Double X chromosomes at the microphone…
The VKB vocal band of Rachelle Garniez also on various stringed instruments, harp and percussion, Amanda Homi hitting the drums, keyboards and “various things shaken and stirred” and Terry Radigan on banjo and Gibson electric guitar take on the latter day Tom Waits songbook as well as 
throwing in a few tunes of their own on this album that mixes vaudevillian moods with a dash of Cumberland gapped teeth. Some Maria Muldaurish voices make for a trad feel on “Cold Cold Ground” with a cajun feel with accordion and percussion during “I Don’t Want To Grow Up.” The ladies create rich harmonies on the quirky herky jerky “God’s Away On Business” and they saunter on “Jersey Girl”. The team gets Cantoral on “Tango Till They’re Sore” and Middle Eastern with djembe for “I’ll Be Gone”. A trip to the circus with three rings to choose from.
Tania Grubbs brings her husky voice and fluid team of David Budway/p, Jeff Grubbs/b, James Johnson III/dr and Ron Affie/g to Maureen’s Jazz Cellar in NYC for a clever mix of jazz and folk themes. Her voice floats over the post bop treatment of “A Flower Is A Lovesome Thing” and she shows her bop chops as she goes in unison with the bass on a sizzling “Ornithology”. More bohemian moods take place on a back porch jazzy read of “Wichita Lineman” while showing great range as she reads out 1 Corinthians 13 on Joni Mitchell’s “Love”. Cool guitar moods on a bossa’d “Hope Is A Thing With Feathers” and a bluesy “Don’t Take Your Love From Me” show a rich emotional depth. Not a bad night out for all involved!
Kari van der Kloot has a wistful tone to her voice, mixing artsy moods with an indie feel on this collection of originals with Lisa Tremblay/vi, Jamie Reynolds/p-synth, Gary Wang/b and Nathan Ellman-Bell/dr. Pizzicato’d strings create a clever pulse for her chambered voice on “ Swimming” while she melds with the bow on the soft pulse on “Same Song”. Long shadows with keyboards and violin are nocturnal for “IT May Not Always Be So” while a folksy parlor mod is stustained on “Hide and Seek”. Reynolds’ piano creates a niece waltz for “Caution” as iridescent vocals glisten with the ivories on “The Architects”. Subtle in its cleverness, while drawing you in to the allure.
Lisa Lambe creates sensitive tunes with a supporting cast of Jake Curran/g, Dave Hingerty/dr, Anna Houston/cel-mand, Karl Odlumb-key, Ruth O’Mahony-Brady/key and Steve Wickham on this folksy group of originals. She tells luminous stories with a mix of trad and current effects as on “North Star Rise” and the echoey “Tiny Devotions” and “All The Stars”. A dash of Laurel Canyon mandolin is heard on “Vision in Grey” and “Holding Back The Tide” with her wisping as a minstrel on “Someone Like You”. The arrangements go from moody “Juniper” with oos and a clock ticking to indie effects on the sparkling “All The Stars”. Landscapes of sound.