PRESS
From GODS OF MUSIC:
New York City's Lisa Parkins presents a track called "Dancing Chicken".... It is placed in the Experimental/Post Rock genre on mp3.com...indeed! This reviewer would also add the oh-so controversial Art Rock label (mostly due to my imagining art students gyrating and vibrating to Parkins in their studios).
The instrumentation is that of a standard rock band: voice, guitar, organ, bass, drums. No synths here. All the instruments are real and well produced.
The Art Rock/Experimental/Post Rock elements come courtesy of Lisa's witty lyrics and vocal delivery. It's a tune about a Wall Street money grubber who gets too greedy and loses the whole show.
Lisa's vocals recall Lena Lovich, Laurie Anderson, Moe Tucker (of Velvet Underground), Kate Pierson & Cindy Wilson (B-52s) and a li'l Patti Smith. Darkly comedic, slightly psychedelic with a healthy dose of a child's "Na-na-na-Na-na" taunt in the "Sha-la-la" refrain.
Beautiful ...in an ordered-chaotic-sanely-psychotic kinda way. This is the antithesis of Britney and quite welcomed on these ears.
Yeah...so...imagine Laurie Anderson or a more frenetic Nico fronting early Talking Heads with Ray Manzarek of the Doors on the B-3 with a touch of the first B-52s album. This is the vibe of Parkins' "Dancing Chicken".
I'm visualizing Lisa and her band as the opening act for Velvet Underground circa '68 at an Andy Warhol event... finger-snapping-black-clad-turtleneckers too cool to sway. If this reviewer were present, he'd be doin' the David Byrne "same-at-is-ever-was" geek on speed dance.
The rhythmic tracks are tight and wonderfully dissonant at times. Again, the production is fitting... no over-processed sounds with values retro to the late 60s.
If you're looking for pop cliches, you won't find it in Lisa Parkins.... However, if you can dig a truly unique retro art rock approach... drop your ears and browser on "Dancing Chicken" and get a little phreaky for me!