We got let off early yesterday due to the inclement weather. On the crazy, crowded, slippery metro and Toxic M and I were stared at by this demon baby in a stroller– the hugest, strangest baby, with pink and blue eyes, yellow scary hair, making odd sounds, demanding Goldfish from his black-haird, black-clad mother. Truly disturbing. Later, I ran into Damian again with his/her witch mother on Connecticut (buying shoes? In the sleet?) so I hid in Melody Records to let them pass. Also the frozen rain was starting to hurt and I needed shelter for a moment. Anyways, I came across something that I had been looking for.
If you are familiar with and dig vocalist Dani Siciliano’s collaborations with partner Matthew Herbert (Goodbye Swingtime, Around the House, Bodily Functions) – definitely buy her first solo album, "Likes.." now. It’s more of the same thing except that she wrote, produced, and plays (clarinet!!!) on much of it herself. I really had a pleasant and enjoyable evening listening to it while admiring the icicles outside my window. She has a warm versatile voice, taking a lot of risks, and is highly inventive - and rhythms never fail to amaze and surprise. It’s funny because whoever at the store put together the handwritten review was really off- comapring Siciliano’s sound to soft Brazilian and St. Etienne – there is nothing twee about it. Goldfrapp, Beth Gibbons, Moloko, late Nico, even Basement Jaxx’s recent collaborator Siouxsie Sioux come to mind – but really this is beyond category. And so much fun!!!! She does a jazzy version of Nirvana's "Come as You are," which could have been quite unfortunate, but somehow it works. Hell, I’m too busy today to wax poetic (juggling a variety of projects while having to be in full party-planner mode in anticipation of tomorrow), so here is what some other people have said. I also bought the new Air, Talkie Walkie, but didn’t really get a chance to listen.
Incidentally, some of the lovely album artwork is by Fil-Am artistJohn Patrick McKenzie, of San Francisco’s Creativity Explored. (Hence the title, "Likes...") Truly visionary work! And a great organization. I first came across them during one of my failed career incarnations working in the local non-profit arts/education world.
CHANGE MY NAME!!!!
Posted by: Toxic M | January 28, 2004 at 04:53 PM