Metro Stylee
(DVS Media)
by Margo Tiffen
I had the chance to catch Metro Stylee a few weeks ago at their album release party in Boston. They have an arresting stage presence, the focus centered largely around vocalist Trisha Verdolino. To be honest, I tend to dislike contemporary women singers because I feel they expend too much energy on gimmicks and effect and not enough on, for lack of a better term, just going for it. Verdolino, however, captured me on the spot. I just sort of stared for a few songs before I could actually get up and dance. Live, New York’s Metro Stylee are impressive and delightful.
Produced by Vinny Nobile of Bim Skala Bim/Pilfers fame, Metro Stylee’s self-titled debut is not so much happy as it is hopeful, lending their slant to a rich musical history. Their sound is planted solidly in energetic 3rd wave ska, but they manage to evoke the mournful presence of Billie Holiday as easily as they capture the sound of midday Brooklyn streetcomers. The horns are strong and soulful, and Jane Gerirano’s (alto sax) backing vocals compliment Verdolino nicely, avoiding the too-high sugary melodies that female-led bands like Dancehall Crashers tend to lean too heavily on. Verdolino’s voice is invigorating, her range fluctuates between playful teasing, wicked admonishment, and outright purging as she twists each song around her little finger and then releases it. “13 Blackbirds,” a song about the day that Verdolino’s mother died, is simply devastating. Metro Stylee’s music has a dark edge, but instead of being heavy and oppressive, it’s mysterious and haunting, as if a light veil had been laid over the album. This one’s a keeper.