Notorious French Pop Star- Serge Gainsbourg, known for his sex-saturated lyrics, and his lounge-lizard lifestyle, may seem like an unlikely candidate for a successor of his pizzazz, to take on. Many musicians have tried. (Jarvis Cocker, Mick Harvey) But few remember, he started out as a lowly pianist, before he was conducting 100 piece orchestral works. If the air to the Gainsbourg throne is to be found in America, he’ll probably come from New York..
Casella has frequently been taken for a singer/songwriter in a sullen variation on the Elliott Smith sensitive-mode. But this world-weary, ironic commentator on romantic melancholy, has more in common with Gainsbourg, Frank Sinatra, and Scott Walker than Elliott Smith. His new EP (CASELLA) sets his roots as poems set to rudimentary chords, the way folk singers are supposed to be- not too notey, and singing about the lonely woes of the heart-broken troubadour. Casella’s vocals are half-sung, half-talked, like a rock and roll Jack Nicholson, or like MickJagger- he's a talented non-singer as much an extraordinarily talented baritone-vibrato.
The slow waltz, heavy-breathing- “That was then” is a psychotropic break-up song, in which the girl is some kinda pill-popping soul snatcher. Casella usually sings about the end of a relationship, as opposed to beginnings, thus his Leonard Cohen underwater mood. “We run this town” is more upbeat, like a lost Oasis b-side, if Thom Yorke sang. The EP is consistent in texture, although I’d like to see Casella go from his “times they are a changin” phase, to his “Like a Rolling Stone” phase, and rock the shit out! He underplays his lead-vocalist skills, and substitutes 'em with brit-pop stylish diction. (the dude’s from New York!) Few acoustic folk singers have the flamboyance of a movie-star, but Casella makes it work without a shake off his musical integrity. If you’ve got the blues, or you’re heading home from the bar at 6AM, this is probably the CD for you. (A)
http://www.myspace.com/casellamusic
(We run this town & That was then)
he looks like Serge, but can he drink like him?
ReplyDeleteYes, he can drink Serge and Cohen under the table. I would know.
ReplyDeletehaha!
ReplyDeletesaw him play a dive in long island. must have put half a bottle of whiskey down, a few stellas, and got on stage. almost fell off his stool as he played a heart felt set of "why did she fuck with me like that" songs. i enjoyed it. not too sure if the other two people in the bar appreciated it as much.
ReplyDelete