Rhonda Murdoch
Hornepayne, Ontario, Canada | SELF
Music
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reviewed by Michael Thomas
What do you get when you put together two girls, two guys and a love for psychedelic rock? You might just get Arizona Lily, a Toronto-based group who can sound like Jefferson Airplane or The Bends-era Radiohead depending on which song you’re listening to.
It’s precisely this unpredictability that makes Off the Floor an interesting record to listen to. The band has a fondness for many things- bass grooves, electric guitar solos and vocal harmonies, among other things.
Opener “Jump” has everything you’ll need to get familiar with the band- vocal harmonies with lead singer and guitarist Rhonda Lee Murdoch and bass player/backup vocalist Jessie-Dee Ward. Ward completely kicks ass with her bass playing, and she adds an extra layer to the song (and most others) thanks to her awesome grooves.
The band heads into more psychedelic territory with “Suicide Songs,” which despite its name is not grim in tone. It’s here where you might be reminded of the psychedelia that Jefferson Airplane put out during its heyday. There is a pronounced 90s-rock feel to “Babylon.”
There’s a much more experimental feel to “Boy,” which features many different peaks and valleys as the melody changes constantly. “Foolish Me” similarly sees a lot of experimentation with the background instrumentation.
There are also some nice touches that you might need to focus to hear, such as in the great “San Pedro’s Moon.” In the background there is a particular guitar chord playing that gives the song a slightly funereal tone. It’s a very cool touch to give the song an almost other-worldly feel.
Arizona Lily certainly have a good thing going. They touch a lot of different styles with their playing, and I’d love to see them get even more psychedelic, though of course that’s just my opinion.
Off the Floor is available from Bandcamp.
Top Tracks: “The Damned”; “Boy”
Rating: Strong Hoot (Good) - reviewed by Michael Thomas-Grayowl Point
iSTARS Artist Development and Musical Performing ArtsCenter
- www.istars.ca
Discography
Still working on that hot first release.
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Bio
Singer/songwriter Rhonda Murdoch is an ever-changing artist.
Whether youre listening to her earlier croony songs like "Smoke Signals" from the compilation album "Love no Love," or her work with the alt-rock band Arizona Lily youll find continuity throughout in her voice.
The emotion built into Rhonda's melodies and lyrics make each song a new and beautiful experience you want more and more of.
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