PJ Harvey, Beck, Lisa Germano, Bjork, Sonic Youth, Kate Bush, Cat power, Azure Ray, shannonwright, Jessica Baliff, Joanna Newsome, Jem, Kimya Dawson, U2 etc. etc.
The project is called nerdkween which makes post modern pop tunes. They may sound sweet and innocent but they may not always be.
The theory behind the music is one of free experimentation. nerdkween blends styles and explores the depths of the mind, heart, and soul. This is where dreamy and raw pop combine; layered with jazzy phrasing, country twangs, and simplistic yet eerie power in a low fidelity format. Her style has been influenced by artists such as PJ Harvey, Sonic Youth, Lisa Germano, The Sundays, Mazzy Star, Low, Cranes, and early Liz Phair. And with five years of classical voice, nerdkween emotes the message of each of the songs. Her tools are keyboards, guitar, radios, tape noise and drum machine along with recording tricks from a four-track recorder.
The first EP called 'i see things differently now' was released in 2000. This led to radio play on Atlanta's Album 88, the largest college radio station in the country. With the release of the second recording entitled "the dark horse" came press from Creative Loafing and The Southeast Performer. The exposure allowed nerdkween to perform on the Atlanta music scene in clubs like The Red Light Cafe , The Echo Lounge, The Village, I.A.G., MJQ, The Earl and Compares in Athens, Ga. She has opened for The Quails, Hella, The Aisler Set, and Mark Gardener from the infamous British band, Ride. nerdkweens talent opened up doors and invitations to local festivals Corndogorama, and the Independent Georgia Festival.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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Here's what the critics are saying about nerdkween:
" "Synergy” shuns glossy editing in favor of refreshingly honest production that reintroduces a much-needed human quality to experimental music, from the clink of the hammers against the piano strings on the track “Icon” to the characteristically charming emphasis Arrington puts on the letter “s” throughout the album. “Synergy” hits high notes on the vocal stunner “If” and the lyrically compelling “Earning My Disgrace,” and provides a nice change of pace with “8 Years,” a live track recorded in New York City at Harlem’s Faison Theater. The self-proclaimed intellectual smartly packages dark subject matter in an accessible manner from start to finish, redefining once again what it really means to be a nerd."- Bitch Magazine~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Nerdkween was an unexpected teacup tempest........." Resonator Magazine~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"I will say that this is a stunning collection of music. Monica takes influences from many areas and combines them into a style of what she calls post-modern pop. I don't know how I would actually classify it. She has a unique perspective on what a song should be. There is a darkness to the ambiance and an innocence to the intelligence. The sound is decidedly lo-fi with noises that bring out an almost eerie quality and at the center is this sweet voice that draws you in." -Stephen Bailey : Cultural Exchange Advocate~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"The album [Synergy] employs low-level electronic distortion that contrasts the gorgeous and minimalistic ballads she performs, creating an interestingly contradictory feel, combining the very human, naked emotions of her songs with a very unnatural, technological aura. Even though the distort-your-music-production craze of this year is starting to wear a little thin on me, the utilization here is unique enough to rise above being just a gimmick. Plus, the music is beautiful" -Ohmpark.com~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Nowadays in the twenty-first century the usual idea is to inundate the listener with layers upon layers of digital multi-tracking...this young lady instead takes the exact opposite approach. Hearing this, the only possible comparisons that come to mind are Nico and Lisa Germano...mainly because all three share a strange, ultra-serious sound that is somehow distant yet profound. Some of the songs on this album are truly beautiful and have real staying power. In today's semi-generic world, Nerdkween comes across like a breath of fresh air." - babysue.com~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~..~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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View the student art film "Pulling Focus" featuring the nerdkween song "icon". Won 1st place in the Campus Moive Fest (Boston College) in 2005.
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Purchase Synergy from I- Tunes
Or from CD Baby
So glad I came across you and your work. I absolutely love what you are weaving together. Maybe someday we'll work on something together -- partners in crime...! Stay beautiful and original.
GEE THANKS AINT THAT WEIRDbut thats alright i like yr sense of intimacy. first isfirst. maaaanyou got some cool blues picture here. A+ for that! and.... THANKX FOR THE ADD:D
happy 2009 and stuff. i just watched your performance of if. it pissed me off that people were talking to much. it sounded great. and btw ur hair has gotten so long since the last time i saw you.
hEY MOnICA, HAVEN'T SeEN YOU IN A MINuTE! hOPE ALL IS WELL! i AM PUTTING TOGETHER A INDIE sHOWCASE FOR jANUARY 20,2009 FROM 6-11 IN DALTON. iT IS ABOUT 30,40 MINUTES NORTH oF ATlAnTA. iF YOU InTERESTED, i'LL HIT YOU UP wITH MORE DEtAILS. sTAY JAZZY.
PEACE JODY HARRIS AKA YOUR FRIEND FROM YOUNGBLOOD GALLERY'S "KRAFTWORK EVENTS"
