What do you do when the one thing that made you so popular is the one thing you can no longer rely on? That’s the question Pretty Girls Make Graves should have asked itself before recording their third album, due out in April. The Pretty Girls Make Graves template combined the aggressiveness of punk rock with some extremely proficient players and the riot-grrl vocals of frontwoman Andrea Zollo. While the band’s performances on record and on stage are uniformly excellent and amazingly skilled—watching the two guitarists battle on stage is especially awesome—what set Pretty Girls Make Graves apart from the rest was Zollo’s contribution. If there’s an easy point of comparison, I suppose it’s Corin Tucker (who was once in a riot-grrl band herself, Heavens To Betsy), but Zollo’s sheer aggressiveness and volume would destroy Tucker were the two ever to duke it out with dueling microphones.
Or, at least, she would’ve if this were still 1999. The reason why Pretty Girls Make Graves can no longer rely on Zollo’s voice for its punch is because she simply can’t sing the way she used to anymore. Good Health is an amazing record, but also a punishing one; even while touring for the album, Zollo would admit to crowds that she didn’t know if her voice could hold out, and by the time that tour ended the damage was clear: she had nodes on her vocal cords that threatened to destroy her voice entirely. Sadly, she won’t even perform those old chestnuts anymore because of the possibility of further damage. As a result, starting with The New Romance, Zollo altered her singing style by practically eliminating the yelling and screeching that caused most of the damage.
“The Nocturnal House” is an advance MP3 single from Elan Vital, the forthcoming album, and the difference between Good Health and the new album is obvious. Masked by layers of distortion and sticking to the lower registers, Zollo sounds more like a caged animal, unable to stretch her legs the way she used to on songs like “More Sweet Soul.” The blistering energy of Good Health has now bled away completely; this mid-tempo effort lacks even the simmering intensity of many New Romance tracks. This isn’t to say that Pretty Girls Make Graves wouldn’t have pursued this direction even if Zollo hadn’t had to nurse her voice. But you do have to wonder.
3 Responses
Strange take- when was the last time that you saw Pretty Girls Make Graves live?
It must be a long time, because they always play old songs.
Also, I think that you missed the Nocturnal House completely; obviously you aren’t a fan of dub music…
Lucy, May 2nd, 2006 at 3:08 amMaybe the shows I saw just sucked, but they were late 2004 and early 2005. But the whole time during both shows, the crowd kept yelling at the sound guy to turn up the vocals. The first show, I would’ve just thought it was a fluke, but when I see a second show at a different venue, and the problem persists? With no attempt to fix it? The result is whatever old songs they play are practically instrumentals because you can’t hear Zollo at all.
None of this made sense (what, does the band just piss off soundpeople a lot?) until I read articles about Zollo almost losing her voice. Then it all came together. As for the old songs, Zollo herself has said that the band has shelved many of the louder songs that require her to scream.
Wesley, May 2nd, 2006 at 1:37 pm..i understand you may have seen shitty shows, or maybe andrea was just having a rough time of it..(much like Beth Ditto when shes sick-but who still ROCKS THE FUCK OUT LIVE)…
but i saw pretty girls at the crystal in portland in february, then at sasquatch in may. and while they didnt sing ALL the old songs, she was still phenomonal, full of power and massive energy, as was the entire band.
and if the only reason you dug PGMG old school is because of andrea’s angsty screeching, its no wonder youre dissapointed..i dont think it was ever their goal as a group of artists to be “screamo”. yes, im sure her voice has taken a savage beating, but also, their self titled album came out like eons ago..shes not pissed about the same shit anymore, i dont think, and so her intensity is directed in other directions..?
Andrea, October 15th, 2006 at 5:11 am