We’ve been
fortunate in recent years to have artists that fall outside the pop norm and this is a
good thing, what with MTV’s TRL ruling the airwaves. One such artist is a young woman
(19 to be exact) by the name of Lennon. Her debut CD 5:30 Saturday Morning on the
Arista label, has taken a lot of people by surprise, myself included. So when I saw that
she was playing Schubas, I put a call into the editor at ChicagoGigs and asked if I could
review the show. As luck would have it he said yes. Lennon, who hails from Nashville TN,
has as much to do with C/W as corporate America has to do with moral decency. Her mix of
singer/songwriter-pop meets metal, with a little industrial thrown in for additional
atmosphere, not only makes for a great CD, but a great show!!
But let me back up for a minute. I had the chance to speak with Lennon before the show, so
I asked her what her influences were. She looked at me and said "none...in that there
wasn’t anybody that I listened to and said ya, I want to sound like them." she
also said that she doesn’t consider herself a singer, but more of a songwriter. As
for having a band, that was her mother’s idea. Mom thought that it would be a good
way for her daughter to make friends. Little did she know that her daughter would go from
making friends, to making fans.
So how was the show? Well, in a word it was
great! Doesn’t tell you much does it, so let me elaborate for you. Lennon is like a
tornado ripping through a small mid-western town and she is aided by her band. The four of
them are in cahoots to make you go with them on their ride to the carnival fun house. Much
like the CD, which from the opening track "Property Of Goatf***er" to its
closing track "5:30 Saturday Morning", you are somehow compelled to follow along
as if your in a cult, but without the Kool Aid. What Lennon, and her band, are able to do
is put you in a mild pop-metal trance that will have you hanging on every note and every
word! With that said, I would be remiss if I didn’t tell you that this is all done
without a light show or smoke and mirrors. No, it’s done with songs, songs that are
well written and that are performed to perfection. This had the audience and myself
wondering how long before she becomes a household word! Lennon is something very special.
Her unique mix of metal and pop will, I hope, find its way to radio. But in this day and
age of tight-assed radio programmers, it’s a tough call when, where or if Lennon will
get the radio play she deserves. I know this much, her song "Brake of Your Car"
has single written all over it.
The live show, much like the CD, leaves you wanting more, but at the same time you know
that there’s little more one could ask for. The songs, the band, and Lennon’s on
stage performance are all so good that you’re left feeling like you just went to the
gym. There is no question that she is a fresh voice in an otherwise crowded field of
female singer/song writers. I just hope that she will shout loud enough to be heard and
seen. So let me close with this; Lennon is coming back to town real soon, so keep your
eyes open and your ear close to the ground. Don’t miss her, it’s the kind of
show you will be telling your friends about the next day. Lennon is that great - trust me!
All Photos Provided by Beth Shandles DLL Productions © 2002
Official
Lennon Website
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