Gandhara: Duvallstar: a Review

This past Friday, October 5, 2007, around 9:40 PM I had a chance to catch 4 bands playing at the Penthouse. Although I made it through three of the bands before attending to a new friend who partied too hearty, I managed to get their albums. Kudoes to Duvallstar, The Belushis and The Price of Drugs These Days Is Through the Roof. Maybe next time Nim Vind plays, I'll have to buy their CD to complete this set.

However, my review is about Duvallstar, because I only managed to get a good photo of myself with Siobhan Duvall.

Duvall's Star album has been playing since 2001. Her ten songs can even turn about a nu-fan like myself, mainly because it includes a cover of Nena's 99 Red Balloons.

According to the gossip, Duvall started off with the Bombshells. After the Bombshells disbanded in 1994, she got invited to play guitar for Bif Naked. This helped her evolve from pop-punk with meaningful lyrics a la Alice in Chains to something new wave, which help set her vocal style.

After she went solo in 1996, Duvall went on to do gigs in 1998. After opening for Bif Naked, she went on to record Star in 2001.

It is hard to fathom why she didn't get beyond just one album, but her early excursion with the Bombshells possibly sets her overall style into a niche market attracting enough fans to finance her living in Vancouver. She also has lent her voice out to other bands, such as the Black Halos.

Her style today is called "punk rock power pop", because most of her lyrics deal with some aspect of everyday life yet may express a strong desire to deal with it.

In addition, power punk is powered by a minimum a guitar and drums.

Overall, the songs turned out very well, and her 99 Red Balloons cover on the album is a joy to listen to. My favorites on her album are The Flying Song, One Little Question, 99 Red Balloons and Star.

Regarding her performance Friday night, it helps that Duvall sings like a cross between Debbie Harry and Biff Naked with Joan Jett thrown in for good measure.

However, because she was missing her bass player, Duvall had to belt out her songs accompanied only by her drummer. I do not know why the mixer had her voice set so low in volume, but felt strongly that she could use a keyboardist to help set the melody.

During the set that started off the 4 Bands at the Penthouse "tour", Duvall mentioned that she had a root canal. I feel honoured to help pay part of that dentist's bill by buying her album!