Record Label: S/R
Genre: Whackadoodle
Band Link: link
Buy on Amazon.com link

One of the problems with today’s ease and inexpense of recording and distributing music is that it gives a lot of whackadoodles the opportunity to express themselves on a large scale. And one of the problems of having my address on a web site, with exposure to all, is that I sometimes get sent such whackadoodlery.

I’m not going to be too mean here. I’d feel bad, and I don’t want to advocate self-censorship or anything. And I have to give Esmerelda Strange props – she sings bilingually, plays drums, and plays accordion – all at the same time, all by herself. That takes talent, or at least coordination and an element of derangement.

Her music can be described as angrily played oompah beaten uncomfortably together with rock and polka and gypsy folk. But by gypsy folk, don’t get the wrong idea. She is as exotic as your typical lunatic at a Renaissance Faire.

The album’s not recorded well and Strange’s voice is pretty bad and the lyrics are downright embarrassing (“Your fish smells like wimp, and if you like sushi, I know a place that’s open all night…” on the pro-oral sex and anti-subtle “Cunning Linguist”). This is a strange metaphor, but I couldn’t get it out of my mind – to me, this album is an egg salad sandwich rapidly turning bad.

But damnit – she’s got to take her own journey. She is a free spirit. You can observe her journey, but it is a trip she must take alone. Godspeed, Esmerelda Strange. Godspeed.

Bottom Line: If the art teacher from Ghost World started a band, this would be it.
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