By KCRW DJ Valida:
Once dubbed by the New York Times as “The Queen of Miami’s Rock and Roll scene,” Los Angeles can now boast that Rachel Goodrich is their own. She moved here just over a year ago from the East Coast.
When I heard Rachel was working on a new album a few months back, I was thrilled. I have been a fan for almost two years now, or pretty much since the first time I saw her play live, so any hint at upcoming new material from this “queen of shake-a-billy” is music to my ears…no pun intended.
Her self-titled debut, Produced by Grammy-nominated Greg Wells, has been a staple in all my sets. If I were still playing vinyl out at shows, songs like “Na Na”, “Lightbulb” or “Easier Said Than Done” would have no grooves left! I saw her open for Band of Skulls at the Bootleg in early 2011 and everyone was blown away. This girl’s music simply rocks.
You might be wondering what “shake-a-billy” is, at this point, so let me get right to it. Her wiki page describes it as an “eclectic blend of vaudeville-inspired indie-pop, swing-jazz and country-folk,” which, pretty much sums it up quite nicely. So if you’re a fan of any, or all, of the above then look no further than Rachel for a bona fide fusion that plays up all of its parts quite nicely. The result is an aural bliss to behold–a palpable harmony and a winning mishmash.
Not only is Rachel a great singer and lyricist –her silky-smooth voice has just the right amount of rough– she is also a multi-instrumentalist who is at home playing guitar, ukulele, the charango and the kazoo! To say that her live sets are anything short of riveting would be like calling fireworks “OK” .
Live or recorded, solo or with a backing band she won’t leave you indifferent. Her songs are timeless, funny, introspective…and just so different than most… And her voice is like a cream topping…The glaze that holds all of the parts in place.
You can catch Rachel live every 4th Wednesday at Standard Hollywood’s Desert Nights beginning January 25 through March. Oh, and did I mention that her new album was recorded in an old church in Hudson New York? This will be one for the books and we will be sure to ring the bells as soon as it’s out!
[vimeo]http://vimeo.com/20012424[/vimeo]
— Valida