kevin blechdom

Gentlemania

Teaming up with her old pal Mocky (with additional assistance from Jamie Lidell, Planningtorock and Taylor Savvy among others) Kevin Blechdom records a largely acoustic album for Sonig, serving up some often arrestingly good songs, served up with her customarily bawdy brand of humour but this time without the high-end electronic presence. 'Lazy' stands out as a great, soulful showtune-type affair that's surprisingly well-written, but this being the artist that brought you such pop classics as 'Inter-species Love', you can also expect tracks like the very, very silly hillbilly shuffle of 'Monster' along the way... "Gentlemania was recorded at La Frette Studios in Paris and Heavysheet Studios in Berlin and was mixed by Shapemod in 2008. Co-produced and co-written with her good friend Mocky--the collaboration benefits from Mocky's nurturing qualities that contrast, calm, and frame Blechdom's intrinsic chaos. As the title suggests, "Gentlemania" is not as schizophrenic or madcap manic as her previous two electronic albums. Instead, Blechdom slows down, takes a deep breath, and, with thoughtful control, peels back layers of emotion for the listener to hear. Combining a strong background in classical and experimental music with a broad knowledge of pop styles, Blechdom seamlessly travels between and coalesces country jangle, Broadway show tunes, old-school R&B, and many other styles into a cohesive and true musical story. The autobiographical and interpersonal themes revolve around introspection, longing, doubt, hope, and ultimately, human transformation."