Switch to the mobile version of this page.

Arkansas Times

Rock Candy

Archives | RSS

« Wakarusa unveils some of its 2012 l… | Check out the video for Rock Star J… »

Friday, January 6, 2012

Music Soulful or Saccharine? Grace Askew at Stickyz

Posted by Cheree Franco on Fri, Jan 6, 2012 at 11:50 AM

Cheree Franco
Grace Askew at Stickyz

Last night bluesy, twangy Memphis songwriter Grace Askew, 24, played Stickyz, accompanied by Black Market Goods drummer Jesse Williams and an amazing lead guitarist whose name I never caught.

At her best, Askew is soulful, sexy and dark. In it's lower ranges, her voice is reminiscent of PJ Harvey's. She covers Tom Waits, manages the complicated fingering of Mississippi John Hurt and writes intimate story-songs. At her most annoying, she's nasally, performative, saccharine and affectedly twangy — an industry aspirant one Greyhound awhile from Nashville. These are the times that remind us, Askew came to gigging fairly young (age 17) seeking the attention and acceptance (she claims in interviews) that her high school classmates wouldn't provide.

Largely the show was enjoyable. Her songs' guitar parts are great (owing, I suspect, to the unnamed man on lead). They smack of blues, jazz and flamenco — I even heard a few surfy licks. Askew may be trying to channel a young Loretta Lynn, but I suspect she and her band are suburban kids operating under the influence of many Memphis in May String Cheese Incident viewings. Frequent instrumental breaks and the playfulness and competence of Mr. Unnamed screamed as much.

Askew's performance lacked the immediateness that draws me to live music and the edginess that sears a performance in my brain. I appreciate her capacity for different styles, but perhaps she would be better served deciding how she wants to present herself artistically and cohering her music and her image behind this decision. Maybe then she would seem a bit more authentic.

Cheree Franco
Mr. Unnamed on lead guitar at Stickyz

Tags: Stickyz, Grace Askew, Video

        
Tweet
Share

Speaking of Stickyz, Grace Askew

Sunday To-Do: Ken Stringfellow

March 1, 2013

by Robert Bell

Ken Stringfellow performs at Stickyz Sunday night. /more/
More »

Comments (9)

Showing 1-9 of 9

Add a comment

Subscribe to this thread:

By Email

With RSS

Showing 1-9 of 9

More by Cheree Franco

Thousands-strong om circle planned for tomorrow in Hot Springs

Hot Springs is going to be in “The Moment” tomorrow as organizers of a peace rally plan to send out vibrations through the Ouachita’s crystals, drumming and a collective om.
- by Cheree Franco
- Oct 19, 2012
Fort Smith's Calico County restaurant burns

Fire damages Fort Smith's Calico County.
- by Cheree Franco
- Nov 26, 2012
Tuesday To-Do: Cirque Dreams Holidaze

Cirque Dreams Holidaze comes to Robinson Center Music Hall starting Tuesday.
- by Cheree Franco
- Nov 26, 2012
More »