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Visual artist and musician Khaela Maricich is not a rock star, she is more like a rock unicorn. If you are lucky enough to have one, she is like that quirky but sweet arty friend who bakes you cupcakes and throws inpromtu dance parties. Maricich, performing as The Blow spins infectious pop-electro songs that are most often about love and heartbreak. Her lyrics are honest, vulnerable and often times funny.
She has collaborated with Jonah Bechtolt of Yacht on two albums ( Poor Aim Love Songs and Paper Television), but both technically now consider themselves part of one person bands. For both albums Bechtolt supplied the beats and Maricich did the melodies and the lyrics. In Mojo Magazine, both Director Todd Haynes and David Byrne listed The Blow as the best thing they had heard in 2007. The Blows most recent effort, Paper Television lives up to this praise. The stand out songs being Pile of Gold, Pardon Me and True Affection.
Khaela Maricich and Jonah Bechtolt
Maricich voice is similar to fellow K Records artist Mirah, but Maricih's songs have a more upbeat style then Mirah's. Her songs are appealing because of their innocence and honesty, but also because they just make you want to dance. In the song Bonjour Jeune Fille openly bisexual Maricich sings to a girl upstairs who is having bad sex. She expresses a desire to take her away and save her. Many of Maricichs songs are female positive like Pile of Gold, a song reminiscent melody-wise of The Knack's My Sharona, which implores girls to realize how special they are, and encourages men to realize the same. The Blow is currently taking a break after a world wide tour in 2007. Khaela Maricich maintains a blog, That Touch Me Feeling, with updates about her life and the band. For more information on The Blow Check out thier Myspace.
Grand Ole Party
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It seems musicians these days sell music like tarted up cigarette girls, making sure to tip their cleavage at eye level as you fondle the lighters. It's is so commonplace that when music actually manages real raw sexuality it easily blows all the bubblegum and plastic out of the water. This is the case with San Diego trio, Grand Ole Party and their debut album Humanimals. Upon first hearing the single "Look Out Young Son," I wanted to wear red lipstick and tight jeans. I wanted to saunter in front of hungry men with long bangs, black inked arms and the itch to start trouble. Needless to say, when singer-drummer Kirstin Gundred wailed "I must be the devils daughter...what a dark father to dwell in me," I got the primal urge to RAWK.
Grand Ole Party's style of explosive rock n' roll is at the same time familiar and like nothing I've heard. They already distinguish themselves as a band by having Gundred front and center singing and playing the drums. You can hear in the music a cornucopia of influences and at times they sound like a female fronted Led Zeppelin. Gundred's vocals are a love affair between Ann Wilson ala "Barracuda" and Grace Slick on "Somebody to Love". One could even say Kirstin Gundred is a more gritty and soulful Karen O. Like Led Zepplin the fierce vocals aren't the only thing that makes the band stand out, guitarist John Paul Labno, and bassist Michael Krechnyak's have incredible skill. It makes me wonder why more people aren't talking about this band.
Because I was instantly enamored with "Look Out Young Son," I was hesitant to approach the rest of the album for fear that it would not live up to the single. Thankfully the rest of the album doesn't disappoint and will definitely have you playing air guitar in your bedroom. Highlights include "Nasty Habits" and "Bad,Bad Man," but the whole album is easily a play through. Once I settled down from rawkin, I couldn't help but admire Gundred's skillful storyteller style of writing, possibly owing to a degree in modern literary studies. "Humanimals" is a musical journey through exotic emotional and physical landscapes. With "Gypsy March" we follow our heroin 'born in the swamp in a summer spawned of the hottest heat," in a song so vivid, pictures of Gypsy's and caravans dance in your imagination as it plays.
Grand Ole Party started in 2006 and met while studying at UC Santa Cruz. Not exactly a 'best kept secret' band, they were nominated for "Best New Artist" in the 2006 San Diego Music Awards. Humanimals debuted January 2007 and was produced by Rilo Kiley's Blake Sennet, who began courting the band after one of Rilo Kiley's members saw a live show. Currently the band is touring the US with Rilo Kiley. I live too far away to see them on tour, all I can do is play them on repeat down here in Australia. I will say Humanimals isn't an album you download a couple songs from to pepper into your ipod mix, you must own the whole album.
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