Fang Records
Church of Betty : Comedy of animals (US,1998)**
Telegraph Company Church of Betty : Fruit on the vine (US,1999)***
Fang RecordsChurch of Betty : Tripping with Wanda (US,2002)*°
Fang RecordsChurch of Betty : Revenge of the hippies (US,2003)°
I always encourage combinations of styles which are not obvious. In the case of Church of Betty their combination of styles is unusual for sure. For I would never think of combining Indie Pop with Indian music. Does it work ? I personally think they're working in a dangerous territory. Those who have a tendency to like 'Indie Pop' or 'Indopop' or even crossover styles with constant fusing aspects, might be left high and dry, for they get here a group's individual choice. Those who like some kind of 'progressive' fusions might not find all expected elements, while for the mainstream public defies categorisation. Also I had to find the right "entrance" point. The label owner writes "in today's collapsing and chaotic corporate music industry, the non-formulaic approach of this music is practically a commercial deathwish." Well here they confirm their choice is not so obvious. Where usually Indian music is fused to uplift the mood into another transforming or transcendent exploration, here Indian music is fused very differently. On the covers of the CD's are in stead parodies on Indian & religious symbolism ; Shiva with the 6 arms is on two covers presented as a whore like figure with 6 arms. "Revenge of the hippies" seems to be more like a revenge to the hippies in this context. Fang Records spokesman Peace comments "the title.. pokes fun at disillusioned refugees of '60s idealism who have gone straight and sold out." Still when we take some kind of neo-60's psych pop flavour, song oriented music as fundament to orientate on, with a more straight forward 80's Indie pop approach and with an Indopop flavour, I think this order of inspiration describes the music of Church of Betty somewhat. I personally prefer the songs overladen in Indian sounds.
At the first album, "Comedy of animals" I would have preferred the band to have worked more with their full band's sound, for they are talented enough to give a fine expression, but often the song and songwriter takes the lead, which for what the group sound has in its core is not the most necessary expression or musically most interesting. Chris Rael's voice on this album annoys me most. Although his singing influenced by Indian music can be interesting, his voice can sometimes be also somewhat sharp, too much suppressing to the foreground. (audio)
On "Fruit on the vine", I think the balance is at its best and at its most enjoyable. And the singing is a combination of the Indian melodic and Indie music, which is fine. The inspiration and music is still not transcendent (except on a personal relation level sometimes, mostly it's more a "let's be together" and things) but the music is surely interesting from a pop point of view. Musically it's a very personal Indopop style, often nicely arranged, even with some orchestrations. A consistent and enjoyable album. (audio : "The Magic in You", "I Swim in You").
"Tripping with Wanda" is a bit more pop, but the achieved Indian flavour in music & voice remains. Also glad still to hear some orchestrations. A dream for a pop singer-songwriter to have such a accompanying group. But the group is mostly just accompanying the singer. Some songs have a neo-sixties flavour, without still belonging in the 60's. But there's also again some more 'straight forward' moments, trying to be rockin', bringing down all musical potential to something more mainstream.
On the last album, "revenge of the hippies", what annoyed me on the first album resurfaces, namely the use of a sharp straight forward voice, with the singer completely on the stage front again (not only on the cover) this brings it even more than one step back to the mainstream. (audiosample)
