Arts & Entertainment
Greenspan's Green Thumb Proves Promising on Gardner
"It's Big, It's Beautiful, and You're Going to Love It!"
A Little Family Drama Never Hurt Anyone
Arts & Entertainment
Greenspan's Green Thumb Proves Promising on Gardner
Review by Kendra Henson
Singer/songwriter
Robin Greenspan ventures into the women’s music scene with her solo
debut CD, Gardener of Eden. Once the lead singer and songwriter
for her own band – every cool girl’s dream, no? – Greenspan
is now more widely recognized by queer audiences as a stand-up comedian
and actress.
At first listen, Greenspan’s vocals on Gardener of Eden may sound familiar. Her sound resonated with me as a bit like a cross between Ani DiFranco and Melissa Ferrick – without, unfortunately, quite reaching the same level of breath-quickening intensity.
Greenspan’s folk/alternative rock style definitely facilitates the sharing of a message in many songs, while others are lighter and more playful in their story. Her songs cover topics ranging from marriage, religion, and acceptance to psychic powers and Janis Joplin. In “Psychic Power Shack,” Greenspan creates the image of visiting a palm reader or fortune teller with “psychic fees taped to the walls” to help determine if she’ll find true love and to set her life on the right track.
My personal favorite lyrics show up in the lines of “Optimistic.” Even though the song’s meaning is a little bit mysterious, I just love the line, “Mama never liked how I dressed like a little boy.” What queer tomboy can’t identify with that one growing up? (Or was it just my mom who sighed and frowned when I refused to wear a skirt?)
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Gardener of Eden |
Overall, the music on Gardener of Eden didn’t reach out and grab me, but it’s not a bad first try; it certainly offers some really meaningful and funny lyrics. I get the feeling that with a healthy budget for production and a real band backing her (the sound on this disc is mostly computerized), Robin Greenspan could really rock it out.