PRESS QUOTES AND ARTICLES

AMPLIFY MUSIC
Interview | February 7, 2024
Phoenix-based singer-songwriter Annie Moscow has just released a fantastic new album, “Land of Dreams.” Poetic lyrics ride atop Moscow’s lush and layered music: it’s an album full of depth and emotion, touching on love, loss, learning, letting go, and, above all, acceptance. Life lessons learned by living them. Anyone with a predilection for excellent storytelling will appreciate Moscow’s marvelous collection of songs, and we sat down with her recently to discuss the album and her music in more detail.


Hi Annie! You have a terrific new album out in February called “Land of Dreams.” How did these songs come together and what broad strokes can you tell us about the collection?

The songs were written during the lockdown years, when there was plenty of time for reflecting and creating. They are songs of the universal human experience, as viewed from the observation deck of my own — with the underlying theme being acceptance and gratitude for the gifts life can bring, especially from experiences that don’t seem like gifts at first.

One of the songs on your new album, “Open Dream,” is really great and stood out to me. What can you tell us about this song? What inspired you to write it and what is it about?

Thank you. That song is special to me, too, because it came to me in a dream. I often get messages in dreams. Sometimes I get messages of comfort, and sometimes I get a song. This time I got both. Dreams are so ephemeral; if you don’t grab on to pieces as soon as you wake up, they start floating away immediately. This time, I caught some of those pieces and was pretty happy about it, but then had to literally drag myself out of bed and over to the piano at 5 a.m. to make sure I got it down before it got away.

The dream gave me a beautiful melody, along with the reminder that in spite of any drama or turmoil going on out in the world, there is always a deeper place inside, “home,” where everything is ok.

What was it like recording this album overall? What was the vibe in the studio, and how did this song, in particular, come together?

The vibe was fantastic — creative and fun. This is my sixth studio album. In the past, I would put myself in the hands of a producer who would supervise everything, bring in “their” people, and you could really feel their stamp on the work. This time, I wanted the project to be more fully mine, so I sat in the co-producer chair, alongside producer/engineer extraordinaire John Herrera, and I brought in “my” people — wonderful musicians that I had my own history with. Integrity. Love. No egos. I relished every minute of it.

When the album was probably 99% complete, there were a few songs that needed just a little something more. This was one of them. I wanted it to be a tad “dreamier” in parts, so we brought in Kenny Skaggs (Glen Campbell) to put on some steel guitar, and, wow, that brought it all together just perfectly.

What do you hope this album conveys to those who listen to it?

Beauty, a sense of recognition, and peace.

Since you started out, how has your songwriting changed — both musically and lyrically? Do different things inspire you now? Where do you tend to get your biggest inspiration from these days?

Whenever I go through major life changes, a song cycle usually comes out of it.  If I had one of those halls in an art gallery where they do a retrospective with the dates and then they lay out the artist’s work with little plaques — “This was the ‘midlife crisis’ period, this was the ‘electronica period,’ this was the ‘post-divorce’ period — I could have a little plaque like that next to each album. Every song collection I’ve put out, in hindsight, there are clear markers. And musically, I’m always growing and shifting as my ears light up to new sounds, and those changes are reflected in each successive album as well. Right now, I’m inspired by jazz, the on-the-spot creativity and freedom of the players, and the rich harmonic textures.

Songwriting can be a really personal endeavor. Is it tough to share that stuff that usually might be private if you weren’t writing a song about it? Does unveiling the songs publicly, when you release a single or an EP or album, make you anxious or is it cathartic to have the songs out there?

You’re right! Privately, you might only talk to a few people, but in songs you share with everyone! It is scary at first — mostly when I debut a new song and I look around at people’s faces as I’m singing it, and then it’s like, “Oh….” You forget the powerful emotions that went into writing that song, because you’ve already processed it and played it through about 500 times, but now you see how it’s hitting others for the first time. Sometimes, I’ll feel really vulnerable afterwards, like I just walked through the room naked. But it’s also unbelievably rewarding to feel seen and to be able to connect to  others at such a deep level. Often, people will come up to me and relate a story, or share how one of my songs has affected their life, and it’s the most rewarding and life-affirming thing.

It’s not uncommon for an artist to be working on something new while promoting an album. Do you have anything in the pipeline to follow this album? What’s next from Annie Moscow?

Speaking of putting it out there — I’m working on a memoirish-type of book, inspired by and based around the songs from this album, that will be released mid-2024. Now that’s scary! But I find the more I can connect with myself and then out into the world, it all circles back. Life becomes richer and more meaningful. So, I’m all in.


SKOPE MAGAZINE
Interview | February 7, 2024

Annie Moscow's ‘Land of DREAMS’ is pure singer-songwriter poetry.

Arizona-based singer-songwriter Annie Moscow has just released a gorgeous new album, “Land of Dreams,” a collection of songs that dig deep and explore life in all of its intricacies. Moscow sat down with @skopemag to talk about these heartfelt and earnest songs.

@skopemag: Your amazing new album, “Land of Dreams” – what inspired it and prompted you to pull these particular songs together and head into the studio?

Annie Moscow: The lockdown years of 2020 and 2021 were interesting. Lots of losses and awakenings, and more than enough quiet time to reflect and write. By mid-2022, I knew I had an album, and it was time to record. The songs are all very different, but “acceptance” is a common thread that runs through them all.

@skopemag: Do you have a favorite song on the album? What do you love about it and what makes it really resonate for you?

Annie: Probably “Open Dream” (track 8), because it came to me in a dream, like a gift, and who doesn’t like presents! Sometimes I get messages in dreams, and sometimes songs come. This time it was both, and the message was very comforting – that no matter what happens, everything is going to be ok and there is a way back home.

@skopemag: Tell us about your songwriting process? How do songs come together?

Annie: A partial lyric or a piece of melody will appear, hang around, and grow over time — anywhere from a few days to a few years. As enough pieces start coming together, it’s like a section of a puzzle, and then I’ll sit down and start editing or playing what I have over and over till it all starts falling into place.

@skopemag: What is one word to describe how you feel about releasing this album?

Annie: Gratitude.

@skopemag: How would you describe your music to people who haven’t heard it before?

Annie: I’m a piano-based poet/singer-songwriter. My music combines elements of folk, classical, and jazz.

@skopemag: Who are your biggest musical influences right now?

Annie: Sting, Laura Nyro, Bill Evans, Billy Joel, Joni Mitchell, Debussy. Old school.

 

VENTS MAGAZINE
Exclusive feature Q & A | February 4, 2024

Annie Moscow makes music that is lyrically rich and sonically varied and tasteful. With a life-lived depth and full of been-there-done-that insight that lends a relatability and engaging grace, Moscow wows listeners with her emotional wisdom and observations. On her new album, “Land of Dreams,” we find Moscow at her best, exploring her life and making the kind of music that is sure to win her many new fans.

Vents Magazine sat down with Moscow to talk about the new album, and we took a dive into the title track, “Land of Dreams,” including its inspiration and message. We chatted about her diverse influences, and what’s next for this wonderfully talented artist.

Hi Annie, welcome to VENTS! How have you been?

Hey! Thank you! Very good, thanks!

You have an amazing new album out in February called “Land of Dreams.” What can you tell us about it? What is the story behind it?

It’s a collection of 10 mostly new songs, of reflections and observations. As I look back now over so much of the past, so much of it seems like a movie, like a land of dreams.

What do you hope listeners get from hearing the album? What do you hope the overarching message is?  

Joy, comfort in the sharing that, yeah, someone else has been there, too. The songs come out of the headspace of looking at the life we create – well, the one I’ve created anyway – and in the end, it’s all ok, because everything was just a dream.

We really love the title song “Land of Dreams.” What inspired you to write that song? What is it about?

Thank you!

The song is a journey to a magical, healing place where everyone is happy and loving.  And we can fly.

“Land of Dreams” is a co-write with Rachael Nicole Gold. Rachael and I used to write together a lot and share a love of Latin jazz, which was the inspiration behind the style and feel of this song.  “Land of Dreams” is the only song on the album that is not recently written. We wrote it back in the ’90s, and our dream was to have Flora Purim record it, maybe even in Portuguese. But, hasn’t happened (yet?…).

What was the recording process like in the studio for the song? Did this song end up sounding like you expected it to, or did it take a different direction in the studio?

The song came out very different from how it was originally conceived. Like I said, it’s an older song and was originally written as Latin jazz, so we needed to modify a tad and re-imagine it, to keep it more in line with the rest of the album.  

The rhythm section on the song is a jazz trio — Dom Moio (percussion), Rachael Nicole Gold (piano), and Felix Sainz (bass).   But layered on top is pure acoustic Americana, with The Brothers Landau on guitar, cello, and gorgeous harmonies, and Kenny Skaggs (Glen Campbell) on pedal steel, which adds to the magical, dreamlike quality. Somehow it all works.

What is your favorite part of the song – either musically or lyrically?

It’s fun to me how this song sounds so simple, but yet is incredibly complex. And I love every time the choruses come in, the way it opens open up into the dreamland.

Your sound ties together some different vibes that make it special. The result is really great. How did you settle upon your overall sound? What do you think defines the “Annie Moscow Sound”?

Thank you!  

I’ve had many different influences. I write whatever I’m inspired to write, and those diverse influences pop through,, so I’ve always been difficult to genre-pinpoint. I’ve been compared to Joni Mitchell, Billy Joel, Jacques Brel, and Laura Nyro, so, there’s some of the mix. But there are common denominators that run through all my work, that everyone recognizes as  “me.” Those would be my voice, my piano style, and my approach to lyrics. But musically, it’s always evolving.

What else is happening next for you? Can fans see you on tour anywhere this year? Any other new music coming?

Right now, I perform mostly in Arizona, where I live, and I have a few dates in California in June.  I’m also working on a memoir-ish type of book, loosely structured around my songs, which I look forward to releasing mid-2024.

EXCLUSIVE MAGAZINE
Review “Land of Dreams” | February 4, 2024

For those unaware, Annie Moscow’s new recording Land of Dreams is an album about life, gratitude, acceptance and transformation.

Indeed, anyone who’s fortunate enough to have been on this planet for any length of time knows it’s a journey of twists and turns, triumphs and losses. And thus, each jolt in the road brings the gift of new perspective to maybe ease your way of the next earthquake, or help you avoid it.

Annie Moscow conveys her artistry as a performer, contemporary poet and modern-day storyteller, with her fresh perspective and unique themes. With a piano style that ranges from the intimate to explosive, combined with a unique and powerful voice, her cinematic songs take your right into the picture.

Furthermore, Moscow’s music has range and has been compared to artists as diverse as Carole King, Billy Joel, Laura Nyro and Jacques Brel.

This beautifully sculpted new recording opens on the delicately ambient Sitting Here in Numbers and the veritably ethereal Girl Behind the Trees, and they are followed by the Celtic-imbibed Damaged Angel, the gently melodic Why Do I and then comes the impassioned Middle Child.

Along next is the warm, all-embracing Who Will I Be Good For Now and the more strident Gypsy Dancer, and they are themselves backed by the low slung acoustic ambiance of Open Dream, the album rounding out on the aching yearn found within To See This With Me, closing on the effectively diligent smoothness

 

ANTIMUSIC 
Singled Out: Annie Moscow's Who Will I Be Good for Now
Keavin Wiggins | February 5, 2024

Annie Moscow just released her new album, "Land of Dreams" and to celebrate we asked her to tell us about the very moving song "Who Will I Be Good for Now." Here is the story:

My friend had lost her husband two years back. When I asked how she was doing, she said, "You know, mostly okay, but the weirdest little thing thing that keeps coming up is, my cheerleader is gone. I keep wanting to run into the next room, share something or show him something I'm working on, and he's not there. Like a little kid, I feel like, who will I be good for now?"

That really hit home for me. I had experienced a number of recent losses myself, including a divorce and the loss of both my parents. When I first sat down to write this song, it started out as a sad song about grief and emptiness. But the more I sang it, the song evolved as I realized how much I had changed through these losses. Without my cheerleaders around, I had gotten so much better at taking care of myself, listening more to my own inner compass, feeling stronger and more capable than ever before.

It's kind of like you're flying a plane, and the whole crew begins dropping out, one by one, and you see you're on your own. Once you get past the grief and the fear, you realize you now need to steer this plane by yourself, and you can and you will. That's what this song is about, as I answer my own question in the last line: “Me. I'm gonna be good for me.”

 

AMERICANA HIGHWAYS
Review: “Land of Dreams”
John Apice | January 31, 2024

Another fine vocalist with style, originality, humor & intriguing material. Phoenix-based Annie Moscow’s 6th CD with a facility to it all. Her voice is perfectly suited to this cache. Doing something like Land of Dreams challenges the artist, it tests their diversity & in the case of Ms. Moscow produces bracingly smart music.

When she states that she’s stepped into every pothole imaginable I know what she means & that’s separating the salt from the water. What’s exhilarating through these songs is a strange bedfellow – she makes them sound like Broadway songs with fascinating music production. The showcasing provided has a dynamic & it all comes with taste. The 10 dreams on this Elysian trip were produced by John Herrera & Annie Moscow for Land of Dreams (Drops Feb. 2–11 Blocks Records/44:00).

The “Girl Behind the Trees,” is like a brisk cool wind on a humid day. She performs her songs beyond mere singing. Annie (piano/lead vocals & bgv) also said that she nurses her bruises, dusts herself off & moves on. An LP based on that recipe is certainly going to be an optimistic ride. It isn’t all easygoing, better days coming, or rolling with the punches – she deals with things. She offers a lesson to those who have the blues, are melancholy, have no answers & think the walls are closing in. Each song is beautifully rendered.

The lyric insert has a detailed explanation of each lyric. Life is indeed an amazing teacher when you pay attention – Annie Moscow is an amazing teacher through her narrative. She’s mining a vein, not many singer-songwriters explore. She’s excavating an entire mountain of challenges. I was in Arizona this past October & I didn’t see musicians as distinguished as these. These are impeccable performers & Arizona has a great musical environment.

Annie gets personal, confessional, observant & impressionistic & does it with a strong will with clarity throughout. Annie says there are many things you think will go on forever, but they don’t. Singing & recording since 2001 Annie isn’t afraid of untouched subjects, midlife issues, awakenings, being disillusioned & living with dysfunction.

There are hints of Dory Previn who also touched upon touchy issues as Toni Childs & Suzanne Vega did. In “Middle Child,” the wonderful song style is sung in the beautified melancholy artistry of the Blue Nile. Driven by grand piano grandiose it brings the dynamic to a dramatic form.

Beautiful CD packaging & lyric insert. Thumbs up.

Highlights – “Sitting Here In Numbers,” “Girl Behind the Trees,” “Damaged Angel,” “Why Do,” “Middle Child,” the terrific “Who Will I Be Good For Now” & “Open Dream.”

Musicians – David Landau (cello/bgv), Daniel Landau (guitar/bgv), Kenny Skaggs (guitar/slide guitar), Dom Moio & John Herrera (percussion), Thano Sahnas (bouzouki), Suzanne Lansford (violin), Rachael Nicole Gold (piano) & Felix Sainz (bass).

 

PLATINUM MIND 

January 30, 2024

Hello Annie how are you?

I’m great, thank you!

Congratulations on the release of “Land Of Dreams” how does it feel?

It feels wonderful! I’ve been working hard, and I am very proud of this one!

What’s the story behind it?

The song “Land of Dreams“ was inspired by Latin jazz. I’ve always been a big fan of Chick Corea, Airto, and Flora Purim’s song “Open Your Eyes, You Can Fly.“ I love the imagery of soaring through the air to a beautiful, healing world that has really always been right in front of us, and I wanted to capture that magical feeling of freedom, of flying through the sky like a bird to the wondrous “Land of Dreams.“

It’s a song that you wrote way back in 1986. What was life like for you back then?

I was an aspiring songwriter living in Los Angeles, regularly attending songwriter gatherings where publishers and producers would come, hoping to place my songs.  

This is from a larger body of work that features you as a producer for the first time; what did you learn through the process?

So much!  I learned how to take charge, and get what I was envisioning (and more!) every step of the way. It was a major learning and discovery process. The initial challenge was honing in on what exactly what my vision for the project was, and then being cautious and protective of outside influences, as I’ve tended in the past to be too easily swayed by opinions of others, resulting in not feeling satisfied with the end result. So I resolved this time to stay true to myself and take full responsibility for the outcome, and I’m happy to say that, for the first time ever, I can look at this finished album and say, “Yes, this is what I meant.”

 

What’s your favourite track from the album?

 

All the songs are my babies, so that’s tough! But if I had to choose one, probably “Open Dream,“because it was the catalyst for the entire project. I write all the time; lyrics and pieces of songs float in from everywhere, but I’m not always thinking “album.“ “Open Dream“ came to me in a dream in 2021, at which time I had been accumulating a number of lyrics and song parts over the lockdown years. When “Open Dream“ appeared, I realized a theme had been developing, a collection had been forming, and it was time to record.

You’re a singer–songwriter from New York with quite a resume. How did it all begin for you?

I was born in New York, then grew up in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, outside of Philadelphia. I’ve been in music all my life, playing piano and singing since I was five, then majored in music in college. After college, I worked as a lyricist for about 20 years, wrote for film and TV, had a hit with Kathy Sledge in 1992 (“All of My Love“). Around 1998, I began writing full songs for myself to sing, both lyrics and the music, and in 2000 released my debut album, “Wolves at my Door.”

What did you listen to starting out?

I’ve always loved the soulful singer–songwriter poets and storytellers. My mile-long list includes Billy Joel, Joni Mitchell, Laura Nyro, and Ben Folds. I’m also a big fan of piano and vocal jazz. Some early favorites were Bill Evans, Oscar Peterson and Take 6.

You’ve written for Sarah Vaughan; did you get to meet Sassy herself?

I wish! No, I was living in Los Angeles at the time. “Tears in My Heart“ was my first song placement with a major publisher, Famous Music. I’m not sure if Famous is still around, but back then they were big, and in 1989, the potentially career-launching call came in from my attorney that Sarah Vaughan was going to be performing “Tears in My Heart“ the following week at the Blue Note Cafe in New York, and was also getting ready to record it. Less than four months after her show, she passed away. Never made it to the recording part.

You’re also a poet; what’s your favourite poem?

Wow, that’s a great question! Nobody’s ever asked me that! I did most of my poetry reading when I was very young and my favorites were Rumi, Shel Silverstein, Louisa May Alcott, and Dr. Seuss. But now I get my fix from the great lyricists, whom I believe are the real poets of today — the only ones getting noticed on a large scale anyway. I once heard a quote attributed to Joni Mitchell, something like, “Poets who don’t sing their own words are cowards,” and that struck a chord with me. That quote was actually some of the impetus behind me eventually putting my own songs together, getting up on that stage, and starting to sing. 

But, to pick a favorite — I’ll go with one that’s been swimming around in my head lately, “That’s Not the Shape of my Heart“ by Sting.

What are you listening to at the moment?

Jacob Collier. I’m blown away and inspired by everything he does.  

What are you looking forward to most in 2024?

I’m looking forward to doing some touring around “Land of Dreams.“ I’m also working on a book based around the songs from that album, filling in some of the backstories, which will be coming out later this year.

 

AUTHORITY MAGAZINE 1/29/24

Trust yourself.

It’s been an ever-evolving life lesson for me. From my misaligned concert pianist background to so many compromised decisions and situations I’ve found myself in throughout the years, whenever I’ve trusted others more than I’ve trusted myself, it’s not without cost.

As a part of our interview series with leaders, stars, and rising stars in the music industry, we had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Annie Moscow.

“Some people are just born inspirational, and count Annie Moscow among them,” wrote Americana Highways of the Phoenix-based singer-songwriter. Moscow released her sixth studio album, “Land of Dreams,” independently on February 2, 2024, as her first solely acoustic project. The album showcases a voice that is strong and unique, both in sound and perspective, and the more minimal instrumentation strips her rich and diverse musical influences down to the essentials, exposing a perceived vulnerability mixed with hard-won wisdom gained through life experience. The new album shines a bright light on her singer-songwriter roots, where she has never been one to shy away from deeply personal and profoundly revelatory themes, and this is no exception. Moscow delivers, engages, and disarms, sometimes resolute and sometimes with the wry, subtle humor which resonates and endears her music to fans everywhere. As many an audience member has attested, no one leaves an Annie Moscow show without knowing not only more about Moscow, but more about themselves. With her gift for melody and dramatic, cinematic storytelling, her songs and performances often elicit comparisons to other dynamic pianist/cultural documentarians including Billy Joel, Laura Nyro, and Carole King. https://anniemoscow.com/

 

Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Before we dive in, our readers would love to learn a bit about your “origin story”. Can you tell us the story of how you grew up?

I’m originally from the East Coast, the tri-state area — New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. Both my parents loved music. My father played guitar and sang in the Cornell glee club (like Andy from “The Office”), and my mother loved classical music and Broadway shows and played her records all the time around the house.

My father was my first piano teacher when I was five. But as I got more serious, so did my teachers, including David Sokoloff and Marion Zarzaczna of The Curtis Institute. At 16, I won a youth orchestra competition and performed with the Bucks County Symphony, then went on to major in piano performance at Indiana University, presumably to become a concert pianist.

I never really wanted to be a concert pianist. What I really wanted to do was be able to play jazz or play in a rock band. I took a few jazz improv classes at IU with David Baker, and I loved it. But the bigger part of my education and all opportunities leaned classical, and I stayed the path, unsure of any other way at that time to move forward.

What inspired you to pursue a career in music, and how did your journey begin?

My two first loves were music and poetry. According to my mother, when I was three years old, I would stand in the middle of the living room and recite poetry. (Apologies to my family!)

After college, I married a professional musician, a jazz/rock keyboard player. I worked for a while as a music director for a dinner theater, but the pay was low and unreliable, and I eventually moved into office work. Pianists have amazing typing speed.

My (now ex) husband and I began writing songs together. I was primarily the lyricist at that time, and we had some success. Sarah Vaughn sang one of our songs. As did Mickey Mouse. In 1992, Kathy Sledge had a hit with “All of My Love.” In 1994, we wrote and produced a hit children’s record, “Land of the Diamond Sun,” and invitations started coming in to perform from all over the country, so we formed a duo and called ourselves Melonball. I was not one of the main musicians on the album, but in order to ride this wave of success, my husband taught me keyboard parts, I learned some harmonies, and we toured as children’s artists for the next six years.

Can you tell us the most interesting story that happened to you since you began your career?

I grew up with insecurities about my singing voice. I’ve always loved to sing, was always harmonizing with friends. I sang in all the choirs. But to my mother’s ears, if you weren’t Beverly Sills or Barbra Streisand, you didn’t rate. And then when I married my musician husband, we had a steady parade of amazing singers coming in and out of our home studio to record our song demos. Most of them were R&B singers with these amazingly powerful, flexible voices, of which I was not one of them either. I resigned myself that I was not a “real” singer.

But, over the years, I would get these little pokes, little hints that singing was something I could and should be doing. One time, I was humming to myself in a store aisle and a woman came up to tell me I had a lovely voice. There were a number of times after Melonball shows where people would compliment me on my voice, and it always surprised me, because I was just doing some harmonies and didn’t think anyone could really hear me.

Then, there was one time, early in my marriage, years before Melonball and 20 years before my first album release, when one of those amazing R&B demo singers was over at our house with a woman from her church. She said she was a prophet and offered to do a prophecy circle for us. We all held hands, and she went around the circle. At me she said, “You’re a singer, and you’re going to be singing to many people.” To which my reaction was, “Ok you’re wrong, but thank you, that was fun!”

Well, who’s getting the last laugh now. I am a late(r) bloomer, but I did finally get the message.

It has been said that sometimes our mistakes can be our greatest teachers. Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

After the release of my first album in 2000, “Wolves at My Door,” one of my first gigs was at Borders Books & Music. I was so excited just to be playing anywhere that the concept of editing my set or “playing to the room” never even crossed my mind. Not only that, the only songs I was prepared to play were the 12 songs from my album, including track four, “Buy the Bitch a Cadillac,” a snappy little ragtime number where the title is repeated throughout the chorus. It’s a funny song, it was my “most-requested” for a while, and it even won a Billboard award. But on that Sunday afternoon at Borders Books & Music, as I was singing my heart out on that song, my talents were not appreciated. Apparently, the intercom system was sharing my performance with the entire store, including where the children’s story hour was taking place. The events manager came over and said, “I’m sorry but I’m going to have to ask you to leave.”

I returned home, devastated. Beat myself up for a while. But friends rallied around and convinced me it was a badge of honor to be “banned in Borders,” so I quickly got over myself. But it was a tough blow at the time.

None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?

Janie Ellis. We first met over 20 years ago, and I’m still overwhelmed with gratitude every time I think of her. I was introduced to Janie through Catherine Dockendorff, my first voice teacher, and another angel on this earth whom we recently lost. Catherine was working with me on my new songs, encouraging me to perform, which I wanted to, but not without trepidation. I had never sung solo in public, and my songs were deeply personal. It felt very exposed.

Janie is a choreographer, as well as a mover and shaker in the arts community, and she was one of the first people to believe in me, so much so that I could feel it in every fiber, and she encouraged me further to believe in myself. Janie put together my first concert, my public debut. Her mother, Rachael Ellis, a renowned costume designer, designed a piece for me to wear, as well as my entire new “look.”

Throughout the years, Janie has been there for me in so many ways. In 2008, I was in the process of writing my first one-woman show while simultaneously going through a divorce. On the evening of the day I signed the papers, Janie took me out to dinner and then to Carrie Fisher’s one-woman show. To see how the pros do it.

She’s the most inspiring person I know. Whenever I’m around her, the message comes across loud and clear: we pick ourselves up and we keep moving.

What are some of the most interesting or exciting projects you are working on now?

I’m working on a book based around some of my music, particularly focused around the songs of my new album, “Land of Dreams.” People ask me all the time about my lyrics and the stories behind them, even what specific lines mean. I’m looking forward to a release later this year.

We are very interested in diversity in the entertainment industry. Can you share three reasons with our readers about why you think it’s important to have diversity represented in music, film, and television? How can that potentially affect our culture?

  1. It’s a huge world out there. Everybody needs their stories told and shared. We all resonate with what most closely mirrors our own upbringing or cultural mindset. It can be healing, enriching, and inspiring to feel pieces of our own stories reflecting back at us, letting us know we’re not alone.
  2. When we experience the art of different cultures, we can perceive at the most basic, human level how similar we all are. Everybody laughs, loves, desires, feels fear, joy, and pain. And when we can recognize that same humanness in others, especially through art, the most potent delivery system, it bonds us across cultural barriers to help us realize, we’re all in this together.
  3. As artists and creators, when we reach out, touch, and taste different cultures, new ideas and inspirations pour in, sift through our own filters, and alchemize into something unique and new. Fusion. Afro-Caribbean music. Pineapple pizza. It’s all life feeding on the richness of itself and evolving on the shoulders of all that comes before.

As a successful music star, you’ve likely faced challenges along the way. How do you stay motivated? How do you overcome obstacles in your career?

The more I’ve learned to trust myself, the more I can feel an inner guidance of what to do next. If I need to wake up at 6:00 a.m. to write down something from a dream, or stay up till midnight to meet a deadline, I may grumble a bit, but it’s all ok because there’s always a natural motivation to do what needs to be done. Obstacles these days have become not so much “obstacles” but more walls in a maze to find the best way around and keep going. Musically, career-wise, I believe there’s a lot more to come, and I’ll just keep following my inner muse. But if I wake up tomorrow and decide it’s time to chuck it all and become a chicken farmer or something, maybe I’ll do that. It hasn’t happened yet, and I don’t anticipate it, but I’m open to whatever.

 

What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started” and why?

1. Trust yourself.

It’s been an ever-evolving life lesson for me. From my misaligned concert pianist background to so many compromised decisions and situations I’ve found myself in throughout the years, whenever I’ve trusted others more than I’ve trusted myself, it’s not without cost.

2. You don’t have to sing like Aretha Franklin or Mariah Carey to be a viable artist.

Many of my favorite artists will never win “The Voice.” Some will, but I’ve learned to appreciate that while that kind of voice can be a wonderful puzzle piece of many elements that come together to make up a great artist, it isn’t a mandatory one. There are many successful artists with many different combinations of many different puzzle pieces, still getting their work out into the world and touching people’s lives

3. Never stop playing the guitar.

I played when I was a teenager, but let it go. A lot of singer/songwriter/pianists I know also play the guitar and can perform their songs in a variety of environments, including on a mountaintop or down by a river. Me, I can’t share a song unless there’s a piano around. And whenever I show up dragging a keyboard behind me, friends are always joking, “You need to learn the ukulele! Or the flute!” They’re right. But by this time, my songs are so piano-driven, it’s such a part of everything I do, I’m not even sure how they would translate into a non-piano arrangement. Might be fun to find out though. Any volunteers?

4. Always be yourself. Stretch when you can, but don’t go beyond the point of leaving yourself behind.

I saw a very funny bit by a comedienne who said, “Gentlemen, never be late for a date, because that’s when the glitter comes out.” She proceeded to explain that when girls are getting ready for a date, they will primp to perfection, right up to the last minute. But then for every minute her date is late, she’s back looking in that mirror, enhancing just one more little thing. A few minutes in, and out comes the glitter. And if the guy is very late, be warned, he may be showing up to Bozo the Clown.

Last week. I had a video shoot at a glossy, professional studio, and I was instructed to wear dramatic make-up and lots of face powder. I wanted to look my best for those HD cameras, possibly had too much time on my hands, and my primping efforts took me well past the glitter mark. By the time I arrived, my otherwise healthy, flowing hair had become a lacquer helmet, glitter was getting in my contact lenses, and my face creased into powdery lines every time I smiled. I haven’t seen the video yet. I hope it came out ok, but that face powder and hair spray are going in the trash.

5. Don’t eat chocolate before going onstage, or even before going out in public for that matter

I love chocolate, but whenever I eat it, I get an over-caffeinated sugar-high. I get incredibly hyper, capable of saying the wildest things — it can be funny, but with no filters at all, and then later it’s like, “OMG!” So, I try to stay off chocolate before being around my fellow human beings.

Can you share some insights into your creative process? How do you approach songwriting? How do you approach musical collaborations?

Most of my songs start with a lyric. It’s a very personal process of letting the lyric flow up and then shape itself over time. Then I’ll sit down at the piano with it and just start playing around with what comes. I experience the whole process as nurturing and growing the song. Like a beautiful plant. Editing comes last, when there’s something solid to work with, tweaking it into form. Mostly I write alone, although two of the songs on my new album are collaborations which I’m very grateful for, because in both instances, my writing partners (Rachael Nicole Gold on the title track, “Land of Dreams,” and David Landau on “To See With Me”) stretched me and these songs into wonderful, new harmonic territory.

Your music has resonated with so many fans worldwide. What do you believe sets your music apart?

Life experience. I didn’t step onto the stage as a singer-songwriter till I was in my 40s, and by that time had been living a relatively ordinary life as a suburban wife and mother. My musician husband was the one out there living the seemingly glamorous life. I was the one dealing with cul-de-sac concerns — PTA meetings, family dinners, school lunches.

After I released my first CD, what I quickly learned from people who gravitated towards my work was that I was chronicling the silent undercurrents that so many other middle-class, middle-aged people were experiencing. Regrets, fears, family dysfunction, troubled marriages. Unlike so many of my counterparts, along with those resonating life experiences I was also sitting on a hidden trove of all the necessary skills to write and sing about them. A fortuitous combination. I even had a home studio. One of the songs from my first album, “It’s all Dissipating,” is about returning to difficult family gatherings on Thanksgiving and beginning to wonder, “Why?” People have come up to me since and said they’ve made long overdue phone calls or fixed broken relationships, just because of that song.

The outpouring of positive response to my early work encouraged me to keep doing what I was doing, because, first and foremost, I love writing and performing. But, even more, it felt important. People out there were changing their lives for the better just because of something I said or was singing about, and, for the first time in my life, I felt like a valuable part of a bigger picture, and it felt good.

How do you connect with your audience?

Telling the truth. Being honest about who I am, where I’ve been, what I’ve seen, and putting it out there. My stories are their stories. Just by being open and real, that’s what people pick up on and resonate to.

Ok, here’s a funny story. I was singing one of my new songs the other day, “Who Will I Be Good For Now.” The first line of that song is, “Mommy, mommy look at me, I’m up here on the high dive.” After the show, a woman approached me, said she really liked that song, and asked me if I was a diver. I said, “No, but I used to be.” She said, “Well, my daughter’s a diver, and I want you to know, you put your mother through hell.”

With your busy schedule and demanding performances, how do you prioritize self-care and maintain a balance between your personal life and career in the music industry?

Self-care is number one. Deadlines happen. Sometimes things build up, and you just have to deal with them. But whenever possible, I try to leave buffer zones between big commitments. I make my close relationships a priority, and occasionally take days off to do almost nothing, no music or business anyway, and I take naps when needed.

You are a person of enormous influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. :-)

I would like more than anything to see an end to homelessness. It baffles me that homelessness is even a “thing” in today’s world and wealthy countries. I can’t believe there’s no money being spent somewhere uselessly that could be re-directed to provide, at minimum, a safe place for everyone to have a warm place to sleep and enough to eat. And with all these empty buildings today because of people working at home and shopping online, it makes me wonder, how hard could it be to find a way to give people who have fallen on hard times, at minimum, their own room with a door to lock, a temporary respite to anyone who needs a chance to catch their breath and ideally find their way back again?

Is there a person in the world, or in the US whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this, especially if we tag them. :-)

Joni Mitchell. I’ve always loved her. She appears in my dreams from time to time, and we’re always good friends. If I ever get a chance to sit down and have a cup of coffee with her, that would be the biggest thrill and delight. A literal dream come true.

How can our readers continue to follow your work online?

I post everything on my website, and I also send out updates about once a month to my mailing list, which can be accessed through my website. I’ve also recently gotten onto Patreon, where I’ve been posting rough chapters of my upcoming book.

This was very meaningful, thank you so much! We wish you continued success!

About the interviewer: Guernslye Honoré, affectionately known as “Gee-Gee”, is an amalgamation of creativity, vision, and endless enthusiasm. She has elegantly twined the worlds of writing, acting, and digital marketing into an inspiring tapestry of achievement. As the creative genius at the heart of Esma Marketing & Publishing, she leads her team to unprecedented heights with her comprehensive understanding of the industry and her innate flair for innovation. Her boundless passion and sense of purpose radiate from every endeavor she undertakes, turning ideas into reality and creating a realm of infinite possibilities. A true dynamo, Gee-Gee’s name has become synonymous with inspirational leadership and the art of creating success.

AMERICANA HIGHWAYS

Melissa Hart | November, 2023

Americana Highways brings you this video premiere of Annie Moscow’s song “Gypsy Dancer,” from her forthcoming album Land of Dreams, slated for release on February 2.  This album was produced by John Herrera and Annie with assistance by Rachael Nicole Gold, mixed by John Herrera, Seth Glier, Kari Estrin, Annie Moscow and Rachael Nicole Gold; and mastered by Seth Glier.  The song, “Gypsy Dancer,” will be available on November 10.

“Gypsy Dancer” is Annie Moscow on piano and vocals; David Landau on cello and guitar; Dom Moio on percussion; Thano Sahnas on bouzouki; Suzanne Lansford on violin; David and Daniel Landau (“The Brothers Landau”) on backing vocals with hand claps by Annie and Rachael Nicole Gold.

The live concert video of Thanos was created by Cowboy Wrecks, Roadapple Ranch Perduckshins, and Annie created the rest of the video – which is quite embellished!

We had a chance to chat with Annie about this song.  The premiere appears just beneath this video.

Americana Highways: You wrote this song for a friend. What can you tell us about the inspiration and story behind it?

Annie Moscow: My friend was turning 60. A few years back, she and I had both extricated ourselves from long and compromised marriages. As for myself, I had married young, filled with hopes and delusions, and spent the next 20-plus years simmering in discontent as my fantasies dismantled, piece by piece, until there was nothing left to hang on to. But a new day was dawning, and my friend and I were both committed to self-discovery, opening up to a better life, both of us so ready to move on. Her party invitation stated this was to be a “Gypsy Night,” and mandated we all come dressed as gypsies, prepared to dance. Clearly my friend had put the past behind her and was ready to shine some light back in on herself, and I was right there with her.

AH: What kind of a vibe were you going for on this song? How does the final version differ from what you imagined it might be before you went into the studio?

AM: Awakening and celebration. The suffering is over, and it’s time to come out and play. I love how the song turned out. The lyrics were easy, just like sitting down and talking to a friend. The music brought challenges, though, particularly in the dance section. I initially recorded the song to feature the piano, with a pretty bare rhythm section, but it was falling short of the feeling of total joy and abandonment that I desired to express.

We brought in Suzanne Lansford (of We3), who added on a wonderful gypsy violin part. Then my producer, John Herrera, suggested we bring in Thano Sahnas, a bouzouki virtuoso whom John’s had worked with in their ’90s band, Turning Point. Prior to this, I was not that familiar with bouzoukis, but between Suzanne’s and Thano’s performances, the song came up many levels, far exceeded my expectations, and I couldn’t be happier.

AH: What do you hope listeners get from hearing the song? What was your friend’s reaction to the song?

AM: Renewal. That life can be joyous again, after difficult times.

My friend loved the song. Blown away too, that I had written a song for her. I played it twice the night of her party — the first time as my gift, the second time because everybody wanted to dance to it. It was great!

AH: How does this song fit in among the others on the album? How is it similar and/or how does it stand out as different?

AM: Many of the songs on the album are reflections and observations. “Gypsy Dancer” stands out as an affirmation of opening up, taking back our lives.

AH: Tell us about the video. How did it come together and whose idea was the video treatment? Who worked on the video with you?

AM: I created the video. In my younger days, I went to art school and took myself pretty seriously as a painter — so I’m a visual person by nature. It’s been a few decades since I sat behind an easel, but a few years ago I got into creating short videos for some of my songs and realized how much I missed working with imagery. At first, the technical learning curve was intimidating — it wasn’t as easy as just picking up a brush and then voila – here’s red! Instant gratification. But, fortunately, easy entry software exists, and the first video I did four years ago to my song, “He Paints Cats,” was a very basic, but still very sweet little iMovie slide show. I’ve since moved on to Apple’s moviemaking software, Final Cut Pro, where I force myself to regularly learn new techniques, and every time I learn something new, I’m like a kid with a new toy and use it everywhere. I still consider myself a beginner, but I really enjoy the process. For the “Gypsy Dancer” video, I had just begun getting comfortable with fading different media in and out and also learning how to better film myself — all done on an iPhone. One of my next goals is lighting, but for now, I mostly take advantage of the outdoor, natural light. Last week, I learned how to key frame — a basic animation technique — so, watch out for upcoming videos, especially the very next one!

The additional footage in this video is mostly from stock libraries, as well as some AI-generated images. One of my favorite scenes is where I was able to put myself right into the gypsy’s crystal ball, but most people don’t pick up on that detail in commensurate awareness to my exuberance about it, so, heads up in advance! I also had some great footage of Thanos playing the bouzouki from our recent concert at The Nash in Phoenix, which I was able to edit in.

AH:  That’s great!  What’s next for Annie Moscow?

AM: My two favorite things are creating and performing. I look forward to many more shows in 2024, including some traveling. And, when I’m not in performing mode or in the studio, you’ll most likely find me behind a desk, nerding out on some newly discovered video tip or trick.

Some people are just born inspirational, and count Annie Moscow among them. Enjoy the lyrics: “Happy birthday to my friend / You’re a gypsy dancer / And you’re shining bright / You’re a gypsy dancer / Now you’re spinnin’ in the light / You’re a gypsy dancer / Come and take us away / Tonight.” There are lots of occasions where this song would be a great asset, listen, enjoy, and save it for your future celebratory playlist

 

V13 

Aaron Willschick | October, 2023

Within the headspace in which she approaches songwriting, there was no better title for Annie Moscow's new album than "Land of Dreams."

Ahead of the album's release this coming February, we get today the music video for the first single, "Open Dream."  It's a taste of the revealing approach which the singer-songwriter used for this new set of songs.  The album is actually her first entirely acoustic offering, which is somewhat surprising considering the four-decade career she has had.

 Describing in great detail the origins of "Open Dream", Moscow tells us: 

"This song came to me in a dream in August, 2021.  

I had a dream that I was sitting in an airport concourse where a young woman was playing a grand piano. A girl walked over and began singing the most beautiful song I had ever heard. Then I woke up. I was happy the song was still playing in my head, but also a bit grumpy that it was ridiculously early in the morning. I knew if I didn’t drag myself over to the piano and record it, this song would be gone forever. 

“Over the years, I’ve had many dreams that have been comforting, embracing, and incredibly vivid. This one felt so real that I actually felt a little guilty at first, like I was stealing the song from someone in another dimension. It was incredibly fun and cathartic creating the video for this song. I was able to play with juxtaposing images of reality, childhood memories, and dreams. Now I see it all as a musical bridge to a deeper place inside myself. It’s a reminder that amidst all the chaos going on in the world, through dreams and music, I can always find my way back home.”

 

Moscow has really had a very interesting career. Early in her life as a musician, she was a classical pianist. She married keyboardist Steve Gold, a session musician for artists like Sister Sledge, Bette Midler, and Billy Paul. Collaborating together, they found great success as songwriters for film, television, and other artists. 

Land of Dreams is one of Moscow’s most forthright musical showings yet. The intention was to strip things down to the bare minimum and let her vocals carry the load. Within that minimalistic approach is a vulnerability that she now feels comfortable sharing. Through life and such a long run in the music industry, she has gained a lot of wisdom. These lessons inspired her to take more control of her music. This is the first time she has produced any of her records. 

The confessional nature of the album was also motivated by the time in which it was written. The pandemic times got Moscow thinking a lot, and she poured it into her music. A true singer-songwriter record, Moscow delivers her most personal and strong-willed collection of songs yet.

 

ROOTSTIME (Belgium) 

Dani Heyvaert | March, 2017 

(translated from Dutch) I do not know how familiar Annie Moscow is with you, readers, but for me she was, until a few weeks ago a completely blank slate. PASSING TRAINS, Annie’s 5th release, won’t allow her to fly under the radar anymore with an exceptional release by a strong, experienced and honest woman. 

After 26 years of marriage, when Annie’s husband realized his identity was in fact female, what did Annie do? She struggled and then went about creating art, revealing more about herself in these songs, while finding her voice in this compelling release. 

PASSING TRAINS will touch you deeply, thanks to the production of the late John Jennings, the producer and bandmate for Mary Chapin Carpenter and countless others, this record perhaps being one of his last released. A penetrating and honest record, Annie artfully turned her feelings and experiences on PASSING TRAINS into healing, yet beautiful songs, with themes that we all sometimes struggle with. 

Annie Moscow catches the world in her eyes as she looks through the window of Passing Trains, her recent release. Using a Folk music backdrop of guitar and piano, Annie tells her tales on the album, snapping pictures of the humanity traveling by with snippet of phrases that flesh out her characters. An NYC artist is drawn by her words as Annie Moscow sets the stage of He Paints Cats in Washington Square Park, giving the homeless painter a life that could be envied in its freedom by her description of his survival techniques. Passing Trains hears the rattle of rails amid rolling piano and haunting melodies in the title track as it watches its characters as moving targets while Back Again smiles at memories and gets in line with a worldwide community seeking What Everybody Else Wants. 

Annie Moscow paints a desert scene with peaceful tranquility in the reverie of Sometimes I Think of You as she sticks a bouncing beat underneath the fading love story in Teflon Man, spills details in the sparkling flow of notes from It’s Just Water, and watches others pair up as she sits alone at a table for one in Someone to Walk with Me. Annie Moscow strums stories as she captures universal topics shared in both the small towns and big cities glimpsed from Passing Trains as years fall like the unrealized dreams in Someday as she borrows a familiar character from The Kinks Ray Davies to share a cherry cola with Lola.

 

 

THE ALTERNATIVE ROOT MAGAZINE 

Danny McCloskey | February, 2017 

Annie Moscow catches the world in her eyes as she looks through the window of Passing Trains, her recent release. Using a Folk music backdrop of guitar and piano, Annie tells her tales on the album, snapping pictures of the humanity traveling by with snippet of phrases that flesh out her characters. An NYC artist is drawn by her words as Annie Moscow sets the stage of He Paints Cats in Washington Square Park, giving the homeless painter a life that could be envied in its freedom by her description of his survival techniques. Passing Trains hears the rattle of rails amid rolling piano and haunting melodies in the title track as it watches its characters as moving targets while Back Again smiles at memories and gets in line with a worldwide community seeking What Everybody Else Wants. 

Annie Moscow paints a desert scene with peaceful tranquility in the reverie of Sometimes I Think of You as she sticks a bouncing beat underneath the fading love story in Teflon Man, spills details in the sparkling flow of notes from It’s Just Water, and watches others pair up as she sits alone at a table for one in Someone to Walk with Me. Annie Moscow strums stories as she captures universal topics shared in both the small towns and big cities glimpsed from Passing Trains as years fall like the unrealized dreams in Someday as she borrows a familiar character from The Kinks Ray Davies to share a cherry cola with Lola. 

 

 

HERBERGER THEATER CENTER

Judy Rollings | September 23, 2016 

Annie Moscow has a “voice” beyond her lovely singing voice that captivated me from the first of the many shows she has done for Lunch Time Theater.  A true poet, her commentary on life, culture and society are deeply insightful, and filled with humor and wisdom.  Put all of that on state delivered by an amazing classically trained pianist who sings her heart out, and you have Annie Moscow who unflinchingly and honestly tells all! 

by Dan Buckley, Formerly Arts and Entertainment Reporter with THE TUCSON CITIZEN | June 17, 2014 

My friend Annie Moscow after her one woman show, “Sea of Change,” at the Herberger Theatre in Phoenix. Annie has always been one of my favorite singer songwriters in the state because she has an ability to write lyrics that everyone can relate to and music you just want to hear again and again. Her current show is the most personal piece I’ve seen her do to date, and not a particularly common theme. Annie was married to a man for almost 30 years who, a few years back, decided to have a sex change operation. While we all applaud those with the courage to be who they really are, we forget sometimes that there is some serious collateral damage. In this show Annie tells her story, personally and honestly, with a lot of humor, and a huge thread of redemtion for her. She talks honestly about the pain and sheer numbness she went through, and about how she too is coming out the other side. On top of that we hear a clutch of new songs that are really powerful and wonderful. The’y’re songs you’d love whether you heard them in this context or just on their own. They’re songs I guarantee every person in that fairly full house could relate to. I highly recommend seeing this show, and checking out Annie Moscow wherever and whenever you can. Congrats, Annie. You made me laugh. You made me understand something I never conceived of before. And you made me proud to know this great spirit among us. You kicked ass, Annie. Be proud. 

 

 

ARIZONA LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE 

by Kenneth LaFave  |  February 11, 2011 

“Whatever else she is, Annie Moscow may be the most important Arizona musician you’ve never heard of…” 

 

 

PERFECT MOMENT PROJECT

(blog) by Robin, Tempe |  January 26, 2012 

“Annie Moscow’s message was universal.  She was kind of a female Harry Chapin, entertaining us with songs, stories, a wink of an eye.” 

 

 

ACOUSTIC AMERICANA MUSIC GUIDE 

by Larry Wines  | February 07, 2011 

“Uber-talented Annie Moscow is subject of magazine feature..“ 

 

 

PHOENIX CULTURAL EVENTS EXAMINER 

by Ru Hernandez | September 09, 2009 
Free Spirit Dreaming Dreaming in Suburbia 
Philosophical Musings is a delightful, thought-provoking mix of storytelling, songs and audience interaction from an ex-hippie. 

Perspectives in the form of friends who would make quirky characters for an outlandish, surrealistic novel. Except that these folks are so weird they must be real\\Poet/pianist Annie Moscow’s entertaining one-woman theater revue is fitting for these money-tight times.  We live in an era of homes in suburbia lost to foreclosures, imminent job layoffs at all socioeconomic levels and cherished career dreams dashed by harsh economic realities. 

For just over an hour the audience at Moscow’s one-act musical interspersed with her poignant philosophical musings were able to forget their own financial problems – or at least laugh at them while listening to this seasoned musician’s songs and bittersweet lessons. 

And what do you get for your hard-earned cash?  You get a mix of Annie Moscow-penned songs and imaginative lyrics from her two CDs and live shows.  You get insightful story-telling and get to meet Annie’s life experiences and perspectives in the form of friends who would make quirky characters for an outlandish, surrealistic novel.  Except that these folks are so weird they must be real. 

Characters like Drew, the high schoolmate who looked so hot but turned out to be gay.  Like her woman friend who calls herself the “Orange Juice Fairy.”  Or listen to the whimsical lyrics welcoming you to suburbia, “Where the beds are warm, and the floors are clean and the dogs are fat and the lawns are green.” 

Philosophical Musings is a delightful, thought-provoking mix of storytelling, songs and audience interaction from an ex-hippie. 

Go visit Annie’s world.  where mid-life crises bites down hard, lost opportunities compete with dreams gone wrong, and we ponder the personal prices we pay for four walls – and are able to laugh all the while.” 

 

 

ARIZONA REPUBLIC 

by Kerry Lengl  | September 09, 2009 

“Storytelling comes naturally to Annie Moscow, both in the songs she writes and in the chatter that comes between them in concert…” 

 

 

PASADENA WEEKLY 

– TRAX by Bliss  |  March 12, 2009 

“Moscow’s lyrics skillfully empathize with lost characters (the title track) and capture the intimate losses of time.” 

 

 

GOLDMINE – Feature: Indie Label Spotlight 

by Lee Zimmerman 

“Hers is a singular voice, both in it’s soaring resonance and in its poignant perspective, a rarity in a musical environment that champions teen queens and bitter babes… It’s fair to say Wolves at My Door is a howling success.” 

 

 

COLLECTED SOUNDS WOMEN IN MUSIC 

by Anna Maria Stjarnell 

“Annie Moscow plays the piano beautifully and has a great talent for songwriting. Her music is thoughtful, emotionally complex and mature. Her range is dazzling. The more I listen to this music the more I discover. This is a keeper.” 

 

 

DRAMA BEAT (cover story) 

by Lou Hunt | September 13, 2002 

New artists, like poet/pianist Annie Moscow, are quietly connecting with their audience by sharing a vulnerability that often startles us with its familiarity to our own thoughts, fears and frustrations. It’s as if our everyday lives are being given a new perspective when we see and hear our “own” stories woven into rhythm, color and rhyme.”