Don Rauf - photo: Monique Vescia
Brooklynites Life in a Blender are an obnoxious lot. In the business for more than 25 years they are about to release their new EP We Already Have Birds That Sing, singing satirical cabaret songs about starfish, politics, strip clubs, cigarettes and Aerosmith, all neatly wrapped in a vaudevillian pop with a jazz twist. Lead single Tongue-Cut Sparrow is based on a story by Japanese-American author Mitsu Sundval. Like They Might Be Giants they can spin a tune about almost anything.
Lead vocalist Don Rauf has the aloofness of s singer who has been playing dives and speakeasies for longer than he cares to remember. His hoarse delivery is a nice contrast with the upbeat mood of most of the tracks - a Master of Ceremony leading his band of merry (wo)men through the back streets filled with ordinary Joes and Janes who would like to have a good time.
Life in a Blender:
Don Rauf: vocals
Dave Moody: guitar, cello, backing vocals
Mark Lerner: bass, backing vocals
Al Houghton: guitar, backing vocals
Ken Meyer: drums, cymbals, sound effects
Rebecca Weiner Tompkins: violin
We Already Have Birds That Sing is released on Fang Records. Buy it from the band's website. Release date: April 13.
- Tongue-Cut Sparrow
- Falmouth
- Frankenstein Cannot Be Stopped
- Shards
- Mamanama
- Good Answer
- To Sea in a Sieve
- 04/13 New York City, NY @ Rockwood Music Hall (free show)
- 04/17 Kingston, NY @ BSP Lounge (w/ The Sweet Clementines, Chris Maxwell)
HCTF review of Homewrecker Spoon.
