Quitzow: Juice Water
(2010, Young Love Records)
Put on your party pants, you nutters, for the queen of quirk is back. This Hudson Valley-turned-international sweetheart, also known as Erica Quitzow, blew music reviewers and aural-orgy lovers out of the pond two years ago with her highly acclaimed Art College (Young Love Records) and once again dares the disco with her in-the-mood-for-Moog Juice Water. Fans of Prince, Erasure, Kraftwerk, and even Rasputina will pogo far into Quitzow’s left field when they hear this wacky wizardry of boisterous synths and strings. Her multilayered chant is barely decipherable under the kinky techno stratum of the opening track, “Let Out All the Crazy,” as she pokes at the music industry for making a profit off “broke-ass artists.” “The Cut” could be an instant club classic, with its infectious melody and driving dance-floor beat. The mood softens on the sweeping, cello-based “Race Car,” and “Race Car 2” is a beautiful, guitar-driven ballad with a mournful edge. She rap-hollers “I’ll do whatever you want / dress up like your New Age mom / eat LSD / watch bad TV / get a sex change for variety,” on the album’s closer, “Whatever,” which features a perplexing, spunky pop beat.
The singer brings in several other players on percussion, vocals, and electric and acoustic strings, including her partner, Setting Sun’s Gary Levitt, but the rest is pure Quitzow. There is true artistry and substance behind every move she makes, so if you’re looking for an off-the-wall artist who pushes the boundaries of electro-dance pop, look no further. Quitzow to the rescue. www.youngloverecords.com.
This article appears in October 2010.
