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mosc
Site Admin
Joined: Jan 31, 2003 Posts: 18195 Location: Durham, NC
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Posted: Wed Mar 17, 2004 4:42 pm Post subject:
Residue - Amy X Neuburg |
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| Amy X Neuburg - Residue Electro-Diva extraordinaire Amy X Neuburg's new release, Residue, on Other Minds Records is marvelous. If you only buy one CD this year, get this one. Residue is a breakthrough recording.
I first heard of Amy from Tim Thompson, a member of the electro-music.com forums, via email. He said, "Great/catchy/accessible/deep composition, stunning vocals, terrific use of technology (but all serving the music). A 1-woman show, complex compositions are constructed completely live (she loops/layers her voice and plays/triggers things with drum pads)." Tim is sometimes prone to understatement.
Amy X Neuburg is a classically trained vocalist (Oberlin Conservatory), a composer, an electronic musician, a poet, and an entertainer. Her music covers a tremendous range of styles, from medieval religious chant through Kurt Weil cabaret singing, pop, rock, avant garde, sound text poetry, opera, African tribal singing, and electronic (ambient, beat, noise - everything). Her music is very experimental, but always under total control. The result is, like Tim said, accessible. She is satirical, profound, humorous and sexy too. Oh yes, Amy's voice is magnificent, a full-range masterfully controlled musical instrument.
| Electro-Diva Amy X Neuburg in Manhattan While Residue was produced in her studio, these recordings are of compositions she performs live. I've seen her perform many of the songs in New York City; she dazzles her audiences. As I've said before, Amy X Neuburg is a star, a brilliant one. (See our reviews of her recent performances - click here and here.
Amy has a relatively small but sophisticated setup. She has a digital mixer with effects, a looper, a sample-based synthesizer, some drum controllers, some foot switches, and a few other miscellaneous gadgets. There is no external computer. Somehow the entire performance is stored as a series of presets which control all the equipment. As she goes through each piece, the drum controller changes function, sometimes as a loop controller - sometimes as a sample trigger - sometimes it even changes reverb parameters. Everything is very tightly planned, down to the beat. She performs by hitting the percussion controller with drum sticks and singing into a boom mic. (Sometimes she takes the mic off the boom and sings like a popular vocalist.) Her music is very tightly structured and the electronics change function instantly for whatever musical purpose she wants; sometimes several times in rapid succession during a piece - sometimes on every beat.
It's very difficult to describe Neuburg's music. In no special order I think of Bob Dylan, Cyndi Lauper, John Lennon, Renee Flemming, Robert Ashley, and Laurie Anderson, but with electronic music like nobody else. The songs on Residue combine the most mundane every-day aspects of live, like brushing your teeth, with the most profound.
If you are a musician, consider Residue a must-have CD; Amy is a musician's musician. That said, I think just about everyone would like Residue. Amy should be playing for huge houses. She deserves to be at Carnegie Hall. The kids should see and hear her on MTV.
We are very proud offer Residue at the electro-music.com store. Go ahead, click through. There are some nice mp3 samples to enjoy.
Amy X Neuburg makes her home in Oakland, California. You can visit her web site here: http://www.isproductions.com/amy
(copyright 2004 by Howard Moscovitz) |
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Tim Walters
Joined: Feb 04, 2003 Posts: 5 Location: SF, CA
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Posted: Tue Mar 23, 2004 5:59 pm Post subject:
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I second that emotion! Residue is terrific, and so are her earlier albums with backing band MEN. |
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zynthetix
Joined: Jun 12, 2003 Posts: 838 Location: nyc
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Posted: Wed Mar 31, 2004 8:12 pm Post subject:
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Amy's live performance in New York was my first exposure to her music. It definetly made an excellent first impression. I promptly bought her album "Residue", and all of her older albums by "Amy X. Neuberg and the Men" after her performance . I thoroughly enjoy all of these albums, but her solo works on Residue stick out the most in my mind and ears. I listened to Residue almost non-stop for a week after the concert, and it has been standing the test of time, as I still listen to it frequently weeks later. I am not getting sick of this album, unlike many other albums I have purchased.
Residue features a wide variety of musical styles, from warm and whimsical to dark and seething, all with vivid emotion. Amy is a true master of her voice as she uses it in many captivating styles to accompany her colorful instrumental and electronic backdrops. Artistic spoken word poetry is also used, showing even further depth from her spectrum of talents. She could easily rival any past or present female pop vocalists, all while retaining a uniqueness that I've never heard from anyone else.
I can't praise the album "Residue" and Amy X. Neuberg enough. I SINCERELY suggest anyone to give her a listen, whether your interests reside in electronic music, vocals, or true use of music as art. |
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tjt
Joined: Apr 05, 2003 Posts: 32 Location: San Jose, California
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Posted: Sun Apr 18, 2004 6:02 pm Post subject:
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Tim Walters wrote: | I second that emotion! Residue is terrific, and so are her earlier albums with backing band MEN. |
And if you like Amy's music, there's a good chance you'll also like the
music of Herb Heinz (one of the MEN) on his just-released album "Another".
It's similarly composed with constantly-changing, unique, accessible,
clearly-defined melodies, and percussive synth sounds. Very inventive.
You can find audio samples here: http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/heinz .
Amy and Herb had a joint CD release party recently in Oakland, it was a fun show.
...Tim... |
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seraph
Editor
Joined: Jun 21, 2003 Posts: 12398 Location: Firenze, Italy
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Posted: Wed May 05, 2004 6:53 am Post subject:
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I may be the only Italian having heard "Residue". I received it yesterday from Howard....wow my first impression is that she definetely does not aim to please the average pop listener and that's already something in a very homogenized music world. It's very original stuff, for sure, but before saying anything else I'll go back to listen to it. _________________ homepage - blog - forum - youtube
Quote: | Don't die with your music still in you - Wayne Dyer |
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Otso
Joined: Nov 01, 2003 Posts: 11 Location: Helsinki, Finland
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Posted: Fri May 14, 2004 2:15 am Post subject:
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tjt wrote: |
And if you like Amy's music, there's a good chance you'll also like the
music of Herb Heinz (one of the MEN) on his just-released album "Another". ...Tim... |
I'll second that! Both albums are masterpieces IMO.
Otso |
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seraph
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Joined: Jun 21, 2003 Posts: 12398 Location: Firenze, Italy
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Posted: Fri May 21, 2004 12:53 am Post subject:
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I have had this CD for a few weeks now and I have to say that it took me a while to appreciate it. She's great Certainly her music is not easy listening but once you get it it's very enjoyable (maybe I am little slow )
All hail her "fuzzy muse".......and by the way:
vov is a frightening liqueur indeed (nothing bad never happens to it) _________________ homepage - blog - forum - youtube
Quote: | Don't die with your music still in you - Wayne Dyer |
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