I’m the Music Director at St. Timothy church in Laguna Niguel and we had a member of our music ministry (Erik Przytulski) do an arrangement of Alex Celano’s song; “A Child is Born”. We are going to sing this arrangement with our large Christmas Choir. The song is truly anointed and the choir has had a lot of fun putting the arrangement together. Alex is a gifted songwriter and this song has a lot going for it. Above all, there is great Christmas joy here that is truly needed at this time of the year. I am very blessed to have Alex and her husband Bryan ministering at St. Timothy’s. The entire album has something for everyone and I think anyone listening to this music will be uplifted and blessed. Thank you Alex!!

Bob DeCarlo, Music Director
St. Timothy Catholic Church, Laguna Niguel

On the inside cover of her cd “I’m Overcome”, Alexandra Celano has written “counting my blessings”. While that is true for her, it is also true for anyone who listens to and experiences her voice, her passion, her expressiveness in this collection of lovely songs with beautiful music. I count my blessings each time I enjoy her music; I am certain that many others would do the same. Her gifts remind us all of the blessings that surround us.

Monsignor John Urell
Laguna Niguel, CA

This singer/songwriter from Southern California is bringing her highly spiritual & inspirational music to the forefront. Alexandra Celano blends a joyful mix of Christian, country, rock, pop and Americana to make up one uplifting sound. Celano invites you to come along on her celestial life journey. The eleven tracks on I’m Overcome captures the artists’ true essence as a human being on this earth.

This album focuses on a deep sense of faith and family along with a warmth of goodness that comes from the heart. Celano sings these songs in such a convincing manner where her voice is angelic and her words are gripping. As she bears her soul to us, it appears to be full of joy and happiness. What I hear on this recording is incredibly satisfying music that will soothe your soul. The overall tone is a very peaceful one where Alexandra appears to be calling out to the angels & the heavens. Her voice is lovely in pitch & tone, but powerful in the sense of mere presence. As I listen to this album, I am overcome with a heavy feeling of peace & well-being.

The record starts up with the title track, “I’m Overcome”, where you get a definite country feel along with an overwhelming sensation of goodness. Celano also supplies peacefully good lyrics to ease things out & make everything right. Song two, “I Will Go” goes in a pop/rock direction more so with soothing melodies and a subtle country vibe. “My Father’s Hands” gives you a soft ‘n’ tender touch while “Let the River Flow” is giving high praise. Track six, “You”, offers up a sweet sentiment while “More than a Man” is beautifully done and dedicated to the ultimate higher power known as Jesus Christ. The song, “Grandpa”, is such a tremendous & touching tribute that it is extremely momentous for all. The album ends with the pure innocence of a child being born as the miracle of life is captured & cherished.

Another pivotal figure toward the making of this album would be Ed Tree who produced, engineered & mixed 10 tracks along with handling much of the instrumentation. All lyrics belong to Alexandra except “In This Place” and “My Father’s Hands” co-written by none other than her husband, Bryan Celano. Key players come together to make something truly special here.

I can’t leave without mentioning the imagery on the covers of this album. You witness the glowing light of Alexandra Celano on the front with displays of ever-flowing water & flowers. This continues on the inside as well to give off a very serene, peaceful and holy visual sensation. The packaging is put together so well that you get such a great feeling right away from the tranquil scene brought to life.

I just hope that the world will rejoice as Alexandra becomes overcome with emotion and shines through you. I’d like to leave with some gracious words by Celano that really sum up her character and the character of this record: “I’m so grateful to God and his many angels for leading me on my musical journey. I’m truly overcome…” All there is left to say is God Bless and Amen. For more on Alexandra Celano and her spiritual journey known as I’m Overcome, SKOPE out www.alexandracelano.com.

Written by Jimmy Rae (jrae@skopemag.com)
This review can be found at skopemag.com

The OC’s Alexandra Celano is making her own dreams come true, with a long deferred recording and performance career starting to take off. Celano’s debut CD, I’m Overcome features a mix of Pop and Country song with spiritual themes revolving around family, love and faith. With an avid internet following and burgeoning radio play at Christian Internet radio stations as well as internet based Country stations, Celano is on the verge of something big. I’m Overcome expresses her wonder at all while keeping a focus on the spiritual side of life.

Celano takes Praise music back to the roots of Country and Gospel with the bluegrass flavored title track on I’m Overcome. Celano’s pleasant alto and country twang are nearly up-staged by the outstanding instrumental play that shows a nearly-classical respect for melody and structure. Celano confirms that twang-ridden alto on I Will Go, but surprises by effortlessly reaching for notes in her upper register and singing just as sweetly as down low. In This Place is contemplative old school Southern Gospel done up in gorgeous vocal harmonies and strings.

Celano mixes things up nicely on Let The River Flow using a rhythmic base and a gospel style small vocal ensemble to fill out the sound. The song itself sticks with the highly polished and gentle feel that pervades I’m Overcome, but it works in this context. You is a prayer of thanks and praise that’s sweet and well done but could use just a touch more energy from a performance standpoint. Celano does a character sketch in Grandpa that will hit home for anyone who’s ever lost a beloved grandparent or parent. Celano drops a sweet love song in You’re Good For Me that’s destined to be a mix-tape and perhaps even a wedding song. More Than A Man is an ode to Jesus based on the Christian belief in Salvation through the Crucifixion. Celano moves on to the sweet Dancing Angel before launching into the closing number, A Child Is Born.

Alexandra Celano fills up her songs with faith and a quiet grace that’s missing from most modern praise music. This is definitely “Easy Listening” Contemporary Christian Music, lacking any real edge or modern touch but sounding a lot like the classic Country/Gospel albums of the 1970’s from folks like Christy Lane and Anne Murray. I suspect I’m Overcome will be most popular with folks who still remember such artists fondly, but the album is well done.

You can find this review at the popular Wildy’s World music blog on blogspot: Wildy’s World

Alexandra Celano is a native of Southern California, growing up in a close-knit family with deep-rooted faith. She spent much of her youth performing in school choirs, talent shows and taking piano, guitar and vocal lessons.

When Alexandra first started working on her debut release, I’m Overcome, it was going to be a mainstream country-pop album with secular based songs, but as she worked on her faith pulled her in a new direction with most of the songs now having a spiritual meaning that she hopes will still appeal to both Christian and non-Christians. v All of the songs found on I’m Overcome were written by Alexandra except for “In this Place” and “My Father’s Hands” that were co-written with her husband Bryan Celano. Ed Tree produced the release except for the track, “A Child is Born” that Bryan Celano produced.

This release gets started on a fast note with the up-tempo Americana title track, “I’m Overcome.” The song is filled with lots of fiddle and mandolin instrumentation that accompany Celano’s vocals.

The song was one of my favorites off of the release and right from the start lets Alexandra’s vocal talents shine brightly. The song talks about not understanding everything that’s happening in your life but that’s okay because you know that God has the big picture view in mind and that in the end it will all workout for the best.

After the first track the release switches gears and goes for a country style on, “I Will Go.” Track-3, “In This Place,” offers up a vocal harmony filled country gospel ballad.

The rest of the tracks fall more into a contemporary, singer songwriter style of music. Stand out tracks include, “Let the River Flow” that’s filled with group vocals and African drum parts. This song has a nice world sound as it talks about rejoicing in your blessings and being willing to go wherever and whenever you’re called to reach out to others.

Track-7, “Grandpa,” gets the tug-at-your-heartstrings award. The song is a loving tribute ballad to Alexandra’s grandfather who had a big part in influencing her life, especially her faith.

Track-10 “Dancing Angel - Normita,” is a melodic track that was written about a young family friend who was killed tragically by a drunk driver. The song talks about missing her but knowing that she’s in heaven and that they’ll get the chance to see her again there.

The release ends with the bonus holiday track, “A Child is Born.” The song is about the glorious birth of the world’s Savior Jesus.

When Alexandra was asked about her music she said, “Whether I’m hearing from people who have heard my songs on MySpace and the radio or feeling the intimate connection with audiences in the live setting, I love just knowing that my music is finally out there and having an impact on listeners. For so long, it was just me and my music and a dream to touch people’s lives with it, and I can truly say I’m Overcome with joy that these exciting new opportunities have come my way.”

I’m sure that Alexandra will be hearing from a lot of people as more and more get the opportunity to listen to her very well done and spiritually gifted debut release, I’m Overcome.

Rating: 8.2 out of 10
By C.W. Ross

These reviews can be found on the CD Reviewer and Christian Rockers Online blogs.

iNTERViEWED BY BRiAN LUSH
The life and music of Christian singer-songwriter ALEXANDRA CELANO is a study in contrasts. While the back and forth between Christianity and bluegrass music is no real surprise to anyone, it is indeed rare to hear such music from a decidedly Catholic perspective. CELANO’s brand of bluegrass is heartfelt and doesn’t come across as if it were the result of years of study which is strange when you consider that she is based in Orange County, California. Produced by Americana veteran ED TREE (SPENCER DAVIS, RITA COOLIDGE, AL STEWART), CELANO’s debut CD ‘I’M OVERCOME’ is a revelation. CELANO wears her faith on her sleeve with songs such as LET THE RIVER FLOW, MY FATHER’S HANDS and IN THIS PLACE and demonstrates an unabashed earnestness on the title track where the comparison to DOLLY PARTON is simply to glaring to be ignored. CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL INTERVIEW

I’m Overcome is unapologetically Christian country with a healthy dose of bluegrass but also mainstream strains: My Father’s Hands and Let the River Flow, the latter of which is Joni Mitchell-esque a la Black Crow but a good deal more upbeat. Alexandra Celano sings with verve and authority within a sometimes Dolly Parton-esque timber, making for a CD that’s going to appeal to more than one genre. Somewhat like the great discs coming out of the pristine Pinecastle label, this is a spotless evocation of traditional and latterday spiritual music bridging gaps and leaping over boundaries. She also possesses a very attractive arrangement sense.

At the encouragement of her husband Bryan, she adopted this tack, and it was a consummate move, nor was the selection of Ed Tree as producer and player a mistake. Having worked with Al Stewart, Rita Coolidge, Spencer Davis, and other notables, he knows from melody and talent, lending his discretion to a well-realized project. The guy can play an enticing fretboard or set of keys but also knows his way around a soundboard, engineering and mixing the entirety. The intent was to appeal to Christian and non-Christian alike, and, at that, succeeds very well indeed. One can’t help but lend an ear to the sonorousness of the music and earnestness of the lyrics.

Celano’s voice is a skylark floating from cut to cut, well-trained and positive, strong where strength is needed, tender in sympathies, hopeful in humanity and spirit. Don’t for a moment imagine some of the clunky churchgoing affairs you’ve heard elsewhere, I’m Overcome is fresh while observant of the decorousness necessary to the effort. It won’t much matter if you’re as devout as Celano or as irreligious as I am, you’re going to like this CD.

Written by: David N. Pyles, FAME Editor This review can be found at the Folk and Acoustic Musician Exchange

Most genres have an open door policy, even if you suck, if its creative, it will probably be listened to. Though some may argue with me, I’m almost certain Country and associating genre have a different bar set. Let’s find out if Alexandra Celano meets the bar on I’m Overcome. While I personally find the Orange County California singer songwriter to have taste. It’s in a sound I can’t quite grasp onto, too constant of a mellow mood. Don’t get me wrong, she mixes the songs tempo from time to time, for instance on “Let The River Flow”. A backbone is created with percussion to begin, the rhythms are quicker and more profound.

A bit like Billy Joel meets Dolores O’Riordan (The Cranberries), of course, this like many of the songs shows a strong commitment lyrically to her christianity. “You’re Good For Me” is another track that steps up the beat, more like a Adult Contemporary radio rock song. The title track has the most banded spirit, with various vocalists used to build a 3D sound. More Country and Folk than anything, Celano has a confidence in her voice that can’t be mistaken. Slower recordings like “You”, and “Grandpa” are more for boasting of emotion.

While I dislike comparing these two, cause Celano has quite obviously been singing longer than (Carrie) Underwood, something about “My Father’s Hand’s” reminds me of an Underwood song or two. Almost like a production key, that slow build and long soaring vocal explosion on soft instrumentation. Not sure how else to explain it, but the questions is…does Celano meet that bar Country or Folk may set in front of her? Absolutely…

Review written by: Brian Rutherford, Music Emissions
This review can be found at the Music Emissions website

Christian music has always been a part of my post-youth life. I was
first introduced to the music of the Newsboys back in about 2000, and
ever since then, I’ve been attempting to find the best and brightest in
the genre. Alexandra Celano’s 2009 release “I’m Overcome” came to us
just a few days ago, and I have to say that it may just be the best
Christian album of this year.

This is due to the fact that Celano is able to touch upon all the
distinct twists and turns that the genre has taken over the course of
the last twenty years, while adding a number of different stylistic
flavors from secular music to make for something stellar. The disc’s
introductory track, “I’m Overcome”, feels as if Amy Grant and Dolly
Parton had a meeting of the minds, while the instrumentation uses
country, sixties pop, and even hair metal for fonts of inspiration. “In
This Place” showcases the vocal acumen of Celano, using little more than
her harmonies to make for a song that is hauntingly brilliant. During
this track, shades of sixties pop hobnob with a much more rich Americana
tradition, ensuring that all will enjoy the track.

“My Father’s Hands” shows the consistency of Celano’s ability, while the
instrumentation rises and swells to provide the perfect support to the
vocal component of “I’m Overcome”. “More Than A Man” shows that Celano
does not falter at the later reaches of the album, with a
deliberately-paced track that showcases Celano’s narrative ability. “I’m
Overcome” is one of the best Christian albums of the year because it
simply puts out a way for listeners to find the glory of God, without
all of the glitz and unnecessary flash that has invaded the Christian
scene of the last few years. Each of the 11 tracks on the album is
glorious, and I feel that the Christian faith will be further bolstered
any time Celano chooses to let her feelings and thoughts be captured on
this media.

Top Tracks: I’m Overcome, In This Place

You can find this review by James McQuiston, Editor of NeuFutur magazine and ezine at www.neufutur.com

“A strong debut album made with love for music and God.”

www.countrystartpage.com

A new face in Catholic and Christian Country music, Alexandra Celano brings a pleasing mix through her debut recording, I’m Overcome.

While the project is not groundbreaking, it is organic and very easy to listen to. It’s what I love best about Country music – a few simple instruments played well, great vocals and sweet harmonies, making for a wonderful listening experience.

The songwriting is tight, with catchy refrains and upbeat melodies. Inspiring songs with a personal praise and worship theme include “I’m Overcome” and gospel-tinged “Let the River Flow.” “In This Place” is a lovely invitation to worship in the House of God.

I particularly liked “You’re Good for Me,” a love song with a unique refrain: You’re good for me. / Every time I look into your eyes I see / My other half, the one that fits me perfectly, / So naturally, it’s you. / You’re good for me.”

Touching tributes to a beloved grandfather (“Grandpa”) and a dearly loved child who passed away (“Dancing Angel ‘Normita’”) bring just the right personal touch.

A Christmas-related bonus track is included entitled “A Child is Born.”

I’m Overcome is the perfect companion to your work day or drive or chores around the house. It’ll keep you inspired.

You can find this review and more at Grapevine’s web site and blog: www.gvonline.net Susan Bailey is an accomplished author, singer-songwriter, musician and public speaker in the Catholic-Christian community.

Alexandra Celano’s long awaited debut CD “I’m Overcome” has finally been released. This fine collection of her eleven original songs of praise and gratitude blends Christian themes and Americana styling in a way sure to please audiences who appreciate spiritual uplifting messages and acoustic contemporary country-gospel-pop music. Alexandra’s rich heartfelt vocals express conviction and a confident smoothness that show she has truly found her voice and her message as well. Seamlessly produced by Ed Tree, “I’m Overcome” has a musical depth and variety within this niche, “My Father’s Hands” and “Grandpa” being standout cuts. If I had my own church, Celano would be on my short list of invited performers. Christian radio should soon be playing these tunes as they entertain and inspire from beginning to end.

David “Cat” Cohen ~ Veteran LA songwriting coach/songwriter, musician and author

Step aside Amy Grant. Here comes Alexandra Celano. I didn’t know what to expect, but that is one helluva CD. The lead is great! The backups great! The musicians great! The mix great! The graphics great! If this CD gets in the right hands I’m Overcome is a shoo-in for the best CD of the year in this genre.

You done good, girl.

Bob Burch ~ Listener and Fan