Walk into a Northern Virginia Barnes & Noble or Borders bookstore on any given night, and you might hear the strumming of an acoustic guitar accompanying an emotionally-saturated female voice. If you're lucky, the performers near the coffee bar will be Victoria Patchen and Joe Martinez, the duet called Angel Fall.
Patchen, 22, and Martinez, 24, met in 1998 while attending James Madison University. Martinez heard Patchen singing at a party and liked what he heard. He sent her a tape of some original songs. After Martinez reworked some of the keys to suit Patchen's voice, the duet began to work together.
After graduating, both musicians moved to the Northern Virginia area and kept in touch. They soon decided to come together as a duo, forming Angel Fall because of their passionate love of music.
Martinez and Patchen have been showcasing their talents in countless coffee shops and bookstores throughout the state, and they are well-received and gaining a growing fan base. A recent and successful performance at the Kennedy Center's Open House Arts Festival, however, boosted Angel Fall's credibility by showing that their sound goes beyond the usual coffeehouse fare.
The simple cover of Angel Fall's self-titled CD - a naturally lit room with a hardwood floor, large elegantly draped windows, and a single wooden chair in the foreground - is a perfect metaphor for the duo's music. Their pieces stand on their own without need for ornamental accessories.
Martinez plays all of the instruments for Angel Fall's first full-length CD - most notably, the acoustic guitar. While the guitar work gives a poignant feel to the music, the occasional percussion lends a hand by sending a breath of life into his work. Self-taught, he recorded in a basement with the help of a friend and one microphone.
Although Patchen's vocals take center stage, the elegant strumming of the acoustic guitar provides a sturdy foundation for her interpretations of the poetic lyrics. At times reminiscent of Jewel, Patchen's graceful, airy renditions evoke much emotion and add to the already meaningful lyrics. It is easy to tell that she puts a lot of effort into each song, and Martinez's musical accompaniment compliments her rich intonations.
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Angel Fall began working with songs written by Martinez. As the duet learned more about each other, they both began contributing new material and collaborating more and more on each song. Much of each song's meaning is gratuitously left up to the interpretation of listeners. Captivating, thought-provoking lyrics such as "Faces drift by carelessly / Waiting / For anything to finally lift their eyes / Away / From their crimes committed in cold wine" leave a lasting impression and invite a personal involvement with the music.
The mellow tones of the acoustic guitar lead many of Angel Fall's songs to be moody and melancholy pieces about broken hearts and failed relationships. But the songs never get repetitious. Each offers a different taste of the duet's songwriting talents, be it supple vocals or tenderly melodic guitar. Angel Fall's musical style, rooted in folk-singing, drifts from the Latin feel of "Cold Wine" to the more acoustic pop flavor of "I'll Remember Your Name."
One might think 11 tracks of Patchen's voice would get boring, but quite the opposite is true. She displays a unique ability to draw the listener into a relationship with each song. At the same time, Martinez's accompaniment provides a heavenly harmony. The tracks flow smoothly together, and the lilting melodies combined with Patchen's poignant vocals captivate the listener with the beautiful blending of the duo's talents.
Martinez and Patchen work well together. Self-produced under Nez Records (named after a band Martinez and his brother had formed while in high school), "Angel Fall" definitely has a professional sound. Though there is room for improvement - perhaps a wider variety of songs - the talent of the duo permeates the album, giving the listener a flavorful experience. "Angel Fall" is a strong debut for the local duo.
Though Angel Fall still is starting out, Martinez and Patchen someday hope to turn their love of music into a career. They are reluctant, however, to say that they would like to make it "big." The duo wants to keep the quality and consistency of its sound. Patchen and Martinez are working on getting their music known and hope to continue their successful performances.
Angel Fall will be performing at Starr Hill on Main Street this Thursday, Feb. 22, at 9:15 p.m. This up-and-coming duo should not be missed.
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