Monday, December 20, 2010

Psychobitches Outta Hell



It seemed wrong to end this affair without mentioning the newest leading lady of Rockabilly: Patricia Day of the HorrorPops. Not only does she croon with similar vocal talents of female Rockies past, but she has helped to upgrade the style. Clad with tattoos and hair that the bride of Frankenstein would envy, Day sways the bad girl vibe of Rockabilly into a new, delightfully haunting era. This psychobitch outta hell has also lended her distinct vocals to other underground psycho bands such as Mad Sin. On top of those great feats, Day has got some serious skills on the upright bass, a rare quality in a female rocker. This woman has led the band, with help of psychobilly king/husband Kim Nekroman, to underground stardom. The band has released three albums filled with counter culture joy, and they even landed themselves a spot on the Vans' Warped Tour. With go-go dancers in tow, the HorrorPops continue to take the cake on the modern Rockabilly/psychobilly scene.

HorrorPops-Thelma and Louise

Enjoy!

Love,
Danielle

Sunday, December 12, 2010

I...Fall...To Pieces


As my musical affair with the females of Rockabilly continued, it was only natural that I would be led to the realm of country. Not only are the sounds of these genres closely linked, but a lot of the female Rockabilly artists are labeled as country crossover artists. As we saw previously with Janis Martin, she often kicked it slow with country-esque songs. Today, I give you the talents of an artist who crossed over the boundaries of pop and country, and later became known as one of the most influential female voices of the country crossover genre(s).

Patsy Cline, whose heartbreaking music is enough to give anyone serious heart problems (well, hopefully not real heart problems... but you know... problems with yknow... Facebook relationships or whatever suits your fancy). If you want 'twang', Cline is happy to oblige. With achingly slow and passionate songs, this artist connected with fans through the art of the blues, and she kicked @$$ at it. Her song titles range from "I Fall to Pieces" to "She's Got You", demonstrating that this woman clearly had some issues with love in her time. Not only did she survive an almost fatal and life changing car accident, but she consistently topped the country and pop charts. When you hear her music, you feel for her. Most of us have been in the heartbreak situation before, and the drawn out slide guitar drags your heart on the pavement and puts it back in your chest.

Occasionally a piano will accompany, providing an extra sense of longing and desire. To top off these beautiful songs, Cline's voice is deep, and she seems constantly on the verge of tears. Even in her upbeat songs, such as "Lovesick Blues", she is overwhelmingly depressed about lost love, and the listener can only feel sympathetic to her troubles. Of course, she is associated most often with the tear-jerking ballad "Crazy", the champion of all love sick songs.

Patsy Cline- Walkin' After Midnight

If you've recently had your heart broken, or know someone who has, prescribe them with a strong dose of Patsy Cline. Or keep yourself (or them) away from her entirely. It all depends on how you take heartbreak. Stay tuned for next time with a *MIXTAPE MELTDOWN* followed by a complete 180 degree switch to Neo-Thrash!

Love,
Danielle