Music
Press
"When Holly Ramos was fronting the New York trio Fur in the 90's, she sang with a sweetly endearing voice over a buzzing beehive of punk tempos and power chords on souped-up Blondie-ish tunes like "Beautiful Wreck". She was at the center of the Manhattan underground- rock scene, backing the late Joey Ramone on guitar at one of his Christmas concerts and later working with Jesse Malin and Antony & the Johnsons. Now she’s performing solo and living in L.A., but yoy can still hear lipstick traces of the Lower East Side in her phrasing and imagery on her new solo CD, Racehorse (on the wonderfully named Ford to City: Drop Dead Records). “I’m wearing two-day-old eye shadow in the sun on my stoop and thinking about you.” She confides on the sentimental Johnny Thunders-style ballad “Thinking about You”. Most of the songs on Racehorse are about love or losing love, such as he slowly unwinding waltz “Kiss Like a Waterfall” (which was co-produced by celeb pals Ryan Adams and Malin), and she puts a delicately innocent Jonathan Richman twist to her version of Ray Davies’ “Art Lover.” Tonight she celebrates her cd release with an early (6:45pm) set. (Falling James) - LA WEEKLY
Talk about timing — Holly Ramos had flown from sunny L.A. into New York the evening of the great nor'easter. Her plane was delayed some ridiculous number of hours on the tarmac; she finally touched down at 3am. She is zonked, and it's still pouring outside.
But like the gutsy New York native she is, Holly's unfazed. "I'm actually kinda digging this weather. Now I can buy a three dollar umbrella in a bodega," she says with a wicked little grin. "You can't do that in L.A." She's ridden the subway to our interview, and is still impressed at how fast her New York street skills have kicked back in. "I'm dodging around people, yelling, 'Get out of my way!' I haven't used that voice in years ." Clearly it feels good.
Luckily, Ramos has a day to recuperate before her date at the Mercury Lounge, opening for her high school friend Jesse Malin. Petite and pale as she is (no West Coast tan – you've gotta love that), she's got a certain tensile strength I'll lay my money on.
Speaking of laying money down, I ask her why she's titled her new solo CD Race Horse . She shrugs, grins, and admits that it doesn't fit with the image of a blonde girl singer with a kittenish, breathy soprano. But playing against type intrigues Ramos. In much the same way, the CD's acoustic Americana twang is deceptive, given the urban snarkiness in the lyrics.
These are songs about people who mope around their apartments, ordering takeout and watching Dirty Harry movies, or who make out with their boyfriends between eating French fries in a diner. Even a song like "Coal Miner's Lullaby" isn't really about life in the coalfields – it's one of what she calls her "I wish songs," recording a fleeting longing for a different, more straightforward life. "I'm always saying things like 'I wish I'd been a cheerleader and lived in Queens' – it doesn't mean I really want to." The straightforward life is an alien concept for Holly Ramos. It's been a long time since her 1990s stint in the downtown punk band Fur, but she's still got a few tattoos and a discreet diamond nose stud to prove her creds.
So where did the album's mellow alt.country sound come from? Ramos admits that it's partly a case of growing older, entering a more reflective phase of life, but Race Horse also evokes artists that she's dug for years like Neil Young and Billy Bragg. "I worked for years as a vinyl DJ in those downtown clubs," Holly reminds me. "I became kind of a musicologist – plus all those old 50s and 60s singles, I know them all. I wish there was a way to make a living just doing that; I know so much obscure music…."
Holly's wide-ranging musical passions helped inspired her pal Jesse Malin to evolve from D Generation garage-rock vocalist to Bruce Springsteen acolyte; she and Malin co-wrote two songs for his most recent album Glitter in the Gutter . The process of pulling together her own solo debut album took longer, though. Ramos admits she's not a disciplined songwriter – the tracks on Race Horse accumulated over a few years, a melodic line here, a fragment of lyric there. "I'm rushing out the door, late to work, and something pops into my head so I run over to the answering machine and stick in on there…eventually my husband says the answering machine's full and I'd better get some of those off there." She rolls her eyes.
Eventually the scraps got worked into full songs; to fill out the CD, she wrote three more songs, "Evangeline," "Sick of Goodbye," and "Better Yet," which ironically turned out to be some of the album's strongest tracks. My personal favorite is " Better Yet ," a series of spunky self-assertions with the cryptic quality of Zen koans – "I'm gonna say what I said and mean what I meant / I'm gonna be where I am and been where I went / I'm gonna do what I do and get what I get / I'm gonna love you / Better yet." Sung over a simple acoustic guitar, with just the faintest counterpoint of a distant lonely trumpet, it turns simplicity into a virtue. "We did that in one take, you know that?" she says proudly. "I like it when that happens – that rawness, that edge. I'm a big fan of mistakes and messes."
Then there's the "Gold and Catholic," a knotty little syncopated number about the unresolved issues left simmering between a rebellious daughter and her dead father. It's like years of therapy distilled into one rueful shrug, one of those songs that goes deeper with every listening. The one cover on the album is a curious choice — "Art Lover" by Ray Davies, a lesser-known Kinks track from the viewpoint of a male pedophile. The wistful delicacy in Ramos' girlish voice, though, brings a haunting new dimension to the song.
"There are some people who are singles artists, and there are some who are album artists," Holly says. "It's like the difference between indie actors and blockbuster actors." (For the record, Holly has done a bit of indie acting herself). "I'm an album artist; I like having the whole thing hold together." Race Horse holds together, all r - Holly Hughesblogcritics.org
Talk about timing — Holly Ramos had flown from sunny L.A. into New York the evening of the great nor'easter. Her plane was delayed some ridiculous number of hours on the tarmac; she finally touched down at 3am. She is zonked, and it's still pouring outside.
But like the gutsy New York native she is, Holly's unfazed. "I'm actually kinda digging this weather. Now I can buy a three dollar umbrella in a bodega," she says with a wicked little grin. "You can't do that in L.A." She's ridden the subway to our interview, and is still impressed at how fast her New York street skills have kicked back in. "I'm dodging around people, yelling, 'Get out of my way!' I haven't used that voice in years ." Clearly it feels good.
Luckily, Ramos has a day to recuperate before her date at the Mercury Lounge, opening for her high school friend Jesse Malin. Petite and pale as she is (no West Coast tan – you've gotta love that), she's got a certain tensile strength I'll lay my money on.
Speaking of laying money down, I ask her why she's titled her new solo CD Race Horse . She shrugs, grins, and admits that it doesn't fit with the image of a blonde girl singer with a kittenish, breathy soprano. But playing against type intrigues Ramos. In much the same way, the CD's acoustic Americana twang is deceptive, given the urban snarkiness in the lyrics.
These are songs about people who mope around their apartments, ordering takeout and watching Dirty Harry movies, or who make out with their boyfriends between eating French fries in a diner. Even a song like "Coal Miner's Lullaby" isn't really about life in the coalfields – it's one of what she calls her "I wish songs," recording a fleeting longing for a different, more straightforward life. "I'm always saying things like 'I wish I'd been a cheerleader and lived in Queens' – it doesn't mean I really want to." The straightforward life is an alien concept for Holly Ramos. It's been a long time since her 1990s stint in the downtown punk band Fur, but she's still got a few tattoos and a discreet diamond nose stud to prove her creds.
So where did the album's mellow alt.country sound come from? Ramos admits that it's partly a case of growing older, entering a more reflective phase of life, but Race Horse also evokes artists that she's dug for years like Neil Young and Billy Bragg. "I worked for years as a vinyl DJ in those downtown clubs," Holly reminds me. "I became kind of a musicologist – plus all those old 50s and 60s singles, I know them all. I wish there was a way to make a living just doing that; I know so much obscure music…."
Holly's wide-ranging musical passions helped inspired her pal Jesse Malin to evolve from D Generation garage-rock vocalist to Bruce Springsteen acolyte; she and Malin co-wrote two songs for his most recent album Glitter in the Gutter . The process of pulling together her own solo debut album took longer, though. Ramos admits she's not a disciplined songwriter – the tracks on Race Horse accumulated over a few years, a melodic line here, a fragment of lyric there. "I'm rushing out the door, late to work, and something pops into my head so I run over to the answering machine and stick in on there…eventually my husband says the answering machine's full and I'd better get some of those off there." She rolls her eyes.
Eventually the scraps got worked into full songs; to fill out the CD, she wrote three more songs, "Evangeline," "Sick of Goodbye," and "Better Yet," which ironically turned out to be some of the album's strongest tracks. My personal favorite is " Better Yet ," a series of spunky self-assertions with the cryptic quality of Zen koans – "I'm gonna say what I said and mean what I meant / I'm gonna be where I am and been where I went / I'm gonna do what I do and get what I get / I'm gonna love you / Better yet." Sung over a simple acoustic guitar, with just the faintest counterpoint of a distant lonely trumpet, it turns simplicity into a virtue. "We did that in one take, you know that?" she says proudly. "I like it when that happens – that rawness, that edge. I'm a big fan of mistakes and messes."
Then there's the "Gold and Catholic," a knotty little syncopated number about the unresolved issues left simmering between a rebellious daughter and her dead father. It's like years of therapy distilled into one rueful shrug, one of those songs that goes deeper with every listening. The one cover on the album is a curious choice — "Art Lover" by Ray Davies, a lesser-known Kinks track from the viewpoint of a male pedophile. The wistful delicacy in Ramos' girlish voice, though, brings a haunting new dimension to the song.
"There are some people who are singles artists, and there are some who are album artists," Holly says. "It's like the difference between indie actors and blockbuster actors." (For the record, Holly has done a bit of indie acting herself). "I'm an album artist; I like having the whole thing hold together." Race Horse holds together, all r - Holly Hughesblogcritics.org
Holly Ramos, former Fur lead vocalist and Greendoor DJ, has relocated to California from New York and produced this quirky May 29 release that blends genres like a painter, with a slight emphasis on alt-country. Ten of the 11 songs are self-written/collaborations, with the slightly creepy Ray Davies' song "Art Lover" fitting in with the others quite well.
Holly's voice sometimes has the childlike quality of late '60's pop-folk princess Melanie, but there's also a sensual, womanly tone on some songs. Most tunes have '60's/'70's melody combined with an edgy attitude. "Kiss Like A Waterfall," which is a cool collaboration with Jesse Malin and Ryan Adams, is a moody slow stroller that illustrates that point.
Other favorites include the opener, "Thinking About You," which is a perfect, catchy, wistful power-pop gem. "Evangeline" is a tale of a quirky girl, sung playfully over a chugging, squirrelly bass-driven structure; and, "This Bird Has Flown" is achingly wonderful. Ask for this interesting disc locally, or shop online at www.hollyramos.com . - Biloxi herald review may 18, 2007
”…this is very much a contemporary vision of 1960-s music. Think Marianne Faithful, Laura Nyro or Jackie DeShannon. Holly’s voice has a childlike quality but all the sensuousness of a woman and the songs veer from heartbreaking (Sick of Goodbye) to funny (Evangeline). With lashing of steel guitars, slide and Dobro this has a country-ish vibe, but not in the traditional sense – one for the alt.country crowd.” - Maverick Magazine UK
Lost at Sea, www.lostatsea.net
Holly Ramos, former lead singer of the punk band Fur, takes on a new form with her debut solo effort Racehorse. The album has an alt-country feel throughout, with Ramos's acoustic guitar bringing most of the sound. Themes of love and loss abound on the album. On the first track, "Thinking About You," Ramos sings "It's hard to get up. I just keep calling that same old take out menu./ I'm eatin' with my eyes closed and lyin' in my bed and thinking about you." On the track "I Ask Myself," Ramos laments "Our love is history, gone for good just like you and me./ Our love is going gone, the record over like a played out song."
Ramos gives credit to her influences throughout the album, especially on the track "Coal Miner's Lullaby," which echoes the 1969 Loretta Lynn hit "Coal Miner's Daughter." Ramos invokes love: "I wish i was a coal miner digging in a mine, then I'd be with you darling all the time," and family: "We could have a baby pretty as could be, dress her up on Sunday and go for rides like family." The track also reveals redemptive nature in the last verse, when Ramos sings, "I never had a mom, I never had a dad, I got a long boring list of the things I never had./ But boring lists mean nothing when you get to sing./ That long list ain't too long cause I got a song."
For those just getting over a relationship, Ramos might be able to soothe your hurt with her soft voice. Listening to this album, you would not know that Ramos developed her chops in the world of punk rock; it is quite a stylistic departure yet fans of Fur may nonetheless be pleasantly surprised at what they find on Racehorse. Ramos shows us that there is a little bit of heartbreak in everyone, but pain can be transformed and "mean nothing when you get to sing."
- Lost at Sea (www.lostatsea.net)
Admittedly, I was a little taken aback when the sweet, ‘60s-inspired pop came through my headphones. Could this be Holly Ramos, former frontwoman of the punk band with hardcore roots, Fur, who acquired street cred from schmoozing with the greats and playing backup guitar for Joey Ramone?
Although her debut solo album is sweet, poppy and lyrically simplistic, it is refreshingly honest and brilliant. Her voice is at times childlike and saccharine when she sings of heartbreak and love. Yet, Ramo’s edgy voice and true New Yorker persona remain just under the surface peeking through the sweetness at the most opportune times.
The opening track, “Thinking about You,” is an honest depiction of being an absolute mess after a break up—the unwashed hair, the dirty dishes. Ramos just says it like it is. I can’t think of anyone else today who can admit “I know I’m being dumb and macho and I know it’s time to let go” and make it sounds so lovely.
By far, the standout track is “Evangeline,” a loud and twangy track about “the finest girl you’ve ever seen.” Ramos croons about checking out cute girls walking around downtown. A woman with a “$10 haircut to look like Elvis” catches her eye, and Ramos wonders if she’ll ever get the guts to say hello.
Listeners looking for riotous punk rock may be mildly surprised that this strong, outspoken woman took a more mainstream-friendly approach, yet she remains true to herself and her roots.
http://feministreview.blogspot.com/2007/06/holly-ramos-racehorse.html
by amy wooten
- feminist review blog
Discography
Racehorse (full length cd on FORD TO CITY DROP DEaD records)
Photos
Bio
“Ultimately we are all interested in hearing stories and it turns out that I am a story teller, through and through. I like to present a situation and let people respond however they want. I think certain values come through, such as the power of love. Love and heartbreak are the central characters on Racehorse, the way we need love and strive for it, and all of the ups and downs that come along the road. One of my hopes is that people participate: listen to the words and be entertained, care, or have an emotional response.” ~ ~ Holly Ramos
You can take the girl out of the city, but you can’t take the city out of the girl. Take for example singer-songwriter HOLLY RAMOS. A true New Yorker born and bred in Manhattan, HOLLY now lives in sunny El-Lay but maintains her Big Apple street cred and possesses a voice she describes as “pure Bronx.” On Racehorse, her debut album as a solo artist, HOLLY seamlessly segues from punk princess to Americana sweetheart. “My dainty songs sit somewhere in the middle of all that, soft and almost easy, with a little attitude and edge amidst all this living.”
HOLLY is no stranger to positive media reviews: The LA Weekly's Steven Leigh Morris commented on the “riveting sensuality” of her work; Variety’s Julio Martinez called her work “Outstanding;” Alternative Press Magazine dubbed her “a star already;” David Noh in Film Journal International compared her to Warhol superstars Andrea Feldman and Patti D'Arbanville; and Entertainment Weekly listed her in "The 10 Best Bands You've Never Heard Of."
The melodies on Racehorse are poppy, the delivery and phrasing loose, the writing modern and reminiscent of classic ‘60s and ’70s pop. HOLLY’s voice can be sweet as a child’s or sexy as a woman’s, but her stories are always wise, heartbreaking and funny. The attitude remains punk with an edge that continues to earn HOLLY comparisons to some of her musical heroes, like the New York Dolls’ Johnny Thunders. “My heroes Dee Dee Ramone and Iggy Pop have both come to my shows,” she proudly says.
In a previous incarnation, HOLLY was front woman of downtown punk trio Fur, who released their self titled CD and a handful of singles on Blackout! Records in the 1990s. Further ingraining herself into “the scene,” HOLLY was well known as a vinyl-only DJ at the notorious Greendoor parties throughout the ’90s.
During her illustrious punk past, HOLLY played guitar backing up a solo Joey Ramone at one of his infamous Christmas shows at Coney Island High, performed everywhere from CBGB’s and Jackie 60 to New York City’s Museum of Contemporary Art, and toured the US and Europe. Her experiences are referenced in Steve Blush’s “American Hardcore,” the definitive book on the history of hardcore punk music. HOLLY can be seen on the silver screen in the principal role of Natalie in the indie cult feature film “Margarita Happy Hour,” directed by Ilya Chaiken, and starring in the official Sundance Film Festival selection, “The 100 Lover’s of Jesus Reynolds,” also directed by Chaiken.
But first and foremost, HOLLY is a musician. “I am a singer songwriter, have been forever. I wasn't credited when I first wrote songs for my friends, but it didn't matter. Eventually I got the courage to do it myself. I hope you like my songs; they’re tales of growing up, loving people…sometimes the wrong people. Maybe you can relate?”_
A long-standing friendship with Jesse Malin led the pair to collaborate musically. Their story harkens back to high school, where the pair dated. “By now, we’re family,” says HOLLY. Malin responds: “Holly sings the truth and it always feels right. She is my hero, muse and secret weapon. When I need inspiration, she’s where I go.” Malin produced her demo that featured Ryan Adams, Iggy Pop’s drummer Paul Garisto and Robbie William’s bass player Fil Izler. "Waterfall," which came out of those sessions, is featured on Racehorse.
Joining a Who’s Who of Americana Rockers like Bruce Springsteen, Jakob Dylan and Ryan Adams, HOLLY lends her collaborative skills to Malin’s 2007 CD Glitter in the Gutter, co-writing "Black Haired Girl" and "Tomorrow Tonight.” She also co-wrote “Cigarettes and Violets” on Malin’s The Fine Art of Self-Destruction and “God’s Lonely People” on The Heat
Recent collaborator Antony, of 2005 Mercury Award winning group Antony and the Johnsons, recalls: “Holly is the one who first sat me down and played James Brown records for me. She is the real thing. Her songs have been an integral part of the soundtrack of my life over the last decade.”
Speaking about her first foray into being a solo artist, HOLLY reveals: “The tales collected on the album are stories I can't help but let out. They are stories about addiction to negative ions, cute girls who walk around on the Lower East Side along with the ‘roosters’ and ‘chickens,’ holding my father’s hand when he was dying though I wasn't sure I even liked him, and pledging love to a lover
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