Kathy Zimmer - The Opening Band

  by Lisa Torem

published: 16 / 1 / 2011

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Kathy Zimmer somehow got the gumption to make New York City her home after nestling in tranquil, rural Nebraska, and maybe it was that migration that helped define her songwriting and style as “cosmopolitan folk.” It was clear to me that she enjoyed challenging others as I tried to grab her EP from its homespun cardboard case. It had been taped shut. A small typed message stated that it was hand-assembled. It took me several whacks with a can opener to salvage the silver disc from its container. I thought, “Wow! That lady has some strong hands,” – but it was worth the hassle. Zimmer has a crystal clear soprano of a voice that lends itself perfectly to her original material. She also seems to have gotten a lot out of her travels as she shares in ‘Fairytale’, which is the first tune: “I packed up my poems and headed east…on my way to you.” She also “turned cartwheels into crackerjacks” only to be joyfully interrupted by a surge of strings. Nathan Tulenson does a fine job of adding substance, with out overpowering the lead. The overall production in the early part of the recording is slightly distracting, but it soon tapers off to showcase Zimmer’s vocal purity. ’67 Caliente’ has a hollowed out, bittersweet acoustic backdrop. ‘Place Holder’ is a trifle melancholy; the songwriter describes her lover as “keeping me occupied while time goes by.” “He’s a quick fix,” she explains, driving home the point. And, then she concludes, “I don’t care very much.” Not your typical theme, but worth noting… In the last tune, ‘Winter’ Zimmer feathers her vocal nest with lo-fi accompaniment. The message, again, is bleak, but blistering. A woman “counts pennies in desperation” and decides that it will do “strange things to your head.” But, it is in this track that we feel all the promise of Zimmer’s lush soprano. She luxuriates on this melody, and her distinctive swagger basks in the tradition of the beloved Laura Nyro and hints at that other singer-songwriter, Joni Mitchell. “I have calluses on my fingers from playing the guitar/I touch each string just the same; I remember where they are…” Zimmer will undoubtedly have even more to tell us in her next recording project, and I hope her shimmering voice will remain center stage.

Track Listing:-

1 Fairytale
2 On My Way To You
3 67 Caliente
4 Place Holder
5 Winter

Band Links:-

https://www.facebook.com/cosmopolitanfolk
http://www.kathyzimmermusic.com/
https://twitter.com/cosmofolk
https://www.youtube.com/user/kathrynzimmer2

Have a Listen:-

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