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Sound Check: October 2008

Monthly news and reviews of queer women in music.

So often the word “original” is overused for new music, but there’s nothing truer to describe the sounds Ponytail makes. The Baltimore quartet is fronted by out vocalist Molly Siegel, who adds to the experimental nature of guitar rousing by calling and crying her way through choruses.

Calling me from tour, Siegel told me she was not offended by my choice of “Fly With Me, Lesbian Siegel” as a blog title.

“Heckler boys used to sing that to me in middle school,” she said. “It’s funny. How you used it is funny!”

I could already tell she was going to be a fun interview.

“I haven’t played an instrument or done music before being in [Ponytail], but I knew I wanted to do something; I just thought it would be a solo thing, like electronic,” Siegel said. “I was inspired by Le Tigre in high school.”

A girl after my own heart. Having met her male band mates in art school, Siegel started attending band practice and said she was talked into trying out singing. “I didn’t want the vocals to be the central part of the music,” she said. “We had a couple practices and jammed, and I started doing this weird stuff. I was self-conscious about it for a long time. I didn’t know what I was doing. It took me awhile to get comfortable.”

Siegel’s signature howling and calling are based on narratives (“abstract” she calls them), so there is some emotion behind the sounds escaping her mouth. Given that Siegel is an out lesbian, I asked if there was anything inherently queer about Ponytail’s music.

“I think I would consider it queer because I’m in it,” Siegel said with a laugh. “But it’s also experimental and fun and you can dance to it. It’s not Justin Timberlake or whatever, but I think that makes it more queer, just it being weird.”

Siegel recently submitted her own list of the Top 10 Gayest and Greatest albums for an OUT Magazine poll, so I had to inquire about Siegel’s personal picks, which included a few surprises.

“The Lil Wayne answer was a joke,” she said. “I think Lil’ Kim has definitely changed rap music for women. I mean Lil Wayne is a little more questionable, how revolutionary he is in the queer world. But his music is definitely enjoyed by a lot of queer people I know.”

Siegel said she came out when she was 15, and she’s still not out to some of her family members (“cousins and technically my grandparents, although it’s obvious,” she said) but she was sure her sexuality would come up more as she does more press.

“I’m excited to talk about it actually,” she said. “I think it was pretty much assumed. Our publicist sent me an email about the Out thing and kind of asked, ‘Is that OK? I’m just assuming.’ That was sort of the first offer, and now it’s out in the open. But I figure if things get crazy enough that my grandparents read about it, that will be the next awkward step.”

Molly Siegel: She’s just like us, except almost famous.

LIVE SHOW REVIEW

Last week, I found myself amid a sea of lesbians. While this isn’t completely unusual, it was a very large crowd, as I was attending my first-ever Ani DiFranco concert. I know this might make me less of a gay woman in some of your eyes, but to that I say, at least I experienced it once.

My girlfriend made me a playlist so I would be familiar with some of Ani’s huge discography. Also, I had the new album, so I knew I’d be somewhat prepared. I envisioned everyone in attendance singing along to each song, but the new songs were so new, I wasn’t the lonely only one not moving her mouth.

I actually know more of her stuff than I thought. One song I recognized from Lost and Delirious, and she actually played “32 Flavors,” arguably her best-known song that has since been covered by Alana Davis. And while the singer/songwriter was somewhat talkative about politics on the mic, it wasn’t nearly as righteous as I had expected.

As a non-fan, I appreciated her energy and finger-picking abilities. As a fan, my girlfriend thought the show was a little too careful and not the same as in years past. But as I’m coming to learn with most fickle (gay) DiFranco fans, she’ll never be as good as she was before she got married and had a baby. This has apparently changed her music for many, but their supposed bitterness doesn’t keep the masses from attending her concerts.

While my girlfriend found it predictable that Ani played one of her famous bisexual tunes, “Both Hands,” for her encore, I appreciated it: it was one I knew.

RELEASE REVIEWED

Indie-pop band Bound Stems has released their new album on Flameshovel Records, and the good news is lesbian band member Janie Porche is being utilized even more this time around. A late addition to the band, having joined just before their previous album, Appreciation Night, she’s now permanent and her vocals give the band’s music an added layer of high harmonies.

The Family Afloat is a picturesque piece of America (specifically the Midwest). All 10 tracks are dream-like pieces with strong melodies, like on the song “Sugar City Magic.” But the best track, “Palace Flophouse and Grill,” is also the one where Porche shines with a solo. The rest of the album has her singing duets with frontman Bobby Gallivan, and playing multiple instruments.

With well-crafted songs about familiar issues (doesn’t everyone have family drama?), Bound Stems are successful in becoming a family themselves. Hopefully this is their last transition and the band members stay put.

NEWS AND NOTES

Chicago-based band Office has done some shuffling of members but queer drummer Erica Corniel has stayed on for the new album, which is still untitled. They’ve posted several new songs on their MySpace page until the release date is finalized.

An Horse has been signed to a new American record label, Mom & Pop Record Company. Their A&R representative is former tour mate Sara Quin. An Horse’s full-length album will debut in January 2009.

Kaki King’s new Black Pear Tree EP in conjunction with The Mountain Goats is available now on their fall tour together through early November.

Universal Records artist ShirĂ© has released a video for her single “I Used to Love Her,” which is available on iTunes. According to a press release, the song is about “the powerful, and sometimes volatile, intimacy, that can exist between two women.”

The Dresden Dolls are currently on hiatus, but have not broken up completely. Amanda Palmer has stated she is working on her own solo pursuits as of now, but the future of the band is “open-ended.”

Uh Huh Her is on tour through November with The Fashion. They end the U.S. tour in Los Angeles on Nov. 14 but play in London on Nov. 18.

Girl in a Coma is currently touring with Tegan and Sara, and join up on tour with Bitch and the Exciting Conclusion in November.

Hercules and Love Affair have released a live album from their show at Koko in London. It’s available for download here.

Out comic/vocalist Lea Delaria has released The Live Smoke Sessions, a set of classic songs recorded in Manhattan last year.

Despite having broken up last year, Canadian band The Organ is releasing a posthumous EP, Thieves, on their former label, Mint Records. They’ve also produced a video for the EP’s single, “Fire in the Ocean,” which was put together by lesbian filmmaker Samara Liu.

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