spoken word

Banana Sandwich

admin — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0000

The Astonishment is the moniker of Russian-born Marianna Limno, but although it’s her stage name and image on the cover and she delivers the poems on this spoken word album, the words were written by James Crippa, an expatriate Brit residing in Los Angeles. I found this surprising as most spoken word artists perform and record their own pieces, and also because a few of the tracks deal with sex and dating from a female point of view. Limno’s distinctive Russian-inflected voice is both a blessing and occasionally a curse. Often it lends an international import to the spoken lines, but in several cases her pronunciation is inadvertently humorous or unintelligible.

“Red White & 2 Blue” is the story of a coal miner with a pulmonary infection fighting for medical and Social Security benefits. While the story is disturbingly real, the constructions are somewhat stilted: “Government of mine, don’t leave me behind... the question is my life, money and my pension.” Almost all of the twenty-nine tracks are in rhyme, which makes them more musical and memorable, but can lead to strange phrasing and occasional clunky lines.

“An American” makes good use of everyday details as Limno chronicles a typical day in the United States. “Wake up at 6 a.m... the kids are ready, French toast, coffee... two cars in the driveway…then off to work, school... at work at nine... a computer terminal... work ends at five... remember, the boss is always right... rush hour traffic, the highway jammed... my good work everyone ignores... to the video store, movie and popcorn... late night TV, news and comedy.” Later she gives us a portrait of play time in the U.S: “a barbeque... Monday night football, a trip to the mall, playtime in Vegas.” I saw the piece both as a comment on the banality of daily life and the joy one finds in small everyday moments.

“Eve Knows” retells the Garden of Eden story, recasting her supposed fall from grace as a quest for knowledge. “Eve knows the serpent is astute, / the apple from the tree of knowledge...I am that knowledge / Let me spread my fruit to the mute, the deaf and dumb / I am the fruit that cures the mute.” Limno's powerful delivery makes the tale fresh and compelling.

“Power to the People” is a call for collective action in the face of governmental and corporate corruption. While this type of protest piece has been done before, the words are nevertheless inspiring. “Power to the people... Don’t give it away, take a hold... let it unfold, start from below... water it by night... Keep it inside, hold it, unfold it, iron it out... Let your voice be heard, don’t let it stray, keep it close to home.”

“Phoenix” delivers a surprising message: we are urged not to look to the mythical bird known for its rebirth for inspiration. “Condemn the Phoenix to his place: a myth... Immortal we are not, ashes the end, fire not the start.” It's a viewpoint I'd never considered, but I appreciated the emphasis on human frailty and mortality. Some situations are final and we cannot always start anew.

The overall theme of Banana Sandwich is striving towards a better world, both communally and individually. Crippa references biblical battles, the Roman gods, bullfighting, Martin Luther King, Jr., Lenin, and the fall of the Berlin Wall, among other topics, and his work includes many original metaphors and images. Poetry lovers looking for a modern, realistic yet optimistic take on the world today will find much to admire.

Written by: Karen Duda, June 27th 2010

Speak!

admin — Sat, 16 May 2009 10:15:00 +0000

By Radical Women of Color Media Collective

Liquid Words Studios

“Necesito gritar!” bellows Adele Nieves in response to the question she poses with her spoken word piece entitled “Why Do You Speak?”, which is the first track on the album. Through the unrestrained strength and rage smoldering behind every word, Adele provides a call to action against the overwhelming powers of erasure, invisibility, and silence that is exhaustively pushed upon women of color for centuries. Speak!, an explosive powerhouse of an album created by the Speak! Radical Women of Color Media Collective, uses spoken word, song, and poetry to detail the ins and outs of oppression and intersecting injustices, personal and collective struggle, and the redeeming powers of love, conviction, and pride.

Each piece pulses with vitality and pure unbridled emotion, whether somber or tempestuous in tone and content. The album in its entirety promotes the importance and the force of women’s voices, elaborate and concealed histories, and personal and collaborative forms of resistance. The individual artists weave together testimonies on their personal experiences with discrimination and hate, the dissolution of their intricate identities in favor of assimilation, and their reclamations of self and radicalization in a way that further illuminates the falsehood of the 'American Dream', as well as the continued necessity for political mobilization.

Pieces like “Slip” reveal the relationship between language and violence, showing the ways words embody hate and act as catalysts to brutality. Furthermore, many of the works analyze the ways the lives of women of color are invalidated statistically, in academic and political arenas, and in the day-to-day interactions with other people. Not only are there clear and poignant narratives on cultural genocide and racist and sexist hypocrisy, there is also a spirited display of hope, inspiration, and community in the face of the often crippling effects of adversity.

Ultimately, the passionate messages of beauty, love, and a constant determination to survive and prosper resound throughout the album. Coming out, the listener is motivated to assume their right to organize and to treat their illustrious identities as personal and political sustenance.

SPEAK is having a listening party in Brooklyn tonight. Wanna go?

Written by: Renee Leonowicz, May 16th 2009

40 dayz

admin — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 02:53:00 +0000

By Motion

Women's Press

Staying true to her moniker Motion, Wendy Braithwaite’s _40 dayz _ takes readers on a fast-paced word journey. Doubling as a spoken word poet and hip-hop artist, it’s no surprise that Motion’s poems are full of a rhythm often unattainable by most poets. The subjects she writes on seem to develop their very own heartbeats—some thunder while others throb slowly.

Of the many subjects Motion covers, a primary topic is, of course, female issues. "Wombstory," a chapter in this collection, includes five poems that examine womanhood. "Blues" transforms the act of sex into a musical experience. Lines like “lips opened/but no sound would come/unless you played me” and “pulled limbs/pitches glistening/in beats/we remember/the fullness of this music” represent the correlation Motion creates between blues music and making love. The poem is one of the best in the collection because it uses such a fresh approach to a played out subject.

Irony is notable in the poem "October," which follows "Blues" and focuses on pregnancy. Utilizing nature imagery, the poem weaves a feeling of regret surrounding said pregnancy, but the unborn child maintains its strength.

Motion also takes a hearty stab at political issues. "Ownland Security" paints a picture of the accepted paranoia that follows today’s fear of terrorism. With short opposing phrases, Motion illustrates this concept, including images like “black suits/borders” and “finger print/strip search.” "Vet"_ describes the speaker’s encounter with a soldier and assesses his re-acclimation into 'normal' society: “Plastic prosthesis no paralysis of permanence/no dis ability [sic] no checks/something happened there/and I just haven’t been right.” These images convey much to many who may wonder what happens to soldiers when they return home from war.

A final thing that struck me about _40 dayz _ is that, unlike the poetry of some spoken word artists, you can still appreciate Motion’s work just by reading it on the page. While hearing it live would enhance the experience, it’s not essential for readers who want to grasp her messages and marvel at her talent.

Written by: Michelle Tooker, February 16th 2009

Summary

admin — Fri, 06 Jul 2007 01:55:00 +0000

By BARR

5 Rue Christine

I can’t listen to this record without thinking the word "self-indulgent." Imagine you are in a room with a piano, a bass guitar, a microphone and your thoughts. Nothing is written down. In fact, the lyrics and instruments stream out in paragraphs. You talk about your life, friends, family, text message conversations. You sometimes sing, but the rest is basically spoken word.

This about sums up Barr's (Brendan Fowler and Corey Dieckman) new release, Summary. What’s important about this album is the lyrics. Fowler pushes the boundaries of what you can include in a song, but still keeps the songs relatively short. However, Barr pushes this stream-of-consciousness over a bland background of noise. While I appreciate the stripped down sound, it’s hard to pay attention to a mind-bending lyric if I only hear the same note being played over and over again. Maybe I just don’t understand the appeal, but this was a hard album to finish once. The best part? The second song is “The Song is The Single," and the lyrics tell all: “The song is the single and the single sucks/it never sounded good/it always sounded bad.” I can appreciate their honesty.

Written by: Courtney Ham, July 5th 2007

Swarm

admin — Sat, 23 Jun 2007 12:01:00 +0000

By Andrea Gibson

Faux Pas Productions

If you love poetry—scratch that—if you love powerfully articulate, passionate prose meant to stir up your inner emotions and inspire you to stand up and create change, then you’ll love the brilliance that queer poet/activist Andrea Gibson serves up aplenty in Swarm.

Primarily recorded in a bedroom, Swarm also contains a handful of live tracks that allow the listener to taste the raw energy of her live performance.

The self-released album came out in 2004, yet the poignant words, occasionally accompanied by a backdrop of acoustic guitar, cut into you like knives and remain just as relevant today—particularly today. Gibson takes it all on—patriarchy, ignorance (the angry, powerful “Wal-Mart”), gender norms (the comedic “Sidewalk Chalk”)—without a bat of the eye, and takes you on a rollercoaster ride of emotions in just one piece.

Check it out, if not just for the jaw-dropping live track, “Dive,” a brutally honest peek at life and what Gibson pens “the most honest poem I’ve ever spoken in my life.” She speaks passionately of the horrors of life—the stuff that doesn’t make sense, “doesn’t rhyme”—from patriarchy and hate to anti-gay violence. Another gem is “Blue Blanket,” a fierce portrait of patriarchy: “I am generations of daughters, sisters, mother/our bodies battlefields/war grounds/beneath the weapons of your brother’s hands.”

This album will not disappoint. It will change your life.

Written by: Amy Wooten, June 23rd 2007

Ladyfest South (January 25-28, 2007)

admin — Fri, 13 Apr 2007 23:30:00 +0000

Various Locations

Atlanta, Georgia

Ladyfest South is always a blast because it is back to back lady talent for a good cause. Ladyfest South 2007 happened over four nights at four venues in Atlanta and featured over fifty music and spoken word acts. This year’s beneficiaries are The Rock N’ Roll Camp for Girls and The Fund for Southern Communities.

Thursday January 25, 2007 - Eyedrum Art Space

Phat Man Dee from PA is amazing and fun to see. She sports interesting costumes and sings cabaret camp and pop. Julia Carroll is a "hard folker" from Gainesville Georgia, an Ani inspired, in your face young lesbian who sounds a little like Suzanne Vega, and whose style is a la Johnny Cash talk/sing. Julia’s songs are fast paced and socially conscious. Julia has really grown in her voice, stage presence and guitar work. With her high cheek bones, thin frame, high energy and jeaned attire Nashville’s Steff Mahan slightly resembles Michelle Malone. Steff is country folk, plays guitar as hard as Amy Ray, and really blew the crowd away with her impassioned performance and songs from hard time experiences. "God, Are You Mad at Me?" was about a lousy 2006.

This writer always loves to see Renee Mixon, from Rome, Georgia. Renee is a teacher with a fresh, clean, look and attitude. Her songs of love and loss are timeless, have rhythm, and are always interesting. The Morgan Rowe Band from Decatur was in top form as usual. Morgan is an amazing talent with a great band who deserves a wider audience. Morgan is a great, undiscovered talent.

Friday, January 26, 2007 - If Coffeehouse

Sabrina is a folk singer with a sixties style, powerful voice and message songs. Sabrina has a strong, commanding presence and gives advice in "Say So," and, "What R Y Waiting For," a fast paced diatribe against materialism. Atlanta’s Barb Carbon is intimate folk. Barb draws us into her world. "I am not ok… the mystery of life is wearing me down.” "Start Again" is haunting. Rana, from D.C is philosophical folk and like Mary Chapin Carpenter has a dry sense of humor. There is something expansive about Rana’s style. Her voice reaches out with strong emotion and her guitar playing is clear, strong and simple.

Tiny Nicole Reynolds from Pittsburgh looks like a young Bob Dylan. Reynolds has a sweet, striking and very soft voice - like a whisper. Reynolds majored in jazz guitar in college, but her style is pure folk. She left her audience wanting more and "Wondrin," was amazing.

Friday, January 26, 2007 - The Earl

Box, a rock band from D.C. describes themselves as: “Really pissed off lesbians who drank a half gallon of whiskey… a pack of monkeys.” Box has a lot of fun onstage. Their sound is strong and clean, one can hear the lyrics, and the song, "Holier Than Thou" is awesome. The vocalist can be a little off, but their sense of humor is right on. Also performed was "Lezzie’s for the Lord," and "Mullet Head Girlfriend," all just right for the party atmosphere of Ladyfest South.

Oriflamme, from Gainesville, Georgia is a girl band with poppy punk electric guitars and two bass guitars. Their words are hard to hear, but the music is textured, interesting and not too hard. Atlanta’s My Siamese Self, is rockabilly and punk garage rock, and featured some great guttural singing by the bass player. "Shrug Shoulder Hero" is a fine example of their unique style.

Saturday, January 27, 2007 - The 5 Spot

Easyell was a last minute fill-in, who really grabbed attention. A soul and folk singer, Easyell’s voice and songs were haunting. Spoken word artist Ryka Aoki de la Cruz from Los Angeles also performed. Her poems address issues, such as abuse, and offer hope.

Sunday, January 28, 2007 - Eyedrum Art Space

Mare Wakefield from Nashville on guitar and vocals performed with her bassist. Wakefield is alt country with an attitude, as a mix of Natalie Merchant, Shawn Colvin and Dolly Parton. Wakefield blends sophisticated bluegrass, country and jazz with funny stories. Mare’s voice is good and has rhythm, and her playing complements her singing. Wakefield performed "Love vs. the USA" and a break up ballad, "You’ve Done Enough." David and Roselyn from New Orleans performed with the rumba box, banjo, harmonica, trumpet and tambourine. Small Framed Boy from Atlanta, "Experimental, Psychedelic, and Progressive," closed out the night and the fest with their blend of noise, funk, rock and Middle Eastern elements.

The call goes out to other strong women who will step up to the plate and organize this amazing festival next time.

Written by: Katie Klemenchich, April 13th 2007

Sticky Fingers: Queers Running the Stage Art Gamut (2/17/2007)

admin — Thu, 29 Mar 2007 01:27:00 +0000

Galapagos Art Space

Brooklyn, New York

Sticky Fingers featured a medley of performances ranging from spoken word poetry to electro-rock by queer artists from across the eastern seaboard. Held at Galapagos Art Space in Brooklyn, NY, the show was stimulating in its polymorphous perversity, the performances audacious in their satirical elements and guttural verve. Manhattan-based artist Chavisa Woods opened the night with her spoken word piece “No One is Ever Going to Touch You Like This.” Woods’ piece was a powerful inquiry the reality of passion and fantasy. The force of her language was materially rendered onto her body as a space of confrontation and mutilation: the inquisitive nature of her question “Do you lack passion?” asked while being whipped became an imperative to the audience to rethink their emotions.

Woods’ piece was just one of the many highlights of the show. Philly-based, electro-rock, multimedia performance artist LotSix, also the show’s producer, electrified the audience with her danceable beats, incisive lyrics, and poignant visuals. Her performance was refreshing in its approach to salient political and cultural issues. What distinguishes LotSix from other queer artists is her ability to refrain from the pervasive dogmatism that has dominated the queer performance scene. This is what makes a LotSix performance unique: her music is not comprised of trite didactic commentary but satirical ruminations on life. Songs like “You Are” mock the necessity to “out” and place labels on people—here, the “you are” is a mocking interpellation of Sarah Gilbert as she was outed by Curve Magazine (then Deneuve Magazine) in the early 90s—while songs such as “Contextuality” play upon the seriousness of relationship issues through a retelling of a personal experience.

Katz, the solo member of the Athens Boys Choir, blends spoken word poetry with hip-hop beats to create dynamic music that, like LotSix’s music, is wonderfully creative and avoids the bland aftertaste of the standard politically-driven queer performance. His songs “WaHo”—a dedication to his love of Waffle House—and “Tranny Got Pack”—a parody of Sir Mix-A-Lot’s “Baby Got Back”—were priceless in their hilarity. “Sticky Fingers” also featured short films by Phoebe Morris and Jen Heck, the latter whose film “Airplanes” was recently awarded first-runner up of the 2007 PlanetOut Short Movie Award. Closing the show was Brooklyn-based, post-riot grrl band Marla Hooch, who rocked the space with their hard-hitting, but less gritty and angry than their riot grrl predecessors, music.

Written by: Marcie Bianco, March 28th 2007

Whisper of a Newborn Ghost

admin — Sat, 10 Mar 2007 18:45:00 +0000

By The K23 Orchestra

On Whisper of a Newborn Ghost, the K23 Orchestra combines 70s style rock with spoken word. Described as a “unique blend of funk, rock, Latin, jazz fusion and spoken word,” the K23 Orchestra aims high, with thoughtful lyrics and talented musicians. However, the combination never gels and the songs drag on for far too long.

Many of the songs on Whisper of a Newborn Ghost are filled with descriptions of angst experienced under the reign of Bush. The first song, “Big in El Portal,” describes a yearning to escape. The chorus is “Awake/I’ll break out this city/Make my escape.” The verses depict disgust at the state of the nation and the use of rhetoric to brainwash the people: “Robin Hood fed his child and got thrown in jail/Another man kills a thousand and his approval ratings sail.”

The second song on the album, “Whoop Tee Dee,” addresses the way that the term “freedom” has been twisted to suit the needs of politicians. “Please cease misusing the word freedom” is repeated three times in the beginning of the song. The lines “We crave what we don’t need and cannot afford/As freedom flaunts finance in the face of the poor” articulate how materialism has clouded American eyes.

This song, like others on the album, contains a good analysis of the issues, but unfortunately, the length of the song overshadows the meaning. The lyrics begin to blend together, and after listening to more than one song, they all begin to sound the same. This is not aided by long instrumental sections in the songs.

Lyrically, the K23 Orchestra has a lot to offer. The words are poetry, and the topics of the poems are relevant and needed. The K23 Orchestra is, in their own words, creating a message of “social change through music and art.” If they want this message to be received, it needs to be curtailed.

Written by: Shelby Smith, March 10th 2007

Check the Rhyme

admin — Thu, 01 Mar 2007 14:13:00 +0000

Edited by DuEwa M. Frazier

Lit Noire Publishing

Talk about a breaking silences; we finally have an anthology speaking to women of diverse backgrounds, backgrounds usually ignored or tokenized in more traditional publications. Check the Rhyme is a new anthology and one of the first dedicated not only to women of diverse backgrounds, but to both “female poets & emcees.” What do I think? I say: Hallelujah, Hallelujah; thank the stars this anthology exists! For one of the first times, female emcees and poets speak about issues as diverse as hip-hop, hair, Hurricane Katrina, and Black history. Long ago, the quest to break silences was begun by such artists as Nikki Giovanni and Audre Lourde; this anthology continues the struggle to have new histories and perspectives discussed.

The goal of the anthology, as its editor writes in the Introduction, is to “teach young girls” that this anthology exists. Finally, we have a collection does not “other” its subjects; the realities set forth under such section titles as “About Hair,” “Growing Up in the Hood” and “I Dream of Hip Hop” are presented as empowering, lyrical communications of realities one may not find in the next anthology of this and that. With both received/traditional forms such as the haiku existing in the same space as rhyme/rap forms, this anthology presents not only a diverse view of the world, but a diversity of poetic forms. Rather than villanize hip hop, this anthology offers new perspectives and offers a space to socially conscious emcees. In Mikayla Simone’s poem “American,” she asks “Where is my country?” I think her America exists in the space of this anthology tackling class and ethnicity and class and love and family, among other subjects.

Frazier’s anthology offers a new perspective of our nation(s), our world(s), and of identification. The result is a publication that empowers and will hopefully throw light on what has been marginalized or unseen.

Written by: Lisa Bower, March 1st 2007