Sarah Whited, Journalist for Music Connection, wrote up a review of my May 14 performance at One2One (Austin, Tx). The actual article won't be published till August, but I've been given the green light to post it anyways.Thanks for coming out to the show, Sarah!
On a sidenote, while I wish I was coordinated enough to play with long nails on both hands, I actually only keep my four picking fingers manicured. And yes, I really do walk into nail salons and request to have four fingers done. It's pretty much all I can afford.
The Players: Aly Tadros, guitar, vocals; Douglas Jay Boyd, cajon
Material: Aly Tadros brings a
mixture of humor, honesty, and playfulness to the stage. With
wry and witty lyrics reminiscent of Jesca Hoop and acoustic prowess
akin to Amos Lee, Aly explores the ironies and triumphs of life in a
way that listeners can immediately identify with, regardless of the
particular situation that gave rise to the song. Selections such
as “Names we Forget” leave the listener chuckling about their own
drunken follies, while songs like “Swingset” and “Paper Mache”
instill a sense of reflection and distant yearning.
Musicianship: Aly (incredibly)
manages to play cleanly and fluidly despite her long beautiful nails
on both hands, and uses them as plectrums on the more intricate fingerpicking
parts. This allows her to create both twanging lead lines and
smooth supporting harmonies simultaneously on her acoustic Cordoba.
Though Boyd’s mellow cajon adds a nice rhythmic feel, Aly’s powerful
voice and confident playing fill the stage completely. Her singing
slides from open-hearted and wispy to tortured and edgy, similar to
the vocal transitions that Jeff Buckley perfected, which gives her a
tremendous range of emotional and dynamic expression.
Performance: Aly has a magnetic
personality that conveys a sense of easygoing familiarity and intimacy,
a feat in a 2-story bar in the busy 6th Street district on
a Friday night. Her light banter with the crowd engages their
attention, and her short monologues give humorous insight into the origins
and meanings of her songs. Aly’s confident guitar playing allows
her to close her eyes or gaze around the room as appropriate without
wasting her stage time looking at her hands. She sways, laughs,
and treads a small space close to the microphone; this conveys a sense
of movement without taking her away from center stage. Her body
language is easygoing and tranquil, putting the crowd in a relaxed mood.
Summary: If Aly Tadros’ music was a color, it would be a shimmering blue that changes from midday sky to deep sea. Her gig was more of an acoustic short story than a show, and her performances are the perfect place to take a date, get back to mellow, or just remember what it means to be human.
- Sarah Whited
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