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discography
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1. |
Silly Girl |
7. |
Kid
Stuff |
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2. |
All I Want |
8. |
Masks |
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3. |
I Go Crazy |
9. |
Inside |
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4. |
My Bright Life |
10. |
My Pathetic Life |
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5. |
Cellophane Man |
11. |
One Stone |
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6. |
Dragonfly |
12. |
Bonus Track |
Larry Flick, Billboard:
"Continental Drift"
WHAT A LIFE: "My Pathetic Life'' by the Scoldees is the kind of
album that you reach for when the ongoing assault of rap/metal,
teeny-popper pop, and electronica gets to be too much to handle.
Consisting of Nancy Sirianni, Jack Hoffmann, John Collis, and Ted
Rydzewski, the band specializes in simple acoustic-rock that proudly
wears the influence of Neil Young and Joni Mitchell, with an
underline of rich harmonies.
Their self-made disc is filled with tunes designed to make
thirtysomething adults see that music is still occasionally made as
it once was. At the same time, though, cuts like "My Bright Life," a
delicate confection fronted by Sirianni, and Hoffmann's rock-edged
"Dragonfly" have a contemporary feel nicely suited to triple-A and
AC radio.
The Scoldees are supporting "My Pathetic Life" with a string of East
Coast club dates over the next eight weeks. Prior to its current
touring stint, the band earned props for performances on the
Emerging Artists stage at Woodstock '99 and at Bethel '99: A Day at
the Farm. They've also opened for Nancy Wilson, John Sebastian, and
Dan Hicks. For more information, call Rob Findlay at head First
Management, 516-433-1488.
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Doug Cornell, AMP3.com:
The Scoldees prove that modern pop music doesn't need to be shallow
with My Pathetic Life, the debut release from this New York band.
Relying on an understated style and strong lyrical content, the
Scoldees create complex and entertaining adult-oriented folk-pop.
The band's two songwriters and visionaries, Nanci Sirianni and Jack
Hoffmannm, also share vocal duties. Additional musicians add
electric guitar, percussion, fretless bass, and keyboards to the
mix. The end result is a sound that is often similar to Suzanne Vega
or Michael Penn.
My Pathetic Life begins with "Silly Girl," which sounds like Suzanne
Vega's more poppy efforts. Nanci Sirianni half-talks, half-sings in
a clipped manner as she asks the question, "Did my waking or my
sleeping or my breathing or anything ever affect you?" Jack
Hoffman's bluesy singing takes the spotlight in "Dragonfly," which
has a modern-rock sound that combines restrained electric guitar
with subtle dynamics. Hoffman sounds surprisingly like Michael Penn
in "Masks," a relaxing song with solid percussion and atmospheric
instrumentation. The band picks up the pace in "All I Want," with
Sirianni exclaiming, "I want the world to live in harmony, I want
all people to be free." "My Pathetic Life" finds the band in a
humorous, finger-snapping light-jazz mode as Sirianni describes her
difficulties "...getting my life right." The album continues with
solid adult pop ("Inside") before drifting back into a beautiful,
softer sound with "My Bright Life." Sirianni's voice is drenched in
deep reverb while an eerie acoustic bass builds tension. The album
closes with the playful "Cellophane Man," which has bursts of vocal
trickery and a solid rock beat that could have come from the Buffalo
Springfield era.
The Scoldees have crafted a very complete piece of work with My
Pathetic Life. With Sirianni and Hoffman taking turns singing, you
get a different style with nearly every song. The album's production
is absolutely first rate. My Pathetic Life is recommended for anyone
who desires a mature sound that moves beyond today's bubble gum pop
hits.
Note: I saw the Scoldees perform at Woodstock '99 and felt they were
among very few bands present that captured the true spirit of the
originial 1969 event. If you get a chance to hear the Scoldees, do
not pass it up.
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James (Akron, Ohio USA):
The Scoldees new cd "My Pathetic Life" has hit the mark. It is a
relaxing blend of folk and easy listening rock. Nancy Sirianni's
lyrical style and voice are soothing and pleasant to the ears. I
enjoy listening to this cd over and over again with "Silly Girl" and
"All I Want" getting several plays each time I listen to the cd. I
encourage everyone to buy this cd..
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Format: |
Audio CD, CA |
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Label: |
Off Hour Rockers |
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Release Date: |
11/01/1999 |
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|
 |
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1. |
Cocoon |
7. |
American Tonight |
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2. |
Just Like Rita |
8. |
The Valley |
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3. |
Nightcap World |
9. |
Come To Me |
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4. |
Figure It Out |
10. |
Better Day |
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5. |
Mama Was Right |
11. |
Rain |
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6. |
A Case Of You |
12. |
Lullaby For Greta |
Joseph McCombs, All Music Guide:
"After a three-year wait, Long Island's Scoldees
finally returned in early 2003 with their sophomore effort, Nightcap
World. The members of this foursome have certainly grown as
songwriters and performers since their debut album, My Pathetic
Life, as best evidenced by their compassionate harmonizing that
suggests considerable amounts of time on the road together. At their
best, co-lead vocalists Nancy Sirianni and Jack Hoffmann offer an
update of the mystical Buckingham Nicks sound; indeed, few bands but
Fleetwood Mac could begin an album with four tracks as strong as the
first four here. Album opener "Cocoon" and the character sketch
"Just Like Rita" in particular present memorable pictures and find
all the bandmembers on the same page. Unfortunately, about midway
through, the album dissolves into uneven, forgettable AAA rock and
bar blues. A cover of Joni Mitchell's "A Case of You," while
respectable, takes no liberties whatsoever, and the last four cuts
blur into a wash of snoozy mediocrity. A shame, really: Parts of
Nightcap World suggest that the Scoldees have that rare combination
of talent and fraternity that can elevate a band to being far more
than the sum of its parts."
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Josh Kazman, Splendid:
Nightcap World's first three songs reach the pinnacle of original
folk-rock. They're distinct and well-produced, with intriguing
lyrics that take unexpected bends. "Cocoon" opens the disc with
pleasingly synthetic strings that loop around ascending bells and
spacy guitar lines; singer Nancy Sirianni's voice sticks out, with
honest lyrics that jump between Tori Amos-style melodrama ("Smother
me in good advice, drown me in clichés / Tell me that I'm bad and go
away") and motherly advice ("Count to ten, it always helps / One,
two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine...ten"). "Just Like
Rita" follows in a more Nields-y vein, featuring a jolly brass
reprise and funky guitar work, while the title track's acoustic
rhythms and wah-wah guitars walk you through a smoky bar full of
shady characters.
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Format: |
Audio CD |
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Label: |
Off Hour Rockers |
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Release Date: |
01/01/2003 |
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raw tunage
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