Kathy Zimmer - Static Inhabitated

  by Lisa Torem

published: 10 / 1 / 2014

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Review

Native Nebraskan turned New York transplant, singer-songwriter Kathy Zimmer begins her album ‘Static Inhabited’ with homage to the saintly, all-knowing ‘Glinda’ from The Wizard of Oz. Whilst this opener is pure and innocent, the following song ‘Beware the Songbird’ comes off as slightly more cynical – “Someone’s always threatening to take something away…” The strong lyric pulls the theme together very well. On ‘Laundry Chute,’ her voice is particularly warm and effusive. The smooth jazzy progression twists and turns and Zimmer’s performance never misses a beat. ‘Lost Boys’ is lyrically sophisticated; a revery awash with soaring harmonies. ‘Obsolete’ is a poignant, gritty character sketch -- sharp, urban noir. ‘Take You As You Come’ is swathed by trickling banjo; ‘Eva’ is the most enigmatic track. “I wanted to prove my love,” she confesses. “You were so hard to convince.” We ache, as she does, unveiling her misguided romantic frustrations. She speak-sings her epiphanies like a Broadway star under a powerful spotlight. ‘Robin, Take Me With You’ is more upbeat and matter-of-fact. “I love you like I love my cowboy boots,” she commands as she invites us on a trip to the magical lands and back to reality. ‘Farinelli’ is a perfect closer. Zimmer’s tone is unarguably clear and upfront. She explores fully her dynamic upper range, which is subtly framed by striking violin. Zimmer refers to her genre as “cosmopolitan folk” and her description is spot on. She has nailed both descriptors. ‘Static Inhabited’ is fresh, inviting and clever and Zimmer’s expansive style of including beloved fictional characters in her themes is compelling and unpredictable. But the real glue is the singer-songwriter’s supple voice and natural storytelling abilities.

Track Listing:-

1 Glinda
2 Beware the Songbird
3 Laundry Chute
4 Lost Boys
5 Right Around the Corner
6 Obsolete
7 Take You as You Come
8 Eva
9 Robin, Take Me With You
10 Farinelli

Band Links:-

https://www.facebook.com/cosmopolitanf
http://www.kathyzimmermusic.com/
https://twitter.com/cosmofolk
https://www.youtube.com/user/kathrynzi

Have a Listen:-