Between my costumes and your heirlooms All I’ve exhumed and your short fuse It takes two to Dance between the lines
“Venus with a vengeance” Lorelei Rose Taylor releases a magnificent EP, Versailles. The gorgeous, lush vocals of the Brooklyn songstress effervescently float between baroque rock, 90s alternative, and ethereal dream pop. Drawing inspiration from fellow chanteuses Jewel, Sinéad O’ Connor, and Florence and the Machine, Versailles is raw emotion buttered up with pure storytelling and rich vox.
The title track, Versailles, unfurls dark drama in a familiar landmark. ‘Versailles’ embodies a sort of cosmic dance between two people very much in love, but very toxic for each other – and everyone around them. The Palace of Versailles was a landmark in a near decade-long relationship for me, one which became a symbolic memory – a beautiful place to visit, but we couldn’t live there,” shares Taylor.
Versailles became the third demo Lorelei Rose Taylor ever recorded. After an initial spark of inspiration in the NYC subway, the single came together when Taylor joined forces with punk musician Robbie Grabowski (I Can See Mountains, Super American) on piano. The two took their time sculpting the song before presenting it to producer Stephen Kellner.
“I think it’s my favorite song,” says Taylor. “And I always stop myself before I say that, feeling guilty for loving one child more than the others. I guess I felt especially vulnerable when I wrote this; I let myself run back and forth through my emotions unhinged. I was livid and sad and proud and helpless all at the same time – but somehow, my tone is indifferent. There was a moment where I turned to the guys like, “Do I sound bored?” But I realized I was just exhausted. Exhausted and defeated – and I didn’t want to pretend I felt any other way.”
Photo: Bonnie Nichoalds
Another standout track on the album is When You’re Gone, an atmospheric, melancholy number that feels right at home in a David Lynch production. It is a highly emotional piece with gentle nods to doo-wop and uncannily evoking the mournful cries of the Cranberries’ Dolores O’Riordan.
The Texas-born songwriter grew up in upstate New York and penned her first song at just 11 years old. The precocious youngster took it upon herself to label her keyboard keys with marker and to emulate Jewel on acoustic guitar, sparking a lifelong passion for songwriting. In 2012 Taylor moved to NYC to attend college at FIT. From there, she pursued an Art History degree in Florence. By 2017 Taylor was back in Gotham, ready to write more music.
Reflecting back on the creation of the album, Taylor says: “Château de Versailles is home to one of the most electric eras of my life. For so long, everything was decadent – full of love and lust and excess. And then it wasn’t. The EP is about the party being over and the gardens being overgrown. It’s about returning to Versailles with the only set of keys and realizing the locks were changed – sure, I could break in, but would it still feel like home?”
On New Year’s Day, the Los Angeles musician trumpeted a public call for creative reformation:
You’re a creator? Awesome. Create. This idea that you’re supposed to be a living, breathing “brand” is gross and someday it’s gonna look really dated. Whether you paint, write, sing, or complain, own that it’s an extension of your soul, not “content” that you excrete on a daily basis like a robot. Can we please make 2020 the year that branding dies?
Photo: Alice Teeple
Photo: Alice Teeple
Photo: Alice Teeple
Hank Fontaine is a powder keg in an industry bursting with soul peddlers thirsty for fame and power. He refuses to be contained. He is content to stay honest to himself, his whims and his art. Conformity does not interest him in the least. Fontaine is a restless soul forever on the prowl for inspiration, both a citizen and student of the world. Ten years of touring as a guitarist; a lifetime of transience. For the time being, he’s existing in Los Angeles, eschewing that plastic Stepford Wife nonsense.
Living in the City of Angels has only deepened his determination to bring authenticity to his craft, encouraging others to follow suit. He walks the walk. After four years as half of sibling duo The Fontaines, touring with Dylan Gardner and Valley Queen, and resetting his path with a couple of singles, Fontaine released his first solo album in 2019: The Globalist Agenda or: Welcome To Frogtown. It is an eclectic tour de force.
Fontaine’s sound is impossible to pigeonhole, and he likes it that way. There are some echoes of retro influence, particularly in Fontaine’s guitar licks, but his lyrics are firmly rooted in the 21st century experience. He effortlessly weaves elements of Harry Nilsson, early Billy Joel, Supertramp, and Electric Light Orchestra in his sound, through the filters of English music hall, New Wave, and breezy California surf rock. Although Fontaine is primarily known for his guitar chops, he is a powerful and emotive vocalist who croons, growls, whispers and fearlessly falsettos.
Photo: Alice Teeple
Hank Fontaine’s strength lies in his curious voyeurism and refusal to mould himself to a false concept. He takes that kid-in-a-candy-store approach to sound, reminiscent of Odelay-era Beck. His self-penned Spotify bio cheekily mocks the industry push to brand musicians, which he sees as a limiting force on creativity. Not a single song on this album sounds like any other, but all work together in a sonic crazy quilt as varied as the people who influenced them. The Globalist Agenda was inspired by people Fontaine met while living in the Frogtown neighborhood of Los Angeles.
“I like to pretend to be other people when I’m writing. I think that’s gonna get me in trouble someday,” he quips.
Fontaine’s love of Seinfeld shines through in his observational lyrics: always wryly wondering, “what’s up with that?” This is best exemplified in his debut single, Bad Love, which sounds like a powerful breakup ballad, but was in fact about a time he got cut off in a Trader Joe’s parking lot. “I asked, what happened to this person to make them like this?” Fontaine explains. The ethereal, forlorn Hope Don’t Leave Me Now was inspired by a compulsive lottery ticket gamber at his local 7/11.
The album was a collaboration with his friend and producer Jason DeMayo. The pair recorded all the instruments together, one at a time.
“It was a very freeing way to work that I never tried before,” says Fontaine.
Photo: Alice Teeple
Photo: Alice Teeple
Fontaine headlined the Troubadour in LA to celebrate the release of The Globalist Agenda, and then took off the rest of 2019 to focus on writing. He’s in NYC for a few months doing an artist residency, working on a new EP of songs he wrote in his hometown of Paris.
Keep your eyes and ears on this one in 2020. Hank Fontaine is just getting started.
You can purchase The Globalist Agenda Or: Welcome To Frogtown here:
Christine Smith takes a drag from her well-deserved cigarette outside the Bowery Electric. She’s just wrapped a spectacular solo performance for her sophomore album release, Meet Me On The Far Side Of A Star. It’s fitting this album made its debut in the intimate Map Room: its twinkling, celestial backdrop placing Smith in a sort of netherworld somewhere between Weimar Berlin and Major Tom’s shuttle.
“Oh dear! Looks like I’m molting,” she chuckles, as several wisps of black marabou feathers float from her dress to the sidewalk. She stamps out her smoke, signs a CD for a fan, and warmly greets old friends who came to see the songstress on her former stomping grounds.
The Bowery is foggy, with a damp chill in the air: the kind of weather that reluctantly welcomes nostalgia and melancholy. This night, Smith served as the ferrywoman, steering the boat with electric piano keys and a small red Spanish accordion, through an emotive display of loss, longing, and regret. Christine Smith treads the line between days gone by and harsh modernity. She ruefully gazes back at the storms of the past with wry observation, hard-fought wisdom, and persistent optimism. She is a seasoned warrior armed with wit, poetic dreams and a delicious glass of red to calm those tides.
Smith’s seen her fair share of touring and recording over the last twenty years, having played with Crash Test Dummies, Jesse Malin, and Ryan Adams; as well as sharing the stage with Bruce Springsteen, Pogues frontman Shane MacGowan, Lenny Kaye of the Patti Smith Group, and H.R. of Bad Brains.
With such a punk/rock background, it’s astonishing to hear Smith’s own gentle, conversational voice and classic piano plucked straight out of a 1930s cabaret. It turns out that during her early days living as an ex-pat in London, Smith supported herself playing jazz standards. From there she served as the musical director for Newsrevue (London’s longest-running satire show).
There are strong elements of the Great American Songbook in this album, but Smith proudly wears her other influences on her sleeve – echoes of Petula Clark here, some Patti Smith there, some Simon LeBon flair, sprinkled with a bit of Angelo Badalamenti and 1950s doo-wop. She is a shining result of her eclectic tastes and influences. Her autobiography will be one hell of an incredible read one day.
Meet Me On The Far Side Of A Star began as a collaboration with Texas singer-songwriter Victor Camozzi, who shared Smith’s passion for 1930s-40s American classics. A year and some massive life shifts later, Smith’s “achingly beautiful” masterpiece was finished. Meet Me On The Far Side Of A Star is an artistic triumph. Rolling Stone recently praised her track Happily Never After (featuring Tommy Stinson of the Replacements) as a top ten Country/Americana song of 2019. One hopes that Christine Smith keeps exploring her own voice and draws more from her deep well of experience and compassion.
Scene: Hot August night, secret location in SoHo. A hundred people sit on the floor, eagerly awaiting the show. A petite, raven-haired woman enters the room with a merry wave and vermillion red smile. She thumps her guitar, startling it awake. Natalie Clark is eager to get this Sofar Sounds party started.
Cheers erupt as she launches her latest single, Grown Ass Woman, a raucous anthem for those constantly “on the go” to make ends meet. The message deeply resonates with the audience: heads nod sympathetically as Clark rattles off a wistful roster of activities one can do with a healthier paycheck. After the set, they thank her for “really getting it.”
Natalie Clark is a colorful storyteller in the vein of Dolly Parton and Loretta Lynn, liberally peppering her repertoire with joyful shrieks and fierce whoops. Her pleasant Glaswegian speaking voice belies a rock n’ roll ferocity: part Eddie Cochran, part oracle.
Less than a decade ago, Clark was a schoolteacher in Scotland. Coming from a musical family with a passion for jazz and Motown, she daydreamt about a music career. For years, pragmatism proved an obstacle.
Fate set her path in motion: while attending a BBC Radio One Academy session, Richard Branson invited her onstage for an impromptu performance of her song Weakness. Clark stunned the crowd and grabbed UK headlines. Despite the thriving music scene in Scotland, she hungered for a change of pace and moved to London. From there, Clark emigrated to Los Angeles. The relentless grind of odd jobs and gigging proved difficult in her new city, but Clark, ever the optimist, found inspiration.
“I feel excitement and creativity in the air! Also, being from Scotland, the sunshine helps,” she adds cheekily. “It’s inspiring to be surrounded by people making art in all different forms. I just followed my instinct to explore opportunities.”
Clark’s gamble was rewarded: KTLA “Artist To Watch.” Mercedes-Benz ad campaign. Appearance on The Voice. Hand-picked opening act for the Indigo Girls.
Natalie Clark
Clark’s sophomore album, Head North, explores the highs and lows of independence. No silly love songs in this EP, just blissful discovery of self-worth despite tight budgets, heady ideals, and roadblocks. Head North is the perfect soundtrack for getting your shit together. “It’s time to face the fear!” she roars in More Than A Mountain.
Natalie Clark is a familiar face in the LES music scene. In addition to several recent Sofar NYC appearances, she played a fiery set at Rockwood Music Hall in March. CraicFest also hosted Clark at Mercury Lounge, where she shared a bill with Pogues bassist Cáit O’Riordan, Ash’s Tim Wheeler, and The Mighty Stef.
“It’s been a magical journey,” she says, “I’d love to do a full US tour! I love connecting with people. I hope to get the chance.”
No doubt this Scottish firebrand has the willpower and drive to make her dreams reality. Head North drops on 23 August.
Growing up in New Jersey, singer Emily Claman was always visiting “the city,” as we call it, doing everything from visiting family to dancing at Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall. Now that she lives downtown and hustles all over the city to perform, she’s happy to call New York City home. Besides singing and songwriting, Emily is a dancer, dance teacher, and a fitness instructor at Pure Barre. We chatted about her influences, her support system and what’s next!
Photo by Zack Perl/The Bacyard
Downtown: How has New York City influenced your music?
Emily Claman: Damn. How hasn’t NYC inspired my music!? This city is so over stimulating and plays a huge role in relationships, memory making and everyday life that it would be impossible not to have presence in my music. NYC is the backdrop of my life. Plus I do a lot of writing on the subway…
Downtown: Who inspires you musically?
EC: This is always the hardest question. Honestly, I am inspired by so, so, so many artists across so many genres that it’s so hard to narrow down. BUT to name a few, SZA, Amy Winehouse, Sam Cooke, Bruno Mars, Stevie Wonder, Ariana Grande, Beyonce, H.E.R, Carol King, Travis Scott, Jay Z – I could go on all day…
Downtown: What has response to your music been like?
EC: It has been so positive – I am beyond grateful. The most common response I get is that people are connecting to my music on a very personal level, and it is so beautiful and exciting and deeply overwhelming (in the best way possible) to hear that. Certain songs can get you through your darkest times, your most confusing times, your greatest times, and everything in between, and I’m honored to be able to start to provide music for people to connect to and use on their own personal journeys.
Photo by Zack Perl/The Bacyard
Downtown: How do you combine dance and fitness with your music?
EC: As a dancer, I know the feeling of when you connect to a song in such a deep way that you are compelled to physically move to it and connect to it on that deeper level. When I’m writing or in the studio I am very aware of what FEELS right both viscerally and sonically. I have to be able to see movement and tap into the part of my DNA that turns to movement first. Also, I tend to move around A LOT during my live shows, dancing, jumping and running around, so I definitely have to stay on top of my fitness game in order to be able to do all that and sing at the same time and not sound crazy and out of breath.
Downtown: Where would you love to perform?
EC: I would LOVE to perform at Bowery Ballroom, Gramercy Theater, Brooklyn Bowl, Brooklyn Steel, MSG and so many more awesome venues, but follow me at @emclaymusic, I’ll be posting about my upcoming live shows there soon!
Downtown: What’s your pre-show routine?
EC: Pre-show routine usually consists of listening and dancing to a lot of rap music, Ariana Grande & Beyonce with my closest friends. (I have a go to Preshow playlist) I always drink a bunch of Throat Coat tea and I usually eat a protein bar about an hour before my show. Before I head to the venue, I sing one of the songs from the set to my friends and then JAM OUT to my favorite Trombone Shorty song.
Downtown: What’s your postshow routine?
EC: I try to talk to as many people as possible after the show. Connecting and chatting with the people that come to my shows is one of my most favorite things ever. Then it’s just hanging with friends, family, water, tequila, and dancing, usually followed by a late night burger or pizza run. Occasionally, it’s just me going home and passing out, it really depends on the night.
Photo by Zack Perl/The Bacyard
SPEED ROUND
Downtown: Neighborhood
EC: Fidi but I love spending time anywhere below 14th Street! (Although I’ll always have a soft spot in my heart for the UWS)
EC: NYC has some of the best live music spots in the world it’s so hard to pick, but there really is nothing quite like seeing an epic show at The Garden. Like damn, chills every time.
Photo by Zack Perl/The Bacyard
You can check out Emily’s single “Gone” on Spotify, Apple Music or wherever you listen and watch the music video below. Be sure to follow Emily on Instagram @emclaymusic to stay up to date with shows, releases, and more. She’s planning on releasing her first EP in Spring 2019.
Brooklyn local Alex Winston is a tiny lady. So small, that at certain points during her show at Le Poisson Rouge this past Saturday night, she disappeared completely from my line of sight, lost in the sea of concertgoers.
Her voice is another story. It’s amazing to hear such powerful and controlled sounds come out of such an innocuous-looking person. While Winston’s debut LP from 2012, King Con, successfully showcases her skills as a singer-songwriter, her live performance is a much better measurement of her personality and prowess. (At one point an audience member handed her a pineapple and she held it over her head and said, “what the fuck?”)
The show opened with a few of the catchier tracks on King Con, “Velvet Elvis,” and “Locomotive,” during which Winston excitedly stalked the stage, whipping her long dark hair back out of her face. She also graced the audience with a few new songs in the middle of her set, including “Houdini” and “101 Vultures,” which were recently debuted as a part of The Wild Honey Pies’ “On the Mountain” series.
Winston’s versatility is impressive. At one point in the show, she jumped up on top of the bass drum to sing the bright pop tune “Medicine,” a highlight of the evening, especially because it ensured her visibility for the entire crowd. But during the encore she stood somberly in the center of the stage with her acoustic guitar for the vulnerable “Don’t Care About Anything,” accompanied by a lone violin.
The best kind of indie pop manages to sound sweet and catchy, while remaining gritty and honest, and Winston achieves exactly that. Her energy is palpable when live, and her spirit is both fun and flippant. Go see her this summer if you get the chance—so you can say you knew her before she was big.
