Music Director's New Music Spotlights: The Hollow Glow; Blonde Redhead; Nudas Veritas; Tiffany Pfeiffer & The Discarnate Band
Words by CrowfeatheR.
WOMM-LP Music Director CrowfeatheR shines a light on new music at The Radiator.
Our 1st music director pick for 11/2010 is the self titled album from The Hollow Glow (Maine). As the album is the perfect creepy horror movie soundtrack, it made a nice fit for a Halloween time of year pick. The Hollow Glow features Ben Carroll from the nu metal supergroup RA. Those familiar with RA material know that it is 1/2 creepy, dark gothic texture and 1/2 glitzy pop metal (the creepy dark half coming from Ben Carroll). The Hollow Glow is flavored with Ben's virtuoso guitar playing and pleasantly flawed vocal character which contrasts with his other band's lead vocalist, Sahaj, whose vocals glam and glitter RA material like a flawless diamond. The Hollow Glow album relies heavily on it's catchy single "Head West." This is a heavy hitting album from one of our region's top performers.
Our 2nd pick for 11/2010 is Blonde Redhead, 'Penny Sparkle,' a CD named after a horse. The Blonde Redhead style has been described as "dream pop" which conjures a sonic image of Mazzy Starr over a Tangerine Dream-electronica backdrop. Kazu Makino's vocal delivery is as overtly sexual as Sade's and is a seamless, dripping feature on the entire CD. One can imagine the entire album being sung beckoning in a bedroom doorway in extremely expensive lingerie. Blonde Redhead has been the prize jewel of the indie scene since 1993 and 'Penny Sparkle' keeps them in high regard.
1st in the cue for 12/10 is a release from last year, released somewhat late and distributed at a Christmas party at the Monkey House in Winooski. "H H" an acronym for Happy Holidays was released by Rebecca Kopycinski aka Nudas Veritas in 2009, but is this December 2010's spotlight pick. Those of you familiar with Nuda Veritas material may wonder how Rebecca's electronica loop approach would apply to a Christmas standard (and for the rest of you not familiar with Nuda Veritas it's time to leave the cave). Some how, some way, Rebecca reconstructs all the classic Christmas songs you've known since you were a child and gives them refreshing life in a way only Nuda Veritas could pull off. This fresh approach leaves you eager to hear the songs again and again, instead of the usual reaction to Christmas songs you've heard 1 billion times; which is to commit a Van Gogh like self mutilation. Rebecca Kopycinski is the owner of one of the world's best alto voices and most original and eclectic composer's minds. "H H" Nuda Veritas is my December 2010 spotlight pick.
This month I'm taking a moment to spotlight a local music archive treasure: Tiffany Pfeiffer & The Discarnate Band (photo, above), 'Amor Frio.' Tiffany Pfeiffer resembles a swan, with her long legs, long white neck and jazzy, honky tonk voice. As a vocalist Tiffany Pfeiffer could be pictured in a smoke filled speakeasy, her long, lean visage working through a set of American standards. Her voice is definitely a throwback to the vocal styling of yesteryear with a hint a smoky jazz and a touch of Appalachian Americana. Within the EP "Amor Frio" Tiffany Pfeiffer dances her way through several multi-genre pieces, not settling on one particular song or production style which begs the question; "just who is Tiffany Pfeiffer?" The answer is: Obviously a very talented singer songwriter, able to grasp and master several song styles with grace and pleasure. All the songs center around subjects of love, lust and relationship and feature Ms. Pfeiffer tickling the ivory. Tiffany Pfeiffer performs 12/18/2010 at the Radio Bean, Burlington.