By Darryl Cater

Yvonne Doll's name may sound like that of a Nordic Grrrl-pop band, but she is in fact the frontwoman and singer-songwriter in this folk group, which is decidedly American. On a dreadfully rainy night, Doll's quartet played to a comfortably crowded crowd of chatty folk at the Wild Goose, a somewhat isolated but cozy dive on Chicago's north side. The sizeable stage put a welcome emphasis on the band, drawing the attention of an audience which might otherwise remain relatively uninterested.

The Locals inflate Doll's contemporary but rustic, rather dramatic pop songs with life and vivacity. Her melodies and rough-edged vaguely vocals recall Amy Ray of the Indigo Girls. Several of her best (and most crowd-pleasing songs) recall the quasi-Celtic pop of Dexy's Midnight Runners. But the best comparison, ironically, is a band Doll says she has never heard: the little-known Phildelphian folk band the Wild Colonials. The Colonials use a violin for very similar reels, perform similarly thick dramatic songs, and a boast a frontwoman who sounds even more like the Indigo Girl's malcontented half than Doll. The Locals are reportedly compared frequently to Dave Matthews Band ("maybe just because we've got a violin," Doll says), and there is a certain similarity in the somewhat unpredictable melodies and the tone of some of the instrumental jams. Those similarities, however, are superficial, in part because most of the Local's jams are little more than engaging but repetitive rhythmic roundabouts.

Violinist Dave Goldman adds richness and originality to the band's sound, spinning repetitive parabolas of sharply rounded melody. The band is often at its best in the few moments when Goldman appears to be steering the band, signaling his comrades to adjust to what he's hearing (although after a few songs Goldman begins to seem a little too reliant on muscle memory, following his fingers to the same kinds of patterns again and again). Goldman, a native of El Paso, Texas, was trained classically as a child, decided he hated it, dropped the fiddle and picked up the bass guitar. When he met Doll, however, she was looking for a violinist rather than a guitarist ("electronic guitars really don't do anything for me," Doll says). Bassist Christy Nunes is possibly the slickest of the band members. A professional bass player since age 13, Nunes shows off the versatility she's earned throughout her career playing jazz, funk, fusion, metal and folk. Her slippery basslines tend to add a third dimension to the band's sound whenever it threatens to go flat. Drummer Dave Buss got started playing heavy metal music, and brings a welcome driving energy to what might otherwise be a decidedly mellow bunch.

I'd like to comment more on the songwriting, but the Wild Goose sound man gave a ridiculously short straw to Doll's vocals (and acoustic guitar). Most of her lyrics were altogether inaudible.  Doll, with and without the Locals, has been an almost exclusively local act throughout her six year Chicago career, but she may get her first chance to do a significant Midwest tour. "We are in the process of negotiating a contract with a promotion/management company that will take over the booking of the band and expand our touring area to the surrounding states," says Doll. The band's next full-length CD ("My Kind of Freak") is set to arrive in the Spring.

The Locals Artist Page

Upcoming Show Dates

More ChicagoGigs.com Reviews

Chicago Music Discussion Board