Hello Voyager, by Evangelista (CD on Constellation)

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We can call this a debut record of sorts, as it is the first album to be released under Carla Bozulich's new band moniker, Evangelista. Bozulich's first record for Constellation, issued in 2006, was released under her own name, and bore the album title Evangelista. That album title has now migrated to become the band name. So...this is the new album, titled Hello, Voyager, by the newly named band Evangelista, featuring Carla Bozulich. You follow? No worries, there will not be a quiz.

Carla's 2006 Constellation release was widely celebrated as her strongest, most fearless and compelling record in years, and ended up on many year end lists, including The Wire (UK), Blow Up (Italy) and WMFU (Brian Turner's blog) to name a few. Carla toured Evangelista all over Europe and North America, with core bandmate Tara Barnes at her side, and a rotating cast of other musicians, including Shahzad Ismaily and members of Thee Silver Mt. Zion (all of whom contributed to the original recording as well).

The Evangelista band continues to comprise Carla and Tara as its nucleus, and continues to build on its relationship with Montreal (where the last album was also made). Hello, Voyager was recorded in Montreal at the Hotel2Tango by Efrim Menuck in late summer 2007, with an even larger cast of Montreal musicians joining Carla, Tara and Shahzad this time around, to work up a more stylistically diverse batch of songs. Raw, beautifully ravaged, semi-improvised soundscapes still underpin Carla's incantatory sung and spoken lyrics on the album's opening and closing tracks, but much of the rest of the record is more overtly composed. Blistering nuggets like the snarling "Smooth Jazz" and the desperate "Truth Is Dark Like Outer Space" are the most rocking tunes Carla has put to tape since the demise of The Geraldine Fibbers, while "The Blue Room" (one of Carla's finest songs, and one she has been carrying around for many years) is finally captured in a stunning studio arrangement that includes organ, violin, cello and contrebasse. "Lucky Lucky Luck" is a playful, sassy, fractured take on the misfit narrative and "Paper Kitten Claw" is its methodical, reflective, poetic foil. Carla's voice perfectly sets and channels the prevailing mood on each song, and is strong as ever.

The new album includes contributions from over a dozen Montreal players, including most of Thee Silver Mt. Zion (chiefly on string arrangements), as well as Nadia Moss (organ) and a corps of local drummers who bang out the thunderous rhythm track on "Smooth Jazz" and drive the epic sprawl of the album's closing title track.

Constellation is thrilled to be releasing Carla's second album for the label on CD and 180gLP. Both formats come in our custom cardstock packaging, with artwork featuring paintings by Montreal artist (and Evangelista player) Nadia Moss, and include a fold-out lyric sheet insert.

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Hello Voyager by Evangelista (LP, £14.49)