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Sound Check: January 2008

News and reviews of queer women in music.

A new year brings a gaggle of new shows and tour announcements, and 2008 is already shaping up to be a great year for music, with hot releases from queer women lined up early on. There are plenty of musical distractions to keep you busy while you wait for Patty Larkin to drop Watch the Sky later this month, especially if you’re still catching up on all the great sounds of 2007.

Live Onstage

Seeing The Sounds play live is a great way to end the year on a high note. Maja Ivarsson is the Swedish band’s bisexual, platinum-blond singer, and her stage presence is dynamic.

Starting off a mid-December show at Chicago’s Vic Theater with the band’s 2002 hit single “Living in America,” Ivarsson riled up the crowd. Not that they needed to be prodded. Her tight, black hot pants exposed her long, white legs, and her leather jacket hugged her torso but was flexible enough to follow her every dance move.

Performing songs from the band’s two albums, Ivarsson jumped on the drum set and on top of her bandmates’ amps in her tiny heels. She always maintained her balance and her sassy poise while flipping her ponytail and cheerily swearing at the crowd in her Swedish accent. Ivarsson’s staccato vocals are easy to follow and pleasantly reminiscent of Blondie’s Debbie Harry circa 1979, when “Heart of Glass” was a disco-pop sensation. The Sounds came out of the dance-rock resuscitation of a couple of years ago, but they showed their staying power with their new-wave sophomore album, Dying to Say This to You, in 2006.

A band that certainly records well, The Sounds are a spectacle that should be experienced live, thanks to Ivarsson’s sexy rock ‘n’ roll stylings.

Releases Reviewed

A band that is friends with Tegan and Sara practically has their seal of approval, so Iron On has a lot to live up to with their EP, The Verse. The Australian quartet has been recognized in their homeland as local talent since 2002, but 2008 could be Iron On’s year abroad.

 

The Verse is five songs of romantic indie rock with Sleater-Kinney-esqe riffs and dueling male and female vocals. Fans of Mates of State, Rilo Kiley, and Matt and Kim will appreciate the exchanges and harmonies shared between out guitarist-singer Kate Cooper and Ross Hope. On “One Man Band,” the first track, they share vocal duties without struggling or overpowering each other. Alternating lead vocals on the subsequent songs, both have the opportunity to show off their solo skills. Kate sounds especially great on the sullen “Snow.”

Canadian Carole Pope‘s vocals are androgynous and deep, which suits her dark lyrics and subject matter. From bitter breakup songs such as “World of One” to an odd ode to the United States titled “Americana,” Pope’s veteran voice is always the focus of her album Transcend. Transcend is an ideal listen for fans of The Cliks, who borrow from Pope’s sexual brooding and honest declarations of love and selfishness. Originally put out in 2004, the album has been rereleased with the bonus track “Johnny Marr.” The songs straddle surreal electronica and alternative rock, but largely they sound fit for film scenes. It’s no wonder that Pope has had past success licensing songs to Queer as Folk and The L Word.

Los Angeles guitarist and singer Corday‘s first mistake is naming her album Superhero. The clichéd theme has been used by several artists, and Corday just doesn’t add any originality to the idea. In fact, she’s not even the superhero in her own song: “Where do I go? Where do I find you? Where’s my superhero?”

 

The rest of the album is more of the same – boring re-creations of low-fi pop-rock love songs. Fans of similar formulas will appreciate her likeness to Sophie B. Hawkins on songs such as “Linger.” Corday makes the kind of music most people assume all lesbians listen to.

News and Notes

Meshell Ndegeocello‘s The World Has Made Me the Man of My Dreams came in at No. 19 on Metacritic.com’s tally of the best critically reviewed and ranked albums of 2007.

In another internet poll, music blog Stereogum.com included four queer women on their list of the 50 hottest women in indie rock: Tegan Quin (No. 9), Sara Quin (No. 17), Beth Ditto (No. 24) and Amanda Palmer (No. 37). Palmer also showed up in Alternative Press‘ January issue, discussing her upcoming solo album, Who Killed Amanda Palmer?

Electro homo-hop duo Scream Club is currently booking their spring tour across the United States and seeking help in several cities. Until they grace a stage in your city, check out their new video for “Action! Disco,” which just came out on a compilation by the same name. The album also features singles from queer artists The Gay Deceivers, Mz Sunday Luv and Hug Party. New York new-wave rockers Boyskout have recruited two new members and have booked some 2008 shows in New York in the next couple of months. See their new drummer and keyboardist in action at Fontana’s on Monday, Jan. 28.

Arts-and-entertainment magazine Real Detroit Weekly recently profiled out Michigan rapper Feloni about being a queer MC and compared her to early Queen Latifah and Da Brat. Feloni’s new album, Love Spent, is slated to drop this year. Chicago-based all-gay lady band The Pussy Pirates was listed by The Onion as having one of the worst band names of 2007 (in the “Anatomy” category). God-des and She also made the list, being called out for their “Lick It” lyrics about cunnilingus.

Club Skirts has announced their lineup for Dinah Shore Weekend 2008. Performing live in Palm Springs will be Uh Huh Her, Colbie Callait and ’80s rock legend Pat Benatar. It will be the first time for all of them at the annual lesbian event.

Punk-rock lesbian trio 8 Inch Betsy has inked a record contract with queercore label Queer Control Records. Their first full-length album, This Time, Last Time, Every Time, is expected to be released in early 2008.

On tour this month: Girl in a Coma, Indigo Girls, Dresden Dolls, Patty Larkin, Kirsten Price.

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