There's Nothing About Mary

One more post from me, this one is kind of a rant, but I figure if someone can post video of their own band here than I can rant about something music related.

So I checked out Tomas Fujiwara and the Hook Up last night in Brooklyn. Cool show, mainly because all the songs were great, really strong compositions, lyrical and edgy but not too atonal. 

Tomas had the ubiquitous Mary Halvorson on guitar in his group. Not sure how many of you have heard of her, but she is kind blowing up here in NY, playing in a bunch of different groups and putting out a jazz record this year that not one but two NY Times critics put on their Best of 2008 list. 

I've seen Mary play probably 6 or 7 times and each time I've tried to keep an open mind. A lot of musicians I really respect like her, and I'm really not the type to get all opinionated and hate on a local musician trying to make a career of it. 

But I honestly can't believe that everyone is so crazy over her. She plays guitar like someone doing a math equation--totally passionless. She manages to make a beautiful Guild hollow-body played through a tube amp sound brittle and cold. She plays like she is just running through scales, all brain and no emotion. And last night, more than any other, I thought she was just plain sloppy at times. I think people want to like her because she is a mousy, artsy-frail chick playing a guitar that's as big as her. But I give up, I'll go check out People because I like Kevin Shea's drumming so much, and I'd check out Tomas Fujiwara again because he writes great songs, but for now my mind's made up about Mary. 

(sorry about the post title, but I couldn't resist...)