Molly Zenobia
Wind Chains
© 2001 Molly Zenobia (685862042322)
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songstress-pianist Molly Zenobia's goose bump vocals and theatrical, cross-over style one critic compares to a brilliant foreign film... freaky, spooky, exquisite. Another describes her music as revolutionary.
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This cd is just breath-taking. That is the best way to describe this. "Wind Chains" has the piano reminiscent of Tori Amos and the raspy, deep, sensual voice of Fiona Apple yet it has a dream like quality that is all its own. "Wind Chains" has a vast combination of all genres of music put together in an unbelievable way. I've never heard anything like it. It is exquisitely and refreshingly different. Zenobia's voice is as haunting as a dark forest yet as beautiful and immaculate as blanket of freshly fallen snow. Molly Zenobia is revolutionary.
-Katie Kiedyk Glittergrrrls Feb. 2003
"Molly's specialized vocal style is like looking into the hypnotic eyes of a snake. Time flies and suddenly when you reach the end of a track, you don't know where you are. From the bass-piano depths of 'Whirlpool' we are launched into the keyboard caverns of 'Mermaid' where many mournful voices reflect themselves from wall to wall, never giving a direction, but beautifully rendering these pictures of either self-enforced solace or a dreamy interpretation of the languid life of bubbly creatures of the deep.
That's only one brief glimpse into the dramatic personae that is Zenobia... Sometimes she is ghosting herself with only multi-floating vocals and scale-running piano, as in the pontific 'Porcelain'... Freaky, spooky or your dead girlfriend come back to life, Molly is all things to all saints in the netherworld.
From the glorious to the usual, it's rather hard to guess where we are next taken on our thematic visit thru the dark castle. We might be invited to partake of some 'Paper Clip', emerging its rolling acoustic piano and the ever-increasing walk of someone's bass tub thumping tourism thru candle-flickering halls. We could be induced into the backwards guitar-walk intro of the breath-starting 'Lullabee', a haunting melody that takes me back to Psycho II and all things exquisite while at the same time scary.
Whatever mood Molly enraptures us with, she wants you to remember that it is the Voice that makes the peace. I've not heard gothic (should you want to call it that) this pristine since Desar and the days of Savatage sparks. On certain tracks, like 'King Aeolus', Molly's voice is so soft you think it just might break, but then she brings in the whole band and gets uncharacteristically angry for a second. However, she is her own character. Like a brilliant foreign film, you can't 2nd guess her, you can only follow. She may not Wish you to follow, and so will promptly disappear for a moment of song. But she will return. In sweet full force."
-Musesmuse - 2001
"She's invented her own pianist-songstress niche-soulful, yet with an air of manic surreality."
-Kyle Gann, Village Voice critic.
*Molly Zenobia has been compared to Dido, Portis Head, Sarah Mclachlan, Fiona Apple, Tori Amos, Paula Cole. Her genre is alternative. Her vocalizations have been called gorgeous and intoxicating; her musicianship, masterful; her writing and arranging, ground-breaking.*
Molly Zenobia
Wind Chains
Reviewed By: Anthony Flores aka BlackOrpheus
Can I just say I've made a most serendipitous discovery. I was just sitting here clearing my plate of waiting reviews, when I pick up this cd "Wind Chains" by Molly Zenobia. Intriguing album cover of a fair, dark haired girl staring back at me through a filter of blue. It almost looks post-mortem...She certainly "looks" goth.
Intrigued, I slide the disc into my player. A brief flourish of an electro intro, before the piano and yes, the voice is introduced. This is an old voice, a lived in voice. She could very well be channelinglong dead songstresses of the golden age of Jazz and Blues. She possesses an old worldliness, and a new world edginess that makes for an irresistable combination. Her piano is a living, breathing extension of her already more than adequate means of expression. It breathes, swells, moans, and weeps.
I'm tempted to compare her to artists I already know and love, as a means of reference. However, Molly Zenobia deserves more than comparisons. She is doubtless influenced, and yet still an original that will only grow more so with time. She may not be "goth" by popular definition. But, I've always held to the idea that goth is a view of the world and feelings that spring from that unique view, that differentiate one from the masses living at life's surface.. And so, I embrace this dark hued music as the familiar messanger of my own heart. Below are just a few favorites off an album by no means spare in exquisite offerings.
FROZEN - Is the opening track on this disc, and it writhes in the exposure of a wound, still raw. Drawn to and repelled by one another, how can love prevail against the defenses and inconsistency of emotional unavailibility? If it's going to happen, it's got to happen soon. "Frozen"
is a particularly effective lament and plea in one.
PORCUPINE - is a smokey, lilting inventory of a love life, perhaps. I read porcupine, as an aka for prick. The possibilities aren't inspiring, but she is conscious of the fact that her own investment in these "pricks" isn't that serious. She doesn't know any more about her own expectations, than they do about fulfilling them..."I'm walking, I'm talking, I can't see where I'm going." This is a frequent replay, great song!
FADE - Zenobia's voice opens this chiller up, and then her piano chimes in, in assent. It is another moving lullaby of loss and regret. She struggles with the recurrent theme of two lives passing and never meeting, strangers in the night. It is short, but it says what I've found her to say all to articulately.
As I close out this sojourn with Molly Zenobia, I'd like to encourage any lover of piano, vocals, and great song writing to delve into this deep, still, and still disturbing well. This is thoughtful, meditative
music, cloth cut from the coat of all our experience.
2/2/03
Molly's compositions are dramatic, big, often crossing over into a theatrical range both musically and lyrically. Her training in piano was classical. That and her love of literature, history and poetry is a great blend for rock and jazz cross-over pieces she creates.
What she writes is melodic, yet experimental.
She doesn't fit into formula art.
WIND CHAINS is Molly's second album. SKIN, Molly's first album, was released December 1999. SKIN is an acoustic experience, a debut sampling. Wind Chains is a story-journey. It's also a larger scale production - full band, acoustic and electronic mix. Molly is working on her third and forth albums simultaneously while ALSO scoring a feature film, Last Grave. 2003 is a busy, busy year.
Look for album number 3 in December.
Molly has epiphanies - songs are frequently 'born' in minutes. She is prolific and driven.
"I use my feelings and images created by different planes crossing or blending, and I interpret these into what you hear. I am a translator. I try to paint you the pictures with sounds. I don't hear things. I see things and I feel things - there are feelings and movements, like with Whirlpool, I saw the entire sound. I felt the song and I could move to it. I knew all the movements. I knew the motion of the song and all that was left was the auditory part. I could see it and feel it and move with it - and then all the music is spilled out of that. I am merely the water can that spills it out for you."
reviews
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frozenly perfect
author: adrianLove "Frozen", absolutely georgous.
Awesome!
author: SofiaOne of the best CD's I've ever heard!
It doesn't get any better than this...
author: from MichiganMolly Zenobia's "Wind Chains" is somewhat reminiscent of Tori Amos' earlier albums. It isn't difficult, for example, to hear the similarities between the album's strongest track, "Whirlpool," and Amos' "Pretty Good Year." Nevertheless, Zenobia adds something new and original to this genre, often using dissonated chords to produce a dark, melancholy, and occasionally eerie sound. The artwork for "Windchains" includes a monochromatic 14-page jewel case insert that does an excellent job of visually conjuring up the overall theme of the album. Also included with the insert is a synthetic blue leaf. It seldom gets any better than this. "Wind Chains" is a rare instance in which it is very difficult not to be compelled to listen to the album in its entirety in one sitting. Every track is a winner. I am looking forward to hearing new material by this artist.
A dreamy lez voice you'll never forget.
author: Tara, 20, Vancouver, CanadaMy girlfriend here at UBC first exposed Zenobia to me when she played her song 'Vancouver' and I thought she had one of the most eerie yet sultry voices I'd ever heard. I ended up checking into her other songs and I really like the whole dark Goth vibe even though I've never been one. I hope she does more girl to girl songs like 'Vancouver'though because her voice is far hotter than Melissa Etheridge or the other lez singers I've heard and I think she could become the girl's girl of the music biz, easy.
different and AWSOME!
author: Luis Gutierrezwhen i first listened to this CD i was amazed because of her voice, she is very different (but a great different) she is awsome........
Molly's music makes me want to get naked
author: Dick Dunning, college kidI want to lie naked with Molly in a bathtub while she sings her strange songs and pours hot candle wax all over my body. Am I asking too much?????
Molly Zenobia's Wind Chains
author: SarahThe CD arrived really quickly, and I'm very pleased with it. Molly has a superb voice that can switch from being low and sultry to high and sweet sounding. She sings with alot of passion. Thanks CD baby!
I really enjoy the cd!!!!!
author: Heathersexiest babe voice I've heard
author: Brucewould like to have her sing to me while I make love to her. HOT!
Revolutionary music
author: Corinna FugateMolly Zenoba has a rich, ethereal voice that enraptures you and opens you up to new worlds. Her revealing, honest lyrics are refreshing, her album Wind Chains is a triumph. Molly sounds like a mix of Amy Lee and Fiona Apple, yet has a musical style all her own. This girl is the real deal.
Love it!
author: Nikita habibMolly has unusual style and skill.She is real artist writing her own lyrics and music I love every song in the album specially Frozen
Simply amazing!!!
author: Jordan S.'Whirlpool' is all you need to hear to be transfixed by her hypnotic voice and enchanting piano playing. Buy this cd!
A true original
author: Melissa MayThis cd is a true original. Never in my search of different music have I found someone so creative. Molly Zenobia knows her craft and shows that in her cd Wind Chains. I am constantly discovering new meanings within it. How is this woman not known by more people by now?
Molly spins you in her own ' Whirlpool'...
author: ErinFrom the second you hear the beats of the opening track Frozen, you know you have stumbled on to something different. Molly's piano playing, which is sometimes pristine and sometimes powerful, along with her amazing vocals, etheral and pure while at other times full and strong, enraptured the listener and beg them to follow Molly on the adventure that is Wind Chains. Escape with wind chains. one listen and you won't want to come home no matter how dark it gets. Molly's music is true art and beauty.
I Love It!!
author: KaylieghMolly is one of the best singers today, in my opinion. Her music makes you feel like your in another world. AWESOME!
....Speechless
author: KristineAbsolutely wonderful. Haunting vocals and beautiful music...ah...It's just incredible.
- author: Huston Pigford
this cd rocks!!!!!!! im going to tell many people about her because she is amazing on her songwriting point of view and her piano playing.
It doesn't get any better than this!
author: Peter, Leics UKThis album is fantastic, it captivates me for every one of the 74min run time! This is my best find on CDbaby.
haunting and wonderful
author: kelThis review is directly from my website... Since cdbaby.com has samples of several of the songs from this cd (and most of the cd's they sell), I was lucky enough to sample it a bit before deciding I just had to have it. I was hooked. Molly Zenobia has a haunting voice - at times ethereal, at times mega-powerful, but always amazing. 'Wind Chains' is her second cd (now I know I have to get 'Skin' too), so I might be tempted to think that she's honed her skills for it (only because it's so amazing!), but I'll have to hold off on that judgment until after I buy the first. Her style seems to be sort of a combination between Fiona Apple, Tori Amos, and Sarah McLaughlin. But it's eerie (a bit gothy) and gets stuck in your head. The music is incredible - piano and percussion come together with strings to create melodies that go from soft (or practically non-existent) to a raging, pounding force. They've even managed to include some non-standard instruments - like the tattoo machine on the second track, "Frozen." It's edgy and beautiful and wonderful. I highly recommend getting acquainted with the extremely talented Ms. Zenobia. I wouldn't be surprised if we start hearing a lot more of her in the future. I know I will!
inspired
author: KatyThis album is absolutely fantastic. So fantastic that I've already ordered three copies (one for me, two for friends) and plan on buying more. Molly is a divine talent. Wind Chains is an epic masterpiece. This girl deserves to be heard.
If only there were more musicians as talented as her!
author: M. ArielThis is such an incredible piece of art... the piano-playing is soul-shattering, her vocals resonate with my innermost emotions; on Wind Chains, Molly speaks what is most secret -- and universal. The climax of Tombstone is especially enthralling -- it literaly stopped me in my tracks. And the sampling/electronics on Frozen and Silent Spring are truly inspired. I will definitely buy Molly's next Cd the moment it comes out.
I would LOVE to tour with her
author: Icybluehalobeyond words this record is, and i love her, molly is fucking fantastic and godess knows how talented she is. wind chains is nothing i have ever heard before. somewhere between silent contemplation, seething, broken glass, spirituality, piano driven and dark space lies Molly Zenobia and this beautiful beautiful artistic and musical offering. if i ever make it "big" as a singer-songwriter i will absolutely have to tour with her. stop reading and buy it!
STUNNING!!! Beautiful and haunting vocals that stick with you!
author: ChristinMolly is AWESOME!!! From the first track, she sucks you into her world and doesn't let go through the end. With her stunning voice and haunting piano tunes she captures you in the mood and takes her with you. HIGHLY recommended! Poe, Sarah MacLachlan, Dido, Over The Rhine, you may have one to join the sisterhood.....
Awesome - the girl's a musical drama queen!
author: Andie A - A Happy CustomerThis CD is now PERMANENTLY in my 6 pack along with Poe, October Project, the new Bjork, Portis Head and the requisite Sarah M.
Sometimes "stunning" is not just a figure of speech.
author: Ofer Inbar, Wbrs Fm