Whitney Tai- Lexington

Written and performed by Whitney Tai.

Produced by Whitney Tai and Tim Janssens

Whitney Tai is an artist who transcends genre. Tai has grown through her own records: Metamorphosis and Apogee, while adding lyrics and vocals to Beauty in Chaos and Chuck Wright’s Sheltering Sky. Whitney Tai has a beautiful voice and more impressive presence. Both Michael Ciravolo and Chuck Wright saw this and added her to their own projects.

Tai is certainly one who can add to the works of others, but she is even more impressive on her own. Of course it would be easy to fall back on the success and following of others, but Tai is an artist- an artist with a voice. Her most recent offering is a prime example of this.

At the end of June, Whitney released a single called Lexington. We reviewed it here. Since that time, Ms. Tai has released a video for the song. Based on the lyrics from the song, I was a bit baffled. The song details her time in NYC, the big city. She focuses on places: the Cooper Hewitt, the MET, 70th and Lexington. The video, however, shows Tai walking through a park. Not Central Park. A simple park.

After a few views, it’s clear. While those moments in the big city impact a person, so do the quiet moments. While Tai no longer lives in NYC, the impact of those days live with her. Throughout Lexington, Tai reminisces about her time in NY. Each moment etched in her mind. Each moment a part of who she is now. I would imagine that she had no clue that those moments were important while she lived them, yet they have impacted the person she is now.

With introspection like that, the clear conclusion is that the small moments matter. And THAT is where this video shines in its juxtaposition. In the video, Whitney walks around with an old school microphone singing about Lexington. The background is sparse, as is the hustle and bustle of life here. While she may sing about NYC and the craziness that comes with that, this video is more about the quiet moments- those moments with family, friends and pets. In totality, all those moments that make up a person.

Lexington is a place, but it’s also a state of mind. Tai brilliantly uses her art, her skill, her vision and her talent to make a point about life. We are a sum of our parts- embrace and celebrate them. If you don’t believe me, head over to Lexington!

Pick up some cool merch here.

Beauty in Chaos is back with “Behind the Veil”

Beauty in Chaos, the lovechild of Michael Ciravolo, is back with their third studio album, fifth if you count remix records. This time, Ciravolo has chosen six powerful women to helm the microphone on Behind the Veil. Each woman is unique, bringing something entirely different than the others, yet all fit seamlessly on the record. Credit here to Ciravolo and Michael Rozon for creating music to match the muse while keeping the quintessential nuance that is Beauty in Chaos.

Afterlife

The first song is Afterlife, which features Tish Ciravolo on vocals. The wife of Michael, she is a musical powerhouse, playing bass on previous records, writing lyrics and singing my favorite song on this record. Afterlife is built around questions people ask when facing death or thinking about their own mortality. The short questions delivered in slow measured verses crawl around in your brain as the pacing allows the listener to ruminate and connect to the singer. The questions are interrupted by a cool synth breakdown that breaks the pace and signals a change in the singer. As Tish sings we are lead to her conclusion. Perhaps we don’t know what is in the Afterlife, but we can do what is important now: love more people and pray for the rest. Ths song is beautiful and a message that this world needs right now.

The Kiss of the World

The second track is The Kiss of the World featuring Elena Alice Fossi. I recently reviewed that one here.

Not Your fault

The third track on the record is Not Your Fault by Pinky Turzo. Turzo has the most distinctive voice on the record. At first, I was taken aback. It’s so different than the others Michael has invited on. However, after a few listens, I really gravitated to her sound. She sings the mellow verses, beautiful soaring choruses, and soft pre-breakdown whisper with equal passion. The lyrics tell of a person who desperately wants to help another ,but nearly gives up through the struggle. In the end, love wins out:

It’s not your fault

Just look into my eyes

Trust this love you see

It’s not your fault

That you were dealt this hand

Let me take it from you

Pinky Turzo was the perfect choice for this song. Again, Ciravolo’s choices are impeccable on these records.

Orion

The fourth track features Whitney Tai. This was an early release and I reviewed it here.

Open Wound Heart

The penultimate track is Open Wound Heart featuring Cinthya Hussey. As usual, the music is perfect for the song. The guitars drive the tone and mood. But for me, it’s the lyrics all day and twice on Sunday. I love poetry. I love word choice. I love cool word play. I love words that allow me to exist in a moment experienced by someone else. What a way to start a song!

Sunset sets her senses on fire

While Gods and Demons rally to conspire

Screaming scarlet scars

Howling unclad under the stars  

An incandescent soul

Plowing on glowing in an ice cold world  

The stage is set for what is outside of our control. The singer, or protagonist, is at the mercy of a cold world, the gods, or perhaps an unrequited love or love lost. Throughout her struggle, there is a sense of desperation here as: “With her desires undisclosed, she stares and blinks in morse code.” Who will come to her rescue? She is vulnerable and suffers from an Open Wound Heart. Maybe giving in to it all is the answer. Who knows? Eros may have something to say before it’s all said and done. Beautiful song with no clear answers and beautiful poetry.

Grasp the Stars

The final track on the record is Grasp the Stars featuring Betsy Martin. This song has the hardest edge of all the songs on the record. Ciravolo’s guitar is cutting and angry, and even offers a little tasty feedback. Conventional drums here are replaced with drum programming from Michael Rozon. Martin’s vocals are unconventional and work well above the harder edge presented here. She is raw and emotional, belting out the lyrics almost as if she is trying to convince herself that, “It’s not that bad, it’s not that hard- cool down, it’s not that bad.” This song exudes desperation both lyrically and musically. Great album closer.

With the third record, Behind the Veil, Ciravolo has done it again. His core team of Beauty in Chaos is able to switch out the parts over and over again and create new gems. As with the other albums, Ciravolo has invited some folks to create remixes. The remixes can be ordered as part of a 2 CD set. See what the buzz is all about. Go to beautyinchaosmusic.com and place your order now. Music ships on 2/22/22.

Sheltering Sky- Army of Me

In 1995, Bjork released her second solo album, Post. It featured a song called Army of Me. It was a personal song for Bjork that featured heavy synthesizer and a John Bonham sampled drum beat. In 2005, Army of Me was covered by various artists for a charity record. Flash forward to 2021, another artist and project is giving Army of Me a new look.

I’m not sure I understand why people are so eager to cover Bjork. Anytime an artist covers a song, being compared negatively to the original is a real fear, especially when being compared to Bjork. She is pure inspiration, original, and beloved by most every music fan…..oh, and did I mention she has an amazing, sometimes quirky voice with a huge vocal range? 

So, if you want to create a new version, what do you do?

Chuck Wright from Quiet Riot had a pretty good idea- do what he does best, rock! The original version features heavy synth throughout and drum samples. He wisely changes that here. The synthe is still present, but nestled into the background. The foreground has been replaced with guitar- not heavy chords, but more sparse, drawn out, individual notes. Towards the end of the song, Lanny Cordola from House of Lords breaks into a traditional guitar solo to close the song. The drums, which were originally samples of John Bonham on When the Levee Breaks, are now actual drums. The changes here from industrial synthe to rock create a very different version, but both equally support the power of the lyrics and message. Of course, having a song built around a rhythm section created by John Bonham lends itself to a rock treatment, so it was an easy choice. (When the Levee Breaks is actually a song written by Kansas Joe McCoy and Memphis Minnie, but made famous by Led Zeppelin)

Now to the real problem of covering Bjork- finding a singer who can deliver a powerful performance without being a knock-off Bjork mimic. Wright could have chosen someone a little more quirky like Billie Eilish, but wisely chose Whitney Tai who recently won Best Vocalist at the Intercontinental Music Awards. Tai has her own style, her own voice, and it’s powerful. For those who aren’t familiar, check out songs like Surrender off of her most recent album Apogee or Enigma off of Metamorphosis in 2015. On both, Tai shows a deep dynamic range. On Army of Me, it is no different. Tai approaches the verses and the chorus differently. She sings slowly, impassioned on the verse as she implores the listener to be better, to get up and do what’s right. On the chorus, her voice soars, hitting bigger notes as she gives the ultimatum- do what I say or meet an Army of Me. 

What Chuck Wright and company have done so well here is adapt a personal song from 1995, widening its message to a 2021 society that needs the message. He uses Ruth Bader Ginsberg in the video to bolster the point of doing what’s right in the face of adversity. The song and the video are beautiful re-imaginings of the original. 

Army of Me is the first song off of Chuck Wright’s Sheltering Sky record which is coming in 2022. The record features over 30 guest performers including members of Mr. Big, Skid Row, Tesla, Dream Theater, Asia among many others. And for those of us who are fans of Whitney Tai, this is not the only song on which she sings. If this song is any indication, The Sheltering Sky sounds like an album worthy of our attention.

Come back to Wanderings and Woolgathering podcast and website for album reviews.

Beauty in Chaos – Orion and Happy Birthday

Michael Ciravolo’s love child Beauty in Chaos is back this week with a new single, Orion. This week also marks the third anniversary of their original release Finding Beauty in Chaos. You can find our review of that here: Wanderings and Woolgathering.

It’s certainly a big week for the Schecter Guitar president, and one worth mentioning for those not familiar with the project.

Michael Ciravolo is known for forming Human Drama in the 80s and later for his time playing guitar for Gene Loves Jezebel. While he still performs with both on occasion, while still managing to run a company, much of his attention now is on his project Beauty in Chaos.

Michael works with his friends like Michael Rozon, his wife Tish, and a slew of artists he asks to participate on the tracks. For me, and the rest of the Wanderings crew, we were thrilled to listen to works from Robin Zander, Dug Pinnick, Ice T, Al Jourgensen and Simon Gallup. But the real beauty of this project is not just listening to our faves, but the introduction to new artists.

I had never heard Ashton Nyte before. After a quick search, I’m suddenly listening to his solo work and his music with the Awakening. Kat Leon has become a favorite of all of us on the pod. We love her voice and her vision with Holy Wars. And, I’ve really come to appreciate Wayne Hussey. He has an wisened, grizzly voice that begs for attention.

So, who does Michael highlight on Orion? It’s Whitney Tai. Tai has two albums: Metamorphosis in 2015 and Apogee in 2020. She has a beautiful voice that soars when needed, but can equally nail the quiet moments. Her albums tend to lean more pop than the usual Ciravolo choices for vocals.

So, what do Ciravolo and Rozon do? They tone down the guitar; it’s subtle here. It gives way to some texture and mood. Tish, too, is dialed back on bass. Instead, they allow Tai’s voice to breathe here and take control of the song. That’s not to say that the music isn’t solid, because it is. Ciravolo provides his usual post-punk guitar sound while also adding a tasty break near the end with percussion moving to the forefront while he provides clean notes alongside. Tai rides the wave here with her lyrical-less vocals soaring above the whole. Great choice to use actual drums rather than electric drums here.  The song works because the Michaels know how to highlight Tai’s talent while playing to the groups own strengths. That is why this project is so successful- great musical choices.

And I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the video. Michael may be the most down to earth guy, but he can still play the music star when he needs to. The video is polished and feels like Hollywood. Great visuals, composition and fog giving way to a first person camera moving through a chess set. Like the song, the video highlights Tai front and center. Song and video are a great marriage.

It’s nice to hear the band back with another outstanding track for what will hopefully be part of their fourth album. What Michael Ciravolo is doing here is worthy of your attention. If you haven’t checked them out, go back to the beginning and listen through to Orion. You will enjoy the ride. For more music reviews, check us out: Wanderings and Woolgathering.