Search - Crowsdell :: Dreamette

Must-groove CD for Shannon Wright fans

The Devil | The White House, Washington DC | 03/07/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Crowsdell was a scary good band in the mid-'90s based out of Jacksonville; Shannon Wright played guitar and sang, and fans of hers will like the muted passion of her playing and her tawny, roaring voice. Standout tracks are "Down" and "Sugar Coated." It's a sexy record. Stephen Malkmus produced."

Eccentric alt-pop with impeccable musicianship.

D. Mok | Los Angeles, CA | 02/08/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Crowsdell was the world's introduction to Shannon Wright, and if you're already familiar with Wright's moody, difficult solo works, be advised that Crowsdell is nothing like Wright's own music -- lyrically, musically, and production-wise.



The music on Dreamette, Crowsdell's debut, is like a mix of R.E.M.'s early, ultra-jangly college pop with Throwing Muses' stream-of-consciousness experimentalism. It's weird and catchy, but topped off with lyrics similar to LIsa Germano's, sounding like the musings of a very demented teenager. But what distinguishes this band from the start is the confidence of each member's performance. Shannon Wright's manic guitar flailings are pure punk-pop, fairly elementary in technique yet exhilarating in energy, especially on the piano-like chimes of "Waltz", the thick, textured garage pop of "Waiting", and "Down", the most deliciously jangly pop song in my library. Though her vocals have yet to mature fully, sometimes sounding off-key, she sings with a sexy confidence that fulfills what you'd expect from a good lead singer. And she's backed by a killer rhythm section in bassist Paul Howell and Laurie Wall -- Howell's snaky yet rocking basslines would make The Cure proud (in fact, I learned how to play bass by learning the marvellously off-kilter bassline on "Down"), and Wall is a terrifically flavourful drummer, concentrating on immaculate feel rather than brawn. I'd be surprised if Wright's own distinctive drumming weren't at least partially influenced by Wall, because Wall's work is a perfect accompaniment to Wright's voice -- witness the incredibly sparse beats of "Grace". Click track or no, many drummers and bassists will tell you it's hard to sound this tight when playing so little. Sadly, neither Howell nor Wall has recorded with Wright since the band's dissolution, and it's our loss.



An import-only title, this is a very difficult record to find; if you like challenging alt-pop in the Throwing Muses vein, snatch it up the minute you find it. The band's 1997 follow-up record Within the Curve of an Arm is even better, with the gorgeous organ-and-voice "Lurking in Sagas" and the killer midtempo rocker "You Want Me Dead" being highlights. Both records are essential listening in indie pop, and delightful surprises for current fans of Shannon Wright's work."

Not a single bad song

rydei goldwords | San Francisco | 01/19/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"i just got this and i haven't stopped listening to it. all the tracks are good and i haven't been tempted to skip over any while playing. as for the whole "EXPLICIT LYRICS" tag on the title, i'm not sure why, unless she's singing what i *think* she's singing about in "sad eyes" in which case, yes. very disturbing, especially against the cheery guitar and her voice.



stephen malkmus produced, and now that i hear that, it does sound a lot like the jingle jangle guitars pavement had in "westing" and "slanted and enchanted". but that's a good thing!



it's hard to describe this music... it's like rose melberg (the softies/tiger trap) with slashed wrists playing until her inevitable death."