Singer-Songwriter Nancy Falkow takes a melody, introduces it to an image-laden lyric and gives it a home by creating a sound-scape in song. In June 2004 Falkow celebrated the release of CLEAR VIEW. A year and a half in the making, she teamed up again with Emmy-winning producer Shane McMartin to create an engaging and unique sophomore album. A performer first, Falkow has led an exciting career as an independent artist; touring nationwide, singing on many projects and landing songs in TV and film.
As a vocalist Falkow has been honored with guest spots on recordings from Astrud Gilberto to G Love. Her most cherished career highlight was when she toured as a vocalist with Daniel Lanois on his "Shine" Tour in 2003. Early in her career a coveted spot at the Lilith Fair opened lots of doors for Falkow. She has shared stages with many personal heroes including Richie Havens, Donovan, Patty Griffin and Sarah McLachlan. With each experience she learned a little more and continued to grow as a songwriter and an entertainer.
CLEAR VIEW is a collection of charming acoustic-based pop-folk songs performed by a stellar line up. Falkow's rich, textured, vocal soars melodically and soulfully through 11 new songs. The title track "Clear View" emanates a sweet darkness, while the shimmering melancholy of "Blindsided" bleeds an infectious melody and subtle heartbreaking lyric. "Under the Sun's" lead vocal swims through a Leslie speaker while the opening track, "Stay's" Led Zeppelin a la "Kashmir" lap steel and lap synth string outro captures the vision only Falkow & McMartin could produce.
As expected, Falkow had a little help from her friends. She surrounded herself with Philadelphia's finest, including guitarists Mike "Slo-Mo" Brenner and Kara Lafty (The Jane Anchor), bassist Steve Demarest, percussionist Hoagy Wing, cellist Hotch, singer Jennifer Lynn, trumpetist Matt Cappy and keyboardists Amber deLaurentis, Pete Rydberg and Mike Richelle. Tracks arrived via USPS from Scot Sax and Mark Getten of the band Feel. McMartin held down double and triple duties on the drums, percussion and even a little bass.
"I really enjoyed co-producing this record with Shane," Falkow explains. "I approached my vocal a lot differently, it's very honest and straight forward. Overall, I wanted to achieve an open and simple sound. Nothing has been overproduced. We treated each song with exactly what it needed, whether it was horns or strings or just a piano and a vocal. Recording all of the overdubs was the most fun."
Upon the release of her second album, Smitten, Billboard Magazine singled her out from the pack by saying, "Falkow is writing infectious pop/folk songs with palpable soul."
With her Summer 2004 relocation to Dublin, Ireland, Falkow is enjoying a whole new adventure and change of scenery. CLEAR VIEW ended her chapter in Philadelphia and began a brand new one an ocean away.
Bullets
- 2005 Guest on On the Verge - 104.9FM - Ireland
- 2005 Guest on Pat Kenny Show - RTE RADIO 1 - Ireland
- 2005 Guest on NEWS TALK Radio - Arts Show - Ireland
- 2005 Guest on The Soup Music Radio - Anna Livia- Ireland
- 2006 Joins Fran King's band - Ireland
- 2006 Track - "Stay" appears on "On The Verge LIVE @ SIN É and DSFM" released by On the Verge - 104.9FM - Ireland
- 2004 4 songs from Clear View going to All My Children, soap opera!
- 2003 Joined Daniel Lanois on tour as a vocalist in his band comprised of Lanois, drummer Brian Blade and Falkow
- Singing appearance with Daniel Lanois on two songs, :The Maker" and "Falling at Your Feet" on Broadcast recording of Live from the World Café
- Lead Vocals on national TV and radio ad campaign for YouCanDealWithIt.com
- 2002 Won Philadelphia City Paper Music Awards BEST SINGER-SONGWRITER/FOLK PERFORMER
- 2003 - VH1 Born to Diva - Auditioned, called back, made it to the Philly episode!
- Song "It Could've Been Anyone" from Smitten made it to the soundtrack of movie called Emmett's Mark, starring Tim Roth and Gabriel Byrne
- 2001 MTV's late nite soap opera UNDRESSED used 2 songs "No Mexico" and "Child of Television" from Smitten
- 2001, 2000, 1999 - Nominated BEST FOLK PERFORMER at the Philadelphia City Paper Music Awards
- 2000 – Nominated BEST FEMALE VOCALIST at the Philadelphia City Paper Music Awards.
- Lilith Fair Talent Search Winner – Nancy performed her own set and was invited on the main stage with the Indigo Girls and then again with Sarah McLachlan, in front of a sold out show of 25,000 people at the Tweeter Center, Camden, NJ
- Background Vocals on Astrud Gilberto’s release Jungle - 2 songs
- Background vocal on G Love & Special Sauce's, Electric Mile (Epic), song "Shy Girl"
- February 2001 Nancy sings with LaBelle Band background singers on two Shirley Caesar/Patti LaBelle duets for Warner Brothers release
- Halloween 2000, Nancy performed with moe. at the legendary Tower Theater, on a spectacular performance of Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon, she was the female soloist ("Great Gig in the Sky") and background vocals for the entire performance
- Smitten was named one of the top 50 albums of 2001 for Thursday Breakfast Jam Best of 2001 at KRCL in Utah
- 2000 Performer on Oprah Winfrey's Oxygen Tank Tour
- 2000 First unsigned artist spotlight at www.stevemadden.com
- 2000 Co-founder of Folk n' Sole Tour presented by Steve Madden Shoes
- "Suffragette Sessions" featuring the Indigo Girls
- Featured Performer - solo/acoustic, as well as performance with the ensemble at The Electric Factory, Philadelphia, PA
Shared Stages
Discography
Albums by Nancy
- Clear View – Produced by Falkow and McMartin 2004
- Smitten – Produced by Shane McMartin 2001
- Nancy Falkow ~ 5 song E.P. – Produced by Scot Sax 1997
Songs on Other Compilations and Recordings
- "1921" – Facedown Records tribute to The Who - Who’s Forgotten
- "My Head is Only in My House When it Rains" – Genus Records tribute to Captain Beefheart- Mama Kangaroos
- "Victrola" – One minute version -- Minutes to the Millenium
- Aisling Being – San Francisco-based Psy-trance duo – featured vocal and co-write -- 3 songs
Vocal Appearances
- Wood - Songs from Stamford Hill(Columbia) -- back ground vocals on 8 tracks
- G Love & Special Sauce - Electric Mile (Epic/Okeh!) -- background vocal on "Shy Girl"
- Astrud Gilberto - Jungle – back ground vocals on 2 songs
- Daniel Lanios – Live from the World Café appearance March 2003 – 2 songs
- Shirley Caesar/Patti LaBelle duet for Warner Brothers release – back ground vocals on "You are My Friend" and 'Who's on the Lord's Side?"
- Marah - 20,000 Streets Under the Sky (Yep Roc Records ) -- background vocal on "Going Thru The Motions"
- John Train - vocal on "Did You Come By Your Bitterness Honestly?" from Looks Like Up(Record Cellar) as well as harmonies on 5 more songs on 2004 release Sugar Ditch (Record Cellar)
- John Train - Sugar Ditch (Record Cellar) -- "Shame On You" "How Am I Ever Gonna Get Home?" "Randy Come Home" "Are You Like Me?"
- Pornosonic (Jay Bird Records) -- 1999 release lead vocal on track 10
- 2005 Slo-Mo - My Buzz Comes Back (PHIdelity) -- featured or lead vocals on 5 tracks
Radio Appearances (partial list)
- Pat Kenny Show RTE - Radio 1 (Dublin, Ireland)
- Arts Show - News Talk Radio (Dublin, Ireland)
- The Soup Music - Anna Livia Radio (Dublin, Ireland)
- 88.5FM WXPN Live Guest: Morning Show Women's Music Hour with Michaela Majoun Live Guest: Gene Shay Folk Show and many other live appearances
- CMR for Europe -- Bob Paterson’s Singer Songwriter show (London, England)
- Radioboston.com – live guest on the Zcid Experience
- Nashville, TN -- Appearance on Billy Block's Western Roots Revival Radio Show (w/ backing band Joe, Marc's Brother)
- Airplay -
(partial list)100.3FM, WPHL, WXPN, WSGR, 91.3FM, Port Huron, MI, 91.1 FM, WMUA, Amherst, MA, Womenonair.com, Eyeqradio.com, Angel Lace Radio, The River 97.3, Harrisburg, PA, 91.7 FM, WHUS, Storrs, Connecticut, Amazon Women's Hour on WXPN, 91.5 FM Sacramento, WIUV 91.3FM Poultney, VT, 88.7FM WXJM, Harrisonburg, Virginia, Divas and Dames, WKDU, WPKN…
Television Appearances (partial list)
- ABC 6 - Philly After Midnite - Feature Piece with Live Performance
- NBC 10 – News - Prime Time Special Report Feature Piece
- FOX 29 - Good Day Philadelphia - Live Musical Performance and Interview
- WPHL 17- News Special Report Interview and Musical Performance
- UPN 57 - Studio 57 - Musical Performance March 1999 and July 1999