Demo
KATHERINE KELLY
(myspace.com/katherinebarneskelly)
Former Nous Rapport frontwoman Katherine Kelly moves on with a five-song demo showcasing her whip-smart lyrics, sharp vocals and ear for sparse, cutting arrangements. Gripping opener "The Patrons" is a sexy wash of electric guitar, bass and Kelly's urgent delivery. She picks her instrumentation wisely: "Forty Days" supplements a simple guitar with strings. Elsewhere there are horns and harmonica. On "Celebrate," Kelly issues a half-spoken, half-sung literary smackdown that name-checks Thoreau, Fitzgerald and others: "I'm gonna hit you like a cop/ A swift kick in the cock/ Was it Lacan who picked the lock?" If this EP is any indication, Kelly's got a lot more to kick going solo. 3.5 stars
This article appears in Jul 9-15, 2008.