated in a progressive manner that support a talented songwriting structure of artistry that has a focal point resonating within the abstract reality of folk. The authenticity of Ferrante’s music holds an original position within the alternative realm with an image of positivity entrenched in the lyricism that is congruent with the instrumentation layered amongst the complicated provisions.
The enmeshed quality of the music utilizes deliberate guitar play with relatable string execution that adds significant harmonies to the overall image of the EP itself. There is most certainly a country element on this EP that contains a diverse preference in the compositions to adhere to the needs of music enthusiasts desperately searching for something vivid and original.
Caroline Ferrante is a top-notch songwriter and her newest EP ‘Sky’ is an A-la-carte sample of a captivating future LP release that will satisfy the comprehensive vision of this talented band.
Caroline Ferrante sings with a sunny optimism on the fantastic thoughtful pop of “SKY”. With such an incredible fervor, Caroline Ferrante shows off her considerable chops. Over the course of the collection Caroline Ferrante draws upon twee, country, classical, jazz, all brought together through carefully woven stories. Attention to detail works wonders as she incorporates guitar, ukulele, piano, giving her work such warmth. Downright comforting Caroline Ferrante opts for a poetic quality to her pieces, helping to imbue them with a strong sense of life.
Stripping things down to the essentials “Feels Like a Holiday” has a joyous choir. At first quite small the way that Caroline Ferrante incorporates additional sounds into the mix feels outright masterful. When the percussion enters the equation things really start up. Easily the highlight of the collection “Better Angels” chooses a bluesy temperament while everything works itself up into a frenzied, fiery passion. Featuring a perfectly executed melody the track has an expansive, all-consuming presence to it. Tremendous energy pours out of the rush of “Great Big Beautiful World”. Choosing an almost rainbow like energy layer upon layer of sound comes into focus as the song evolves with grace. Caroline Ferrante really shows off her voice on the angelic “Symphony”. Letting things start soft, Caroline Ferrante allows for a little bit of shoegaze to give the song an atmospheric vibe.
Irony can be such a crazy—and—lovely thing. Despite studying theatre and opera at Northwestern University, it took Caroline Ferrante some time away from that influence to find her own, true voice—untethered by that same system that once helped her develop it.
Growing up on the south side of Chicago, listening to the gritty blues of the area, provided an authentic and meaningful influence that she’s never forgotten. Other influences include Janis Ian, Earth Wind & Fire, Miles Davis, Joni Mitchell, Nora Jones,and others.
Now, years later, her evolving sound has been described as, “R&B-inspired folk anthems that celebrate Americana rhythm, powerhouse vocals, & a better world.” It is that sound that has earned her the right to share the stage with the likes of Grammy and Academy Award winners Mark Bryan (Hootie the Blowfish), Tom Constanten (The Grateful Dead), Jack Tempchin (Eagles songwriter), and others.
“I am grateful for the opportunity to step beyond the dark places… When I listen to the music on SKY, I hear so many strands of me coming together. On a bright horizon.”
Now, her new five track SKY EP, boasts the latest single is, Feels Like a Holiday, a care-free, whistle-as-you-skip-along, ukulele-inspired composition which might just immediately take you back to those zero-responsibility days, where getting underneath the shining-sun was your sole priority. Holiday is the sonic equivalent of, well, smiling…
“The birds gonna sing their lullaby, and the sun’s gonna shine by the riverside This is not just an ordinary day…”
Whose lovechild…? Shania Twain meets Jason Mraz…
BELOW:Listen to Caroline Ferrante’s single, Feels Like a Holiday, and connect with her website and social media platforms. Please support Caroline Ferrante by visiting her online, and playing, downloading, and/or purchasing her music. And, as always, thank you for supporting real music!
Washington DC based songwriter Caroline Ferrante delivers a well polished, highly infectious, undeniably uplifting blend of roots rock on her new EP, Sky.
Growing up on the south side of Chicago and studying at Northwestern University, Caroline has opened for Birds of Chicago and played the lead role in Rain Follows the Plow: A Dust Opera at DC’s Atlas Performing Arts Center. As someone who as explored and traveled through various regions of the U.S., Ferrante’s sound is an amalgamation of influences from regional roots music.
Kicking off Sky is an acoustic rockin’, spirit lifting jam, Feels Like A Holiday, with a hook that is going to stick in your head long after the song ends. The energy and engaging nature of Caroline’s voice immediately lock us in guaranteeing our continued listening.
Better Angels kicks off with an anthemic, layered chorus before seamlessly transitioning into a desert rock influenced soundscape which features driving rhythms, tasty distorted guitar licks and a soulful performance with just the right amount of grit.
Great Big Beautiful World is a great big beautiful pop-heavy song with body moving rhythms, contagious melodies, catchy lyrical deliveries and enough appeal to be welcomed warmly onto any radio station or playlist featuring joyous, inspirational, uplifting roots rock.
Closing out this EP, Symphony begins with a slower but equally passionate and powerful vocal performance backed by surf-esque guitars, a lingering piano melody and a slightly haunting dissonance which blossoms into beautifully crafted instrumentation that puts Caroline’s strong, seasoned voice front and center.
Sky is top class roots rock. Caroline Ferrante is a master of her craft.
Caroline Ferrante’s EP Sky is a beautiful release, loaded with uplifting vibes and positive energy – the perfect kind of soundtrack to see us into these upcoming winter months with a touch of comforting warmth and inspiring hopefulness.
Beginning with Feels Like A Holiday, you may form a certain opinion about the kind of music that’s to come. The song is fantastic in itself – the ukulele, the rhythm, the melody, the concept – it all feels relevantly like a holiday, as music should; a wonderful escape from hard work and difficulty. To expect more of the same is a little off the mark though. What Caroline Ferrante showcases throughout this four-track release is immense versatility and a uniquely inspired sense of creativity that strikes all at once as incredibly professional, deeply soulful, and forever unpredictable.
Better Angels is an entirely different kind of song to the opener. It’s a huge song, dramatic and intense, mighty and memorable for its passion and its poetry. The singer’s vocal performance is stunning here, the surrounding music has been arranged in a way that allows the story-line and the intricate details to shine just when they need to, and then later to support and enhance the height of those soulful moments of expression.
Great Big Beautiful World switches things up once again. This song has a vintage sound that fuses joy and nostalgia in a surprisingly refreshing and uplifting manner. The music and the voices build and build to create and keep that passion and that energy alive and well. The song’s concept is invaluable, the message is important, the overall vibe of the music and the melody reiterate the sentiment superbly, and those good vibes pass on well as you listen. Caroline Ferrante’s voice seems able to cater to whatever the situation requires. The great thing about this EP is that you can hear how much the songs mean to her before you even start forming your own connection to them. Then later, as you familiarise yourself with the hooks, the melodies, the instrumentation – the songs become yours, and they’re likely to mean something different yet equally inspiring to everyone who listens.
Symphony is the closing song of the project. The spacious introduction to this one reinforces that element of classic or vintage music and performance. Caroline’s voice is laid almost completely bare, highlighting its power and effortlessly smooth sound, before building once again to create yet another uplifting and energising soundscape to embrace and to lean upon when times are tough. Considering the short length of this collection, a lot happens within the walls of this EP. The songwriter has a lot to offer, and the performances never fall short of sublime. Hopefully there’s a lot more to come.
New Music From Robbing Johnny, The US Americans, Caroline Ferrante, Ryan Zimmerman And Surreal Nation
"...From Washington, D.C. comes the latest release from Americana/country artist Caroline Ferrante. Her new 4-song EP titled "Sky" showcases Caroline's exceptional vocals, beginning with the up-beat swing of "Feels Like A Holiday." Her sound becomes bigger on the stomp-rhythm, country rock of "Better Angels," before returning to pop aspects of "Great Big Beautiful World." She finishes up her new short release with the empowering sound of "Symphony" as her vocals soar. To find out more about Caroline Ferrante and her latest release "Sky," please visit carolineferrante.com."
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“Native Chicagoan Caroline Ferrante grew up in the city, but spent summers driving tractors in Kansas on the family farm. She studied theater and voice at Northwestern University, explored Utah and the American West, and made Maryland and the waters of the Chesapeake her home. As she kayaked the US's beautiful waterways & diverse landscapes, she developed her unique Americana blend of regional roots music.” - The Village Voice, NYC (Nov 25, 2015)
“Caroline Ferrante (Ruth) makes the strongest vocal impression, and ….(relays) stories and emotions in a natural, organic way. Her crystal clear voice and no kidding lyric interpretation skills made "Impossible Sky" and "Can It Be?" two of the highlights for me.” - Jennifer Perry, Broadway World (Jul 10, 2016)
“The cast is all so good that it’s hard to single out all for praise. Of special note is the lovely voice of Caroline Ferrante as Ruth, a farm wife whose sings of good times to her sister by mail note the “Impossible Sky” (“the beautiful earth/the air so clear/the stars so near.”)” - Lee Levine, DC Metro Theater Arts (Jul 09, 2016)
"Caroline’s stunning vocals, three-octave range, signature 12-string guitar, and crossover songwriting pack a powerhouse punch on the DC live music scene!" - District Concerts (Jan 25, 2016)
"Tonight at the house concert, Caroline Ferrante sang a song she wrote called Annabelle which contains a wonderful line. “Annabelle sings her song and sets the wild things free.” I think lots of things inside us are set free when music touches us. Today’s gift is music." - Bonnie Schupp, Journeys (Feb 07, 2015)
“The centerpiece of the narrative arc is three beautifully rendered songs sung by matriarch Ruth (Caroline Ferrante), as letters to her sister that chronicle her journey from optimism (“Impossible Sky”) to desperate hope (“If It Rains”) to disbelieving grief (“Can It Be?”).” - Amy Couchoud, DC Theatre Scene (Jul 10, 2016)
