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http://www.senbaltimore.com/music/music_reviews/local_cd_reviews/a-bilingual-eve---under-the-cloud-cover.shtmlA Bilingual Eve - Under The Cloud Cover
A gentle patina in her voice gives this self-released effort a sense of character unfamiliar to many indie acoustic singers, tinged with a soul unmatched by her peers. Her whistle-register voice is reproduced in a very honest and intimate fashion on the self-released EP, Under The Cloud Cover.
When a singer/songwriter with talent leaves Baltimore, it can be somewhat disappointing for those who love our town and want to see the music scene grow, expand, and make neighboring cities jealous. In the case of many artists, however, the move is necessary to expand on the talent that scratches its way to the surface. And, for the sake of our lady Baltimore, it can show other communities what this town has to offer.
Take the example of A Bilingual Eve, nee Gina Scaduto, who made the coastal leap to Olympia, Washington recently. Olympia, in a way, can be seen as a Baltimore of the west coast, with a now defunct brewery (Olympia Beer there, National Bohemian here), major disasters in its history (a 1949 major earthquake paralleling the great Baltimore fire), both cities have grown into hubs for artists and musicians, both are port cities, and both are virtually overshadowed by bigger nearby cities like Seattle and DC. It seems Olympia may have been a fitting choice for A Bilingual Eve, given those comparisons, as she finds a chance to expand her horizons while settling into a comfortable place on the left coast.
A gentle patina in her voice gives this self-released effort a sense of character unfamiliar to many indie acoustic singers, tinged with a soul unmatched by her peers. Her whistle-register voice is reproduced in a very honest and intimate fashion on the self-released EP, Under The Cloud Cover. Three original tracks are followed by four covers including renditions of songs by He Is Legend and Derek Webb. [Note: The version in this writer's CD player comes with demo-quality 'bonus' tracks that show plenty more emotive sonance than the 'traditional' release may contain.]
"Life On Jupiter" speaks the flawed language of love and desire in intergalactic metaphor, touching the outer reaches of the heart's galaxy, going supernova before it can be fully explored. "Jupiter" is followed by two complementing tracks, "Love Song From A Fish To A Bird" and "Love Song From The Moon To The Earth". On the whole, Under The Cloud Cover is unwavering in its integrity of spirit, and while Scaduto is not breaking any new ground with these recordings, her voice adds a missing depth of soul long missing from those of her contemporaries and peers.
Guaranteeing to expand her horizons is news of Scaduto taking music lessons with none other than Laura Veirs. Such an experience will be invaluable for its impact on the vision of this songwriter. Under The Cloud Cover offers but a taste of the artist's original songs, putting its best foot forward on the opening cut. With more in that vein, A Bilingual Eve can make a mark of her own both in Olympia and here at home.