The Shells at the Belly Up
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3/1/10 - As a young girl, I listened to the Partridge Family. I can admit that now because I'm SO much older -- and because, well, teenage girls deserve their own flavor of musical candy just like the rest of us.
When I saw The Shells at the Belly Up yesterday, I thought of two things: Pixy Stix and Dixie Chicks. This trio served up sugar and spice, and everything thrice.
With spot-on harmonies as resonant as a conch shell, their vocals were both vulnerable and powerful. (In fact, when the sound system blew out at one point, they filled the room with their own lung-power and never missed a beat.)
Their songwriting was solid -- not too sappy, not too sophisticated -- and probably perfect for the post-Miley-Cyrus population.
Although they billed themselves as "Cosmo Country" and rendered a nice version of "Helplessly Hoping," their originals were more much more "pop rock" than Crosby, Stills or Nashville.
The 90-minute acoustic set featured songs from The Shells' new album, "Written Roads," which earned them a nomination from MTV as one of the Top 3 Best Breakout NYC Bands in 2009.
The newest member of the trio, Jessi Waltz, described them as "tight and polished," which is certainly true. Their next gig, a full-band showcase at the Viper Room in LA should bring out some Hollywood types who can help them find their true audience.
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