Nicola Hitchcock

Nicola Hitchcock - A Bowl Of Chalk - 1993 - F-Beat

“There’s something indefinably magical in her delivery and in the very human troubled personal conflicts in her exceptional lyrics … a remarkable debut” (Colin Irwin, Folk Roots).

Good album from the former Mandalay vocalist and musician, Nicola Hitchcock. "A Bowl Of Chalk" borders on the edge of electronica, in the manner of bands like Zero 7, and Portishead. However the overall sound is softer. This is music with elements of soft rock, Motown, and folk. It could be called "alternative" music, but defining musical genres are generally a waste of time. This is a very good album with great lyrics and musicianship. Musicians include the legendary Prefab Sprout drummer, Neil Conti. Listen to Nicola's "Passive Aggressive" album

TRACKS

1 Pick Up Your Coat 3:18
2 My Mistake 4:01
3 Surf On Shingle 3:08
4 Saddest Day 3:27
5 Writings I Hide 3:31
6 Down To The Station 3:51
7 What You See Is What You Get 4:38
8 How Do You Feel 4:41
9 Strange Times 3:49
10 Queen Of The Blues 3:30
11 Where Are We Now 3:12
12 Maire 4:37

All songs composed by Nicola Hitchcock

MUSICIANS

Nicola Hitchcock - Whistle, Accordion, Hand Drum, Guitar, Keyboards, Percussion, Vocals
Danny Thompson - Bass
Neil Conti - Drums

A BOWL OF CHALK (WIKIPEDIA)

One of the record companies to which Hitchcock had sent tapes was F-Beat Records, who signed her up for her first solo album, 1993's A Bowl Of Chalk. In contrast to her later work with Mandalay and others, A Bowl Of Chalk was a low-key and mostly acoustic affair with a strong folk music influence. Hitchcock added folk instrumentation such as whistle, accordion and hand drum, and several tracks featured the celebrated British jazz/folk musician Danny Thompson (ex-Pentangle/John Martyn) on double bass. (Other performers included Prefab Sprout drummer Neil Conti). In a Folk Roots magazine review, Colin Irwin praised Hitchcock's songwriting, commenting "there’s something indefinably magical in her delivery and in the very human troubled personal conflicts in her exceptional lyrics... a remarkable debut." A Bowl Of Chalk boosted Hitchcock's reputation on London’s folk and acoustic circuit and led to full band performances at the Guildford Folk Festival, the Cambridge Folk Festival and the Phoenix Festival. Unfortunately, F-Beat Records folded shortly afterwards and the album went out of print.

BIO

Nicola is based in London, UK. In 1992 a home recorded, self-produced, 3-song demo was sent out to a few hand-picked record companies and as a result, Nicola was signed to Demon Records. Her debut solo album “A Bowl of Chalk” was released on FBeat/Demon Records in ‘93 and featured guest musicians Danny Thompson on bass (Kate Bush, David Sylvian) & Neil Conti on drums (David Bowie, Prefab Sprout). She became a regular face on London’s folk/acoustic circuit, including performances at the Guildford and Cambridge Folk Festivals and Phoenix Festival. “There’s something indefinably magical in her delivery and in the very human troubled personal conflicts in her exceptional lyrics … a remarkable debut” (Colin Irwin, Folk Roots) Inspired by the music of Portishead and Massive attack, in ‘95 she went on to form Mandalay with Saul Freeman and signed to David Steele’s independent label Organic Records. The first single release “Flowers Bloom” got single of the week in Melody Maker. “Nicola’s voice is extraordinary, a sort of static shiver … as chillingly beautiful as liquid nitrogen sculpture.” (David Stubbs, Melody Maker). Shortly after the release of their first single, David Steele was asked to head up Richard Branson’s new label V2 Records and took Mandalay with him. Mandalay’s debut album “Empathy” was released to critical acclaim, co-produced with Guy Sigsworth (Bjork, Madonna, Bebel Gilberto) it featured drummer and percussionist Steve Jansen (Japan) and the beautiful ethereal sounds of Jon Hassell on trumpet (Brian Eno, Harold Budd). “one of the most surprising understated albums in eons … illuminating and optimistic. A muted beauty.” (Andrew Emery, Vox). “passionate and honest … moody mood music of the highest order … a fine debut” (Phil Strongman, The Mix). Mandalay’s live performances included Andy Gangadeen on drums (massive attack, faithless) and they became a regular favourite at The Big Chill festivals. “Troubled fluid, gorgeous oils and waters creating a river of sound that leaves you aching for more” (Melody Maker Live Review). On hearing “Empathy”, Madonna sited Mandalay as her favourite band and chose the first single “This Life” to be featured on the film soundtrack for her film. “The Next Best Thing”. “This Life” was also chosen to feature on the soundtrack to the hit British film “This Year’s Love”. “a fusion of classical music, electronics and dance beats. Nicola Hitchcock’s strange, emotive vocals seem to come from someone on the edge of a meltdown. The musical canvass paints a picture of a musical Ice Age to come.” (NME singles review). Many other Mandalay songs were featured on cult TV series’ including “La Femme Nikita”, “Six Feet Under” and “CSI MIami”. The third single “Beautiful” appeared on a number of chillout albums of the time including the world famous compilation series’ “cafe del mar (vol 6)” and Hedkandi’s “Serve Chilled”. As a result Mandalay were invited to headline at the Cafe del mar 2oth anniversary celebrations in Ibiza in 2000. A sunset remix of “Beautiful” was recorded and mixed by Lenny Ibizarre, the leading chillout DJ/musician on the island. The song “Beautiful” went on to win a major advertising campaign (Estee Lauder, featuring Liz Hurley) and was chosen for the title track of German film “Der Eisbar”. More recently “Beautiful” was covered by Sarah Brightman and released as the lead single for her hit album “Harem”. Mandalay’s 2nd album “Instinct” was co-produced with Andy Bradfield (Everything But the Girl, Future Sound of London, Bjork) and Yoad Nevo (Jem). “.. draws inspiration from jazz and classical music to create resolutely elegant, affecting pop …. lush and expansive, Instinct’s musical world is perfectly realised” (MK The Guardian). A third and final album “Solace” was released exclusively in the U.S. Mandalay disbanded in 2002. In the following years Nicola began working with avant garde composers Hector Zazou and Ryuichi Sakomoto, Lenny Ibizarre and the underground artist & DJ Chris Brann (Wamdue Project, P’taah etc). The resulting album “Passive Aggressive” stands a collection of her favourite songs from this time and is the first release on her own label Tempted. ” …. Plaintive, melancholy and full of feeling; Nicola’s songs have an honesty that you can feel in her voice even before you hear it in the words. The singing here is soft, close up, often little more than a whisper. The uncluttered arrangements on this CD add to the intimacy, at times just drums, bass and minimal pianos or electronica. The more intense musical structure of ‘I Forgive Me’ combines with sweet vocals to create a sense of brooding, a weight that carries over into the following track ‘Cloudy Skies and Rain’ where the drums are stronger and looser than most of the album. There is a beautiful surreal quality to the final track ‘Morning’ featuring Ryuichi Sakomoto’s subtle piano, enhanced by an achingly melancholic string arrangement from Hector Zazou”. An exclusive edition of Passive Aggressive was subsequently released in the US by Barnes & Noble including two previously unreleased tracks (currently available as free downloads via her website to those on the mailing list). Nicola is currently working on a new solo album. © 2009. Nicola Hitchcock. All Rights Reserved http://www.nicolahitchcock.com/biography

BIO (WIKIPEDIA)

Nicola Hitchcock (born in Paddington, London, UK) is a British singer and songwriter. She is best known for having been the singer of the band Mandalay (a critically-acclaimed trip hop duet from the United Kingdom). Following the demise of Mandalay, she has worked with various dance music and avant-garde musicians. Nicola Hitchcock's father was a musician and actor turned TV producer/director, while her mother was a former actress - they divorced when Nicola was three. She has credited her father for her initial interest in music and for teaching her how to create her first songs. She began seriously writing songs from the age of nine, when she received her first acoustic guitar. Early influences included The Beatles and Carole King. From the age of 15, she began gaining stage experience in local covers bands, learning to play accordion, keyboards and percussion in addition to her vocal and guitar skills. While training as a teacher (a career which she was ultimately unsuited for) Hitchcock took the opportunity to learn from degree music students, gaining lessons on classical composition and opera singing as well as keyboard skills. During her twenties, Hitchcock gained work as a backing vocalist (and occasional instrumentalist) on the London live music circuit. Still lacking in confidence, she took a self-development course which gave her the courage to approach a band with an existing record deal who'd advertised for members in Melody Maker, and to gain a place with them playing keyboards and singing backing vocals. The band recorded one album and split up, although Hitchcock continued working with their bass player for another three years. Following this, she wrote and recorded several 4-track demos of her own (using keyboard, acoustic guitar and drum machine) and marked time by performing solo as a voice-and-guitar act in various acoustic and folk clubs in London. One of the record companies to which Hitchcock had sent tapes was F-Beat Records, who signed her up for her first solo album, 1993's A Bowl Of Chalk. In contrast to her later work with Mandalay and others, A Bowl Of Chalk was a low-key and mostly acoustic affair with a strong folk music influence. Hitchcock added folk instrumentation such as whistle, accordion and hand drum, and several tracks featured the celebrated British jazz/folk musician Danny Thompson (ex-Pentangle/John Martyn) on double bass. (Other performers included Prefab Sprout drummer Neil Conti). In a Folk Roots magazine review, Colin Irwin praised Hitchcock's songwriting, commenting "there’s something indefinably magical in her delivery and in the very human troubled personal conflicts in her exceptional lyrics... a remarkable debut." A Bowl Of Chalk boosted Hitchcock's reputation on London’s folk and acoustic circuit and led to full band performances at the Guildford Folk Festival, the Cambridge Folk Festival and the Phoenix Festival. Unfortunately, F-Beat Records folded shortly afterwards and the album went out of print. Recently inspired by the developing trip-hop music scene (as spearheaded by Massive Attack and Portishead), Hitchcock now began to seek out other musical opportunities. Replying to another advert in Melody Maker put her in touch with Chrysalis Music and with Saul Freeman. Freeman was a multi-instrumentalist/producer who had initially been the other half of the acclaimed pop duo Thieves, before a falling-out with his partner (singer David McAlmont) had left Freeman without a band and with his work released as McAlmont's debut album. Hitchcock and Freeman formed another pop duo, Mandalay, which blended Hitchcock's interest in singer-songwriter material and psychological/psychotherapeutic concepts with Freeman's textured arrangements and his mixture of trip-hop dance smoothness and post-punk avant-garde textures. Mandalay were courted by various major labels on completion of their first demos, but opted instead to sign to David Steele’s independent label Organic Records. Mandalay’s first single release, "Flowers Bloom" gained the Single of the Week award in Melody Maker, immediately strengthening their position. They subsequently signed to V2 Records, for whom they would release two albums, Empathy and Instinct. Mandalay lasted for seven years, during which they received a good deal of critical acclaim and the tag of "Madonna's favourite band." The project ended in 2002 due to musical and personal differences. Hitchcock has hinted that one of the reasons may have been frustration at Freeman's degree of control over instrumentation, arrangement and production. After Mandalay's demise in 2002, Hitchcock's songwriting and vocal talents were sought out by Tiësto who chose her song "In My Memory" for his first album, In My Memory. With a deft remix from him, it became the lead single for the album, the success of which led to a live performance by Hitchcock at the Dutch Music Awards in 2002Hitchcock's career was interrupted by a car accident, a relocation to Devon and a period spent recuperating from the Epstein-Barr virus. However, during this time she continued to be sought out by artists, musicians, and DJs contacting her via the internet and email with requests for possible collaborations. She began working on tracks from avant garde composers Hector Zazou, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Lenny Ibizarre and the underground artist & DJ Chris Brann (Wamdue Project, T'paah etc). In 2005 Hitchcock released her second solo album Passive Aggressive, on her own label Tempted Records. The album compiled many of her recent collaborations - excluding "In My Memory" but including the work with Sakamoto, Brann, Ibizarre and Zazou (as well as newer work with Sounds from the Ground, the string trio Echo and frequent Thieves/Mandalay collaborator Michael J. Ade). In 2006, Hitchcock was approached by Justin Elswick of the electronic dance project Sleepthief, which led to her co-writing and performing the song "You Did A Good Thing" on Sleepthief's debut album The Dawnseeker. Hitchcock is currently working on her next solo record