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Brent Cole, What’s Up Magazine: National Spotlight
March, 2005 Issue 3, Vol 8
It’s rare now a days to find a new idea in rock music, one that hasn’t been done by a million bands in the 50 years of rock ‘n’ roll. For the Ditty Twisters, they’ve found their niche &mdash powerful guitars with great hooks plus a female singer belting out songs as if there were no tomorrow. Most importantly, though, back up singers. Good, solid, “sing from the gut” back up singers. It’s not necessarily a new concept, but few bands have utilized singers as well as the Ditty Twisters and for that, they’re gaining recognition and fans all across the nation.
The Ditty Twisters began their rock ‘n’ roll reign five years ago. “During that time, we’ve traded up bass and guitar players a couple times; this is the incarnation that feels and works the best,” said back up singer Pat Janowski. “Our drummer is Bob Thompson, bass is Matt Tracy, guitar is Alan Monk, Marie Murphy is lead vocals, Courtenay Hameister is backup vocals/percussion, and I do backup vocals and some rudimentary keys in the vein of Linda McCartney/Laurie Partridge.”
With this incarnation, the Ditty Twisters have begun to set their world on fire. They’ve just released their second album, Piñata Baby, on Dirty Girl Records (distributed through Burnside) and it’s taking off as well as any small band could hope for.
“The record is selling very well — we’ve had a re–order from our distributor though it was only released nationwide last month. Which is cool.” Pat continued with a sense of pride, “We’ve gotten some excellent reviews.”
According to Pat, one reason the new record sounds as good as it does, not only in quality but how the band comes across, is producer Joe Chiccarelli (U2, Tori Amos, Elton John, Frank Zappa).
“We’d been working with Joe in the studio for several days when he came out and saw us live,” said Pat. “I remember he’d been urging Court and I to really lay into the backing vocals on the chorus of one particular track. He said he wanted it to be more ‘gang–like,’ to match Marie’s intensity on the lead.”
She continued, “So there we are at the White Eagle (a Portland saloon with a particularly storied past), each with a couple of drinks in us, responding to the crowd and our bandmates onstage, really singing all out, and Joe yells ‘THAT’s how I want you guys to sound!!’ It was a revelation.”
Though it adds greatly to their sound, having six band members also has its downfall. “I tell people it’s like being married to five people at once,” said Pat.
Now that their second record is on the stands and doing well, the Ditty Twisters hope that this is just the start of something special. At the very least, the band will be working hard to promote the album.
“We’re very proud of it (Piñata), and we think it could have a really wide appeal.” Pat continued, “Stanwood is just our first stop in our world domination tour. You know: Rome, Paris, and Stanwood. We’re looking at a lot of the summer festivals and hope to travel at least a bit on the West Coast this year.”
With a new record on the stands, one that takes their live sound and puts in on disk, the Ditty Twisters will continue making waves in the music scene with their unique sound. Watch and listen.
(The Ditty Twisters will play the Stanwood Tavern on March 26)
So you want to make your way in the music world? You want to succeed? I’ve got one word for you. Swag. “Schwag” for the Teutonic among you. Swag makes the world go round. Swag can make the difference. Swag can open any door. Wanna get your band noticed? Swag. What makes a king out of a slave? Swag. What makes the flag on the mast to wave? Swag.
Now, heretofore, the finest piece of swag which I, personally, had ever received, was from the band Bombay, who thoughtfully sent me a couple of bottles of Bombay Sapphire gin and a swell one-of-a-kind martini glass by which to imbibe. Fine swag. Very fine swag. The cleverly named Ditty Twisters went that one better.
From the Ditty Twisters I recently received a colorful piñata (promoting this here disc, Piñata Baby), chock full of various goodies and gewgaws. This, I can assure you, to any critic on the face of the planet, is gold. It may not make him like your band. But rest assured, good people, he will listen to your record.
Now, I retain a modicum of integrity, at this late date in my “rock journalism” career. I’m not about to review a band, simply because they send me unique swag (though it really can’t hurt). In this case, the band made my choice very easy. They are not only a lot fun, they’re great. Their second album release is a hoot (their first was 2003‘s Vicodin Saturday Night). In fact, the material that Marie Murphy and company toss off is precisely the type of stuff that Storm and the Balls ought to be checking out.
The Twisters’ songs are witty, pithy and raw, raw, raw; while the musicianship of the backing band is impeccably tight. Frequently compared to the ‘60s girl band the Shangri Las, as well as to the B-52s (which is far more accurate), the DTs, with two deft female back-up singers, sound more like the girls of the Donnas backing Christina Amphlett of the ‘80s band the Divinyls, or Chrissie Hynde’s Pretenders, with an occasional streak of country twang running through them, to boot. A good start, to be sure.
The title track rides upon a snakey riff from guitarist Alan Monk, reminiscent of Rick Miller of Southern Culture on the Skids. Murphy’s vocal recalls Martha Davis of the Motels, on one of their rockier tunes, “Mission Of Mercy.” With a twist: “So full of all the good stuff/So sweet, inside and out/If I beat you with a stick/I bet I could make you twist and shout.” Yow! “Smart Chick” comes from a Donnas point of view: “I’d rather you hooked up with a giant skank from Hooters/Than some clever little writer who volunteers and tutors/But you screwed a smart chick/You broke the rules.”
The three covers among the eleven songs found here, are interesting selections, representing a wide swath of popular music. Their interpretation of Dead Or Alive’s ‘80s hit, “Spin Me Round,” is rocked out, with bassist Matt Tracy driving the song behind Monk’s restrained electric guitar and drummer Bob Thompson’s insistent beat. The two-part female harmony vocals provided by Pat Janowski and Courtenay Hameister, sound like Bananarama backing Murphy’s Courtney Love. And that’s not necessarily a bad thing.
The band perform a faithful adaptation of the ‘90s cult classic, “Bad Word For A Good thing,” by the Philadelphia-based, all-girl surf band the Friggs. Possibly the most surprising cover, is the Twisters’ take on AC/DC’s “Whole Lotta Rosie,” “Whole Lotta Jose.” Murphy’s vocal vaguely recalls that of Lydia Pense in the early ’70s band Cold Blood,” then considered to be another Janis Joplin. The comparison rings somewhat true here, as well.
“Dirty Girl” sounds like Christina Amphlett backed by the Bangles. The faint cowpunk of “Rodeo Queen” calls to mind Johnette Napolitano of Concrete Blonde. “Demi” the story of a has-been “silver screen starlet” (any bets on Demi Moore?) conjures Linda Perry of 4 Non Blondes fame. “Skedaddlesville” could pass for a wry John Hiatt number, along the lines of “Cop Party,” with a darker edge. Luscious three-part vocal harmonies embellish the turns. “Take Me” is the hit of the litter, with a slippery beat, a hard lyrical edge and a vibrant feel, in the neighborhood of Throwing Muses or the Breeders, perhaps.
The Ditty Twisters are another top-notch band, with roots extending back to the new wave ‘80s (while possibly refracting the ‘70s from a great distance). Vocalist Marie Murphy has a powerful voice that holds up well to the more tender numbers, as well as the harder hitting affairs. The band ably deploys instrumental prowess, with admirable aplomb, in support of Murphy and her solid backup singers. No, the swag didn’t persuade me to review this band. That would not have been necessary. Not with this band. Not in the least. Then again. It didn’t hurt.
On their second full-length, Portland, Oregon's six-piece the Ditty Twisters take things further with Pinata Baby, an album that utilizes the three female vocals and drum-bass-guitar set-up to a tee, never wasting a moment in the energetic, fun-time, party rock musical they create. Infusing the music with roots rock and surf, here is a band that knows how to party and have a good time, creating sexy tunes in the process, including the AC/DC cover, "Whole Lotta Jose", which features additional guitars by Audio Learning Center's Steven Birch. Not to mention tracks such as "Rodeo Queen", the band's standout roots-rock piece, the title track, complete with a surf vibe, and "Take Me", the band's straight-ahead rocker.
Though the record is good, the band has always been a live spectacle, controlling the stage and making you want to be a part of the show. And though they sound decent, if not good, recorded, the CD lacks the energy of their live show. Still, there is plenty of energy here to hold you over until their next live show. Or, if they never come to your market, enough energy to make you a fan.
Entertaining. Simply entertaining...and a whole lotta goddamn FUN. Portland's The Ditty Twisters return with yet another infectious, upbeat collection of tunes. Following the band's well-received debut album (Vicodin Saturday Night), Pinata Baby is another collection of cool upbeat rockers. You don't have to think to enjoy this band's music...but a sense of humor is mandatory. Despite the fact that the band is still very much dwelling in the undercurrents of rock, their music could very easily be appreciated by a mass audience if they were marketed right. The only obstacle might be the lyrics, which may be a bit too intelligent for the average listener to comprehend (i.e., "you screwed a smart chick"..."the devil just pooped his pants"). Punchy guitars and driving rhythms support top-notch female vocals with real attitude. This band is a pure feelgood experience...and they most certainly aim to please. Pinata Baby is another great album from a band with the right idea about virtually everything. (Rating: 5+)
Fighting an uphill battle against their regrettable name, The Ditty Twisters find a way to be fairly rockin'. Their new album Pinata Baby exudes twangy electric drive, led largely by Marie Murphy's powerful, deep vocals.
The inanity of the Federal Communication Commission's attempts at regulating on-air decency lies in its myopic vision. In short, it's all worked up over a few little words. Comedian George Carlin covered this topic in his infamous "Seven Words You Can Never Say on Television" routine.
What Carlin and Portland band the Ditty Twisters understand is you can still be lewdly funny and suggestive using perfectly "clean" words.
Though "Pinata Baby," the second saucy album from the Ditties, as they're known, lacks a silly Parental Advisory sticker, it's chock-full of the type of vivid vignettes that grandma almost certainly would find shameful. The rest of us -- especially those demented souls who flock to the band's energetic shows -- will find them fun and funny.
Drawing inspiration from the schlock-rock pool that includes the B-52s, the Cramps and Southern Culture on the Skids, the Ditty Twisters back up their Go-Go's-gone-wild three-part harmonies with energetic pop-rock topped with slightly silly keyboard passages played frightfully well.
Some muscular hot-rod rock kicks off the opening title track before lead vocalist Marie Murphy jumps in, gently growling about a love analogous to busting open a treat-filled pinata.
A couple of the following tracks are certainly NC-17 in spirit, if not in content, though the cleverness award goes to "Rodeo Queen," a zippy, scintillating song about a male cowpoke who, well, probably prefers riding sidesaddle.
No one is safe from the Ditties' skewering. The devil takes it in the pants, literally, on "What's That Smell?" and a certain Hollywood starlet takes some pretty tough knocks on the following "Demi."
The Ditties are known for turning in inspired and irreverent cover songs; "Pinata Baby" offers three such treats. Dead or Alive's "You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)" receives a faithful though less frantic take, with Murphy's sweet snarl injecting the novelty track with sensuality. The Friggs' "Bad Word for a Good Thing" receives a shot of gritty pop, while AC/DC's "Whole Lotta Rosie" goes through a gender reassignment to become "Whole Lotta Jose," with enough of Alan Monk's over-the-top guitar playing to do Angus and Malcom Young proud.
"Pinata Baby" is proficient playfulness. And even the FCC can't argue with that.
Any band can remake the theme to the Spider-Man cartoon or pen a mournful ballad of the woes about being Superman, but my all out geek respect goes to any band that sings a love song for The Swamp Thing. The Ditty Twisters latest CD Vicodin Saturday Night is a collection of fun songs that with a country-twang makes you laugh. From the black humor of "Secret Crush" to the hillbilly twist of Aerosmith's "Walk This Way"; this is music you don't have to think about, it just makes you feel good. They remind me of the humorous nature of the Corn Sisters and the liveliness of B52, if their songs were shorter and their diets consisted of Loretta Lynn albums and boxed Mac'n'Cheese, and they lived in a twister fearing trailer park. Hell, how can you not laugh at a song about delivering corn dogs to hookers. Rating: A-
The Ditty Twisters are more proof that even bands soldiering on with terrible, ill-advised names can have a shining moment or two. And, as a band with a handle on rockabilly back-beats and female-fronted rock songs, the Ditty Twisters' moments of rock-'n'-roll glory become more numerous in direct proportion to the amount of cheap booze imbibed from the bar. (RS)
It’s likely a good thing that the Ditty Twisters finish up the Girls Who Rock Fest, considering that this band is an absolute show-stopper. Taking the vocal harmonies of the Shangri-las, adding in the spice and sass of the B-52s and energizing the concoction with the irreverence of Southern Culture on the Skids, the Ditty Twisters are tough to resist. The women spin tales of swamp creatures and a “Rodeo Queen” that’s, well, no lady. If the audience is lucky, they might even do one of their unforgettable AC/DC or Dead or Alive covers.
Not only is this band hilarious in many ways...but they are also totally entertaining and credible. Our interest was immediately tweaked by the cover art of a 1950s housewife happily retrieving a bottle of Vicodin from the kitchen cabinet (hyuk hyuk...). The band’s personally “checked” press release states that they “prefer to sing about things that bring us joy, like drinking ourselves unconscious, stalking ex-lovers, and of course, meaningless sex with men named Toothless Marvin or Slim” (?!?!!). Yup, they’ve obviously got their hearts in the right place. But even more interesting is the music. The Ditty Twisters play pop/rock with a twang...and chock full of attitude and style. The band’s overall approach is reminiscent of Southern Culture on the Skids (with whom they have already shared the stage). The Ditty Twisters aren’t into heavy topics or political issues. Instead, they concentrate on things that matter...like not being able to get their Vicodin prescription filled (!). Not only is the music a great big ball of fun, but the disc is packaged in a beautifully designed digipak complete with lyric booklet. These folks truly have their act together in so many ways... Cool, fun, funny, and danceable to boot! And now, a little something for the band (at their request)... !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (Rating: 5+)
Nowhere in the Big Manual of Rock 'n' Roll are young bands actually told, “Thou shalt be all serious and stuff, and treat thy music as art most high.’ But it seems as if only the Ditty Twisters noticed.
The title of the band’s new CD, “Vicodin Saturday Night,” hints that this band may occasionally veer toward irreverence. “Swamp Thing,” a catchy paean to cross-species canoodling, confirms it:“We’ll live in wedded bliss/Listenin’ to you slurp and hiss/Gimme another big wet kiss/Swamp thing.“
Merely reading that last line can’t begin to hint at how singer Marie Murphy (one of the band’s three female singers) lovingly rolls the words like a mouthful of fine sherry, how she draws them out in a long slur of seduction that ends in a slightly flat last syllable that couldn’t be more perfect, just as Greg Paul’s fuzzed-out guitar riff is exactly what the song needs. And, yes, there are the requisite aquatic sound effects.
Then there’s “Secret Crush,” a twisted tale of the ultimate stalker; “Juice Machine,” which may not be about a juice machine at all; and “Tighty Whiteys,” about, well, underpants.
But don’t think these folks are funny because they couldn’t rock: That last song rumbles along in a most convincing fashion, not to mention the X-like crunch of “Motel Room in My Bed.”
You look at the name, and the goofball WT-chic lyrics and antics, and you think, novelty band. But, aha. The Twisters’s zany post-nuclear-post-alt-country - described by one pal as “the B-52s meet a blackout drunk” - is no joke. High-livin’, beer drinkin’ music with striking female vocals and sharp-ass sense of humor.
Combing through the detritus of 50 years of popular culture as if hunting for something unspoiled left in the fridge, The Ditty Twisters deliver tunes on such kitsch-friendly topics as “Swamp Thing,” “Little Red Microbus,” “Vicodin Saturday Night,” and “Tighty Whities,” plus a cowpoke cover of “Walk This Way.” Lead singer Marie Murphy, self-styled “Velcro Voice of the Northwest,” frequently comes across almost unhinged, and the choreographed backing vocalists make sure to take the act the rest of the way there. But the band’s tight guitar-keys-bass-drums lineup means that, musically anyway, it’s no joke.
The surprise of the event was decidedly the irreverently named and delightfully demented Ditty Twisters. Like the Shangri-Las on an absinthe bender and living in a rusty trailer between Southern Culture on the Skids and the B-52s, the Ditty Twisters dished out a whimsical blend of hot-rod, surf and hillbilly music capped off with animated three-part female vocals. With the singers’ coordinated outfits, silly dance steps and the fact that one of them, Pat Janowski, appeared to be about 14 months pregnant (she’s due in June), this band was a treat to watch. And with energetic, spot-on songs about Cadillacs, “Tighty Whities” and a cockroach scurrying up drummer Bob Thompson’s leg, they were a joy to hear.
