Music
The best kept secret in music
Press
"The introspective, and at times political, lyrics are the driving force behind the music from Taylor questioning anything from our comsumer culture to something as simple as being horny. The band has been nominated by The Phoenix New Times in the category of Best Eclectic band in the Valley and has accumulated a steady fan base locally and in eastern Europe, which is pretty impressive..."
The College Times 2004
by Eddie Shoebang - The College Times
"...The Kohl Heart (formerly XOXOXO) breaks down the barrier between electronic music and indie rock..."
"Vocalist Rachel Taylor manages to avoid the clichés associated with girls and synths. Her lyrics don’t whine with the emotional immaturity of the emo flavor of the month, and her sound doesn’t dissolve into the breathiness and obscurity of some lesser acts. Taylor manages to maintain her new wave roots while drifting back and forth between innocent love songs and pulsating sexual imagery. And through all this, her voice tinges with a social critique of femininity as a type of power."
Switch Magazine 2004
by Marcelo Teson - Switch Magazine
"Arizona is conservative -- conservative politically, conservative socially, conservative artistically -- and if people don't want to break out of the box, that's their fucking problem," Taylor says, adding that she and the boys will likely move to San Francisco once the three of them graduate from ASU."
"...they've sold 800 copies of their self-titled, self-produced CD with songs about consumerism ("Consumer Culture") and the cycle of the disenfranchised in America ("Structure of Power")."
Phoenix New Times 2004
by Joe Watson - Phoenix New Times
WINNER: 2004 Phoenix New Times Best Eclectic Band in Arizona - Phoenix New Times (www.phoenixnewtimes.com)
Discography
Self Released 6-Song -XOXOXO EP.
Promotional 4-Song Demo (recorded by Christopher Fudurich; fudurich.net)
Photos
Feeling a bit camera shy
Bio
The Kohl Heart (formerly known as XOXOXO)
Coming together in the sweltering heat of the Sonoran Arizona desert, The Kohl Heart (Rachel Taylor and brothers Zack and Alex Pacheco) reflects the struggle of three progressive minds to combat the overwhelming conservatism of the region. Misfits in the Valley of Sun, this band of outsiders found their niche in the underground. Getting their start in the run down venues of downtown Phoenix, The Kohl Heart disseminated their brand of synth-heavy rocknroll to anyone who would hear it. Their sentiment attracted likeminded individuals throughout the region and they soon found themselves touring the West Coast and in the hands of acclaimed Los Angeles-based producer, Christopher Fudurich (Nada Surf/Armor for Sleep/Finch).
Riding a whirlwind of momentum, The Kohl Heart was given their final push out of the desert and, in the summer of 2005, relocated to San Francisco. The band's political idealism and inventive sound could not be contained by the encapsulated air-conditioned domiciles of Arizona. As they passed the last Saguaro cactus at the end of a rural highway they knew good things lay ahead. Princehouse Records recently released a 12" vinyl split with V2 recording artist Every Move a Picture and features a remixes by Mount Sims and IMA Robot.
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