Randi Russo: Shout Like A Lady (2006)

New Wax


I'm pretty particular when it comes to female vocalists, so it's always nice to add another voice to my short list, which is occupied by the likes of Chan Marshall, Patty Griffin, and Neko Case. There's enough room on that list for New York's Randi Russo and considering the weathered familiarity of Randi's voice, it's fitting that she's been compared to Patti Smith. A southpaw yielding an upside-down backwards right-handed guitar, Russo's guitar work is built on atypical chords and progressions. On the aptly titled Shout Like A Lady, Russo's songs fluctuate from gritty chord-driven rock songs to more delicate yet eerily atmospheric folk songs. This juxtaposition of dirty and delicate is represented nicely with the first two tracks on the album, "Release Me" and "Shout Like A Lady." While "Release Me" is a distorted strum-rocker, "Shout Like A Lady" is built on a simple acoustic guitar riff and sparsely placed slide guitar. Lyrically, Russo's words carry some heft. On the rocking "West Coast Girl," Russo growls about materialism, singing "Are you gonna go West Coast girl/ They got a lot of nice things in that world/ The big empty." Rather than being fashionably jaded, Russo's biting cynicism contains true depth. She mixes a variety of musical styles with keenly aware observations on the absurdness of societal expectations in grand fashion. With Shout Like A Lady, Russo has proven to be a commanding presence who could probably conquer the world wielding her quick wit and upside-down guitar. -- Capt. Obvious

Listen:
MP3: Randi Russo - Release Me
MP3: Randi Russo - Shout Like A Lady

Tags: Randi Russo, Shout Like A Lady