Ange Boxall - the butterfly with bite

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Press

Ange's support gig for Tim Freedman (Whitlams)
By Katie Spain
The Australian Times, August 2007

I’m all set for a powerful performance but nothing could have prepared us for what we get from Tim’s support. Tasmanian songstress Ange Boxall opens the evening with rich, warm vocals and a set dripping with honesty. This pretty blonde stands alone on stage, guitar in hand and powerful voice at the ready. People put down their cutlery, abandon their vegetarian wraps and rise to attention before the small but mesmerising artist. She is a delight both on and off stage. Keep your eyes and ears wide open – this London-based treasure will go far.

By The Goat from the Consensus - Review of ‘Bigger Picture’
June 2006

I'm in love. "Bigger Picture" is an Americana styled song of the highest order, and is easily one of the "best" songs I've ever reviewed here. Ange sings deliberately, with purpose and conviction, of taking advice as if it were the same advice you'd give to another ... to see the bigger picture. The jangly intro is all Clint Eastwood spaghetti western ... the entire song rings with the sound of the American southwest, dry, hot and blazingly bright. The band's performance is impeccable. What's perhaps striking, but not surprising, is that Ange is originally from Australia, and is now based in London. It sure does seem that Australia understands the essence of Americana music and embraces it with purity and zealousness. Like award winning Australian singer-songwriters such as Tamika Tyler before her, Ange speaks from a rural Australian country experience, in an American country-folk voice not unlike the "voices" of the likes of Nanci Griffith or Iris DeMent, with whom she shares some similar vocal eccentricities ... or even such wonderful talents as Patty Griffin, Beth Orton or Mary Chapin-Carpenter. This is truly beautifully well done.

Scoring: Songcraft: 9, Recording: 9, Freshness: 8.5, Vocals: 9, XFactor: 9.5

Read more reviews at garageband.com

By Amy Lotsberg, Producer of 'Collected Sounds' USA 09/11/05
Ange Boxall is originally from Tasmania, Australia but now lives in London.
The CD starts out with "Bigger Picture" which has a sort of Rock-a-Billy/Chris Issak feel to it. Very melodic and a really fun song.
"Lady" is one of those songs that feels like it takes the listener back in time. It's reminding me of a CD I reviewed a long time ago. It was by an artist named Circle Link and her music was sort of old-school too. Really interesting and cool.
Boxall tends to take some chances with her voice. At times it's astonishing, others it's just kind of weird, but always intriguing.
The music is hard to put into a genre…sometimes it sounds like adult alternative, sometimes pop, and sometimes downright honky tonk. But that's not to say it's a schizophrenic album, because all the songs have a commonality. Part of that commonality is her voice, and there's something else too. I can't quite put my finger on it.

This is an album that will remain in my regular rotation for some time to come.

I don't really want to pick out stand out songs because I honestly like them all and they are so unique that I think there's something for everyone. That said, I really like "A Simple Life".

'TALENT WATCH' - What's On in London 25/05/05
Singer songwriter Ange Boxall was born in Tasmania, Australia and grew up listening to the likes of Joni Mitchell (her dad's influence) and Pat Benatar (mum loves '80s power-chord pop).
Ange graduated to Sheryl Crow and Carol King, started writing songs and recorded two albums: Red Is My Flesh and See-Saw.
In 1999 she moved to Melbourne and then London in 2000. For her third album Release, she's enlisted the help of an amazing set of musicians that have worked with the Prodigy, David Gray, Gorillaz, Yusef Islam and The Divine Comedy. They form part of an as yet unnamed band who will be accompanying her at The Borderline. Recorded in London, the album includes the twangy poppy alt.country of 'Bigger Picture', the jazzy 'Solo of The Sun' (on which she sounds like a sexier Katie Melua). There's the sweet and gentle 'A Simple Life' and 'Miracle of Love', which is PJ Harvey meets Jewel played by the Band Seeds. 'Here I Am Again' has a Natalie Merchant meets Calexico vibe while her best song is the Julee Cruise-infused country noir of 'I Don't Know'. Ange admits: "I've always wanted to be in a Tarantino film." Her cheekiest song 'Lady' fantasies about having an affair with another woman. "As an artist you always have to think in an experimental way," she says with a wink. Ange's hobbies include buying hats and wearing sexy shoes. She's bought a gleaming new pair especially for the Borderline gig.

'ONE TO WATCH' - Metro, London 24/05/05
Why would anyone forsake the sun and scenery of Tasmania for London where, even in mid-May the days can be grey and wet? Who Knows? But we can be glad the Tasmanian-born Boxall did, as it means we get the first glimpse of her new album, Release. Her first, er, release in Britain (the previous two albums were Australian-only), it's abewitching bunch of acoustic guitar-led songs in the vein of Joni Mitchel or Jewel. Indeed, if you're still mystified by the Alaskan troubadour's (Jewel's) decision to forsake her folk-tinged coffee house roots and go all Europop, here's where you should be looking next. Boxall launches the album with her eight-strong band at London's Borderline Club on May 31.

Beat Magazine, Australia
"Described as the Australian version of Jewel and a contemporary Joni Mitchell, Ange’s music is a tapestry of emotional, free-spirited lyrics, driven by powerful, passionate vocals. Her music is an honest celebration of life experiences.
As a determined, young artist with an abundance of smiling energy, Ange has sculpted a unique Australian style in both performance and songwriting."

The Star News, Australia
"Boxall is a butterfly with bite. First impressions of local singer Ange Boxall are of a young, attractive, and diminutive blonde.

But when she sings Ange presents a a completely different dimension. Her voice is big - it's also strong, mature, and on occasions has a dark huskiness that gives it extra depth. The lyrics of Ange's songs also reveal intelligence and a free-thinking spirit."

Mercury Newspaper, Australia
"Ange, sweet as an angel's song. Next time you're at Round Midnight and a lovely voice breaks through the chatter, you're probably listening to the dulcet tones of Ange. Ange’s music is strong but melodic, her voice mature but sweet."

Popkomm review
by Vincent Abbate
3 A.M. MAGAZINE

"Ange Boxall hit the stage after the long delay looking none the worse for wear. Nor did she seem all too torn up about the cancellation of her show at the Australian Pavilion at Expo 2000. "They're very disorganized," she said, with a jolly smile and a shrug. Haven't the Aussies ever heard of stress? Ange, a native Tasmanian, is the most wholesome 25-year-old woman you'd ever want to meet, a blonde-haired mermaid-cum-singer/songwriter. She sings hymns about her fears, her mother and gray Melbourne people who hate their jobs, all of it very clearly enunciated and politely strummed. Her voice is undeniably pretty. Put her in front of Ex-Cathedra's crowd with that voice, and lines like "I'm playing on the see-saw of my life", and you might just see a few bottles flying stageward. Washed up on the surf into a cozy little club, though, cradling her guitar, showing lots of tanned skin and sensitivity ... seeing Ange Boxall in such a setting, you may succumb to an urge to propose marriage on the spot."