Blackheart Records

Trio B.C.

admin — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 23:13:00 +0000

Four years ago, I stumbled onto Girl in a Coma—a strict accident, finding them in the first place—but after that discovery, keeping up with GIAC has become a habit, it has become compulsory, and a pleasure—as if their success has suddenly been tied to my own. Two years ago, after the release of Both Before I'm Gone, I caught up with them at the old Club 101 in El Paso, on one of their relentless tours. Nina Diaz was shy, barely uttering one word during the whole interview; Phanie D. and Jenn did most of the talking. But on stage, Nina flew into a rage, a presence so undeniable that the pathetic crowd of twenty scene kids in El Paso danced and moshed. I caught their show at Mohawk’s in Austin this past March, and this time, the huge bar was packed. Nina D. still goes wild on stage, but pulls back off it.

Phanie, Jenn, and Nina tour relentlessly, religiously—and they love their fans. They are the old school kind of homegrown band—tour, rock out, obtain fans through word of mouth. One person they impressed was rock legend Joan Jett, who signed them to her Blackheart Label, and now, this summer, out comes their second full length LP, Trio B.C., which is a reference to their grandfather’s Tejano band from the ‘50s.

Trio B.C. is a huge leap forward for the band, showing off polish, maturity, and measure. As their shows grow in crowd size, as Nina opens up, possessed on stage, as Jenn and Phanie blow out your ear drums, as their popularity swarms, Girl in a Coma is still the punk rock band from San Antonio that will break your face, while Nina D.’s voice will break your heart.

Su voz te captura, te enreda en su dedo y luego te lanza por la puerta. Loosely translated, Nina’s voice captures you, wraps you around her finger, and then shoves you out the door. Trio B.C. is an album that didn’t have seven years of preparation like their first one. Their sophomore effort is a studio album, a different product altogether, and benefits from the maturity of GIAC. And Nina...she makes you swoon. She makes me swoon anyway. Actually, any of the three make me swoon. But if Nina’s voice separates the sound of the band from all other female lead bands, Phanie’s drums and Jenn’s bass pull everything together. They stick together, fight for each other (depending on what you have read about their scrape in a Houston bar), and they rock juntos. Girl in a Coma is ready to blow up—in popularity that is.

“Joannie in the City” is the most likely to be a mainstream hit—complete with Joan Jett’s guitar and snarl on the track. They even cover “Ven Cerca,” a song originally performed by Los Spitfires—a first Spanish language song for the trio. But the rest of the LP is strong, benefiting from the girls’ individuality. Both LPs—Both Before I'm Gone and Trio B.C.—are two tattoos on your forearm—painful, pleasurable, and memorable. Trust me, the ink, the money, and the ticket for these three ladies, is definitely worth it.

Written by: Mónica Teresa Ortiz, June 21st 2009

Trio B.C.

admin — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 23:12:00 +0000

By Girl In A Coma

Blackheart Records

There are a few deciding factors that determine the lasting star power of a band: it all seems to boil down to great songs, a distinctive sound, and a story to run with. Girl in a Coma meet all the criteria in spades while snagging a few extra gold stars and honorable mentions for having an amazing vocalist with a unique resonance all her own. They are also exciting live. They are the best band in the world is all.

In reality, they comprise of guitar bass and drums helmed by Nina Diaz on vocals, Jenn Alva on bass, and Phanie Diaz on drums. Their tight unit is reminiscent of a Nirvana three-piece getting the job done with minimal fanfare and rocking out twice as hard to make up the difference. The album’s title, Trio B.C., was chosen in honor of the Diaz patriarch and his Tejano band, and conveniently illustrates the dynamism of this talented group. His likeness is also emblazoned on the cover as well and sketched by acclaimed artist Shizu Saldamando.

Trio B.C., Girl in a Coma's sophomore album under the watchful eye of label maven Joan Jett, grabs inspiration from various sources; rockabilly, punk rock, new wave, nu-gaze, and blues. As they branch out from their previous effort, you see them mature as songwriters as they creatively weave and incorporate these compatible genres with their edgy brand of punk rock. The record jumps like a game of hopscotch in and around their creative palette relying less on a heavy guitar sounds that drove the previous record and leaving ample room for lyrics and vocals to shine through.

“Vino” really showcases Diaz’s voice as she bellows and croons like a teen angel version of Patsy Cline. The way she ends her phrases with a vibrato lilt would make anyone obsessively hit rewind. “In the Day” is catchy, bright, new wave goodness that mixes The Vapors’ optimism with Morrissey’s acerbic cynicism. Jett’s backing vocals are heard loud and clear in “Joanie in the City” a punk rock anthem to all those rockin’ chicks you always wished you were, and Joan in particular. “Trail” has that nu-gaze ‘wall of sound’ sonic complexity that invites an intent ear to Diaz’s vocal stylizing. She relents, “I’m all right for now… I’ll just never sleep again.” "Slaughter Lane" works its way through the basic elements of roots music, bluesy, bouncy and riff oriented. It is here where each element works together in tandem as if they were playing a homecoming show at [enter steamy club] and having the best gig of their life.

Trio B.C. is a fresh progression of what would be expected from a band this strong and promising in a genre that seems too often to fail in exciting their audience when ingesting new blood. Their signature sound is successfully paired with new creative endeavors. One should expect an invigorating live show as they hash out these new tunes while balancing it all with their indie punk rock sensibilities.

Written by: Cat Veit, June 21st 2009

Because I’m Awesome

admin — Fri, 13 Jul 2007 23:09:00 +0000

By The Dollyrots

Blackheart Records

Confession time: I’m a child of the '80s, but I never listened to Madonna, Prince or even the Talking Heads. I like to think I came of age with Gwen Stefani, Tori Amos and, well, Ani Difranco. Even when I was younger, lyrics took precedence over sound, substance or production, and I think these are the reasons why the first riff of The Dollyrots new album, Because I’m Awesome, was instantly appealing.

With quick guitars, a girl singer and short, snappy songs, I was immediately hooked. The Dollyrots call themselves a punk band, but I hear similarities to Liz Phair, Sleater-Kinney and, of course, Joan Jett, especially when these three artists were at the pinnacle of their success. There is a formula here, but there is nothing watered down about The Dollyrots. These are very radio-friendly songs about dangerous crushes, best friends, heartache and leaving town (specifically L.A.).

Speaking of L.A., The Dollyrots hail from the City of Angels. This is their second album, and it’s distributed by Blackheart Records, the label owned by Joan Jett. I don’t hear anything new here, but I’m okay with that. Working within the pop punk genre, The Dollyrots have mastered the call-and-response chorus, and I love singing along hoping their next album will channel Liz Phair. Don’t miss the title track!

Written by: Courtney Ham, July 13th 2007

Both Before I’m Gone

admin — Sat, 09 Jun 2007 11:50:00 +0000

By Girl In A Coma

Blackheart Records

Nas says hip-hop is dead, but after checking out rock trio, Girl in a Coma’s debut CD, Both Before I’m Gone, rock fans can relax. After the dismantling of Sleater-Kinney and Le Tigre, devoted fans of female rockers have been waiting for an act that follows the legacy of these two pioneers, but doesn’t sound overproduced.

While other bands (who shall rename nameless) sell out by featuring their songs on over-hyped summer movies, there are still bands with a woman at the mike that scratch and claw and kick for their independence. One of these bands is San Antonio-based Girl in a Coma, named after the Smiths’ song. Original bad girl Joan Jett and veteran producer Kenny Laguna signed them to Jett’s own Blackheart label after hearing them in New York. It’s easy to spot what Jett saw in the band: Nina Diaz’s voice. Diaz’s been called the female version of Morrissey. No disrespect to the Moz, but Diaz reminds me more of a raw Chrissie Hynde.

The song that won me over was “Their Cell.” With lyrics like “tattooed lovers/they don’t like to reminisce,” this track is a throwback to both The Smiths and The Pretenders. Band members (sisters Nina Diaz and Phanie D, and childhood chum Jenn Alva) perform every song with a simple intimacy that announces rock and roll isn’t dead.

Written by: Mónica Teresa Ortiz, June 9th 2007