Antonette Goroch: Press

Musicians Michele Kappel-Stone and Antonette Goroch vividly remember the day Blondie released the studio album Parallel Lines.

“My best friend’s older sister, she was real cool, she wore tight jeans, smoked, played pool and didn’t always wear a bra, she brought it home and we all gathered in her bedroom and listened to Parallel Lines,” Kappel-Stone said.

Since then, Kappel-Stone and Goroch have adopted stage names, Tippy Canoe and AntonetteG, respectively, and they still follow the lessons they learned from Blondie.

“I think that for me, they’ve been very personally inspiring, because they’re a rock band, but they’ve also done reggae, and she (Debbie Harry, lead singer of Blondie) sings in French sometimes. That made me realize you can kind of do anything. If you can mix it up, you can be in one group and play a little bit of everything, as long as there is some cohesiveness,” Kappel-Stone said.

According to Goroch, Blondie and early riot-girl bands, like Bikini Kill, are very important to her.

“I found it very empowering to be in my late teens and early 20s seeing girls who would just pick up instruments and play them without regard,” she said.

AntonetteG’s material reveals a variety of influences. The song “My Horseshoe” has a country flair, while “Pretty Pictures” shows her rock side. “No Joy For The Soldier” suggests a Creedence Clearwater Revival influence. The song describes military personnel struggling to adjust when they return from battle, a timely topic given our nation’s wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

“I write about whatever is happening in my world,” AntonetteG said. “It could be my family. The war is part of everybody’s life. We are all affected by it in some way.”

Her song “Over You” brings to mind Jefferson Airplane, suggesting the Bay Area rock of 40 years is still influencing modern artists.

The East Bay's Antonette Goroch and Greg Turner, as THE HOBBYISTS, have put together a fine self-titled album on Rodent of contemporary folk employing the implements of traditional Americana (autoharp, harmonica, banjo). Although rooted in the past there is little but instrumentation to suggest Goroch and Turner are looking back. The twelve tunes here nestle comfortably in the world of indie-pop. The duo lay on some heavenly harmonies for highlights such as the magnetic "Keep Your Balance" and the menacingly pump-organed "The Lottery." Opener "Mama's Cry" is a war protest song that strongly recalls the social protests of the folk revival. The entire record conveys a deliberate D.I.Y. aesthetic, very noticeably on the organic breeziness of "The Lady and the Gently Duck."

Liesl's Wet Dress has done it again. Well, no they haven't. This is their first album. But I can't wait for another one, because when they do, I will likely say: Liesl's Wet Dress has done it again. The greatness that is Antonette Goroch leads the way on Shedding Skin, which in case you couldn't tell, is the debut album from Liesl's Wet Dress. And is it ever something. "Elephant Woman" leads off this nine-track piece of work and makes you think it is time to place a personal ad, just to find someone that you can dance to this song with. Conveniently, the next song is "Over You," which is what you will sing to your dance partner when the night is over. Yep. This album is perfect for those get-them-over-with-and-out-of-here relationships. So after that's well and done, it is time to confirm the lack of feeling for this new ex. And the next track is accurately called "Not a Love Song." Because obviously this short-lived lust wasn't love. But he won't take "no" for an answer, will he ladies? There is only one way to take care of this once and for all. Track 4, this is your cue. Oh, it is called "Executioner's Song." Believe you me, that is not a coincidence. So those opening tracks could have been made into an EP, but that's not Liesl's Wet Dress' style. They are here to showcase their amazing abilities, not to be cute. Really, all the tracks tell great stories. My favorites are "Glitter World" and "Ruby." "Glitter World" is a very distracting song. Every time I tried to work when I heard this song, I had to drop everything and listen to the lyrics. Some stories I just couldn't get into, what with me being part of a generation that has no attention sp-- hey, there's a blue car! Goroch sounds nothing like Jill Sobule. She isn't supposed to nor is she trying to. But her storytelling ability rivals Sobule's, and that's good news for everyone. You can contact the author at: jughead@agouti.com

Liesl’s Wet Dress are odd. They inhabit a shady world of weird characters. Their music is rock with a tasty psychedelic flavour. Antonette Goroch’s vocals are very impressive.

The energetic “Over You” is driven by a funky, seductive mood and Antonette’s voice. The song has a an interesting exotic sound and some nice tempo changes.

“Not a Love Song” is a cheerful heartbreaker that’s done in a country style.

“The Raven” is part bluegrass, part rock and all original. The lyrics are nightmarish and colorful. The slow

“Intoxicating Brew” has Antonette Goroch singing of love with unusual metaphors.

“You surround me like a misty fog.”

she sings.

The closing “Ruby” is a Doors-like song of an unusual girl.

“Shedding Skin” is an impressive debut that breaks new musical ground.