ARTS

Low-fi country brings twang to 'Sco Thursday

by Lauren Viera

The Geraldine Fibbers may be the starlings of the alt-country scene, and if you're a smart cookie, you caught their show at the 'Sco last month. But for those of us with a soft-spot for the yearlings in the genre, pencil-in Freakwater with Edith Frost on next week's agenda. The pair of low-fi indie country acts collaborate for a last-minute Oberlin appearance Thursday.

Glorifying all that defines country music's best characteristics, Freakwater work twang with story-telling, old-fashioned dude ranches with barron blue skies. Fronted by singers Catherine Irwin and Janet Beveridge Bean, sultry meets savvy in collaboration with a bluegrass rhythm section and sometimes uncanny southern bite.

Freakwater's instrumentation ranges from guitar to banjo, mandolin to John rice fiddle, pedal steel to dobra. In fact, Jon Spiegal gets brownie points for playing all of the above, with Dave Gay on bass, John Floss covering additional pedal steel work, and Bean and Irwin collaborating on guitars.

The band might be said to be a cousin of Wilco; Max Johnston, formerly of Wilco, is now in the band, while ex-Freakwater member Bob Eagan has joined Wilco. However, only some parallels may be drawn between the two. Where Wilco embraces the breed of hi-brow, intellectual boy-rock country, Freakwater uses its swoony, low, estrogen-powered vocals to lure their audience into submission.

Similarly, opening act Edith Frost weaves a blend of genre song-writing in the tradition of rockabilly and old time country. A self-admitted cowgirl, Austin native Frost is just sad enough to make you wonder why even cowgirls get the blues.

After a few non-withstanding efforts at a band (try Edith and her Roadhouse Romeos for starters), Frost stands strong on her own, witchcrafting minimalist country culture against the backdrop of intimate guitars.

Sure, next Thursday's bill is country-ruled, but it's sure to be no happy-go-lucky Country Quarter Beers deja vu. It's predicted to take a round-about path, shyly weaving its way in and out of a bluesy hush, filling the void with the melancholy stuff of the South. You can leave your square dancing shoes behind for this one.

Freakwater and Edity Frost play at the 'Sco Thursday, Nov. 13 at 10 p.m. Admission is $5 OCID, $7 without.

Back // Arts Contents \\ Next

T H E   O B E R L I N   R E V I E W

Copyright © 1997, The Oberlin Review.
Volume 126, Number 8, November 7, 1997

Contact us with your comments and suggestions.