girl band

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

Chup

admin — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 17:06:00 +0000

By Zeb and Haniya

Chup is Zeb and Haniya's (pronounced "Zay-eb and Haa-nee-ya) debut album, which was released in July of 2008. The female-cousin duo has been marked as one of the first all-female bands from Pakistan. Ranging from alternative pop, art pashto and folk, ethnic blues, and world music, their music cannot be confined to just one category. Some of their influences include Suzanne Vega, Nick Drake, Elliott Smith, Simon and Garfunkel, Mark Knopfler, and Muddy Waters. At times, I can definitely hear glimpses of all their influences in their music. Zeb and Haniya have a surprisingly natural sound to them, which is refreshing.

In 2000, while attending college in the United States, Zeb and Haniya started playing together. They basically began experimenting with music as a hobby, but with a great response from the college community, decided to start recording. Zeb has been training as a vocalist since 1998 with the acclaimed Ustad Mubarak Ali Khan. Her first cousin Haniya is a guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter.

The self-track titled song "Chup" proves that contemporary Pakistani music is not just a man's domain. As one of the most popular songs downloaded on the internet, and having gotten generous airplay, “Chup” is one of Zeb and Haniya’s most well-known songs. It was written and composed during a break when they were in college. The song begins with a catchy guitar riff and a bossanova-sounding drum beat. Horns play throughout, and it's hard not to tap your foot or even start dancing while this song is playing.

Between Zeb's classical-sounding vocals and Zaniya's beautiful guitar arrangements, this Pakistani duo creates beautiful and highly emotive sounds.

Written by: MK Matson, June 15th 2009

Scramble

admin — Sat, 23 May 2009 23:29:00 +0000

By The Coathangers

Suicide Squeeze Records

Scramble is the fresh and inventive sophomore album from The Coathangers. This all-girl band will impress you with the witty lyrics. Their sound is an enjoyable blend of surf music and underground garage punk.

Scramble is a great mood lifter and will get you in the mood to slam dance the night away before you head out for the weekend. The lyrics are easily relatable for any girl who has stood up for herself or thought about taking action against those who are oppressing her. The unique do-it-yourself sound of the album makes the listener want to find all her musical friends and make an album in her parent’s garage. The band also keeps you guessing by throwing in short clips from cult films and changing the tone of the songs periodically so as not to bore the audience.

There are several songs that could easily become your favorites. “Dreamboat” is a throwback to fifties pop with outrageous female vocals and a catchy melody that does not annoy but empowers the listener to change the way she thinks about traditional pop love songs. Another favorite is “Stop Stompin’,” which is a song about annoying upstairs neighbors and is recognizable to anyone who has had to live in cramped, cheap apartment housing with a lead-footed neighbor. I will often find myself singing it when I am annoyed with my current neighbor, thus channeling all of my righteous anger into a healthy outlet.

The Coathangers have made a fantastic contribution to girl rock history with this musical compilation that will pump you up before heading out to your next underground feminist shindig.

Written by: Jenny Greenfield, May 23rd 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