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CRIS CORDERO:
Why Can’t God Cure the Baby?: CD
First things first, Cris, I don’t know why God can’t cure the baby. Honestly, I don’t entirely know what the baby’s problem is. And while I hoped that some resolution would have been reached as your album unfolded, I still feel as though there’s a lot of explaining to be had on the part of God, you and the baby. That being said, the twelve songs on this album run a nice range from bluesy, crunchy rock a la the Black Keys to jarring indie pop reminiscent of Guided By Voices. The connection between the tunes isn’t awkward; it has a nice flow from song to song. And with help from musicians Joshua Jones and Randy Lyons, Cordero has really taken the DIY ethic to heart, recording and producing this all on his own without the help of a big label or even one of which I’m familiar. And just like his songwriting, the production is very solid and steady, which is a relief considering the all too common fate of DIY projects (“Hey, I’ve got ProTools, let’s put out an album!” Uh, no.) Being from Orange County, California, there is a healthy backbone of that punk pop/power pop sound filling the album but Cordero’s ability to fuse it all together with basic rock’n’ roll makes for a nice spin, especially considering how I was led to believe that the music would match the horrible album title. There’s lots to offer fans of all kinds of genres on this album who find they have a common love for good rock’n’ roll. –Kurt Morris - Razorcake
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 25 2005
CRIS CORDERO AND THE MIDNIGHT RAMBLE @ SOL ART: Remember the Energy? Anyone? Well,
in case you haven’t heard, front man Cris Cordero is now flyin’ solo like the migratory snowy egret—a rock n’ roll migratory snowy egret, now that he’s re-entering the live music realm with the Midnight Ramble. They’re a motley gathering of musicians
that range from the post-apocalyptic to the sharply pressed: seriously, the bass player looks like he just got off a Harley, while the fellow on guitar looks like he just got off work. I was privileged to get an earful of their confrontational yet melodic blend
of rock ‘n’ roll that makes ears and feet happy. By the end of their set the crowd was entwined arm in arm like some haphazard Broadway finale and although Cris had played the sum total of his newly fashioned songs, they demanded a nonexistent
encore. Which they somehow got. Go to a show if you want their self-recorded CD; they hand them out like grandparents hand out hard candy. (CG) - L.A. Record
Discography
LP: why cant god cure the baby?
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Bio
Cristobal “Cris” Cordero has somehow survived playing music in Orange County for almost a decade without succumbing to the most prevalent artistic pit-falls the area has to offer: imitation, trend-worship, and lack of, for a better word, “Balls.” You’ve got to hand it to him; while starting out as a key member to a handful of rhythm sections as early as 15 years old, playing drums and/or guitar(s), he has become the frontman, the singer/songwriter/producer/engineer/drummer/hypeman and just about any other metaphorical hat you could think of, and it is as natural as rain on a Sunday morning. His first outing as a frontman and main songwriter, The Energy, garnered plenty of buzz around the OC as well as Hollywood record labels interested in his unique take on punk and rock & roll. Unfortunately, he found himself the only one in the unit hell-bent on making a mark in the crowded world of modern indie rock. The band dissipated, but not before a lesson was learned: Do It Yourself. Cris spent over a year writing songs, amassing microphones, writing songs, constructing sound-proof rooms, writing songs, mastering home recording software, a little surfing and finally, writing songs. Its been a long time coming for all the fans of his previous endeavors, but Cris Cordero has completed his first full length with his new band God's Good Soldiers, and it is a rock and roll juggernaut. With the help of friends Josh Jones and Randy Lyons to play rhythm guitar and drums, respectively, they even helped with the engineering and recording process. "Why Cant God Cure The Baby", being released through the Remember Artists imprint, is a trip through sweet, pop delicacies(“Its Not True” or the beautiful acoustic number “When It Comes”), thunderclap-like hard rock&roll, as well as frantic, beautifully discordant pop melodies a la Guided By Voices or Pavement ( “Im Going Home” or “Oh No” are great examples of the intelligent ear candy the likes of which hasn’t been heard coming from Orange County since….well, never). "Why Cant God Cure The Baby" brings the pain( in a good way, of course) and once listened to, you cant deny that God's Good Soldiers has amazing talent, not to mention their live show is as intense and heart felt as their recordings. But you’ll have to listen and see for yourself, now wont you.
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