USIC Art'POP ROCK R & B RAP DANCE COUNTRY LATIN CLASSICAL JAll PRO AUDIO Country Mares West Of Alphabet City Capitol Sets U.S. Game Li'l Mo & the Monicats, Skye, Cantrell Extend NY Opry's Reach BY JIM BESSMAN York is that just when you define tral's "Upright Citizens Brigade" - Plan for Tara Maclean NEW YORK -Its founder has re- one little scene, something pops up after reps of the show's troupe saw turned to Nashville, but many of in another part of town that's just the Demolition String Band at 9C BY MELINDA NEWMAN my starting at EMI [as EMI North Greg Garing's "Alphabet City as interesting that shares the same and drafted the band for a blue- LOS ANGELES -Playing on Lilith America deputy president], before I Opry" adherents continue to per- influences," says Cantrell. grass skit -and later joined the Fair's ancillary stage for three years took the Capitol Records position, Ter- form hardcore country music in A Nashville native who came to brigade on "Late Night With gave Canadian singer Tara MacLean ry McBride [Nettwerk Productions such far East Village saloons as 9C, New York in 1985 to attend college, Conan O'Brien." an excellent opportunity to observe head and MacLean's manager] called the Lakeside Lounge, and Manito- she soon fell under the sway of The group also released a twang her fellow performers. "One of the big me and told me of her and that he'd ba's. Three of the best have new or local country recording acts like version of Madonna's "Like A Pray- differences between the artists on the been developing her-she's had the recent releases that are gaining Last Roundup, featuring the great er" as a single; it has garnered air- [main] stage and the second stage album and an EP out on Nettwerk. I new fans for the form, in and out of Angel Dean, and the Diesel Only play in Demolition String Band's was confidence," she says. "Some of saw her perform live, and then it actu- the colorful neighborhood of alpha- label "rig rock" bands, such as the Southeastern touring markets. the second -stage acts were just as ally became a competitive thing be- bet-letter avenues But "Like A Prayer" has also re- good, just as innovative, tween Capitol, Warner that spawned it ceived the imprimatur of none but they just weren't as Bros., and Columbia." (Billboard, other than Madonna's longtime confident." The allure is clear: March 21, 1998). spokeswoman, Liz Rosenberg. Therefore, when it MacLean's emotive vo- "It's still an "It reminds me of Les Paul and came time for Mac- cals are surrounded by active scene," Mary Ford on speed," says Rosen- Lean to make her sec- intriguing yet accessi- says Elena Skye, berg, who uses the Skye version as ond full -length album ble melodies. But the who leads the her home answering machine's out- for Nettwerk (to whom key is the vulnerability Demolition going message. "It's one of the she's signed in Canada), her lyrics bring. "I String Band, greatest songs Madonna's ever and her first for Capi- want people to see the which records written, and I thought no one could tol Records, she armed MacLEAN very core of who I am," for Vermont's CANTRELL LI'L MO possibly cover it. But [Skye's] ver- herself with the new- says MacLean, who is North Hollow sion is so heartfelt, it sounds like found confidence that can only devel- signed to Sony Music Publishing. Records label, she wrote it. And the arrangement op from playing hundreds of shows. The first single, "If I Fall," which and its Kudzu * Pa.ddist la.scc# Asdic is outstanding: I can't sit still when The result is "Passenger," which was also featured on the "Teaching Mountain Rebels I hear it; I'm catapulted out of my comes out Feb. 29 on Capitol in the Mrs. Tingle" soundtrack, has already offshoot, which chair." U.S. Nettwerk released the album in captured the attention of modern AC includes other Skye, whose 1998 "One Dog Canada late last year. Although Capi- and triple -A radio programmers. Alphabet City Opry regulars and World Famous Blue Jays. Town" debut album with the Demo- tol now has a joint- venture deal with "It's still too early to tell, but I have plays every other Tuesday night at "The Alphabet City Opry got a litions was produced by Garing Nettwerk America, MacLean's deal high hopes," says E. Curtis Johnson, 9C, the corner bar at Ninth Street lot of attention," Cantrell contin- with help from her longtime cre- was inked previous to that arrange- PD for KALZ Fresno, Calif. Her abil- and Avenue C that was Garing's ues, "but there's a current of coun- ative partner and the band's cele- ment (Billboard, Oct. 2, 1999). ity to sound unique yet reference headquarters. try music running through New brated guitarist, Boo Reiners, "With the first record [1997's "Si- other top female singers is what "But it's bigger than the East York that you tap into from time to "rediscovered" the song through lence"], I just was not as confident in attracted Dona Shaieb, PD at KXST Village," adds Monica Passin, time, like the Lonesome Cheating her daughter's Madonna fandom. my own ideas. I was still a little shy," San Diego. "Her style, I thought, was another Alphabet City Opry alum- Hearts Band -guys who play Hank "I thought it would make a great says MacLean. "I'd probably done 10 more Jewel -like, but on `If I Fall,' her na, who heads Li'l Mo & the Moni- Williams on the L train platform in gospel country tune and did it one live shows by then. By the time I did voice has an early Madonna sound to cats. As her recent Bottom Line Brooklyn. That's what I love about night as a joke -but it got an amaz- this record, I had done 400 or 500 it. It has the potential to be a hit." appearance evidences, the rising staying here: The music I love is ing reaction," she says. She char- more shows, and I had more confi- Despite the early acceptance at ra- tide of interest has seen artists like actually here." acterizes her otherwise original dence in my voice; I felt like I could be dio, Lott expects a slow build. "This is herself and Skye begin to receive Indeed, Skye is among many who material as "hardcorn, honkabilly, free. I had my husband [Bill Bell, who a long -term project," he says. Lott recognition beyond Alphabet City. are taking the downtown country grindgrass music." produced the album with Malcolm plans for MacLean, who is booked by Laura Cantrell, another local music to midtown -to the Rodeo "We just kind of bastardize and Burn] around me. I was so comfort- Little Big Man Agency, to tour, tour, hardcore country songstress, Bar at 27th Street and Third corrupt everything," Skye adds, able, I could record in my underwear." and tour some more. "She's doing some whose debut album, "Not The Avenue -and uptown, to Hogs & citing such influences as Lefty She was also bolstered by the con- residency tours; she's also doing some Tremblin' Kind," comes out March Heifers Uptown, at 95th Street and Frizzell, Hank Williams, Loretta fidence instilled in her by Capitol dates with Dido and some with Bare - 6 via Scotland's new Spit & Polish First Avenue. But she's also gain- Lynn, Bill Monroe, Del McCoury, Records president /CEO Roy Lott, naked I adies," he says. 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