Aerin Tedesco & Andrea Bunch

There are some secrets so good, the pleasure they induce so incredible, you're reluctant to share them with anyone- you jealously guard them, wanting to keep them to yourself so that when you do let slip, you can sort of bask in the glow of being one of those cutting-edge people who knows just the right kind of music.

Okay, kiddies, come a little closer and I'll let you in on one of those secrets: Aerin Tedesco's "Birthmark". Yeah, I can't claim familiarity with the Buffalo, N.Y. native's previous four discs- yet- but I'm already making room on my year-end best-of for this 11-track set of folk-rock.

Each song on "Birthmark" unwinds like the innermost thoughts of a close friend during one of those late-night "Do you have a few minutes?"- type of calls, with Tedesco brilliantly and painfully examining all sides of a relationship, from infatuation through break-up and healing. By taking a highly cognitive approach to songwriting, constantly questioning and probing, Tedesco comes up with a disc that gently haunts the mind and soul, particularly on such numbers as London and City Song, rich metaphors for the cacophony of the confusion of relationships; the slightly edgy Crush, which deals with the love's initial paralysis; the achingly beautiful and poetic Insight ("I don't want to give you words that float through the air/ I want to give you words that stay"); and the moderately uptempo and inspirational Stand Up.

But remember, kids, this is a secret. So go out and tell everyone. (****)

(from Gay Chicago Magazine, Issue #15 April 8-18, 2004)
- Gay Chicago Review

Gregg Shapiro - Windy City Times:

A great poet once said "make it new"…

"The anti-folk songs on Andrea Bunch’s distinguished debut album Numinous find a common place for acoustic instrumentation and clear and powerful vocals to be enhanced by unusual samples and synthesizer sounds."Earthworms" for instance, features a machine-like grinding under the surface. A babbling brook and bird calls interwoven with synthetic crunches and a beautiful piano gives "Colorloc" its unique hue.
A debate about art and insecurity introduces the bittersweet "Sugar." Electronic beats and flutters
give "Species" its life-force and "Coil" wraps itself around a more traditional folk sound. "Deosil" uses vocal samples to conjure a Middle Eastern feel, while the piano and vocal "Cottonwood" shows Bunch in another light."

- Windy City Times

"Andrea Bunch’s CD entitled ‘Numinous’, is the latest in a slew of independent releases from the burgeoning queer anti-folk scene in Chicago, with roots at the Old Town School of Folk Music and the numerous acoustic venues in town. This is a debut release for Andrea, and it’s a stunning one, with musical journeys deep into other worlds, both musical and lyrical.
Andrea Bunch is an extremely thoughtful artist - careful in her choice of words and sounds. Her soulful vocal inflections encompass a wide range of styles, and she has the ability to merge them into a coherent single vision. But her samples and her voice ring with the same emotional intensity. This is because she cares about each equally, and what you hear in her delivery is that everything is at stake. The final output is worth the work put into it – it is an amazing debut.
‘Numinous’ is a concept album of sorts. The theme here is the struggle between nature, humans, animals and technology. Andrea struggles with life’s complexities, encompassing human relationships, and those we have with other species and the environment. She often sings songs from the non-human perspective, reminding us that worms, cats, trees and machines can tell us so much about ourselves. She also points out that although humans consider themselves to be the supreme species, in reality, the delineation is not so clear.
On ‘Numinous’, Andrea explores musically what she explores lyrically – mixing the natural sounds of acoustic guitars and live percussion with the technological sounds of synths, drum machines, and samples. The mixture could be as conflicting as her thoughts about the subject, but Andrea finds inventive ways to make it all work. Her beautifully expressive voice can gel with everything from plaintive piano lines to harsh screaming samples. Her life partner Aerin Tedesco, a masterful singer/songwriter in her own right, is the background vocalist on many of the tracks, and the blend of the two voices is amazing. But mostly it is Andrea’s inventive use of complex hooks and unusual patterns that make it all work.
read more at www.andreabunch.com
- Scott Free - Outvoice

A lot of talented musicians hail from Chicago, and such is true of Aerin Tedesco and Andrea Bunch. Their musical approaches may be different: Aerin has a traditional folk style, while Andrea has an experimental modern sound, but their goals are the same and the results are worth hearing. They took turns on lead vocals, musically accompanied each other and even performed a wonderful instrumental piece together.
Aerin and Andrea performed a short set as part of the Sirens Wild Ride upstate tour 2003. This show took place at Happy Endings Coffee House on September 9 2003. Aerin played a tenor guitar (for those who don’t know, a tenor guitar is a fretted four stringed instrument, smaller that a 6 string guitar, usually tuned in ‘fifths’) and Andrea showed how adept she is on both the keyboards and guitar.
Aerin, with her Elvis-like pompadour, is originally from Buffalo, NY. She sang several songs from her latest CD “Birthmark.” Multitalented Aerin writes, produces and performs her own material. When you combine her thoughtful lyrics with wonderful musical arrangements, and her beautiful voice – you have one incredible product! Chicago singer Scott Free told me that he considers Aerin’s “Birthmark” to be the CD of the year.” It’s definitely one of my favorite CD’s of 2003!
Andrea, who has blue and green streaks through her long hair, is a native Iowan. She performed songs from her very first release “Numinous.” Andrea’s songs feature original sounds, such as creeks and cats; they are mixed with acoustic guitar, piano and nice vocal harmonies.
I predict that you’re going to hear a lot more about these two young womyn. So, don’t forget their names: Aerin Tedesco & Andrea Bunch!
- Out Words