popmatters.com,
September 12, 2000
Reviewer: by Eden Miller PopMatters Music Critic
In the pre-Lilith Fair days, modern rock radio stations
gave their fair share of space to such musicians
and Juliana Hatfield and Liz Phair, and groups like
Belly. Little significance was placed on the fact
that these were all women. Instead, the wave of
independently minded rock gave them a place to be
heard. They were just musicians, first and foremost.
But after Lilith Fair and the Spice Girls, the
concept of women in music had changed dramatically,
and the interest given to women who played straightforward
rock faded, despite the fact their talent never
diminished. Their fans continued to pay attention,
but few others did.
Gentle Readers' third album, HiHoney will unfortunately
go unheard by most, but it joyfully recalls the
days when women musicians were simply admired,
and no attention was paid to their gender.
Lead singer Susan Fitzsimmons (who also plays
guitar and percussion for the band) has a slightly
sultry but sweet voice that exudes self-confidence
while simultaneously aching with longing. She
sings boldly over crunchy guitar riffs and hard-hitting
percussion. While it is her voice that carries
HiHoney, it barely seems to matter that she's
a woman. She's just the lead singer of a band.
From the dreamily taut "Lunchhour"
to the vulnerable "Sweetest Taboo,"
Gentle Readers deal with the conflict in everyday
relationships. Witty and fun while still acknowledging
the darker moments of life, Gentle Readers have
written intelligent and perceptive songs. "Are
you telling me there's nothing you can do? This
time I'm really asking" Fitzsimmons sighs
on "Nothing You Can Do." In "California
Pt. 2," she declares "You were never
that gifted. I was never that dumb" in a
call to a lost lover. Each one of the songs on
HiHoney is filled with such insights.
Gentle Reader's HiHoney has a great deal of substance
to offer to those who nostalgically remember that
brief period when women musicians just got to
be who they were and not leaders for a cause.
Their blend of folk and rock is surprisingly as
refreshing as it would have been few years ago.
Music needs more bands like Gentle Readers.
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