From: owner-headline-girl-digest@smoe.org (headline-girl-digest) To: headline-girl-digest@smoe.org Subject: headline-girl-digest V2 #56 Reply-To: headline-girl@smoe.org Sender: owner-headline-girl-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-headline-girl-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk headline-girl-digest Saturday, March 13 1999 Volume 02 : Number 056 Today's Subjects: ----------------- Cicero: Out of Nowhere (feat. Emm Gryner & Sarah Slean) [Steve I Subject: Cicero: Out of Nowhere (feat. Emm Gryner & Sarah Slean) Hi all, I got home yesterday and had a very nice surprise waiting for me there. There on my front doorstep was a padded envelope (I love padded envelopes!) and inside was Cicero's (Dylan White's) brand new CD, _Out of Nowhere_. I listened to it many times last night and I've been listening to little else all day today. Folks, this is a *great* CD. Fans of Emm Gryner and Sarah Slean will want to pay special attention. The opening track, "The Price of Eagle Hats and Spacesuits" seems to be about american capitalism and oppression. It begins with first person narration, as the speaker outlines what he knows is wrong about the system. Halfway through the song, when he sings about the victims, he switches to third person, and his voice sounds distorted and faraway, as if transmitted or broadcast, and the guitar wails plaintatively... "and when they cried out, no one heard a word"... this is my favourite part of the song. At the end he returns to the first person narrator for one last line: "I know that we are all to blame." Nice. "The Wind and The Rain", a favourite at shows over the last couple of years, is an exchange between lovers, featuring Emm Gryner. It starts with the two alternating lines, as in a lover's quarrel, and progresses so Emm and Dylan are singing complementary parts, and near the end they converge, singing the same part in harmony. Great song, and Emm does a great job on it. Hmm, I need to finish this so I can get some work done. Quickly then: Emm provides backing vocals on another song, "Impossible Ray". "Shadowboxing" is perhaps my favourite song on the CD, and if like me you've seen Dylan play several times it's always been acoustic. This song is definitely a band song, with a great electric guitar line, this has a great indie-rock feel. I'd love to see him do this live with a band. He ends the CD somewhat unconventionally by having a friend, Sarah Slean, do all the vocals on the last track, "Yellowbelly". It's a quiet, delicate song with Sarah's lush, gorgeous vocals taking centre stage. Dylan, fingerpicking an electric guitar, weaves a delicate aural spiderweb behind Sarah's low, haunting voice. The song evoked Hope Sandoval and Mazzy Star, but without the twang... but the comparison is not entirely satisfying, I know it's reminding me of something else but it escapes me right now. In any case it's absolutely spellbinding and if you're anything like me you'll be hitting repeat endlessly. This song alone is worth the price of the CD, especially if you are a Slean fan. Anyway if you are anywhere near Toronto you must come to the CD release party and pick up this gem of a debut album. The CD release party itself is shaping up to be a great show as well, as Noah Mintz (hHead, Noah's Arkweld) will be coming out of semi-retirement to open the show. Longtime fans of Emm Gryner and Sarah Slean will recall the magical shows at the Free Times Cafe featuring Emm, Sarah and Noah. To see that much raw talent overflowing such a small, intimate room... it was unbelievable. So it'll be a real treat to see him play again after almost 2 years of silence. As well, there may be some very special guests... if it's kosher I'll try to keep you guys updated. Cicero, w/ Noah Mintz & special guests Ted's Wrecking Yard March 17th Also, I'm discussing the possibility of mail ordering Cicero's CD with Dylan, and hopefully before too long I'll be able to put an order form online so all you non-Toronto music fans can order a copy of this great CD straight from Dylan. Steve ------------------------------ End of headline-girl-digest V2 #56 **********************************