The December Question
Stained Glass Eyes
© 2006 Becky Alter/Cameron Hays (634479282768)
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Indie Avant Rock... with a Cello.
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The December Question is defined by musical tension. Core songwriters singer/guitarist Becky Alter and bassist Cameron Hays fuse contradictory musical experiences as a matter of course, creating the unholy amalgamation of folk and goth, post-modern and post-punk, classical and classic rock. Cellist Sarah Forsythe brings an ethereal quality to the band, while drummer/percussionist James "Buz" Crutchfield grounds the whole thing and reminds the listener that this is, in fact, rock and roll. Alter at times seems to be communing with Janis Joplin, veering off into Grace Slick territory, and then doffing her hat to Siouxsie Sioux. The December Question intertwines Alter's versatile vocals and solid guitarwork with Hays' spidery lead basslines, Crutchfield’s tight drum and conga grooves and the sonorous tones of Forsythe's cello. Fluctuating between extremes of bittersweet joy and casually tossed-off lament, The December Question takes what was old about rock and makes it new again.
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13 Song Work of Art
author: Colorado Music Buzz MagazineDenver-based band December Question, one of the sole female-fronted bands to launch its way to the finals of the 2006 Coors New Sound Throwdown, has confirmed their standing with their first full-length rich CD, "Stained Glass Eyes". After the very dedicated blood, sweat and tears that were poured into this well-crafted enigma, "Stained Glass Eyes" was proudly released to a full house of eager supporters at Denver's Oriental Theater on March 31, 2006. The introduction to this 13-song work of art is "My Name is Joan". The melodic flow flavored with Becky Alter's alluring lead vocals and Cameron Hays's solid bass, roars into a poignant chorus. A stunning diversion to Sarah Forsythe's cello tells the listener that they're in for a journey. "Clicking of the Clocks" is unified with a mystical weeping cello and Alter's Grace Slick-style vocals tinged with an acoustic Heart-like feel. "House that Hubris Built" leaves a resonating chorus in your noggin' that could last for days, and "Left-Handed Lover" collectively demonstrates the savvy engineering and experimental mixes mastered by Colorado's own Globalsound Studio. This delicious compilation of "Stained Glass Eyes" makes you want to see December Question live and experience the ride first-hand.
Critics Choice
author: Westword MagazineThe December Question has come a long way since forming in 2003. Early on, the band's acoustic-driven pop was largely centered around singer/guitarist Becky Alter (a former Westword account executive), whose raspy, robust vocals recalled Janis Joplin filtered through Melissa Etheridge. Since then, the core duo of Alter and co-founder/bassist Cameron Hays has taken a darker turn and carved out a sound that conjures Jefferson Airplane after receiving a Dead Can Dance-like deconstruction. On Stained Glass Eyes, the act's debut (due to be released this Friday, March 31st, at the Oriental Theater), there's still a handful of sunnier compositions, such as "I Need You," "Awake in this Dream" and "Time to Go (Dozen Roses)," and Alter's voice maintains a slight rasp. Stained's most intriguing moments, though come courtesy of dirgy, overcast tracks such as "My Name is Joan," "Promises" and, especially, "Clicking of the Clocks," in which Alter's delivery uncannily resembles Grace Slick's. Overall, with the addition of drummer James Crutchfield and cellist Sarah Forsythe, whose playing adds a welcomed spectral dimension to the proceedings, the quartet seems infinitely closer to finding the answer to whatever December's question may be. -Dave Herrera, Westword