Gold Parts is music with a heart. Perhaps a bruised heart. Perhaps at times an angry heart. But there definitely is a heart and it belongs to a rocking bass player named Cristina Bautista. It is pop music ("confrontational pop" in the artist's own words) with aggressive guitar and upfront bass and rock energy. More than that, you get well crafted songs delivered by a remarkable young voice. You can hear Bautista's self-described influences of Ted Leo and PJ Harvey (more the former in this set than the latter, to my ears), but the vocal instrument is a rare gem and would stand out in any style.
As I understand it, Gold Parts is about Bautista's recent journeys in life, and doesn't ignore the messier parts. The lyrics are available on Bandcamp and, presumably, with a purchase of the album. But I can't really describe it better than she does:
Some people pull themselves together so quietly no one realizes there was any falling apart to begin with.
I'm certainly not about to do that.
So, with the stage set in Cristina's own words, enjoy the ride:
Bautista, now in her early 20s, has been playing in Seattle bands since her teens, and recorded a four song EP in 2006. The busy woman also serves as the bass player for the rock band Visqueen. She recorded Gold Parts at the House of Breaking Glass in Seattle. The band for Gold Parts is Cristina Bautista (voice, bass), Jeff Gall (drums, voice), Eric Howk (guitar), and sometimes Leif Andersen (guitar, voice). The EP is released on Seattle-based Local 638 Records, which is owned by Visqueen's lead, Rachel Flotard.
I've included this recent live version of EP track "Heartless" because I think it illustrates the passion and energy that Bautista brings to her music.
This is an acoustic version of the third track on Gold Parts:
"I Don't Want You" (live, acoustic)
I strongly recommend giving this young lady and her band a chance to entertain you.
Bandcamp
Local 638 Records
No comments:
Post a Comment