Deep-voiced lead singer/songwriter/bassist Monique Ortiz, who leads the group Bourbon Princess, with original Morphine drummer Jerome Deupree, Either Orchestra saxophonist/leader Russ Gershon and guitarist/pianist Jim Moran, describes their sound as “blue wave: new wave with a little bit of blues and jazz thrown in.”
At times jazzy, other times more rockin’ and hypnotic, this first video release from Dark of Days, the band’s third album (recorded at the legendary HI-N-DRY Studio) has been compared ” in spirit to The Doors, Patti Smith and Nico-era Velvet Underground, as well as the Boston band Morphine.”
Interviewed at Well-Rounded Radio by Charles McEnerney, Ortiz reveals the life of the contemporary working musician in the 21st Century.
Click here for that interview.
You can feel her goth influence in that video. I really dig the sound that Russ Gershon’s getting out of his sax. Monique seems to have many layers going on, from Susie & The Banshees to Patti Smith to Joan Jett, to name just a few of the influences that seem apparent to me.
I really like that her love for the band Morphine, led me to their freaky little video called “Early to Bed”, check it out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4zw1Bli1jbc
She seems angry…
Here’s an off topic question I hope someone can answer. Watching a video of “Montana”, I realized that I have no idea what the lyrics are about. Is it a metaphor for something, or just silly lyrics? Anyone?
the lyrics to Montana describe a fantasy as Zappa lyrics frequently do as in Zombie Woof for instance. 200 Motels was a very elaborate fantasy. And speaking of 200 Motels, in the opening scene, Motorhead is dancing and hanging on the wall behind him it looks like Jimi Hendrix’s burnt guitar.
I always felt about the lyrics to Montana like this: One day, FZ woke up with that odd thought etched into his mind about dental floss being grown as crop by some weirdo somewhere. The only way to get this stuff out of his system was to write a song about it.
Another Red Zinger Tea, please. Montana…it came at a time when there was a significant “back to the earth” post-hippy, pre-disco thing going on…sort of a “Plastic People Go Agri” saga.