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Paula Cole
"I relate to Pablo Neruda (the poet) in 'Il Postino' when he says that by explaining his poetry, he nullifies the very purpose of its existence," says Paula Cole. "I feel the joy of creation also lies in the many differences of its interpretation." So it's not surprising that she won't be including song lyrics with This Fire, her Warner Bros. debut. The songs stand by themselves � and they speak commandingly.
This Fire announces the arrival of a writer, singer and musician of exceptional talent and power. It is filled with shockingly bold writing and singing that is gentle and whispering at one extreme of the pendulum and vicious at the other. The 11 songs on This Fire overflow with emotions that seem deeply, even fiercely personal, yet Cole manages to make the experiences and the pain universal, transcending their often autobiographical origins.

Cole grew up in Rockport, a small Massachusetts town and the "Bethlehem" she sang about with tender pain on Harbinger (her debut release on Imago, re-released on Warner Bros. Records). And while it revealed a childhood of poverty, diffidence and self-consciousness, This Fire revisits Bethlehem on "Tiger," its leadoff track, to announce that "...I've left Bethlehem and I feel free. I've left the girl I was supposed to be."

"Tiger" is a ferocious track with searing vocals, Cole's own personal declaration of independence from her past. Like the rest of This Fire, it is musically rich and compelling, propelled by Jay Bellerose on drums, Tony Levin on bass, Greg Leisz on guitars, and Cole on piano, keyboard, clarinet and other instruments. "Tiger" is a showcase for Cole's remarkable, soaring voice and emotionally urgent lyrics.

"Where Have All the Cowboys Gone?" comes on like a short story, compressing a whole life into four-and-a-half minutes�a masterpiece of story-telling, but leavened with wit and humor. "Throwing Stones" is a septic dark cry�a release of the rage within. This Fire offers a harrowing musical and emotional ride, but provides some respite, as in the wistful "Carmen" and the slow, smoldering sensuality of "Feelin' Love," Cole's take on old Memphis soul. "Mississippi" startles with its surprising shift of gears, from tender pleas to full-throttle fury � and back.

Her family was her greatest artistic influence. Her mother is a visual artist, while her father has paved a diverse career path by using his varied musical talents. "My dad used to play bass in a polka band. He put himself through college, earning a Masters and then a Ph.D. in entomology, while supporting two children with his earnings from musical gigs, as well as other part-time jobs. He used to walk through the house playing blues progressions on the guitar and I would vocally improvise. Also, singing in three-part harmony in the car was an every day occurrence," remembers Paula. "They taught me the most singly important life philosophy: music is meant to be self-made, to be experienced directly. Therefore, we didn't listen to many records or spend much time listening to the radio. I see now how different I am from mainstream society in this way and it makes me very happy."

After high school, Cole attended Berklee College of Music in Boston, where she studied jazz singing and improvisation. "I learned a lot cerebrally; I learned a lot of old standards, eartraining, arranging and group singing, but I was ultimately driven to write my own music, poetry and prose. I could see that this was my path. I felt destiny in my own music. I found freedom."

This Fire was self-produced by Cole, one of several major steps she has taken since her first recording. "There's a blossoming of self on this new album. I look back to Harbinger and I see the poignancy; I feel its adolescent point of view. Now the flower has opened, has been in the sun and is unafraid. I'm taking more chances; I'm bold and proud."

Paula Cole:

Sounds

Where Have All The Cowboys Gone? Feeling Love Me

-- Reprinted from the Paula Cole web site at Warner Brothers Records

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