2 Foot Yard

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

Kihlstedt turns the singer/songwriter genre upside down, 2008-07-15
At the time of this review (2008), there are a lot of singer/songwriters using looping to build up layered performances. But in 2003 when "2 Foot Yard" was released, it was far less common. Although Kihlstedt is fairly obscure compared to someone like KT Tunstall, I have to think she was influential in her musical style. br / br /Even though one could draw comparisons with artists such as Imogen Heap, Kihlstedt is quite a bit more experimental. Those familiar with the sort of music coming out of John Zorn's Tzadik label will know what to expect. There are almost no straight-ahead numbers here. There's always some interesting twist whether formally, tonally, or texturally. br / br /My favorite aspect of the album is that it keeps you guessing, but at the same time, it's so listenable. It's experimental without being difficult. The format of the album - many small nuggets of music - is also appealing to me, although I see from reading some of the reviews that not everyone shares this opinion. I can understand the criticism that "2 Foot Yard" is somewhat schizophrenic, or at least unfocused. To my ears, it's the aural equivalent of a kaleidoscope viewing Kihlstedt's array of experiences. br / br /I don't have any major complaints about this album, but I don't quite think it's a five-star album. It's small in scale, which is closely tied to Kihlstedt's working method, but it doesn't have the heft of a major work. It IS a four-star album, easily. I would probably recommend this to fans of the NYC downtown scene, as well as 'some' Zorn fans (i.e. those who like more than just his most experimental projects). Fans of artists working in a similar style will probably enjoy this as well. It's a cool mix between experimentalism and accessibility, and one that makes for a rewarding listen.

1 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

A tiresome experimental demo tape, 2008-03-29
If you enjoy a collage of incongruent elements, you may enjoy this. I am a big fan of Tin Hat Trio, but this album reminded me of discordant elements one would find stuffed in a closet that hadn't been cleaned out for years. It comes across as a bunch of playful/frustrated jam sessions, with one or two decent tracks thrown in. I found it hard to tell with each track if my c.d. player was on random and choose to play another c.d. Spend your money wisely and spend it elsewhere.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

quite unique, 2007-10-10
The group's concert in Moab was fabulous, and the album will help me savor it.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

Pretty awesome....music for heavy coffee drinkers/nail biters, 2007-08-22
Kihlstedt is the queen of tension as far as I'm concerned. Her instrument of choice here, the violin, as well as her thin, delicate voice lend themselves well towards creating a sometimes creepy, sometimes serene, always gripping atmosphere. Very unique style, although I can see the Kate Bush comparison on a couple songs. She's definitely as intense as Kate Bush was in her prime.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

Carla is my Queen, 2006-03-04
After hearing her in Charming Hostess, Tin Hat Trio, and seeing her play with Sleepytime Gorilla Museum, it's about time that Ms. Kihlstedt tried going out on a limb and seeing what she could do on her own. The results? An eclectic mix of folk, jazz, klezmer, and avantgarde thanks to John Zorn's Tzadik label. She plays her strings as if she were discovering them for the first time, and uses her own voice as an instrument the way that Mike Patton has. Carla has an ability to sound both heavenly and creepily haunting at the same time (row your boat is scary) that I love. I try to collect everything that she has done, and I think that this is a tie (along with Charming Hostess) for being her best project.