Karyn Kuhl and band release album, play NYC Jan. 16From a Sexpod to a singer/songwriter, Karyn Kuhl has been tearing up the local Hudson scene for more than a decade. With a sincere strong voice able to carry sharp tunes in a Patti Smith-like tone, Kuhl has recorded several poignant independent albums, and she’s performed for various crowds in the tri-state area. The longtime Hobokenite spends much of her time rehearsing with her new band at the small garage space on the corner of Fifth and Monroe streets in the mile-square city. She’s evolved as a singer. Once a punk metalhead with psychedelic influences, Kuhl rejoices the freedoms of a lead singer and primary songwriter in a band with melodies reminiscent to early ’90s mellow modern rock.
On Jan. 16 at 9 p.m., Kuhl and gang will perform at Arlene’s Grocery in New York City to celebrate the release of their latest indie effort The Beautiful Glow.
The six-song CD is a musical experience that meshes vibrant acoustic rock with a smooth slowdown of rifts. Kuhl’s voice penetrates through the noise to calm the listener with her passionate vocals.
In the title track, the band creates a new modern rock melody often found on indie FM stations. She is backed by veteran drummer Tom Costagliola, the charismatic bassist Kurt Ritta, and Alicia Godsberg on guitar. They get occasional help on sax from Lola RocknRolla.
“I’m finally in the right place and have the right band to play all the slow, quiet, sad songs I’ve written,” Kuhl said.
Glow, Kuhl added, took more than two years to complete and it was a form of therapy for her in dealing with her mother’s death.
“I recorded the saddest and most emotional stuff and it really helped me to release and work through a lot of grief,” she said.
The album’s electrifying vocals are complemented by spacious instrumental arrangements, layered in a lustrous array of acoustic and electronic textures. Glow is at once an intimate and expansive aural experience. The listener enters a seductive daydream against a background of loss and sorrow.
“The process of recording this CD has been extremely satisfying. It was amazing working with talented producers. I hope by recording the album I will get to the next place I need to within myself in order to write more new songs. And I hope this music can help inspire other people,” Kuhl said.
Sexpod
Before her singer/songwriter days, Kuhl was a guitarist for Sexpod, a punk band formed in the early ’90s. They released a single “Spin My Groove/Venus” in 1992 and an EP Home (Go-Kart Records) in 1994. By the mid-’90s, the band had become one of the hottest bands in the New York City area, touring with Iggy Pop and Joan Jett. Kuhl decided to go solo in 1999 and began performing new material in Big Apple venues with just a guitar and her voice. After about a year of solo shows, Kuhl put together her current band. Kuhl’s current musical incarnation draws from the raw power and intensity of her punk/metal roots, she said.
“I was born into a family of musicians and music lovers. It seemed to be a natural progression that I would start playing guitar and singing. I did so at a very early age because there were guitars in my house and everybody sang. Not until I heard the music of Patti Smith, Television, X, and all the original punk bands of the late ’70s, did I feel compelled to be in a band,” Kuhl said.
Her first band was in the mid-’80s, with Gut Bank. The all-female heavy rock group captured the attention of the Hobokenites during their tenure. She eventually teamed up with Gut Bank bassist Alice Genese to form Sexpod, which led to the progression for a solo outfit.
“My biggest challenge has always been dealing with the business aspect of music. I feel very successful in my development as a musician and songwriter, but I’ve never been a good sales person or schmoozer,” Kuhl said.
Last week, at her band’s modest rehearsal space, Kuhl and the band made final adjustments for their Jan. 16 gig at Arlene’s. The much-anticipated release marks the debut of original material from Kuhl in more than two years.
“We are very excited with the album. This is one of the best projects I’ve been a part of,” Costagliola said during rehearsal.
The band has found their own sound, which is evident in the song “Gone Away,” from Glow. A mild psychedelic tempo and obscure chanting by Kuhl empowers the listeners with the notion they are listening to a fresh, brand new music. The anti-pop rock album is a refreshing escape from the carbon copy sounds FM dishes out daily.
“I want to record and release a live CD and learn to live in the moment as much as possible,” Kuhl said.
The Karyn Kuhl Band plays at Arlene’s Grocery at 95 Stanton St. in New York City on Jan. 16 at 9 p.m. For information visit www.arlene-grocery.com. q
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“My biggest challenge has always been dealing with the business aspect of music.” – Karyn Kuhl
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