Stricken City
Stricken City is ostensibly a new band from London, who just released their first record, Songs About People I Know, this week on The Kora Records in the US. They are definitely from London. And their record label and release date are accurate. So what about them is so ostensible?
Just that singer/keyboardist Rebekah Rah’s outsized persona so annihilates the nervy, punk-ish groove that the rest of the band lays down, that they almost seem like a backing band. In fact, Rah and guitarist/co-songwriter Ian Pettifer are the only original members of the band, going through eight (!!!) bassists and drummers since their formation four years ago. That’s two of each, per year, for you philosophy majors.
With such a talented and dynamic force out front, I am not complaining that this band is not a pure cooperative. Listening to Songs, I immediately think of other eccentric spotlight-hogging female lead vocalists: Bjork whilst a Sugarcube, Debbie Harry of Blondie, and Karen O among her fellow Yeah Yeah Yeahs. If anything, Rah sounds more confident in her twee lyrical sketches and melodic, but still all-over-the-place, vocal melodies on her first record than some of those ladies did on their debuts.
What I am complaining about is that their only US date is at South by Southwest this April, which is quickly followed by a show in Paris, meaning they’re not sticking around. Wheesh. I’ll be first in line to see them this summer when they (better!) come stateside again. Well, maybe not first, but I’ll be at the show.
Great site ladies. I always check it out to see and hear the latest in the music scene here in NYC. Keep it comin’, we want more!