Jazz-Pop Vocal Stylist Larkin McLean Brings Wit, Sass and Sensuality to an Intoxicating Romp Through an ``X-Rated Musical''.LOS ANGELES Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. -- Calling Larkin McLean's independent self-titled, bossa nova bos·sa no·va n. 1. A style of popular Brazilian music derived from the samba but with more melodic and harmonic complexity and less emphasis on percussion. 2. A lively Brazilian dance that is similar to the samba. flavored debut "right up there with Frank Sinatra's collaboration with Antonio Carlos Jobim," online indie tastemaker taste·mak·er n. One that determines or strongly influences current trends or styles, as in fashion or the arts. CDBaby.com exclaimed it as "an ideal choice to have sex to." The L.A. based songwriter and vocal stylist, who confidently declares herself "a pop singer doing songs with a jazz feel," is as sensuous and seductive as ever on her highly anticipated follow-up "X-Rated Musical," but this time, she has slightly more than sex on her mind. Like laughter. "I hope the album tells the story of lust with humor," she says. "Lust is an old story. That's how a lot of us got here." McLean infuses this playful attitude into great, quirky storytelling lyrics and musical vibes that expand her palette beyond mid-60's Astrud Gilberto-Stan Getz (as on "Do I Still Love You") to incorporate nouveau retro elements of soulful jazz, blues, country and even some exotic Tahitian flavors. "There's definitely a sexual vibe in these songs, but there are also a lot of emotions attached, too," she adds. Larkin's lyrics reveal a unique array of influences -- singer songwriters Dave Frishberg Dave Frishberg (born 23 March 1933) is an American jazz pianist, vocalist and composer born in St. Paul, Minnesota, perhaps best-known for his work with Ben Webster, Gene Krupa, Bud Freeman, Eddie Condon, Al Cohn and Zoot Sims. , Oscar Brown Jr., Frank Loesser, Mose Allison, Tom Waits, and Fats Waller. Helping McLean bring her colorful musical glimpse of Los Angeles' diverse, glitzy glitz Informal n. Ostentatious showiness; flashiness: "a garish barrage of show-biz glitz" Peter G. Davis. tr.v. but often dark landscape of worldly jazz musicians, tanned surfers, beautiful strangers and drifting daydreamers to life is renowned musician Kenny Lyon. Lyon is a former member of The Lemonheads who frequently plays with hipster loving bands like Brazzaville and with Jim Bianco, Mark Curry, Joel Virgel and Los Super Elegantes Los Super Elegantes are a musical group formed in San Francisco, and currently based in Los Angeles. Their sound has been described as a blend of punk, rock, mariachi, electropop, trip hop and pop. . He co-wrote all ten tracks with McLean, in addition to producing, arranging, engineering and playing bass, guitar and the Tahitian Ukelele u·ke·le·le n. Variant of ukulele. . McLean's recording band also includes many of the city's top session and touring musicians. John Scalzi of Indiecrit.com summarized the collection perfectly when he wrote that McLean is "...the sort of husky voiced singer you'd find in a dimly lit smoky bar where husbands go to cheat on their wives only to find their wives sitting at a table in the corner with another man." |
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