Artist description A singer/songwriter and roots rocker reminiscent of Bob Dylan, Lou Reed, Mazy Star, The Velvet Underground, and Patti Smith. Partial to Neal Young and the Rolling Stones Flanagan has just released her new CD?Album "Let". "LET": LINER NOTES /RELEASED 11/2002: Feeling a warm glow of sweet sadness. I've just stepped out of Natalie's world. It isn't a place that you can necessarily get to quickly;the simple act of placing the disk in your CD player does not guarantee entrance. You see Natalie does not make it easy for you. You have to go with respect and understanding. Its a place where aching melencholy is tempered with courage and tenderness. Call it grace under pressure. Natalie doesn't give you the words- she grapples with them as if knowing that in balance they could never really be precise enough. But somehow it is all there in her voice. If you decide to enter Natalie's world, you will only be given shadows of meaning. These are the ground rules. In "Come In Tokyo" she may or may not be describing the strange bittersweet rush of hearing her music played on the radio with the words: When my lucky light lit up the sky/I got all choked up inside". She dedicates it with love and brotherhood to all her fellow artists in the USA. Perhaps that's a hint. Perhaps it isn't. In "Patience" she talks about the power that is out there and beyond words when she advises the subject of the song: "You'll see what to do once the silence pierces you through". Each word is a commitment, and as is the case with all the true and best artists, exacts its toll on both singer and listener; nothing is wasted. her delivery embodies the supremely casual cool of Chrissie Hynde and Bob Dylan, but unlike these singers her words are always just under the radar. Its up to you to do the listening. Maybe the key moment on the CD is when she says: "Some folks just can't tell what is or isn't real". If you are someone that can tell, then you will be welcome in Natalie's world. - David Wildman UPDATE: Natalie's song "LITTLE MACHINE" appears on the new One Way Productions compilation CD "DIG THE BOSTON UNDERGROUND": 16 Songs/12 Bands [3 OF THE FIRST SONGS EVER RECORDED BY THE MIGHTY MIGHTY BOSSTONES, 2 SONGS BY RICK BARTON [COFOUNDER & LEAD SONGWRITER FOR THE DROPKICK MURPHYS] with his new band "the Shadow Blasters", LAST STAND [2 MAXIMUM ROCK AND ROLL MAGAZINE recommended albums and one of the best Oi & CLASSIC PUNK ROCK bands in the US, NATALIE FLANAGAN [Boston Underground Singer/Songwriter, Natalie's song "NUMBER ONE" attained the #1 MP3.COM chart position in the PUNK/GARAGE Genre in 5 months of 2000], THE RAY MASON BAND [AMERICANA ROCK LEGENDS], VELVETEEN [ROBIN VAUGHAN BRINGS HER SULTRY VOICE AND GREAT SONGWRITING TO HER NEW BAND], RED CHORD [RHYTHM & BLUES REMINISCENT OF BILLIE HOLIDAY AND JANICE JOPLIN], BLACK MARKET MEDALLIONS [IN YOUR FACE SKA/CORE], EMILY GROGAN [GUITAR ROCK], JOHN FELICE [FOUNDER AND SONGWRITER FOR THE LEGENDARY BOSTON BASED PUNK BAND THE REAL KIDS], CAGED HEAT [BLUES ROCK FROM CHILLY KURTZ'S BAND] , AND BINGE [BOSTON] [FUNK PUNK FROM THE BOSTON UNDERGROUND].

Music Style Singer/Songwriter, Indie Rock, Roots, Rock, Folk Rock with some New Country influences

Musical Influences Lou Reed, Bob Dylan, Chrissy Hynde, Mazzy Star, Neal Young, The Rolling Stones

Similar Artists Velvet Underground, Chrissy Hynde, Bob Dylan, Lou Reed, Neal Young

Artist History Boston Underground singer/songwriter and roots rocker Natalie Flanagan was born at the Boston Lying Inn somewhere in the sixties, Natalie Flanagan grew up in the western suburbs listening to the local classic rock stations. She admits a weakness for Bob Seeger, and songs that make you cry. Natalie went to “Zoo Mass” through 1991 and after graduating, started waitressing at The Middle East in Cambridge MA to try and meet like-minded musicians. She put a few bands together but nothing that gelled. After three years of shaky line-ups she decided to just start booking shows and cross her fingers that she could get the musicians to play them. Some of her mainstays were Larry Dersch, Kenny Dussault, Ken Schopf, Ritch Cortese and Dimitri Fane. The unorthodox approach to gaining an audience is a testament to Natalie’s sincere desire to reach and affect them. She is interested in a story and a message. She wants people to really listen to what she’s saying. Natalie hopes that her words and music can make people feel less lonely, more understood and provoke them to speak up. “I think I became a musician so that I could write songs, keep people company, make them feel less lonesome. That's what the songs I love do for me.” She might have a message but the song never suffers. Much like some of her influences Natalie blends the music to compliment the meaning. Natalie is a big Stones fan. She is also drawn to the bare-bones pictorial songwriters, like Lou Reed, Bob Dylan and Joan Armatrading. She pays homage with a low-fi lazy rock sound that puts her songs, and her heart, right out in the front yard. She gets up there, tells a story, and paints a picture of what she sees as the truth. The delivery is genuine, sweet and just a little melancholy. Performing her songs and engaging an audience are what keeps Natalie going up on stage. She loves playing shows with musicians she respects such as Boston favorites Mr. Airplane Man, Red Chord, Tom Leach and Emily Grogan. Her musical career has yielded more than just gigs however. Two years ago she was asked to play a despondent female musician from Allston, MA in the full length independent film “Metal”, directed by Alice Cox. “ I got to lip-sync one of my own songs in a scene filmed at The Abbey Lounge. Jay Grimaldi played the booking agent - what a stretch for us!” Back track to 1983 and Natalie is at a Neighborhoods show at Pearl Street in Northampton MA watching Dave Minehan kick a heckler right off his stool from the stage. It makes perfect sense that years later she would have Dave “Kick’em outta their seats”. Minehan produces and plays guitar on her new record “LET”, released November 2002. This collection of warm sounds and smoky voiced suggestions serves you vintage Natalie Flanagan. You can catch her equally compelling live sets around Boston, New England and on tour - you don’t want to miss this. NATALIE'S ROLE AND MUSIC IN THE IDENDENDANT FULL LENGTH MOVIE RELEASE OF "METAL" HAS RECEIVED CRITICAL ACCLAIM. [1] The benefit to help Cambridge Fire victims on 9/28/00 at THE MIDDLE EAST in Cambridge, MA featuring Natalie, The Real Kids, Binge , The Peasants, El Camino, Despris, There, Segway, Hip Hop artists from Omnipotent Records, the mayor of Cambridge and Jimmy Tingle was a great success; thanks one and all for contributing to a worthy cause.

Group Members Appearing on her November 2002 Album/CD "LET": Natalie Flanagan: songwriter, vocals, guitar, acoustic guitar; Rich Cortese: bass guitar, Dennis Roach: guitar; David Minehan: guitar, Bass guitar, liederhosen; John Lynch: drums, Nigel Grover: drums; Tony Kaczynski: piano, organ/// "LET" was recorded and produced by David Minehan at Woolly Mammoth Recording Studios in Boston, Massachusetts. David Minehan, [who has played guitar for Paul Westerburg and David Bowie and is the founder & lead guitar player for The Neighborhoods also plays guitar on "LET".///////////////5 STAR DAY CD: Natalie Flanagan: song writing guitar vocals / Pat McDonald: lap steel guitar / Dimitri Fane: bass / Ken Schopf: drums //Appearing on "5 STAR DAY PLUS 3" are the following songs and musicians: "LOST AT SEA", "ME TOO" and "SIMPLE HEARTED FOOL": Natalie Flanagan: songwriter, vocals, guitar / Tony Savarino: lead guitar / Rich Cortese: bass / Ken Dussault: drums./////

Albums "Let", "5 Star Day", 5 Star Day Plus 3", Dig the Boston Underground"

Press Reviews BOSTON GLOBE, 12/05/2002 CALENDAR REVIEW: "LET" by Jonathon Perry[go to links and read the entire review] http://www.onewayproductions.com/natalie/ReviewsLet.html ///////////////////////////////////////// Underground phenomenon Natalie Flanagan emerges from the Boston underground music scene garnishing rave reviews for her live performances. Her 5 song album recorded "live" at Room 9 by Boston sound guru [and Barence Whitfield drummer] Ducky Carlisle. Natalie's "spare songwriting style, highlighted by sweet Lou Reed meets Bettie Severt vocals ][D.Wildman Boston Globe] "captivates audiences by conjuring a dark moodiness reminiscent of Mazzy Star. Backed by a new rhythm section [from Slide] and a moaning lap steel, her band has only reinforced comparisons to Chrissy Hynde and "The Feelies with more feel [J. Marko]". LISTEN.COM REVIEW: Natalie Flanagan writes the kind of songs you just can't find in your day to day coffeehouse Singer/Songwriter scene. Her Power Pop is embellished with vintage guitar tones that evoke the comfort of sitting next to a roaring fireplace and listening to a heavy thunderstorm. Her singing sounds like she could very well be the bastard daughter of Chrissie Hynde. Good songwriting aside, Flanagan should be commended on finding a way to fuse Power Pop with Country Rock in a manner that strays from all the tired and predictable formulas often found in the charming but predictable No Depression scene. [Mike A. Associate Editor, Listen.com "Find Your Music"]. With a catalogue of beautifully heartfelt and gut wrenching songs, Natalie Flanagan is an artist you won't want to mis

Additional Info Natalie's new release "Let" was recorded with award winning producer, David Minihan [Woolly Mammoth Recording Studio, Boston]

Location Boston / Cambridge, MA - USA

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