Tiger Tunes: Stromata - Dancing, Milk Jugs, And A Bunch Of Pills

Hi kids.  Are you in the mood for some s’mores?  I sure am.  Oh, but not just because I long for the feel of smooth, velvety chocolate.  Not because I have a carnal hunger for billowy, fluffy marshmallows.  Not because I know my body will be satisfied with the sweetness and semi-healthiness of graham crackers.  And certainly not because I want to see a bunch of mindless Greek pledges and middle schoolers try to egg each other on in a game of Chubby Bunny.

 No, I mainly want some s’mores because I feel like sitting around a campfire and telling you all a story.  A story of hope, rejection, and redemption.  A story of underappreciation and recognition.  A story of a fair musical maiden by the name of Charlotte Martin.

Before going into the music industry, Charlotte competed in the Miss Teen USA pageant, then went to Eastern Illinois University to study opera and vocal performance.

OMG!  Did you hear that, Music Industry?!  An artist that actually knows a lot about music!  Sacre bleu!  Que horror!  Hoe afschuwelijk!  Oh il mio dio!! Oh mein Gott!! OH ο Θεός μου!  哎呀!

Anyhoo, after graduation, she moved to Los Angeles and began writing albums and EPs independently, before signing with RCA Records in 2002.  While RCA released one of the EPs shortly after her signing, they pretty much messed around and “sat on me”  (according to one interview) until late 2004, when her first full-length album, titled On Your Shore, was released.

Of course, Charlotte isn’t the only artist that RCA and Clive “The Dinosaur” Davis has screwed the pooch with, but that’s for another article down the road.

Charlotte left RCA in 2005,  just before touring to promote 2 EPs she had written in preparation for her second full-length album, Stromata.  She signed with Dinosaur Fight Records in early 2006 and released Stromata in September.  Since then, she and husband Ken Andrews own their own label, where Charlotte continues to write, record, and produce her own music.  While her foray into the mainstream music world was brief, she still continues today to bring new and interesting music to fans and music lovers all over the world.

I discovered Charlotte’s music 2 years ago with On Your Shore,and subsequently purchased Stromata plus several extra songs.   Between the 2 albums, I was at a loss as to which one to review.  On Your Shore, though controlled more by The Dinosaur and his minions, was a very solid effort with great acoustic piano material and a very Tori-meets-Sarah sound.  However, after splitting from RCA, Charlotte really let her artistic creativity rip and came up with an extremely different yet extremely intriguing album that includes everything from piano to synthesizers to milk jugs.  Yeah, you read that right.

So, my lovelies, I’ve decided to take a deeper look into the weird, wonderful world of Stromata.  Make more s’mores, mix more hot chocolate, sit back, and enjoy the melodies.

"Stromata":  Right off the bat, we get a pounding, piano-synthesizer tune and more influence from Tori Amos.  Lyrically, it’s very unclear what the song is about, but the song title refers to connective tissue frameworks of bodily organs.  So maybe she minored in Biology.  Grade: B+

"Cut The Cord":  Here Charlotte talks about the difficulty of freeing oneself from a toxic relationship.  Though the lyrics almost get a little drowned out in places, the jungle drum beats are really really cool.  Grade:  A-

"Drip":  I’ve heard conflicting information on what this song is about.  Some say it’s about being aware of your body and sexuality (like a “birds and the bees” song).  Some say it’s about eating disorders.  Some say it’s about a struggling relationship.  Whatever the meaning, the synth work is really neat, and the chorus really catchy.  One of the top songs on the album.  Grade:  A+

"Little Universe"":  This is probably the most experimental track on the album, with major synth and keyboard work.  While it’s a cool sound, it’s almost a little TOO electronic sounding and comes off as a little creepy.  Grade:  B-

"Civilized":  Here Charlotte takes on a more angry, Fiona-esque vibe, with fast-pace piano and drums.  And I think this song is about a breakup after the guy got caught cheating.  Maybe.  It’s a little hard to tell.  Grade:  B+

"A Hopeless Attempt":  The keyboard takes on a very melancholy tone as Charlotte sings about the pointlessness of rekindling a dead relationship.  It has almost a bit of a “lullaby” feel to it, like the subject is supposed to be crying herself to sleep.  It’s both soft and powerful at the same time.  Grade:  A-

"Four Walls":  This is another heavily-synthed arrangement, though it’s not as intense and creepy as “Little Universe.”  It’s a smidge on the filler side, but still an interesting track.  Grade:  B

"Inch":  Here, it’s a simple piano arrangement to a song about not letting a significant other get too close.  The riffs are beautiful, though a tiny bit draggy.  Grade:  B+

"Keep Me In Your Pocket":  The pace of the album picks up with this track, which uses a quirky,  absurdly catchy mix of finger-snapping, clock-ticking, and the aforementioned milk jugs.  The chorus and the bridge especially stick in your head for days.  Grade:  A+

"Pills":  Now THIS is artistry!  On the surface, you have simple lyrics describing a list of different kinds of pills, set to a jaunty, quirky piano rhythm and a fun little chorus of “Baaaaa-ba-ba-ba-ba-baaaa.”  Sounds cute and fun, right?  Actually, this song is about a drug addict who has taken so many pills that he goes out and steps in front of a train (yes, there are train sounds, too).  The cleverest song on the album.  Gotta love morbid irony.  Grade:  A+

"Just Before Dawn":  Charlotte shows off more of her versatility and immense talent by composing and singing an operatic track entirely in German.  Though it’s very short at 1:15, the song does a phenomenal job of allowing Charlotte to show off a powerful, 3-octave range.  It’s heartbreaking that artists like her get passed up for bimbos like Ke$ha.  Grade:  A+

"Cardboard Ladders":  It’s another lyrically cryptic song, but the piano and the echoing vocals give it a lush, majestic beauty.  Grade:  B+

"The Dance":  This is probably Charlotte’s most well-known song, and, in an album of very strong songs, the strongest one on the entire thing.  It has been used in the show So You Think You Can Dance,  among other places.  Its play count on my iTunes is one of the very highest.  As for the arrangement, the knee-slapping cadence is incredibly infectious, despite giving me the urge to go leaping thought a meadow playing a piccolo.  However, the slow build of the intensity of the piano throughout the song, mixed with the backing vocals singing “Amen” like a choir is absolutely exquisite.  There really aren’t enough words to describe how cool this song is.  Grade:  A+

"Redeemed":  The title and lyrics to this song are self-explanatory.  I love the soft, lingering piano riff transitioning to a more pounding intensity halfway through the song.  It’s a great way to end a really cool album.  Grade:  A+

This is usually the point where I sum up my overall feelings about the album and bid you all adieu for the week.  However, there is one more song that is not on the album that I want to review anyway. 

One of the EPs released before Stromata was titled Veins, and included several songs that were included on the album.  Yet the title track was not.  So I’m going to review it.  Why?  ‘Cause it’s cool.  And I just wanna.

Veins:  This song uses a little bit of religious imagery within the lyrics to portray self confidence and self-acceptance without the need to be revived.  The arrangement is electronic, ethereal, and creepy, yet very cool with pounding drums and a bridge of repeated hallelujahs.  It’s another song that has had many repeated plays on my iTunes, and I do think it’s a shame that it wasn’t included on the album.  Grade:  A+

NOW you have it!  Stromata may have its fair share of strange, experimental arrangements, but the array of sounds does a brilliant job of showcasing Charlotte’s musicianship and versatility.  Many of the lyrics take a page from Tori Amos and become a bit confusing, but they also make you think and try to come up with your own interpretations.  And if you ask me, someone who can write music that triggers lots of thought and deciphering is someone who deserves all the recognition in the world.

Recommended Songs:  “The Dance,” “Pills,” “Drip,” “Veins,” “Keep Me in Your Pocket,” “Cut The Cord,”  “A Hopeless Attempt,” “Just Before Dawn,” “Redeemed”

Until next time….long live s’mores..

Tiger Tunes: Glee Folds Five

Choir was a big part of my life growing up.  Each year in middle school, our class would put on a recital singing songs about Christmas or spring.  In high school, I participated in concert choir (called Honor Choir), which led to stints at district choir and State Music Contest.  And in undergrad, I was lucky enough to successfully audition for 2 university choirs (I also auditioned for the university’s jazz choir, but my scat-singing sounded like a baby blowing one big, long raspberry).  I was a complete choir nerd, and proud of it.

So naturally, I was excited to see last year that Fox had developed a delightful little choir show called Glee, and that it had become a gigantic success.  It was becoming cool again to be a choir geek, whether it was because of the hot football players, the lovely-and-talented-yet-annoying Rachel Berry, or the hilariously intimidating villain Sue Sylverster and her one-liners about Will Schuester’s hair.  Yet while the show’s hype was well-deserved, not ALL of the choir geek resurgence credit went to Schuester and the gang.  Someone else got there first.

Right around the time that Glee’s first season was being filmed, singer-songwriter and cult music hero Ben Folds was developing a little choir geek project of his own.  Released in April of 2009, Ben Folds Presents: University A Capella! is a compilation of various university a capella choirs around the country singing Ben’s songs.  The only exceptions are two tracks where Ben himself arranges and sings a capella.  But since this project was a compilation album that wasn’t going to garner any radio play, and not a TV show on one of the biggest networks in the world, it sadly went under the radar.

Yeah, yeah….I know Glee is about high school choir andUniversity A Capella! puts the emphasis on collegiate choirs.  Just work with me here, kids.

It should also be mentioned that making the album helped get Ben the gig as one of three judges for the NBC  a capella group show The Sing-Off, which has already had 2 very successful seasons, and will probably come back later this year.

So without further ado, let’s dive into University A Capella!


Not The Same; The Spartones (UNC-Greensboro):  This R&B choir brings an interesting soulful vibe to Ben’s homage to a friend who got high at a party, climbed a tree, and came down a born-again Christian.  The background singers overpower the male lead in a few spots, but they blend well together in the bridge and again towards the end.  Plus, I’ve always liked this song.Grade:  A-/B+

Jesusland; The Loreleis (UNC-Chapel Hill):  The original—from Ben’s 2005 album Songs For Silverman—was used in Bill Maher’s documentary Religulous.  This version is beautifully sung by the all-girls choir The Loreleis.  The lead has a slight tremolo in her voice, but it enhances the overall quality of the track.  The backups provide an interesting mix of middle and low harmonies, along with light vocal percussion.  It’s a very well-done performance that is among my favorites on the album.  Grade:  A+

Brick; The Leading Tones (Ohio University):  It was this very performance that inspired Ben to do the album in the first place.  He heard this recording, and got permission from the university to use it without needing the all-male choir to rehearse it more.  It’s a little strange hearing the R&B spin on it, but the soft lead vocal and light backing vocals work well with the story of the lyrics.  Grade:  B+

You Don’t Know Me; With Someone Else’s Money (University of Georgia):  I absolutely love the work of the background on this song.  It’s bouncy, the baritone part is incredibly catchy, and the soprano take-over during the bridge is musical chocolate—sweet and light, yet simultaneously smooth and rich.  As for the two leads….the male lead sounds scarily just like Ben (in a good way), but the female lead sounds nothing like Regina Spektor.  Which isn’t bad; it just makes the lead vocals lack a little oomph.  Grade:  A-

Still Fighting It; Mosaic Whispers (Washington University in St. Louis):  This performance shows more traditional choral elements, mixed with the vocal percussion of R&B groups.  The male lead has an excellent voice that exhibits the emotions that the song requires, and the background, though a tiny bit on the loud side, uses an even balance of male and female harmonics.  Grade:  A

Boxing:  We take a break from the choirs and go to a track from Ben Folds Five’s eponymous debut that has Ben himself singing with an unnamed backing choir and some lady singing opera (?!).  Ben and the choir blend seamlessly, but the lady is a bit of a distraction at times.  Still, it’s a creative choice. Grade:  B

Selfless, Cold, and Composed; The Sacramento State Jazz Singers:  This choir was the perfect choice to cover this song.  The original (from Ben Folds Five’s Whatever and Ever Amen) is extremely jazzy, with intricate piano riffs and a jazzy bass line, and this choir portrays the original beautifully.  It’s the longest track on the album, but there are enough fascinating things going on that I don’t want it to end.  The female lead exudes an interesting simplicity in her voice, the harmonies are flawless, and the scat-singing is absolutely delicious.  Well-done, guys!  Grade:  A+

Magic; The Voices in Your Head (University of Chicago):  Ok, first thing’s first:  Best.  Choir.  Name.  EVER.  That alone gets major points from me.  Second, this is such an ethereal-sounding song that requires just great voices without fancy riffs and vocal percussion.  And this group definitely does it justice.  There is not a hint of R&B here, nor is there an actual lead vocal….just beautiful blends, wonderful harmonies, and lots of dynamics.  Grade:  A

Landed; The Buffoons (University of Colorado):  This all-male choir does a great job on this cut from Silverman, though I have to say that the lead vocal sounds like a weird mix between Death Cab For Cutie front man Ben Gibbard  and Owl City.  That’s not a bad thing at all, but it does stand out significantly more than the backing harmonies.  Grade:  B+

Time; The Princeton Nassoons:  Yet another song from Silverman,and this all-male traditional choir gives it a very collegiate, alma mater-esque vibe.  The lead vocal has a heckuva voice, and the backing harmonies help bring it out even more.  Gorgeous. Grade:  A-

Effington:  This is the other track that has Ben doing his owna capella arrangements, and while the original is somewhat giggle-worthy, this version is even more so.  The backing vocals are bouncy and almost clown-like, which emphasizes the song’s silliness.  The kids saying the opening and closing lines are a cute addition as well.  Grade:  A-

Evaporated; The Newtones (Newton South High School):  This is the only group on the album that is from a high school, and it shows for the most part.  They do have a very nice blend and good vocal percussion, but their overall performance leaves me a bit cold.  Technically, they are very impressive, especially with the variety of voices they use for the lead vocals. However, they definitely lack the maturity of the other groups.  It also doesn’t help that I’ve always thought this song was a little on the boring side.  Grade:  C+

Fred Jones Part 2; The Gracenotes (The Westchester University of Pennsylvania):  This is the poorest fit between choir and song choice.   The all-girls choir sounds lovely on the backing vocals, but the lead vocal has way too much of a tinny quality, and sometimes comes off as Tiny Tim in an earthquake gargling vinegar.  It just doesn’t sound pleasing to the ears at all.  But like I said…the background sounded nice, especially on the bridge.  Grade:  D+

Army; The Midnight Ramblers (University of Rochester):  Just the fact that a college choir dropped the f-bomb in a song is enough to make me spray my monitor with Diet Dr. Pepper.  But this whole track is just a big ball of hilarious fun that you can jam to in your car.  The lead vocal injects the lyrics with a very subtle sarcasm, while the backing vocals completely rock out, especially on the bridge (where the original had a big brass solo).  I also love the ad-libbed “real American hero” at the very end.  Grade:  A+

Fair; Eau Claire’s Fifth Element (University of Wisconsin): There is so much going on in this track.  The lead vocals are solid, but the backing vocals become the real star of this performance, using a great bass line, subtle references to past Ben Folds songs (there is a lyric from “Zac and Sara” thrown in there, as well as a couple other songs), and some catchy falsetto work on the chorus.  It’s another totally fun track that you don’t want to end.  Grade:  A+

The Luckiest; The Amateurs (Washington University in St. Louis):  We end the album on a traditional choral performance on Ben’s ode to his family from Rockin’ the Suburbs.  The background vocals sound like they’re performing in a church and singing to the heavens, especially when they blend with the lead on the chorus (that’s a good thing, in my book).  The lead vocal has an absolutely wonderful range, and this song is an excellent showcase for it.  A beautiful choice for a closer. Grade:  A+

And there you have it!  Despite a couple of hiccups, this is a really enjoyable album, and I’d love for there to be a second volume some time down the road.  I do admit that I had thought Ben would be performing all the songs with the choirs all in the background, so this sound was a little unexpected at first.  But what a concept, and what an impressive collection of talented choirs!  And I’m willing to bet that even Ms. Sylvester would enjoy it.

Recommended songs:  “Jesusland,” “Army,” “Fair,” “Selfless, Cold, and Composed,” “You Don’t Know Me,” “The Luckiest,” “Still Fighting It”

Until next time….LONG LIVE CHOIR GEEKS!!!  HEEEYYYOOOO!!!

Tiger Tunes: Not A Pretty Girl....But a Pretty Album

Hi kids.  As promised, I’m back with the kickoff to my new series, Tiger Tunes: A-Z.  The first victim is none other than indie folk goddess Ani Difranco and her 1995 album Not a Pretty Girl. 

I was given this album when I was in high school (a few years after it had come out, mind you…I’m old, but not THAT old!), and it’s still one of the standouts from my music collection, and an essential to those of you who have a substantial amount of indie music in your collections.  Here is a track-by-track review, including grades for each song.

Worthy:  The album starts off with a mid-tempo groover set to hippie poetry percussion. Ani basically talks about how she and her boyfriend don’t deserve each other.  Simple message, cool song.  Grade: A

Tiptoe:  This one really isn’t a song so much as it is Ani reciting a free verse poem about a girl about to get an abortion who is contemplating suicide.  Is it autobiographical?  Who knows, but it IS different and clever. Grade: A-

Cradle and All:  The tempo picks up, and Ani rocks out here.  The irony of the arrangement, juxtaposed with the lullaby lyrics of the chorus, does a brilliant job of showcasing Ani’s creativity.  Grade: A-

Shy:  This track comes off as more of a background track than the previous three.  It’s another mid-tempo song that does have a catchy bass line, but doesn’t really pick up until about halfway through.  Still, it’s solid.  Grade: B

Sorry I Am:  This one is pretty self-explanatory, as it’s pretty much an apology song.  Yet Ani’s vigorous guitar-strumming exhibits both loud and soft dynamics that make this a great song to listen to while just lying on your bed on a gloomy Sunday afternoon.  Grade: A

Light of Some Kind:  The aforementioned vigorous guitar-strumming is back in full-force, and Ani’s voice exhibits a growing frustration as the song progresses.  However, as with many Ani songs, I listen to this and fear that she’s going to break a string right in the middle of the song. Boinnnnnngggggg.

Not a Pretty Girl:  The title track is one of many songs thatAni has written over the years that express her individuality and feminism.  She talks about how being her own woman might be misconstrued by some as being angry, bitter, and in need of help to survive in the world.  The awesome line “I ain’t no damsel in distress and I don’t need to be rescued/ So put me down, Punk” particularly stands out for me.  Grade: A+

The Million That You Never Made:  Another song where the guitar strings take a butt-kicking.  This one starts out with a vigorous, fast, yet soft riff that crescendos gradually as the song progresses.  Ani’s voice grows increasingly pissed-off as she hisses to the subject of the song that she could be the millions of dollars that he (she?) could and never made.  The climax explodes with guitar and pounding drums, and the last chord ends with a melancholy sound that, quite frankly, always creeped me out a little.  That’s a good thing.  Grade: A

Hour Follows Hour:  Ani slows it down by crooning out another lazy day ballad accompanied by some gorgeous guitar work.  However, the song tends to drag quite a bit in places, and ends with a bit of a whimper.  It’s another good song to play in the background, but it’s also the weakest track on the album. Grade: B-/C+

32 Flavors:  From the weakest track, we go to the strongest track.  This is Ani’s most well-known song, and some outside of her fan base might recognize it by the cover Alana Davis did the same year.  It’s another long track, but the interesting percussion, infectious guitar riff, brilliant lyrics, and unique African chants towards the end make it an absolute gem.  It’s a song that I really relate to, because the lyrics talk more about individuality and a refusal to be stereotyped.  The line “I am a poster girl with no poster/I am 32 flavors and them some” is a tagline I often use for e-mails and my social networking pages, and I have Ani to thank for it.  Amen, Sister.  Grade:  A+

Asking Too Much:  The things that stand out for me on this track are the interesting syncopation of the rhythm and the brief tempo change during the last 30 seconds.  It’s short, yet cool.  Grade:  B+

This Bouquet:   This is the shortest track on the album, and it curiously seems to go by a little too fast before I can get a really good listen on it.  It’s a bit on the “filler track” side, so it’s not Ani’s best, but it’s not the worst either. Grade: B

Crime For Crime:  Ani gets more political here, tackling the subject of the death penalty.  However, not only is the subject matter heavy and well-expressed, but the rhythms are intricate and heavy enough to jam to in the car, and the riffs are uniquely catchy.  Yet another example of a creative genius. Grade:  A

Coming Up:  I’m not exactly sure what to make of this song.  I have no idea what it’s about, since Ani pretty much rambles off another free verse poem against the background of guitar and tambourine.  But then again, it’s pretty awesome in its own way.  Grade:  A-

Tiptoe (Outtakes):  The album ends on a self-explanatory note, with Ani basically laughing and cursing her way through the Tiptoe poem.  A weird way to end, but you at least get a laugh out of it.  Grade:  B+

And there you have it.  Not a Pretty Girl is definitely not perfect, but all of the songs have enough interesting elements so that there is not a clunker in the bunch.  Still, it remains one of my favorite Ani Difranco albums due in large part to 32 Flavors.  Ani’s creativity with metaphor always impresses me, and by the way she churns out her multiple albums, I’ll be continuing to enjoy her for years to come.


Recommended Tracks: "Worthy," "32 Flavors," "The Million That You Never Made," "Cradle Will Rock

Until next time….long live healthy guitar strings.