Music
Press
Wendi Faren is up next, a longhaired siren in a black slip, black legwarmers and Mary Janes, playing inventive hard rock with an avant guard touch. The guitars are crunchy, and her vocals remind me of a combination of Dale Bozzio and Nina Hagen. She's like a caged tiger, simmering with barely contained energy. Much of this energy is sexual in nature, which is probably why a stocky, middle-aged guy is uninhibitedly dancing in the middle of the room, a slave to Wendi's spell. Whether she's screeching, half screaming, or coming on to the audience, her witchy, compelling voice blends perfectly with the expert musicianship of her drummer, bassist, and Tony Savarino on guitar. It's cute, too, when Wendi messes up Tony's hair. I need to see this group again. - The Noise - April 2006
Wendi clearly has more talent than I could ever dream of having. She always sounds like she gives a f*ck, which is worth far more than my desire to play air-guitar. And the song “But I Feel” makes me cry. You want more than that from a CD? Good luck. She’s a performer with a capital P. You’re not. So let her entertain you. If she can make you cry, you spent your money well, didn’t you? - The Noise - Boston's Rock 'Zine
After one listen to "Be Kind to the Animals", I was very intrigued. Each listening reveals a new layer of meaning in the lyrics. It is refreshing and captivating. Wendi Faren's beautiful dynamic and sexy vocals leave you wanting more. - Cat Cappuccio - Much Music
Wendi Faren's latest release continues her journey around the musical map. She has fronted a metal band, worked with the Boston Rock Opera, sung back-up for a pop artist, and plated rootsy, soft rock on her first record. On Be Kind to the Animals, she shows touches of all these influences while moving in a new direction with an album of mysterious, theatrical hard rock. She succeeds in creating an aura of darkness and obscurity...the sound and style of the performance create mood in abundance. - Northeast Performer
http://www.northeastintune.com/index.php?bd=reg&sb=land&article=100643
Take the theatrics of early David Bowie and Alice Cooper and couple it with the energy and female angst of Juliette and The Licks and you’ve created the up-and-coming signer/performer Wendi Faren. She is known for the theatricality of her live shows but her vocals put up just as much of a fight. The fervor that surrounds Faren keeps her on the New England circuit, performing for such clubs as the “Half Shell” in Boston and “The Mercury Lounge” in New York City.
Having such influences as Queen to Julie Andrews (and quite a combination I must say) this girl makes the word “eclectic” seem muted and generalized. She has gone from bluegrass to hard rock throughout her career, but it seems that the latter is her “home sweet home”. Known as “cabaret rock” Wendi packs her vocals with vehemence and passion. Faren’s style is reminiscent of PJ Harvey’s early work on the “Uh-Huh” record.
Madness erupts from Faren’s lungs on “The Rain Song” packed with that signature PJ controlled lunacy. “Razor’s Edge” epitomizes the cabaret rock style, starting off an innocent as a nursery rhyme, then kicking it up a notch in true punk fashion. “Jane” is a full-blown rock track, with a smirk of female angst that only a fellow woman could fully appreciate.
Wendi Faren has a style all her own that resonates with her audience long after the show has ended. - Northeast Tune In Magazine - November 2006
Discography
"The Beginning" - 2003
"Be Kind to the Animals" - 2005
Photos
Feeling a bit camera shy
Bio
Have you ever wished you could have seen your favorite band or singer in the clubs before they hit it big?
Are you fed up with formalistic music and want the real deal?
If your answer to any of these questions is yes, meet Wendi Faren.
Wendi reminds us of not only where music came from, but also, where it is going. In the tradition of rock’s greatest live acts, the show is never the same.
Wendi has been involved in the performing arts since she was 6 years old. Throughout her life she has studied theater, dance and music. During her 11 year tenure in San Francisco, she performed in an underground troupe in a variety of local clubs.
She moved to Boston in 2001 and began a busy music career in the local rock scene. She started out by fronting the local rock band "Rajas", who gained a local following and performed for a year around the Boston and outlying areas. She then appeared with the Boston Rock Opera in their productions of "The Point" and "The BRO 10th Anniversary Show". She was also chosen to perform backup vocals for nationally known pop artist "Bleu". Her venues have included such locales as the 'Half Shell' in Boston and 'The Mercury Lounge' in NYC.
After performing for a couple of years in rock clubs, Wendi turned her attention to grassroots music. She spent the next year writing and performing in cafes and folk clubs around New England. She released an album in 2003, "The Beginning", with a rootsy, soft rock sound that still held the edge that stems from her theater days.
On the current album, "Be Kind to the Animals", Wendi has moved back to a groovy, hard rock sound.
She has been influenced by theatrical performers from Queen to Julie Andrews and her live show is always dramatic, raw, wild and entertaining.
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