The singer and composer known as Lauren
Krothe has released her long-awaited debut LP album, titled, “Child
of Babylon.” The album is comprised of 10 original tracks for a
total of 40 minutes' worth of listening time. It is a collection of
Krothe's most lauded compositions to date, hand-picked by the artist,
herself. It serves as a moving, evocative introduction to this
masterful, wonderfully creative chanteuse and songwriter. A collage
of pieces written for vocals and piano accompaniment, “Child of
Babylon” is operatic, passionate music with Gothic sensibilities
and a warm heart.
Lauren Krothe (crow-thee) comes from
the Goth-industrial movement of the 80s and 90s, her previous work
with the popular band, Panzer AG, being among her most notable. She
has, however, been writing her own music for more than 15 years, and
has accumulated a repertoire of approximately 100 complete songs for
vocals and piano. Her debut record represents her favorites among
these.
The quality of this music cannot be
overstated.
Krothe sings with the elegance of a
classically trained mezzo-soprano, capable also of climbing into the
soprano register with ease and grace. She is colorfully dramatic
without wilting into melodrama. One of the most delightful examples
of her theatrics is the fourth track on the record, “The Rising
Sun,” which sounds like Krothe is playing through a gramophone, off
a live recording made ca. 1915 in a German tavern.
She composes and plays piano with a
minimalist's ear, often showing startlingly impeccable taste. Her
simply named “Piano,” and the more narrative “As the Dust
Settles,” recall the exquisite simplicity of Beethoven's “Moonlight
Sonata.” While this may seem like bluster, the firsthand hearer
will admit it is not an exaggeration. The exacting spaciousness of
her playing is quite similar.
It must also be noted that Krothe has
concurrently published a separate single, “I'm Not Afraid of the
Dark,” which has actually been released as a three-song EP. Even
the staggering titan that is “Child of Babylon” cannot eclipse
the beauty of this little record. The crystalline delicacy of “I
Wish You Peace” must be heard.
Her lyrics are highly poetic, as well,
her lines wildly intelligent and charged with character. Of the
themes contained in “Child of Babylon,” Krothe writes, “This
album was written during a very difficult time in my life, when I was
overwhelmed by depression and anxiety. I was able to pour all of my
emotions into my music. In my darkest hours, my saving graces were
beautifully sad songs that let me know others have endured similar
pain and suffering, and were able to survive. It gave me the strength
to go on. It is a deeply personal album.”
Also of note is Lauren Krothe's
KickStarter campaign, by which means “Child of Babylon” was
funded. With a stated goal of $3,950, Krothe's fan base bested this
by pledging a whopping $5,985, exceeding her mark by more than
$2,000. The average Krothe listener gave nearly $40 to make her LP a
reality. That's not just love – that's very nearly musical
fanaticism – and it speaks volumes for the superiority of her work.
“Child of Babylon,” by Lauren
Krothe, is available online everywhere beginning spring 2013.
-S. McCauley
Staff Press Release Writer
MondoTunes
The LP “Child of Babylon”
is distributed globally by MondoTunes (www.MondoTunes.com)
and is available at iTunes for convenient purchase and download
MondoTunes
(www.mondotunes.com)
supplies the largest music distribution in the world and provides
upstream services for many major labels in search of breakout
artists. While most independent distributors reach only 45-50
retailers despite charging needless monthly and yearly fees,
MondoTunes reaches over 750 retailers and mobile partners in over 100
world regions without any monthly or yearly fees.
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