reallyrather


February 2002 March 2002 April 2002 May 2002 June 2002 July 2002 August 2002 September 2002 October 2002 November 2002 December 2002 January 2003 February 2003 March 2003 April 2003 May 2003 June 2003 July 2003 August 2003 September 2003 October 2003 November 2003 December 2003 January 2004 February 2004 March 2004 April 2004 May 2004 June 2004 July 2004 August 2004 September 2004 October 2004 November 2004 December 2004 January 2005 February 2005 March 2005 April 2005 May 2005 June 2005 July 2005 August 2005 September 2005 October 2005 November 2005 December 2005 January 2006 February 2006 March 2006 April 2006 May 2006 June 2006 July 2006 August 2006 September 2006 October 2006 November 2006 December 2006 January 2007 February 2007 March 2007 April 2007 May 2007 June 2007 July 2007 August 2007 September 2007 October 2007 November 2007 December 2007 January 2008 March 2008 April 2008 May 2008 June 2008 July 2008 September 2008 October 2008 November 2008 December 2008 January 2009 February 2009 March 2009 May 2009 June 2009 July 2009 August 2009 September 2009 October 2009 November 2009 December 2009 January 2010 March 2010 April 2010

email

Powered by Blogger


   Sunday, March 17, 2002  
"There's so much detachment in music. Rock "artists" are so conscious of being watched, and of being pretty, that at best they muster up some fake, soft-core swagger. Indie-rockers try to counter this by inhabiting their detachment and, for the most part, they've all earned a good slap." Unpop talks to big John Roderick of The Long Winters...

Oh Miranda, where art thou? No sooner had her debut release slipped out on VirginAmerica six months ago than the delectable Ms Lee Richards sank from view like a Pacific sunset. Unlike fellow LA-based '01 pop-rock debutante Pete Yorn, there was seemingly to be no relentless coast-to-coast touring, no MTV-friendly vids, nada. Over at www.mirandaleerichards.com the wind's blowing through busted shutters, everyone's left town. Hark, is that the patter of collective cold feet?
So the record must be a real stiff, right? Well, reallyrather can report only the tiniest twinge of guilt each time The herethereafter is once again slipped into the player. Words like 'safe', 'generic' and 'winsome' can all be hurled in it's direction with justification. It's glossed-up, vaguely psychedelic folk-pop. Miranda's voice sounds just like you'd guess it might from the 'hippy-chick' cover photo (ie wistful & really rather lovely). It's a guess, but if VirginAmerica had thought to themselves, "Hey, Dido-meets-Sheryl Crow - let's do it!," reallyrather wouldn't be in the least surprised. There are parallels with Shea Seger's debut, Richards having been similarly ill-served by a slick, big-money production: strings, tastefully-rendered street beats and backwards guitar all feature (step forward producer/co-writer/boyfriend Rick Parker). Yet the first half-dozen tracks or so certainly have plenty of obvious appeal (it does admittedly peter out thereafter, save for a decent stab at the Stones' Dandelion). Someone at over BBC Radio2 could earn a few easy points by "discovering" her...

But wait, there she is - every Monday in March at Spaceland, Los Angeles, and it's free! Now, if the old Vespa only had wings...
   posted by SMc at 12:12 PM |