FFB: the FEMALE FRONT Blog

So, THAT Happened...

2008-08-18T13:30:00.000-07:00

It will be obvious to anyone who is familiar with this blog, or even to new visitors who check the dates, that I shut down FEMALE FRONT in early 2007. That is to say, I stopped updating this blog and the radio stream at Live365, although both are still available to view and listen as a sort of continuous archive (more on that shortly). I also pulled the plug on the companion website, femalefront.com (aka arhythmius.com).

It was a very difficult decision for me to cease what was not only a passion of mine, but also essentially my only creative outlet. There were two major circumstances that led to this decision: One, I was able to spend less and less time on a project that frankly deserved more and more of it. I wasn’t on top of it the way I needed to be, and the quality was suffering as a result.

The second reason was the real clincher: I moved office locations in my day job, and the new location blocked (and continues to block) the web domain live365.com. Meaning, I can’t listen to my own station, or any of the other outstanding stations hosted by Live365, during the day while I’m at work. This defeated the purpose of running the station, as far as I was concerned.

The thing is, I and many of my fellow broadcasters at Live365 started our stations because we wanted to listen to music that we liked, but which nobody was playing. So, we had to take matters into our own hands. The other side of the coin was the fact that we could share this music with the rest of the world in real time, which one can not do with an iPod.

So, yes, I was and remain passionate about FEMALE FRONT as a cause; but if I can’t enjoy the fruits of my own labor and expense, then 50% of my motivation is removed. In my case, this was enough to be the deciding factor. I'm sorry if it sounds selfish, but if I can't enjoy my station, no one can!

The FEMALE FRONT radio stream is still available to Live365 “VIP” members at the same location: www.live365.com/stations/arhythmius. VIP membership costs only a few dollars a month, and gives you an ad-free experience: No in-stream ads (on privately-run stations), no banner ads and no pop-ups on Live365 web pages. Plus, VIP's can listen to archived streams like mine. The playlist is exactly as I left it in 2007…over 20 hours of excellent music, rotated randomly.

Of course, this blog and the previous incarnation are still here, and I intend to leave them up as long as possible (forever, if I can arrange it).

Although the companion website is history, you can still view it using the wonderful Wayback Machine! Visit the Internet Archive at www.archive.org, and in the Wayback Machine search box, enter “arhythmius.com” (without the quotes, and with no “www”). Be patient – the Wayback Machine is slow, but it really works!

Like the logo? You can still buy your very own version of it applied to some great merchandise, at the Female Front Greymarket! T-shirts, hoodies, mugs and even ladies' underwear -- we stack them deep and sell them cheap! Or, just enjoy the "From the designer" descriptions for each product (somebody's got to).

Finally, I would like to thank all of the amazing artists that inspired and continue to inspire me. I apologize that I was not up to the task of keeping FEMALE FRONT up and running, but if I get an opportunity to resurrect it, I absolutely will. Thanks also to the listeners; it’s quite an ego boost when people pay attention to something you’ve done, and respond in a positive way.

The mission for FEMALE FRONT still exists, so put the word out any way you can: Because Radio Needs Women.

Needle: Comfortably Numb

2006-10-05T21:31:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, I received a package in the mail from a band called Needle. The package contained one (1) beautifully designed and packaged CD album entitled Songs Your Mother Never Sang You, and one (1) of the greatest promotional items I have ever seen from any band ever: A ball-point pen shaped like a hypodermic needle, complete with an unknown blue liquid inside. The pen could be clicked open by pressing down on the hypodermic plunger. This item was so incredibly cool that Mrs Arhythmius literally pouted for two days, until I finally gave in and said that she could have it (which is why I can not produce a photo of this item for your viewing pleasure).

I realize it doesn't sound like much, but I've always been interested in marketing; and trying to market an indie band is a difficult proposition requiring maximum creativity on a minimal budget. So congrats to Needle for creating the perfect "tie-in" (to be used after you tie-off?).

What differentiates a well-packaged indie band from a well-packaged commercial band is usually that the indie band starts with great music, and then comes up with the packaging; with commercial bands it's often the inverse (which is probably why they're called "commercial" bands). Fortunately, Needle is a creative enterprise first and foremost.

So, just what is Needle all about? Well, for me, Needle is about the chill-outiest chillout band I've heard in a good while. A collaboration of vocalist Julie Cornett and guitarist Steven Beck (with both parties playing every other instrument heard on the album, save strings), the name "Needle" was appropriate for this project: A musical opiate so spare and melodic, it lulls you into an altered state; a shot of aural laudunum so strong, it practically leaves track marks.

What I appreciate about Needle is that, even with the bare-bones arrangements, it's still an Alternative album at heart (yes, I still use that term, even if Radio no longer does). It never sounds like a Folk album or a Cabaret oddity. The songs are as straightforward as the arrangements are not -- the stimulant that keeps you awake to enjoy the barbituate. Not that I'd know these references firsthand; Music is my drug, man...

Here's an example of the overall vibe of the album: The cover of Neil Young's "Helpless" is probably the most uptempo song on the disc. But my favorites are "Make Love" and "Lost" (both added to the playlist), which manage to quietly soar. Also excellent are "It's No Secret" (the quietest, calmest song to ever remind me of something by Punk girls The Slits -- wish I could remember which song) and "If".

Some of Steve Beck's guitar parts remind me of Robert Smith's handiwork -- which may be one reason why I insist on thinking of this as an "Alternative" album. As for Julie Cornett's vocals, I imagine the most typical comparison she gets is to Margo Timmins of Cowboy Junkies. There is certainly a similar ideal at work with both bands, but the songwriting is so different that ultimately only a limited comparison can be made. Any aural similarities probably have more to do with Needle's decision to use mostly first takes for the final versions of their songs, a technique that Cowboy Junkies also utilized on their most successful album, The Trinity Sessions. Needle took the additional step of layering in more vocal harmonies, which is fine with me, because I love kind of that stuff.

If I had not heard any of Songs Your Mother Never Sang You, and someone played me only a short clip of a track, then I might have thought that the music was a bit too quiet to play on the station. But each song tends to build into unexpected heights, often with nicely unsettling melodies. This is an album for discerning listeners, but once you inject it into your bloodstream, it will stimulate your pleasure receptors with chilling certainty.

Julie Cornett of Needle

Girl On Top: Rhythm Method

2006-09-23T19:43:00.000-07:00

After some home-network retooling necessitated a longer-than-expected hiatus, FFB is back; and I can finally tell you about a band I've been dying to plug here.

Boston-based Girl On Top is an Indie-Rock band fronted by the prodigiously talented Karen DeBiasse (more about her in a moment). Their latest CD, Cherry Blossoms/Sakura is out now, and FEMALE FRONT is also playing two tracks from a yet-to-be-released album.

One of the more notable aspects of the music of Girl On Top is how eclectic it is. When I first popped-in the new CD, I figured I was in for a solid, Alternative Rock-style album, since that was the sound of the first couple of tracks. But then the next track was more like a late 70's rocker, and the next one was a Pop-Punk quickie, and so on. G.O.T. influences seem to range from classic artists like Joan Jett, Heart and Pat Benatar, to contemporaries like Auf der Maur -- but any such references are subtle, and the music never lets itself get pinned-down to any one type of sound.

Indeed, the songwriting is probably the most impressive part of Girl On Top. This is thanks largely to the imagination and intellect of Karen DeBiasse, a woman who has more musical education than probably the entire roster of Sony BMG Records. Of course, formal musical training is never a guarantee of quality music, but it may provide a clue as to how Ms DeBiasse can make it look so easy. So many of the songs in the Girl On Top catalog just work, while never losing their indie-cred. In fact (here comes my obligatory one criticism), the Indie sound can sometimes be a hindrance; I would love to see what Girl On Top could do with a big recording budget and unlimited studio time. I am convinced that they would not let it go to their heads.

Still, songwriting always trumps production. Some of the songs that are worthy of individual praise here include: "Army Nation", one of the boldest, most searing political protest songs I've heard in a very long time, set to a steady, almost incongruous Reggae-like groove. Thematically, it's reminiscent of Kate Bush's "Army Dreamers", but whereas that song was a twisted little lullaby, this one gets right in your face with its anti-war, anti-political message. It goes far beyond the typical war-is-bad platitudes that most artists feel comfortable delivering, and climbs way out on an ideological limb. And I so admire Karen DeBiasse for doing it. The song appears on the unreleased album, so hopefully that will be available for sale soon.

G.O.T. also gets political with two other songs on that album: "Always", which has catchy, radio-ready harmonies, and "Livin' a Lie", which is in rotation now on FEMALE FRONT.

I also dig "Atomic World", a six-and-a-half minute psychedelic masterpiece on the Cherry Blossoms/Sakura album. I almost never put songs that long on the playlist, but I had no choice with this one. I'd also like to recognize the excellent work of Jack Rootoo, the lead guitarist on the Cherry Blossoms sessions, and David Simmons, lead guitarist on the new material including "Livin' a Lie".

Also added to the playlist was the co-title track, "Sakura" -- a Japanese-language version of the song "Cherry Blossoms" on the same album. Karen DeBiasse does not speak Japanese, so she had a student translate the lyrics, and then memorized them for recording. I don't speak Japanese either, but I do occasionally play Japanese artists on the station, and this song reminds me of one of those cute J-Pop ditties. Besides, anyone who does that much work for one song deserves to be played.

Karen DeBiasse is someone who has worked so hard at her craft for so long, that it bugs me to see that Girl On Top is known mostly as a local act. This is an artist and a group that deserve more attention, and from forces more powerful than this little radio station and blog. Check out the song samples from Girl On Top, and purchase the CD's if you like what you hear!

Betsy Spivak: Warped Vinyl

2006-09-14T20:40:00.000-07:00

Cyberspace -- The final frontier. These are the voyages of Blogger.com. It's perennial mission: To explore strange new glitches. To seek out new downtime, and new ways of pissing me the hell off. To boldy prevent FEMALE FRONT from providing much-needed exposure to very deserving artists!

Yes, as you may have noticed from the absence of my sanity, I've been dealing with more Blogger bugs. Since it defies logic that a platform which is part of Google -- the largest bleeding-edge technology company in the world -- should have such abominable service, I've developed a theory: Maybe it IS a conspiracy. Maybe Blogger is really a front for Clear Channel, and every time they see me promote an independent artist, they pull the plug.

Well, if anyone pulls the plug while I'm telling the People about
Betsy Spivak, then there'll be hell to pay, Mister!

No flowery statements are required here. Simply put, Betsy Spivak is one of those artists who single-handedly validates the existence of FEMALE FRONT Radio...and all in the space of seven songs.

The songs in question are on Ms Spivak's new CD, The Scratch on My Vinyl Soul (to be fair, there are actually nine tracks on the CD, but two of them are reprises). And the songwriting of the songs in question is quite terrific. Ms Spivak's cheerful, indie-grrl delivery belies a wonderfully twisted sensibility, delivered in simple but nicely melodic arrangements that further serve to lure you in for the kill. The result is a Bride of Frankenstein-like amalgamation of sensibilites: 90's-style Indie Rock, 70's Carole King-style singer-songwriter Rock, and... Tom Waits.

OK, so the Tom Waits association is the most direct: The album contains a cover of Waits' song "Ol' '55". The great thing about Betsy Spivak's version is that...well, she can sing. Look, I know how awesome Tom Waits was and is, both as a songrwriter and as a dude in general. He has many, many enthusiastic fans who adore his work. But that still doesn't mean the guy can sing. And Leonard Cohen? Yeah, he can't sing either. Doesn't mean they're not otherwise talented; it just means that their songs make excellent covers for people who CAN sing.

As I've mentioned, Betsy Spivak can write, too. "The Spider" is her own cabaret-style, Tom Waits-esque number, a real mood piece. But the rest of the album is more upbeat, with clever lyrics and fun arrangements usually centered around Ms Spivak's upright piano (well, it sounds like an upright, but I'm no expert). Just buy the CD already, I don't think I'll be able to do it justice here.

With The Scratch on My Vinyl Soul, Betsy Spivak comes across as so smart, funny and talented that your mother is already wondering why you can't ever go out with a nice girl like that, anyway?! (Not that your current girl isn't nice, but you know how your mother can get.)

Here's wishing Betsy Spivak the best of success; and if the Clear Channel guys are watching...go ahead, everybody, flip 'em off!

Lucid Fly: Go for Launch

2006-09-13T21:16:00.000-07:00

The history of how and why I started FEMALE FRONT Radio has been told so many times, it has now become the stuff of legend. Except for the "stuff of legend" part. But I will re-tell it now to provide a bit of context for the band I will mention in a moment.

One day in the late 1990's, the Modern Rock/Alternative FM station of which I was a frequent listener decided to stop playing female artists. This was a station which, up to that point, had regularly played such artists as Hole, No Doubt, Elastica, Fiona Apple and many, many others. But suddenly, the women were out and rape-rock bands like Limp Bizkit were in.

Fortunately, the Limp Bizkit era didn't last long; but when the programmers came to their senses and started adding innovative artists back into the mix, they left out one very big category: Innovative female artists (actually, female artists of any kind). That was offensive enough. But what finally drove a stake into their last surviving sliver of credibility, was when one of their DJ's said that they would be happy to play female artists -- if there were any out there worth playing.

Thus, FEMALE FRONT was born, to prove the obvious: That there are so many outstanding female artists out there, one guy could hand-pick a 24-hour-long playlist of his favorites, and barely scratch the surface. The rise of internet radio, iTunes and Myspace, and the commensurate decline of commercial radio & record companies, all serve as neat little facts that support my main point -- which is that I was right, and commercial radio programmers are ignorant dickheads.

True, the FEMALE FRONT playlist includes many genres other than Modern Rock; but to be honest, I start getting antsy when I haven't added any real rockers in a while. I like to prove the point again and again that female musicians and vocalists can rock just as hard as the dudes.

Enter Lucid Fly.

Based out of Orlando, FL, this Progressive Hard-Rock quartet -- founded by guitarist Doug Mecca and virtuosa vocalist Nikki Layne -- make an impressive debut with their self-released EP, Adapting to Gravity. The production values are strong, and the project as a whole benefits from a sense that this was an intellectual venture as much as a musical one.

Layne's vocals really soar, something that perhaps is better appreciated upon repeat listenings. Overall, the seven songs on the EP are thoughtful and well-structured, and there isn't a line of rap in any of the 27:44 running time.

Being Orlandoans (Orlandoers? Orlandites?), Lucid Fly displays the obvious influence of the Space Coast all over the place: in the album title, band name (after astronaut Shannon Lucid), songwriting and even in their unique branding, which extends from the album art to the band's website. All of this is something that the geek in me finds deeply satisfying. (OK, so it's more like I'm the geek, and the rocker in me finds the music deeply satisfying; anyway, same net result.)

Adapting to Gravity doesn't necessarily break new ground in Rock; but Lucid Fly are every bit as good as their multi-platinum peers, which only goes to highlight the inherent sexism of commercial radio. But by purchasing their CD, you can help ignite the solid rocket booster that Nikki Layne and Lucid Fly will ride right through the glass ceiling.

Celeste Lear: ROTATE

2006-09-07T16:16:00.001-07:00

It's not often that my interest in music overlaps with one of my other legion of interests (I am conversant in everything, and expert in nothing). It must be equally rare for an artist to be able to cite a direct family connection to the development of technologies that literally changed the world; yet one such artist recently sent me her new CD. The woman in question is Celeste Lear, and the heritage in question comes from her grandfather, William (Bill) Lear.

A bit of background: Bill Lear is best known for developing the Lear Jet, the first purpose-built business jet in the world. Those fancy Gulfstream and Falcon bizjets, and even the ubiquitous "regional jets" favored by airlines, all owe their existence to the pioneering Lear Jet. The Lear Jet line is still produced today by Bombardier Aerospace (above: the Learjet 45XR).

That's an incredibly cool connection for an aviation geek like me, but perhaps even more intriguing are Bill Lear's contributions to the field of mass communications: More recently with the invention of the 8-track tape (my mom had one in her '75 VW Super Beetle), and most importantly with the invention of a little thing called the car radio. True story: Lear and his partner designed the thing, and then sold their patents to a company that would later call itself Motorola.

Now, if I were Celeste Lear, I wouldn't be able to stop myself from telling everyone, "Yeah, my granddad helped change mass communications, and with it, world culture." Fortunately, Celeste Lear isn't like me -- she has talent. Thus, she's not limited to riding her progenitor's coattails (impressive though they are); instead, she has chosen to express herself through music. And what's really interesting, to me at least, is the genre she has chosen: Electronica.

I've lamented before about how there do not seem to be enough woman producers/performers/DJ's in the Electronica scene (although there are plenty of fantastic female vocalists working in the genre). Therefore it was a pleasant surprise to receive Celeste Lear's album The Echo Inside from out of the wild blue. Overall, I'd categorize the album as Downtempo/Chillout. In other words, this isn't the type of Electronica to which you'd drop E and pogo on a massive dancefloor along with 1000 sweaty Europeans (although I doubt Celeste Lear would mind if you did that).

The song structure suggests that Ms Lear composes on traditional instruments and later arranges the songs for synths and sequencers. One thing I can say for sure is that she is a skilled guitarist. The opening track "The Riddle" features an unexpected, Duane Eddy-like guitar part; the first clue that Celeste Lear may not hew to all the conventions of Electronica. Later tracks like "Live Passionately" are reminiscent of Supreme Beings of Leisure, which may not be a complete coincidence, since Ms Lear has worked with SBL producer David Hauser. On the other hand, "The Highway and the Stars" is a Funk-influenced track that comes across like a trippy, spacey Luscious Jackson song.

Indeed, there is a much deeper retro influence on The Echo Inside than on many Chillout albums. But where artists like Saint Etienne and Portishead successfully incorporated retro British sounds into their songs, Celeste Lear's influences seem largely domestic. And let's face it, most of those groups used studio musicians or samples for their cool guitar licks, whereas Celeste Lear gets to write and perform all the cool guitar licks she wants.

With 15 tracks, almost all of them 4-5 minutes long, The Echo Inside is a big, deep album. If you're even a little bit into Chillout, Downtempo or similar genres, then you'll probably find much to your liking on this album. In fact, the album is quite accessible, and could easily cross-over into AAA and similar playlists.

Celeste Lear is something of a Renaissance woman: Songwriter, musician, vocalist, producer -- and sculptress of welded steel dragons (really...check out her website). And although she had a tough act to follow, it is clear to see that Celeste Lear is carrying-on her family's tradition of talent.

FFB Bounces Back from Blogger Beta Bump

2006-09-07T15:36:00.000-07:00

Well it only took about two weeks, but the people at Blogger have found a solution to the image uploading problem that was preventing me from posting properly. Some posts require the inclusion of accompanying photos, and I refuse to compromise by posting text-only entries in those cases. Hence the longer-than-usual hiatus from yours truly.

The good news is that FFB is back, baby! Or at least until the next Blogger technical snafu...

Swede in a Starship

2006-08-18T14:07:00.000-07:00

People have been blogging about it for a year now, but I waited until today, its official day of release, to work-in my post about Snakes on a Plane.

The FEMALE FRONT angle to this story is minor, but genuine: Ever since I first heard the killer theme song "Snakes on a Plane (Bring It)" by Cobra Starship, I've assumed that the female vocalist who appears on the track must be Maja Ivarsson of The Sounds. Well, it's always nice to have your assumptions proven correct for a change: More information about the mysterious Cobra Starship has come out in the past couple of weeks (not to mention the music video), and I have confirmed that the sole female member of the project is indeed Ms Ivarsson.

I've been playing tracks from The Sounds' debut album Living in America since it was released; but if you're a fan of the band, you may be wondering why the hell you're not hearing anything from their recent album Dying to Say This to You on FEMALE FRONT. The answer, of course, is "Because I'm lame". Or perhaps more importantly, "Because I'm broke". They're basically interchangable states of being; one just leads into the other, much like the caduceus on the Snakes movie poster.

The upshot of all this is that I hope to get that album soon. Eventually.

In the meantime, and in an attempt to deflect attention from my lameness, here is a pic of Ms Ivarsson in action:

Pause for the Cause: Women Who Rock Benefit

2006-08-17T12:59:00.000-07:00

If you live in the Southern California area (or if you're willing to travel for a good cause), then you may want to clear your schedule for Saturday, September 9. That's when the Women Who Rock benefit will be taking place at the Stardust Club in Downey, with proceeds going to NOW. The promoter emailed me the details and I promised to pass them along, so here you go:

Women Who Rock Benefit
National Organization for Women – www.now.org

RAFFLE: To take place during concert to raise money to support NOW

Date: Saturday, September 9, 2006
Time: 5:00 pm – 2:00 am
Location: The Stardust Club
7634 Firestone Blvd
Downey, CA
Admission: Free -- All money raised from the raffle will be donated to NOW

Local female-powered bands scheduled to perform include Transit Authority, The Jennifer Project, The Fabulous Miss Wendy, Lily Holbrook, Miracle Dolls, Mystery Hangup, Red On Strike, Xanimo, The Breakup, and Pretty In Stereo.

The promoter is still accepting items for the raffle, so if you have anything worthwhile to donate, contact me and I'll put you in touch.

Whether you donate or not, the show is FREE! So take advantage of this unheard-of price, and see a ton of local bands at one show!

Thanks to Glass Kitten Productions for the tip.

Shocker: Blogger.com Makes Improvements!

2006-08-16T10:03:00.000-07:00

Yes, it's true: The folks at Blogger have actually upgraded the site's user interface and technology, with a new Beta version that makes the blog experience easier for both host and visitor.

If you're a repeat visitor, then the first thing you'll notice about FFB is the new look; I hope you like it. Also of interest to visitors new and old is the fact that you can now subscribe to posts via Atom! What the -- hey, this is starting to act like a real blog!

I've done my share of bashing Blogger.com in the past, but all I've ever wanted or expected is a simple-to-use blog hosting system that has decent uptime. They've nailed the first part of my wish with this new Beta version; now we'll see if they've worked on the second part.

As always, there is one thing that I can definitely say in Blogger's favor: You can't beat the price!

LOURDS: In Touch with My Feminine Side

2006-08-10T09:45:00.000-07:00

'
The J-Pop singer Utada has a song on her album Exodus called "You Make Me Want to Be a Man". I can't imagine why she'd want that, but fine.

And then there's me: I'm beginning to think that the main emotion that has driven my attraction to female artists for most of my life is not infatuation...it's envy. The fact is, they make me want to be a woman.

Wait, follow me on this: I'm not saying that I want to "become" a woman as my present self (and trust me, you wouldn't want to see that either). And I am well aware that in about 70% of the world, women are still treated like chattel, or worse. What I AM saying is that, in a free, progressive society...who would ever want to be a man? Being a woman is where it's at! Chicks have ALL the fun!

And if I were going to be a woman, I might as well go all-in: I'd want to be like Lourds Lane, frontwoman and namesake of the band LOURDS. Because to be like Lourds Lane is to be an ultra-talented, super-sexy, expressionistic, exhibitionistic, prodigious woman. I'd even live in New York if I could be a girl like Lourds Lane.

So there it is, I've outed myself: I have X-chromosome-envy. The sad reality, of course, is that chromosomes are the most I have in common with Lourds Lane. Hell, if I embodied any of the above-mentioned adjectives I would live happily ever after as a man. But Lourds has it all, and she has It.

Lourds Lane was a child prodigy who started training on violin at age three, and was performing concert hall recitals by age six. She found time to learn piano, too. However, like many Classically-trained artists, the constraints of Classical "propriety" eventually wore on her, and as a teenager Lourds' preferred form of expression was on the dance floor of New York's hottest clubs. Her popularity landed her a regular slot on MTV's dance show "Club MTV".

Her musical ambitions were far grander than that, however, and she began to take steps to make them a reality. But this time, Lourds' chosen genre was Rock, which gave her the freedom of expression and individuality that Classical could not.

Cut to the present time, wherein Lourds Lane is a New York diva known to some fans as "the Queen"; an electrifying performer whose band LOURDS has released a self-titled album on indie startup Breaking Records. As if that weren't enough, Lourds Lane also released a solo single called "Victory", a stadium-shuddering anthem that has been licensed by ESPN and ABC Sports. It is now Lourds' world, and we are just living in it.

LOURDS, the album, is a showcase of the artist's multitude of talents; however, it is first and foremost a Rock album by a Rock band. Lourds Lane handles lead vocals
photo: Shiran Nicholson

(with a beautifully deep, aggressive voice), electric violin, mandolin, piano, electric and acoustic guitar. Sarah Vasil handles the drums mightily, Gene Blank shreds the Les Paul sunburst, and Joey Sagarese provides tasty bass morsels. Watching the band's live videos gives one a taste of their extremely energetic, positively-charged shows, but apparently there's nothing like seeing LOURDS live, in person. (So how 'bout coming West, guys?)

Album highlights include "Astropop" (which is a reference to the popular frozen treat, not the popular video game); we called them "Bomb Pops" when I was a kid, but whatever you call them, the song is about getting past troubling times by reclaiming your childhood enthusiasm. "Soothsayer Lies" is a power-ballad about a girl in denial over a failed relationship. Both this and the song "Always" are two of the best tracks in which to hear Lourds' mad violin skillz. But don't expect a Vanessa Mae redux here; like I said, this is a Rock album (it may be a coincidence that her nickname is the Queen, but Lourds definitely has the spirit of Freddie Mercury in her). The violin is used sparingly, and is definitely not a gimmick.

"Kiss U Soft" is another song with a chant arrangement which, like "Victory", must be a huge crowd-pleaser at the live shows. "Last Day", one of my favorite tracks, is an upbeat song about armageddon, in which the singer advises, Throw away your fears / Don't think too much about it / Let's just fuck like it's the last day of our lives (I'm pretty sure that's from Revalations, too, so we have to do it). And finally, you can probably guess what the song "You Suck the Life Out of Me" is about.

If there is one minor criticism, it's that the songwriting seems to be geared towards the live performance. That's not necessarily a bad thing, it's just that the songs don't quite catch fire on the CD the way they must do at the live shows; which may explain why LOURDS has a rabid following of habitual concertgoers. The live show seems to be where it's at -- and this is coming from a guy who LOVES studio albums.

But by all means, buy LOURDS if you're looking for energetic, positive, inventive Rock music...brought to you by the girl I want to be.

Sarah, Gene, Lourds & Joey (photo: Shiran Nicholson)

Let Slip the Hamsters of War

2006-08-08T11:16:00.000-07:00

'
You know why this is a great job? Because if I were, say, an accountant, then I would probably never have received an email from a band called
KK + The Flying Hamsters of Doom.

(Unless, of course, I happened to be KK + The Flying Hamsters of Doom's accountant, in which case I would almost certainly receive emails from them regularly; but I'm not. Ergo, this job is cool.)

Yes, that is the name of a band, and yes, they are even better than their amazingly fantastic name. Like their mutated rodent namesake, KK+FHOD are one part Ozzy, one part Evanescence and one part Tenacious D. Oh, yes: With an album entitled Defenders of Rock, it's a sure bet that these guys are down with The D.

It may come as a surprise, then, to learn that despite their awesome band name, this is not a novelty act. To their extreme credit, KK+FHOD still take the music seriously; and they seriously rock. Frontwoman KK, and band members Tom, Dmitri and Jason deliver the goods with a minimum of fuss, and without wearing silly costumes.

The band's hard-edged Rock sound is infused with Goth elements, which means that the music is nicely melodic, and generally more interesting than it would have been if it were just four people thrashing away.

For some reason, female-fronted Hard Rock has never really taken off in a big way. I mean, the number of female hard-rockers who've cracked the Top 40 can be counted on Roger Rabbit's left hand. Some unenlightened cretins might make the argument that the quality of the female artists in the genre does not compare to that of the men, and therefore the women don't "earn" airplay. Such an argument is inherently asinine, but I created this station to disprove it anyway. Defenders of Rock is well-produced, well-written and accessible...further proof that gender has no impact on how well you can rock.

KK (Photo: Dan Locke)

Chicago has always been a great music town, but lately it's been an embarrassment of riches: KK+FHOD are the third outstanding Chicago band I've added to the playlist in a row...and these have all been random submissions from the bands themselves, not the work of one local promoter. It's not done yet, either; I expect to add a couple more Chicago bands in the near future.

Check out KK + The Flying Hamsters of Doom at their website linked above. It's serious Rock from a band that hasn't lost its sense of humor.

Amy Gerhartz: First Ascent

2006-08-04T11:01:00.000-07:00

'
If you're getting tired of me saying what an amazing time this is for Indie-Pop, then: 1) Too bad, because I've just come across another gem in the genre, and I'm getting ready to gush about her in a moment; and 2) Could you try being a little more patient? C'mon, help a brotha out!

The aforementioned gem is Amy Gerhartz, who is currently making everyone in NYC feel stupid for not having heard of her earlier...one gig at a time. Soon, the entire world will feel that way -- at least if I have anything to do with it.

What Amy Gerhartz has done is to release a debut album, The Uphill Climb, which is so accomplished, you'll assume she's a veteran singer/songwriter/hit machine. I can not come up with enough superlatives to describe what a pleasant surprise this album is. From her strong, clear voice to her expertly-crafted songs to the polished arrangements on every track, Amy Gerhartz is poised to go from zero-to-superstar in one album flat.

Of course, there is that whole thing of commercial radio not playing artists like Amy Gerhartz anymore, which could throw a wrench into the deal. The album title could very well be referring to the difficulty most female singer/songwriters have getting airplay. But we're not going to allow a few ignorant radio programmers to stand in our way, are we?!

Amazingly, it wasn't until Ms Gerhartz attended university (Florida State) that she took up songwriting AND guitar. Yet The Uphill Climb skips the whole "Folkie with an acoustic" phase that most novice singer-songwriters go through, and cuts right to a "seasoned band of Pop veterans" sound. Although informed by genres such as AAA, Folk and Country, the album wisely avoids swimming into the deadly deep-end of any of them. It even manages to be spiritual without being -- well, an instant turn-off. (Memo to Country songwriters: Stop telling us how much more God loves you than He does us.) Much of the credit for the artistic success of the album must go to Ms Gerhartz's musical collaborators, Ryan Williams (Producer and multi-instrumentalist) and Jeff Hileman (drums).

So, to recap:

Great time for Indie Pop, especially with the debut of...
Amy Gerhartz, whose new album,
The Uphill Climb, is really fantastic.

(Sorry, my writing doesn't always lend itself to bullet-points.)

For more information about Amy Gerhartz, visit her Myspace page (linked above).

Katie Todd Band: Talent Pays Off

2006-07-24T16:33:00.000-07:00

'
I'll just get straight to the point: Katie Todd Band is a great Rock band with a cool website. I don't often talk about bands' websites, but I thought that this one warranted a mention, so I'll get to that shortly. But first, the music.

It's always gratifying to see commercial radio latch onto talented Rock bands, and reward artists like Katie Todd Band with regular rotation and solid promotion.

-- What's that? They're still playing "I'm in Love with a Stripper" instead?

Oh...never mind, then.

OK, so Rock music may have reached a nadir in terms of terrestrial radio airplay, something that is almost unimaginable to people of a certain age. As Ford Fairlane once said to a boy-band singer, "You've got Keith Richards rolling in his grave -- the guy ain't even dead yet!" (Hey, be happy I didn't bust-out the Hudson Hawk reference!) Fortunately for aspiring Rock bands, there are plenty of other worthwhile media outlets these days.

Which is a good thing for Katie Todd Band, a rock-solid quartet from Chicago. Their latest CD, Make Some Time for Wasting, is an expertly-crafted collection of catchy songs, any of which is airplay worthy -- or at least would have been, in the golden age of FM. But the decline of FM hasn't stopped Katie Todd Band from getting their name out there. Quite the opposite, in fact: The band has landed a slot at Lollapalooza on August 6, in Chicago's Grant Park -- which is something that I have to assume is like reaching nirvana (small 'n') for a hardworking local band. Good on them, I say.

The music of Katie Todd Band is flat-out excellent, and more than that I will not say, except that I order you to go their website (linked above) and listen to the tracks on their jukebox. I've added three tracks to the FEMALE FRONT playlist ("Face Down", "Wonder Woman" and "You Hide it Well") and I wish I could've added all of them; but that might defeat the purpose of you buying their CD, and I wouldn't let THAT happen.

While you're visiting their nicely-designed website, be sure to check out the clever profiles of band members Katie, Travis, Mark and Evan. On the homepage, click on each person's photo for a piece of band member trivia, or go to the "Band" page for a series of random questions and answers from each member. In my opinion, all bios should be like this, including the ones on corporate websites.

Finally, I couldn't help noticing in Katie Todd's profile, under "Pets" she listed "my Beta fish named Dorothy". By a strange coincidence, not long before I read about Katie Todd's pet, my day-job colleague Erin brought in a Beta fish (a species also known by the trumped-up nickname "Siamese Fighting Fish") as a sort of cubicle mascot. Tragically, "Sashimi" passed away under suspicious circumstances before I could post this. I'm not saying that Murder Was The Case, but exactly how would a fish get cooked in its own bowl?!

Erin has informed me that the requisite fish mourning period (five business days or until the beginning of the next calendar month, whichever is shorter) has passed, and so we may see a Sashimi sequel soon...and try saying THAT clearly. Anyway, I was able to get a few pictures of our dearly departed in happier times, and so I present one here as a final tribute. (Way to bring us all down, Katie!)

Sashimi, weeks before his untimely demise.

Amy Obenski Gig Inspires Blogger to Leave House

2006-07-21T22:37:00.000-07:00

'
Earlier this week, Tuesday to be exact, I did something so unusual, so unheard of, so unexpected, that it will probably seem unbelievable:

That's because on Tuesday... I went Out.

Seriously, if you know me at all, even if only through this blog, then you know that I'm an inveterate homebody. Therefore, it would have to take something very special to get me out of the house on a weeknight.

In this case, that "very special something" was a personal invitation from Amy Obenski to catch her show at Genghis Cohen. Amy was coming through Los Angeles as part of the launch tour for her CD Kite, and there was no way that I was going to pass up such a thoughtful invitation from one of the artists that I play on FEMALE FRONT.

Amy Obenski at Genghis Cohen in L.A., 19 Jul 2006

The show was a simple solo performance, with Amy accompanying herself on acoustic guitar in the first half of the set, and keyboard in the second half of the set. Despite some admitted nervousness on her part, Amy's voice was clear as day, and she managed to keep her focus despite playing in a room that had its share of minor distractions.

I neglected to get a setlist from Amy (I had distractions of my own -- see below), but I did recognize some of my favorite songs from Kite, such as "Carousel", "Lady of Tomorrow", "Angel's Road" and "Take What You're Given".

While enjoying the show, it occurred to me that I was off-base in my original review (linked above) in which I likened Amy Obenski's music to Folk. It isn't Folk (as I admitted), but it did occur to me what it can sometimes sound like, and after the show I remarked to Amy that she could "pass for Irish". Not that she sings with an Irish brogue; it's just that she paints with a similar brush as some of my favorite Irish artists, like Eleanor McEvoy.

All in all, it was a delightful evening out, to which I was thankful to have been invited -- until I ruined it by destroying Amy's equipment.

What happened was, after the show I noticed that Amy was left to pack up her equipment by herself, and she had to do it quickly, because the next act was waiting to set up. Wanting to Do the Right Thing, I offered to help her break down the gear. Amy asked me to fold-up her keyboard stand, and I thought "Great!" (having actually done such a thing before). So, I flipped the metal stand over and began folding-in the legs. They seemed to be a bit stuck, so I gave them more force and they started to fold.

Then I realized that they weren't folding quite the way they were supposed to; I was just bending the metal hinges that are supposed lock the legs in place. Horrified, I said "Did I just bend your stand?!" Amy acknowledged that I basically had, and at that point I basically wanted to bash myself on the head with a large brick.

She was very sweet about it, as she was about everything, and swore that I hadn't damaged it irreperably; but I offered to replace it if that were the case (and the offer still stands, Amy).

The only thing that might make me feel better about that unfortunate incident would be if more of you went to amyobenski.net and bought her CD! And if you live in California or the Pacific Northwest, check out her tour schedule and try to catch Amy Obenski live. You won't regret it -- and as long as you leave her equipment intact, neither will Amy!

Halie Loren: Cascade Effect

2006-07-20T11:24:00.000-07:00

'
Photo: Sally Yaich
What would make a girl who was on track to becoming a Nashville chanteuse, suddenly move to Oregon and compose an album of piano-based Indie Pop? Besides the fact that our music is way better than Country, I mean? (Just kidding...but not really.)

I don't know; but I would like to thank Halie Loren for making that fateful decision, for it has given us Full Circle, her inspired new album.

What I was referring to in that snarky opening paragraph was the fact that Ms Loren moved from Cascade Range country to Nashville at the age of seventeen, and dug herself into the music industry, writing songs and gaining experience. After two years in The Volunteer State, she decided to return to Oregon to attend college, and it was at about that time that she "rediscovered" the piano, and began composing the aptly-titled Full Circle.

The result is at times familiar-sounding: Ms Loren's Myspace descriptor is "Just another chick with a piano", and indeed she often wears her Tori Amos-love on her sleeve. But if the influence is legitimate, then who really cares if it's obvious? What's interesting is not how similar she can sound to Tori Amos or Paula Cole, but how different as well. Considering that this is essentially Halie Loren's debut release, it's clear that there is unlimited room for her music to grow and evolve. Besides, in the case of Full Circle, I feel that arguing about the merits of the music or vocal performance may only serve to distract people from the album's most outstanding artistic accomplishment: The lyrics.

There are twelve tracks on Full Circle (including one Joni Mitchell cover), and they all have two things in common: Ms Loren's moody piano, and some sharp lyrics. The song "Alone" is probably my favorite track, lyrically, on the album. It depicts the quiet devastation experienced by a young woman as a result of a failed relationship. In other words, it's a breakup song -- a genre that every songwriter in history has taken a swing at; so if Halie Loren can succeed in putting you right there in the moment, and make you feel the dread for yourself, then she must indeed have talent. Here's the first verse from "Alone" (I wish they'd help a brotha out and put line-breaks on the lyric sheet...but really, I'm just happy there IS a lyric sheet):

Lying awake on my own again I can finally steal the entire bed, yet I curl into this ball of flesh protected from the chill tht starts inside my bones & spreads to parts of me that I'd forgotten could feel the pain of cold, but they'll numb themselves soon enough or so I'm told...

Thematically, the title track is a sequel of sorts to "Alone", which I found interesting. "Full Circle" finds our protagonist turning the tables on her ex, and although she admits, It feels good to hurt you, feels good to turn it all around on you, the rhetoric escalates until you realize that she has crossed the border into emotionally-unhealthy-land. The song gives you a sense of how two people can become locked in a death-spiral of bitterness, before either of them even realizes what's happening.

The opening track, "Maybe I'll Fly", covers similar ground, but has an optimistic bent to it. It's not about the bad experience, so much as it is about the protagonist's self-realization that she might be able to stand on her own two feet for a change. "Sand", which is musically one of my favorite tracks, is another song about regret, but it takes a more abstract point of view.

"Kitty" is the Mean Girls of the album, a song about a callous, catty girl who doesn't care who she hurts on her climb to what she thinks is the top. On the opposite end of the female spectrum is "Sisters", a beautiful ode to siblings and the relationship that has allowed them to be stronger together than they would have been individually.

And then there is "Numb", a political song that scores with subtlety instead of heavy-handedness. Ms Loren obviously shares my sense of disbelief at what our fellow citizens are willing to accept, and furthermore, what they're willing to ignore. This song is proof of Ms Loren's versatility, and therefore of her bright future as a songwriter -- that is, if the FCC doesn't outlaw artistic expression. Because as the song says: Get it out of your head, just close your eyes and be led, the Age of Reason is dead.

Obviously, this artist has been able to use her powers for good, to channel her pain into works of art, in the tradition of countless artists before her. But Halie Loren knows what she has, and she is grateful for it, as evidenced in the eloquent closing track, "Lucky": Lucky, this is a lucky life, I see it more and more how Lucky is a relative state of mind...

Arrangements throughout the album are spare, and although it's usually effective in context, the bare-bones album production may be my only point of contention. I think that Halie Loren's songwriting could sustain a slightly bigger or deeper-sounding production without losing any artistic integrity. Another thing I look forward to is more piano "leads" from Ms Loren; at this point, she is mostly content to play rhythm parts. Perhaps these are things we'll hear on a future Halie Loren album.

For there isn't much doubt that there WILL be another Halie Loren album, and based on her debut, she has a great chance at gaining a devoted audience. Once you've listened to Full Circle, you may very well become one of that audience's early members.

Danan Healy: Degrees of Style

2006-07-14T12:34:00.000-07:00

'
In the world of Pop music, it is not uncommon to find artists who are classically trained. Many people learn classical instruments or chorale, whether through private instruction, schools or conservatories, and then apply that learning to their favorite non-classical genres.

There are also artists who crossover from Pop to Classical (such as Michael Bolton's ill-advised album of arias), and vice-versa (Sarah Brightman).

But I have encountered few artists who have crossed-over in quite the way that Danan Healy has. With a Bachelor's degree in Music for Voice from Southern Methodist University, and later a Master's degree from the Eastman School of Music (endowed by Kodak founder George Eastman, which explains the school's affiliation with the University of Rochester in NY), Ms Healy certainly has impressive academic credentials.

Her practical experience has ranged from operas to oratorios, and from international competitions to an impressive three-year stint with the U.S. Army Field Band's Soldier's Chorus. Her more contemporary work includes compositions for independent films, and a collaboration on a project called Aeolian May.

But eventually, as one can imagine, Ms Healy became eager to embark on a solo project, and in 2005 it finally came to fruition with the release of her EP You Need More Love. Surprisingly for anyone who has been reading up to this point, her chosen musical genre for the album was... Ska?!

More precisely, it's "Ska, Danan Healy-style", featuring intensely personal lyrics and themes that run the emotional gamut from bad breakups to wild sex. Either way, it's a bit of a left-turn from Mozart and Kurt Weill. Clearly, this was one artist who just wanted to cut footloose for a change; and the fact that she could attach dark lyrics to upbeat music allowed her to have the best of both worlds.

There are six songs on the EP, and they all feature high production values, particularly the brass arrangements on the tracks "You Need More Love", "Despise You", "Gold Star", and "Don't Waste My Time". The other two tracks, "The Only Way" and "Hotel Room" (the latter of which originally appeared on the Aeolian May album) are more downbeat, musically and thematically. "The Only Way" is a fairly gut-wrenching song that could be a Country ballad -- except it isn't twangy, and the emotions actually sound genuine. The song features this great line from the chorus: The only way that I get through a day / Is that I don't die.

"Gold Star" is another standout track, for it exhibits the kind of irreverent sexuality and humor that made Liz Phair infamous; and BOY does it make me wish I had a lyric sheet for this EP.

If there's one criticism that could be made regarding You Need More Love, it may be that Danan Healy's voice is too good for the style of music. Imagine, for example, that Linda Ronstadt were the vocalist for Save Ferris; would you get the same thing out of the music? Of course, Save Ferris' actual singer, Monique Powell, is one of the strongest vocalists working in Pop today, and that never took anything away from their music; so perhaps my theory is bunk after all.

As with every album, you will have to judge for yourself. I, for one, was more than happy to add two Danan Healy songs to the playlist, and I invite you to check out her album at the CDBaby link above.

There is one thing about Danan Healy that is indisputable: She is an intriguing artist with a unique combination of education, experience and approach, and one can only hope that she will continue to explore music that is personally meaningful.

Hope Alane: Twisted Sky

2006-07-13T10:03:00.000-07:00

'

Music certainly does not need to be groundbreaking to be great, and there is a lot to be said for any artist who simply enjoys, and is committed to, her music.

Still, it is extremely gratifying to come across an artist who has actually created something a little different, and on the infrequent occasions when it happens, I get happy about music all over again (not that I'm ever unhappy about it, per se). Hope Alane is the latest such artist to cross my path, and with her album Pink Sky Blue, she has put her own unique stamp on the "folky pop" sound.

It's a bit difficult to describe just how the album is different; but between the writing and the arrangements, Hope Alane and her semi-anonymous collaborator "John" have created a sound that steadfastly avoids the pitfalls of both Pop and Folk. And I appreciate that very, very much. There is an occasional hippie vibe that permeates some tracks, but just as often the sound is thoroughly modern -- epic, even. Occasionally it's all of those at the same time. Although the sound is very different from Tegan and Sara, the mood is similar: The girl with the acoustic guitar is really just the secret identity of a one-woman supergroup. (Two women, obviously, in Tegan and Sara's case.)

(With all this talk of originality, it occurred to me after a repeat listening that some people may cite the song "Spinning World" as sounding a bit like "Stupid Girl" by Garbage. But that song was based entirely off a sample of "Train in Vain" by The Clash, so let's all calm down about what constitutes originality.)

I may have mentioned this before, but one problem that I like to have is being unable to decide which tracks from a particular album to add to the playlist. It means that every song on the album is worthy of airplay, and that, my friends, is a joyous occasion. Sadly, due to the arcane, counter-intuitive and, well, fucked-up copyright rules of the United States, I am limited to playing only a few tracks from any one album. In this case, I chose "Earth's Full", "Patience" and "Spinning World", although it hurt me deeply to leave out "Brave".

Happily, you will be able to listen to every wonderful track as many times as you want, when you follow the link above and purchase the album!

A lot of people ask me (well, some of them...well, one of them...in my head...) how I pick the artists I play on FEMALE FRONT. The truth is, I rarely turn down submissions from independent artists who fit the eclectic genres that I play. But if I had to single-out which kinds of projects attract me the most, it would be the ones where either the music is a little bit twisted...or the artist is. "Twisted", in the world of DJ Arhythmius, is always a good thing, and always a compliment.

To Hope Alane: Thank you for doing something a little bit different, or as I like to think of it, a little bit twisted.

January: The Winter of our Disc Content

2006-07-12T10:58:00.000-07:00

There is at least one artist on the FEMALE FRONT playlist who I am pretty sure you won't hear on any other station -- internet or terrestrial.

Her name is January, and she's so elusive, I can't give you a link to a website because there isn't one. And I can't post a picture because there aren't any. Well, that might be an exaggeration -- I'm sure her family has some pics -- but there aren't any that I've been able to get ahold of.

I had two of her tracks in rotation on ESTROGENIUS for more than a year: One was a song called "Never Will I", from an unreleased project called January with Mother, and the other was an achingly beautiful song called "Make Me Feel", from an unreleased solo project. I don't even know the name of her current collaborator, otherwise I would've been happy to credit him here, too.

Unfortunately, while I was in the middle of the station re-launch task, I realized that I'd lost both of the January CD's I had, and the mp3 files were of an unusable bitrate. But then Fate (not his real name) intervened, and I was lucky enough to get a demo of January's latest (and yes, as-yet-unreleased) project, and I immediately put three tracks into rotation: "Truth", "The Smell Of" and "Pardon Me".

If it seems like I'm making a big deal about an artist that you can't actually hear anywhere else, well, that's the whole point. Yes it's obscure, but you need to hear this music. What does it sound like? Damn, I was afraid I would ask that question...

While I would categorize her previous work as Experimental Electronica, this new disc is more like Acoustic Electronica. Wait, isn't that a contradiction in terms? Well...yes, actually. Which makes it weird that she was able to pull it off. January is a sort of musical alchemist, blending disparate sounds, genres and influences to make a precious material -- her songs.

Don't get me wrong, the music is not perfect: For example, on this latest project, they got a little happy with the back-masking. But it doesn't matter, because the real mystique about January is her voice. Ah, that voice. True to her name (in the Northern hemisphere at least), January possesses a voice that can chill you to the bone with awe.

It's difficult enough to describe any person's voice, let alone that of a unique vocalist. January's voice is crystal-clear, with seemingly perfect pitch. Her inflections and very slight nasal tone suggest exotic, far-Eastern origins, and there is the faintest hint of rasp, which gives her an edgy quality (as does the material itself). There are a few spoken-word movements that January delivers in hushed tones, and the effect is calming yet intriguing; she is definitely the most sensual song-whisperer since Lori Carson worked with The Golden Palominos.

With every song, January manages to evoke an emotional response in me. Her voice just does something to me, man! (See? Right there, it turned me into Dennis Hopper!)

I wish that worldwide exclusivity with January were something to brag about, but the whole point of this station is to increase awareness of innovative artists, to get the knowledge out there so that you can buy and enjoy their music yourself. For now, at least, FEMALE FRONT is the only place where you can hear January; but as soon as that changes, I will be happy to publicize it.

Much Re(tro)spect

2006-07-06T14:49:00.000-07:00

As previously mentioned in this space, I've been waiting for the new disc by the UK band Retrospect to arrive via Royal Mail. Well, I finally got it last Friday, so now I can give the band a proper review; and I am very happy to say that this CD was worth the wait. Although several tracks are available for streaming on Retrospect's Myspace page, it's amazing what a difference hearing it on a proper CD can make.

Long Hair Short Memories is the title of the album, and it is very good as both a title and an album. I can't help but think that the title refers to Retrospect's contemporaries, who may have forgotten their Rock and Roll roots. Well, this disc proves that Retrospect did not forget. On this album, I heard everything from classic 50's Rock chords to 70's Soul, all filtered through a stripped-down 90's Alternative sensibility. At times, I was reminded of Throwing Muses or The Sundays, two bands that were prominent on this station when it was first launched. (On the other hand, I could be way off about the title; "Long Hair Short Memories" could just be referring to the band members' penchant for forgetting where they parked the van.)

In my earlier post about Retrospect, I mentioned frontwoman Charlene Jones' guitar skills, but it couldn't hurt to mention it again. Although she gets her thrash on in a couple of tracks, she also displays a soft touch with some leads, showing her versatility. Oh, and apparently she was trying to break the world record for the longest sustained guitar note on the marathon track "Stoned Cold"; hey guys, let me know if the Guinness people called you back!

Yet now that I have the CD, it is Charlene's voice that stands out to me the most. Her vocals are always fun and genuine, but there are times when she really lets herself soar on a pretty melody, and the result is a surprisingly confident-sounding vocalist. What makes a lead singer interesting is not necessarily her technical skill (although Charlene has that as well), but her ability to convince you that she belongs nowhere else but the front of that stage. This relaxed assurance comes across on the CD, and I can only imagine how much fun it is to see Charlene, Andrea and Rich playing live.

In fact, I would say that if Retrospect keep up the live gigs, then they should garner a large following in the UK, at least if people have any sense. Hopefully, the CD will be available for purchase soon, and you'll be able to check them out for yourself.

As of this writing, I haven't yet decided which tracks to add to the playlist, but the winners will go into rotation this weekend.

Update: The THREE tracks that I added were: "No Not Now", "White Side" and "Please". This band gets better with every listening.

Flyin' at the Mayan: A Recap

2006-06-24T21:43:00.000-07:00

It's that time again, and not a moment too soon: Last Wednesday, June 21, I was privileged enough to witness the spectacle that is... Lucha VaVoom!

The theme of this edition of LVV was "Flyin' at the Mayan", referring to the historic Mayan Theatre in downtown Los Angeles, the home of Lucha VaVoom. The show is produced by my sister, the artist sometimes known as Ursulina.

Once again, I am lame for not having pictures to share -- but it's not for the usual reason. This time, I actually remembered to bring my camera; but unfortunately, due to circumstances way too complicated to go into here, my posse and I were forced to sit in the balcony. That's too great a distance in too dark a room for my weak camera to handle. Mea culpa.

The lack of pics is a particular shame, becase many of the acts were brand-new...SO new, that you're not likely to find pictures of them anywhere.

Most notable on the burlesque portion of the bill was the new duo of Gypsy Roze and Sweet Leighdy. These brave women in frilly gold bikinis performed a death-defying duet while hanging from a suspended metal hoop. And when I say "suspended", remember that I was 20 feet above stage level in the balcony, and they were directly opposite me, often hanging onto the slippery hoop with only one hand each.

This was a genuinely dangerous routine, and the performers pulled it off with incredible skill and grace. Yet they were SO vulnerable, that I was almost more scared than turned-on.

The same ladies also did a bang-up job as the corner girls for the great Mistico!

Also much appreciated were the performances by the luscious Lola La Cereza, Rocket Saffire, and Moana Satana.

Somewhat disappointingly for this fan, the Poubelle Twins (see their permanent link in the menu to the right) were in another "unannounced" match. The lights came up after a burlesque number, and next thing you know, the Poubelles jumped into the ring along with their nemesis Cry Baby and her partner (whose name I didn't catch, because the match was unannounced!!). Not that they weren't spectacular as always, it's just that these unannounced matches can be confusing for the audience, which could make them lose interest -- and THAT is unacceptable! If only I were a close relative of the show's producer, I could provide some feedback about this...

Appearing on the wrestling card were such luminaries as Los Gallineros (The Chickens), Human Tornado, Chilango, Cassandro, and the "Mini's" Tsuki and Mascarita Sagrada. And in a strange twist, the L.A. crowd showed their true colors by rooting for the Rudos (bad guys) Shamu Jr. and El Chupacabra, in their tag-team match. Must be because the lizard made his debut in the Mayan.

Keeping the crowd entertained as usual were color commentators Blaine Capatch and Tom Kenny (yes, the guy who does the voice of Spongebob), making a difficult job look effortless.

You know, as a Los Angeles resident I'm proud to add this mashup of Mexican masked wrestling and burlesque to the long list of innovations "invented here". Rest assured that I will stay on top of this phenomenon and report back to you for as long as I can.

Everything you need to know about
Lucha VaVoom in one photo!

Happy Birthday to Me

2006-06-23T14:36:00.000-07:00

Yeah, it was yesterday, June 22.

Who the hell is late with their OWN VANITY BIRTHDAY GREETING?!?

*Sigh* -- Me, that's who. Is it even still a vanity greeting if it's late? A query for the ages.

In honor of my birthday, I will share with the world the magic that is Hasselhoff. If you haven't seen it today, then you haven't seen it! Click below!

"Hooked on a Feeling"

The Hoff rollin' deep.

No Comment

2006-06-20T14:36:00.000-07:00

I'm sure that 50 million other bloggers are posting this today, but...

Pearls Before Swine by Stephan Pastis

Click here if you (understandably) need a larger version to read.

Kate Bush: (Another) Whole Story

2006-06-17T20:42:00.000-07:00

This just in:

I have finally updated the Special Artists section of femalefront.com to add a tribute to a very special artist indeed: The amazingly gifted Kate Bush.

I had originally intended "Special Artists" to be the main section of the website, but it turned out to be the one that I updated the least. The music from these artists is so meaningful to me, that it's difficult to properly express in writing, and Kate has been the biggest challenge so far; but I gave it a shot, and I think that the resulting wall o' text is testimony to her influence on me.

This particular tribute was prompted by my finally purchasing her long-awaited album Aerial (pictured above). One thing I didn't point out in the review was the amazing album cover. To me, it initially looked like what it is: A series of jagged rock formations rising out of a still lake, with a sky of honey reflected in the water. But if you look carefully, you'll see that the image also resembles a spectrograph -- a picture of sound waveforms, similar to how a heart monitor graphs cardiac activity. How fucking cool is that? (Rhetorical.)

So, if you're brave enough and have lots of free time, click here to go directly to the article; or here for the "Special Artists" section's main page.

Retrospect: It Is Decidedly So

2006-06-14T13:24:00.000-07:00

Mere hours after (re)launching Female Front radio, I was contacted by Charlene, the singer and guitarist for a band out of England called Retrospect, who were looking for promotional outlets for female-fronted bands. How's THAT for results?! So, I guess my little re-branding idea worked? Could be.

Anyway, for being the FIRST band to contact the new station, I promised Charlene a plug in this blog, and a spot on the Female Front playlist (coming as soon as they can ship their CD halfway around the world). So check out Retrospect's Myspace page, which has four tracks available for your listening pleasure. I especially like "No not now", for its melody and some nice riffage from Charlene.

And I can't fault anyone who respects the Magic 8-Ball. Will Retrospect be a successful act? Signs point to yes!

(God, that was awful. Sorry.)

Just to give you an idea of what a Retrospect gig is like, here's a photo of drummer Andrea, Charlene, and bassist Rich loosening-up. Yeah, but you should see them when they've been drinking.

So, cheers to Retrospect, and thank you for contacting Female Front! Here's wishing you the best of success.

FEMALE FRONT: The Re-Branding of ESTROGENIUS

2006-06-12T23:25:00.000-07:00

And now, for our first post: A repeat! (copied from the previous blog space).

ESTROGENIUS Internet Radio went on the air in June 2001 with one mission: To provide exposure to under-played and under-appreciated female artists and vocalists. Not to get sappy or anything, but it has been my incredible honor to have dealt with so many talented artists, and even the occasional listener. (Kidding! It's, er, always this slow during the summer.)

Five years on, I felt like it was time for a bit of a shake-up. The music has been stronger than ever, but I thought that I could somehow be serving it better. Thus, I decided to re-brand and re-launch the station with a new identity: FEMALE FRONT.

What is Female Front? As I describe on my homepage (also re-branded, but still available at the same old links you always had, and now also at the convenient http://www.femalefront.com/), it's a pun so bad, I had to share it with everybody on earth. I mean, a triple-entendre? How could I pass that up?!

Since I couldn't very well change all of that without also changing the blog, here's the important news as far as this space is concerned: It is moving to a new Blogger address.

Please bookmark http://femalefront.blogspot.com, as this is where the blog will be continuing. The previous version (http://estrogenius.blogspot.com) will remain up as an archive, and as a handy way to redirect everyone who keeps forgetting to bookmark the new address. There are permanent links to the previous blogs located in the menu to the right.

To all of the artists and repeat listeners, thank you from the bottom of my heart. You are two of the reasons why I do this (the third being myself, because I really need something other than corporate radio to listen to). And if you're a first-time visitor, thank you for stopping-by; I hope you check out the station and enjoy it.

Oh, and the blog will still be called "Minor Notes", because that's another annoyingly cute play on words that I've come to like, and because all of this shit is confusing enough as it is.