katie blue
I found RG because I love The Like and think Laena is a goddess (sue me). Their sound is so wonderfully different and raw -- and I love her voice to pieces.
Favorite track: I Wouldn't Mind.
Raw Geronimo is a band of the NOW; a wide-eyed yet street savvy product of the delirious cultural copulation that is life in Los Angeles in the second decade of the new millennium: utopia gloriously smashing headlong into dystopia.
Effortlessly bridging the unlikely musical gaps between the lush, ethereal, idiosyncratic nature of Kate Bush, the flirtatious punk pop of Bow Wow Wow and the corralling spirit and eclecticism of Roxy Music, Raw Geronimo is led by the industrious and spritely multi-instrumentalist Laena Geronimo. Her pedigree as the progeny of a gifted Romanian singer/songwriter mother and drummer father (Alan Myers of Devo) is undeniable. Here, Geronimo finally sees her writhing brainchild come to its true fruition after years of veteran time spent both in countless DIY punk/experimental groups and holding down bass playing duties for contemporary girl-group darlings The Like. Raw Geronimo is the inevitable result of all the pent-up energy her poised, salivating, tiger-like heart hosted while pent up on the front lines. Fully ripened in this sense, she broke free to put together the ‘raw’ (you can see where this is going) elements of her long burning vision to create the aptly named combo you see before you Geronimo insists that the sextet, consciously and purposefully comprised of an equal ratio of boys to girls, is very much a collaborative effort – a complete fist rather than a single middle finger.
Raw Geronimo’s debut LP, Dream Fever, was recorded by Mark Rains at The Station House Studio in the band’s initial place of conception—the heart of Los Angeles’ Echo Park neighborhood. Initially conceptualized as a more straightforward document of the energy of Raw Geronimo’s volcanically climactic live shows, which successfully foil inclusive aggression against exuberant, bubbling joy, the LP emerged as something much more expansive once the floodgates opened.
Dream Fever hits energetically similarly as an already-coveted punk/new wave record. The album’s opener, “Lose My Mind”, is a call to arms to erase the brain, replete with the kind of fierce, herky-jerky kiss-off sentiments native to Elastica and early Divinyls. “Faustine” is a serene post-punk gallop, and “Chinatown” is a hardcore punk health-conscious Dadaist absurdity. The group goes Martin Denny-esque exotica when Laena’s lazy hula-croon explodes into the chorus of “I Wouldn’t Mind” with wailing Bjorkian exuberance. “Pep Rally” is Bermuda Triangle primacy; equal parts intimidation, bewilderment, surrender, and bliss. There are vengeful catty call-outs (“Bitched,” “Manic Cruiser) and a climax of stacked howls that mirrors the adrenaline rise of ancient ritual sacrifice (“Birds Eye Bonsai”). Album closer “Magnetic Love” is drenched in a sorely needed wash of hope, but is far removed from any trappings of naivety. As the album’s outro-prayer gestures listeners to trudge onward, one can envision closing credits traveling up just as surely as celebratory champagne bubbles.
credits
released July 30, 2013
Raw Geronimo is Laena Geronimo, Michael Rudes, Lauren Fay, Shannon Lay, Lance Piebenga and Vug Arakas
All songs written by Laena Geronimo
Performed by
Laena Geronimo - vocals
Shannon Lay - rhythm guitar, keys, backing vocals
Andrew Scarborough - lead guitar, backing vocals
Tim Or - bass
Michael Rudes - drums
Lauren Fay - percussion
Recorded at Station House Studio in Echo Park, CA by Mark Rains
Mixed by Mark Rains + Laena Geronimo
Produced by Laena Geronimo + Mark Rains
Mastered by Pete Lyman at Infrasonic
Album art design by Sean Kelly
Layout by Gina Clyne
Photo collage by Laena Geronimo
Cover: photo by Katie McCurdy
Back: photo by Preston Thalindroma (Say Cheese and Die)
Insert: full band photo and record labels by Gina Clyne.
Additional photos by Gina Clyne, Moni Hayworth, Eddie Juarez (Red Slurpeee), Amy Darling, Danielle Petrosa, Dylan Gordon (Dirty Snapshots), Preston Thalindroma (Say Cheese and Die), Dina Agganis, Alison Walter, Becky Lynn Brister
A very out there and experimental EP. Interesting Sequences and melodies that makes every listen make me want to focus and get wrapped around.
Congratulations on bringing back this Trio Collaboration. Can't wait to hear more to come. Whirlwind
Buoyant one-off release from a long-running Atlanta band who juggle garage rock, folk, and power pop; don't miss the Mark Morrison cover. Bandcamp New & Notable Feb 9, 2024
Very nice melodic and smooth electronica. It's quite reminiscent of Plaid in some aspects, but has an entire personality of its own, delving sometimes into more minimalistic approaches. Very recommended. Thibaut Devigne