Shameless Tuesdays: Livre 10 | Polly Panic
I am a sucker for cellos that invade other genres outside the classical norm. Bands like Apocalyptica and the aptly-named 2Cellos are known for plucking their massive string instruments in the same way Jimmy Page or Joshua Homme rips chords on their guitars. One other group that has done this tremendously for years is Rasputina, whose gypsy-like mentality makes their beautifully haunting works feel more mystical than most. Polly Panic, who had already made a name for herself in the solo field before joining Rasputina in 2016, is not just a master of the craft; she rewrites the how-to book on conjuring the heaviest sounds imaginable via the classical world's most monstrous string instrument.
Polly Panic's latest album Losing Form will be released on November 20th, and it's filled with the raw lyrics and nimble playing skills that have made her a tour-de-force in her field. It's angry, beautiful, and sometimes as cool as Cab Calloway dancing with Minnie the Moocher herself! With Halloween just around the corner, and with Losing Form's release close at hand, it would seem most appropriate that Polly Panic snatches the controls to this week's Shameless Tuesdays!
Here's what Ms. Polly Panic herself (whose real name is Jenette Mackie) has to say about her picks:
Thank you Boston Bastard Brigade for requesting a Polly Panic playlist of what inspires me and just makes me happy.
I cover quite a range, from friends to celebrated musicians. They all inspire me on some level, and challenge me to continue to grow. Keep in mind that I love music from all genres, and my playlist reflects that. I start with some off the wall pseudo-country songs, they just make me happy. Of course there are cello driven bands, from Rasputina, who I occasionally perform with and is nationally recognized, to Okapi, a local duo comprised of cello, vocals and stand up bass. I also go back to my formative years to the music that really lit up my life (PJ Harvey, Tori Amos, etc...). I was raised in a strict religious environment so when I heard this music I felt the walls crumbling down around me, and I will never forget it. I am a rap fan as well, and I put some of my favorites in there because I will travel quite a distance to see these shows, I consider them lyrical giants and they inspire me to keep working to go deeper, to work harder....that I can always get better.
Just as my playlist includes artist from all kinds of genres, I feel that my latest album runs the gamut of sounds. It definitely is a rock album, but I feel like that encompasses way more than you will hear on a generic radio station. I have included two of my harder hitting songs and one on the softer side, the side that goes inside and looks for what is real, what is me trying to get past my own bullshit. Not to mention, [they also] bring out the beauty of the cello.
I have a new drummer (Caleb Beissert), and outside of training him we have spent the fall doing shows in the SE United States. We plan to continue touring in the spring, hitting more of the SE and some of the NE. We have recently joined forces with Write Hook Records so that is exciting, and will help expand our reach. You can keep up with all things Polly Panic on our website at www.pollypanic.net, or www.pollypanic.bandcamp.com!
Check out her new album Losing Form below, and give it preorder if it fancies you some!
Promotional consideration provided by Shameless Promotion PR
