Back in the day, Tina Angotti used to sing Beatles songs with her brother Phil while they played in the back yard or sat around the dinner table. Years later Tina found herself opening up for her brother’s band, The Idea, at local Chicago gigs. After awhile Tina decided to split town. She moved to Arizona to soak up the power and inspiration of the blazing sun. It wasn’t long before she headed back to Chicago to recruit her brother and his band to help her record her gorgeous solo debut, Mirror.
The sound on this album anchors itself in Tina's folky acoustic guitar rhythms and warm, inviting voice. Unlike so many contrived acts on the current scene Tina's expression is effortless. On the title track quiet strums lay the foundation for this introspective journey. "The truth is when I'm looking at you/ And you're looking at me."
These songs are often sedated, using an intimate fingerpicking approach to make the connection. Tracks like "Not Making Sense," and "Stay," pull the listener into a deep, personal space.
Other songs take a different path. "Walk with Me" ups the tempo, pushing a low frequency bassline and an undeniable invisible beat. "It's Alright" continues to burn, again without a drum kit in the mix. Then "I Feel" pulls all the stops and transforms into a full on electric rock band. Although the song is strong on its own, it feels a bit out of place in the mostly stepped back acoustic set.
Tina Angotti has been quite successful with her debut album. She's been featured on Good Morning Arizona. She won Best Solo Female Artist in the Dream to Reality Award. Her song, "Not Making Sense" won the songlounge.com songwriting contest. And she's been chosen to perform in New York City at this year's New York International Music and Film Festival at Madison Square Garden.
And it's really no wonder. Tina's emotional honesty, artistic clarity and sure fire melodies all stir together to create beautiful music. It's true. Just look in the mirror.