onsdag 7 Feb 2007, 21:32

Around this time last year, I first stumbled across a band called Gloria Deluxe. I had given my sons a DVD for Christmas of Dan Zanes and Friends called All Around the Kitchen and I was completely captivated. Before long I was combing DZ's website (If you have kids, and are sick of the pablum that is most music marketed for children, you should really check out Dan Zanes: he is amazing. He used to be the front man for the Del Fuegos).

On Dan's site, I saw that the accordion player in his band, whose voice I really liked, was frontwoman for her own band. Her name is Cynthia Hopkins and the Band, as I already mentioned, is called Gloria Deluxe.

My first stop was the band's website. Under "sounds," I found a generous sampling of mp3 and realaudio ready for downloading. These are mostly out-takes or alternate versions from GD's five albums, but it also includes an entire five-song EP that has gone out of print. At first I was put off a little: the lyrics were gritty and the mood sombre. This was not anything like the Dan Zanes version of the Hokey-Pokey.

But I found that I kept going back. A duet with Matty Charles, called You're My Favorite One, was the first song to really get my attention. It had an old-school, honky tonk, hard-drinking country feel to it, but with none of the bombast or swagger of mainstream country. Instead it had an abiding sadness and sweetness to it that reminded me more of Gillian Welch or Iris Dement or even Ani DiFranco. It wasn't long before I had warmed up to other free tracks and begun ordering CDs.

Where am I going with this? I could talk about how that sad haunting quality runs through the band's work. Or I could talk about the unconventional instrumentation (Ms. Hopkins herself plays the musical saw and the accordion, among other things, and the band also features a violinist and often a brass section). There is the concept album/performance art piece of the puzzle, or the genre hopping. I also like the wry humor that permeates the songs. I guess I just want to share the joy of having found a really good band that has repaid a year of very happy listening to entire albums - something I had almost given up doing.

Tony

P.S. I am trying to get a better picture of Ms. Hopkins voted in for the last.fm site. If you like the music, or even if you just want to oblige my whim, go here (http://www.last.fm/music/Gloria+Deluxe/+images) and vote for the picture that you like best. Cheers, and thanks for reading