Sweetmeat

Singer-songwriter Gina Lopez Holton epitomizes the idea that there are two sides to every story — and sometimes even more.
Many know her only as one of rocker Alejandro Escovedo's female background singers, the Sensitive Girls. It's a sweet gig. But sweeter still is Sweetmeat, the Austin soul, R&B and pop band that Holton fronts.
Sweetmeat arrives at Luna on Saturday; music starts at 9 p.m.
“San Antonio loves to dance, so we know better than to come with sit-and-listen music,” said Holton. “We've got to bring it. And that's the best way to go.”
That should be a breeze.
Sweetmeat delivered a deliciously rump-shaking set at Maria's Taco Xpress during South by Southwest last month.
How good was it? Put it this way: Marvin Gaye would've loved it.
“The philosophy behind it has always been soul-based. The foundation is soul music for sure,” said Holton. “We add some funk to it and definitely add elements of indie soul.”
The stylish 32-year-old Austin native says she grew up listening to Motown. “Motown is definitely a musical foundation for me, vocally,” she explained. “That's probably a lot of what people hear first.”
That flavoring includes touches of the Temptations, Gladys Knight, the Supremes, as well as sassy, left-of-center elements of Lauryn Hill, Neko Case and Jeff Buckley.
They're all there on the band's debut album, “I Hate You.”
Holton (who has a full-time job at Pedernales Electric Cooperative) credits her husband, musician and sculptor Thomas Holton, with coming up with the band's purposely provocative name.
“It's kind of a joke,” she admitted. “One day he was holding a couple of cantaloupes that he'd bought at the grocery store, and he held them up to his chest and was, like, ‘This is some sweet meat.' And it was like a light bulb went off. It has several connotations. And I happen to think I'm pretty sweet.”
Sweetmeat — which includes Holton, guitarist Adam Sultan, saxophonist Leila Henley, keyboardist Andrew Nolte, bassist Johnny Vogelsang and drummer Pat Kennedy — is absolute nirvana for Holton.
“It's my child. I have to nurture it,” she said about the rotating cast of players that sometimes includes guitarist Sam Arnold and bassist Greg Yancey. “All my musicians are superb at what they do.”
That's not to diminish the joy, fun and pride she takes in singing with Escovedo. Holton was recruited to sing back-up during the “Street Songs of Love” album.
“He's got so many years of experience and has made his mark on Austin music,” Holton said. “I get to experience the adoration he's built up after 40 years of playing music. I get to feel that energy from the audience. That's a gift.”


Read more: http://www.mysanantonio.com/entertainment/article/A-sweet-gig-3474280.php#ixzz2BbW4uEdX - San Antonio Express News

Here at KUT‘s Texas Music Matters headquarters, TMM host David Brown and I, your Austin Music Minute maven Laurie Gallardo, are really into Sweetmeat‘s latest release, I Hate You. Thanks in large part to the vocals of frontwoman Gina Holton, the album’s got “sultry” and “smokin’” covered. (I’d go so far as to add that these tracks are definitely what Eddie Izzard would refer to as “sssexy tunes.”)

Even at first listen, you’re immediately be captivated by a voice that just oozes soul. Holton leads the Austin-based sextet with a vivacious, velvety set of vocals that create a very seductive R&B vibe, workin’ a little bit of the ol’ school with some fresh helpings of indie pop and roots music to make a bona fide Sweetmeat sweet mix. Chances are, I Hate You could very well turn out to be something you love.

Sweetmeat’s got a party coming up. To celebrate the relase of I Hate You, they’re playing a show Saturday night at The Highball, 1142 S. Lamar. Opening the show are Austin funky fetishists Foot Patrol. The music gets started at 10 p.m. Recommended. - KUT