Spring Break
Andreassen brings country to Brandeis
by Samantha Shokin
Staff Writer
Arts | 11/11/08
Posted online at 2:53 PM EST on 11/12/08
Kristin Andreassen's music probably wouldn't resound among those who categorize their musical preference under the "anything but country" genre.
That is quite a shame, considering Andreassen's Friday night concert showed more skilled musicianship than many of her non-country counterparts could ever hope to achieve in the entirety of their musically synthesized, technology-dependent careers.
The concert consisted of Andreassen "and friends" performing select country-and-folk-inspired tunes, with the accompaniment of various string instruments. Several guitars, a banjo, a violin and piano were incorporated into a repertoire of sweet-sounding, albeit sometimes corny, tunes. The audience members didn't seem to mind the cheesiness, however, since I saw about half of them bobbing their heads along with the simple yet annoyingly catchy hooks typical of Western music.
Andreassen described her music as country and folk, and the accompanying lyrics had an obscure, eccentric twist. Her voice was refreshing and clear, and the harmonies provided by her bandmates supplied a delightful, pristine resonance that pierced through the unforgiving acoustics of Slosberg Hall. The concert portrayed several of the artists' talents, including a random tap dance number by Andreassen that gave me a kind of "Hey, Ma, look what I can do!" vibe. Andreassen and friends were uber-cheerful throughout, and looked especially appropriate in matching tan cowboy boots. They even included a song with "audience participation," a style I like to refer to as "pre-K sing-along."
The concert added a little Brandeis flavor when the a cappella group Rather Be Giraffes joined Andreassen for the performance of two of her original songs. The harmonies were well-crafted and enjoyable and particularly impressive since the group only rehearsed with the artist once before performing. However, a suggestion for performing Brandeisians: Either learn to loosen up a little or choose a more serious medium of performance, because the last piece made what should have been an energized, work song-inspired spiritual tune come across as slightly awkward, if not anemic.
In a way, the music was strangely therapeutic (this coming from someone with an iTunes playlist consisting of mostly alternative rock and/or grunge music). Still, the cheese ball factor outweighed the beauty of it all for me. But, Andreassen's great talent and skill should not be overlooked because of my lack of appreciation for country music. The songs were really well-crafted and beautiful, and Andreassen's artistic abilities made it doubly so. If Andreassen and Friends want to establish a greater fan base, however, perhaps they should try looking farther down South.
That is quite a shame, considering Andreassen's Friday night concert showed more skilled musicianship than many of her non-country counterparts could ever hope to achieve in the entirety of their musically synthesized, technology-dependent careers.
The concert consisted of Andreassen "and friends" performing select country-and-folk-inspired tunes, with the accompaniment of various string instruments. Several guitars, a banjo, a violin and piano were incorporated into a repertoire of sweet-sounding, albeit sometimes corny, tunes. The audience members didn't seem to mind the cheesiness, however, since I saw about half of them bobbing their heads along with the simple yet annoyingly catchy hooks typical of Western music.
Andreassen described her music as country and folk, and the accompanying lyrics had an obscure, eccentric twist. Her voice was refreshing and clear, and the harmonies provided by her bandmates supplied a delightful, pristine resonance that pierced through the unforgiving acoustics of Slosberg Hall. The concert portrayed several of the artists' talents, including a random tap dance number by Andreassen that gave me a kind of "Hey, Ma, look what I can do!" vibe. Andreassen and friends were uber-cheerful throughout, and looked especially appropriate in matching tan cowboy boots. They even included a song with "audience participation," a style I like to refer to as "pre-K sing-along."
The concert added a little Brandeis flavor when the a cappella group Rather Be Giraffes joined Andreassen for the performance of two of her original songs. The harmonies were well-crafted and enjoyable and particularly impressive since the group only rehearsed with the artist once before performing. However, a suggestion for performing Brandeisians: Either learn to loosen up a little or choose a more serious medium of performance, because the last piece made what should have been an energized, work song-inspired spiritual tune come across as slightly awkward, if not anemic.
In a way, the music was strangely therapeutic (this coming from someone with an iTunes playlist consisting of mostly alternative rock and/or grunge music). Still, the cheese ball factor outweighed the beauty of it all for me. But, Andreassen's great talent and skill should not be overlooked because of my lack of appreciation for country music. The songs were really well-crafted and beautiful, and Andreassen's artistic abilities made it doubly so. If Andreassen and Friends want to establish a greater fan base, however, perhaps they should try looking farther down South.
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