Flower-Powered Artist - October 2008

Charlotte Sometimes

Pseudonyms are not that common in the singer-songwriter realm, much more so in the female variety. While most singer-songwriters prefer to go by their real name, our October 2008 Flower-Powered Artist chose to use a stage name to distinctly separate her musical career from her personal life. Perhaps being an adopted child played a role in such compartmentalization. Whatever the case may be, the alter-ego affair will certainly pique the interest of the listeners who are already charmed by this artist's musical delight. This month's spotlight turns towards the brightly shining rising star, Charlotte Sometimes.

Jessica Charlotte Poland, our FPA's real name, was born on January 15, 1988. Jessica was adopted as a baby and lived in the town of Wall Township, New Jersey. Trained as a dancer since early childhood, music has always been a part of Jessica’s life. She remained a dancer and participated in musical theater until age 14. It was by age 13, with her newfound love of poetry writing, when the gradual shift in Jessica's interest came into form. Wanting a more expressive outlet for her poems, Jessica began writing songs. She then traded her dancing gear for a guitar and started formalizing the song structure for her compositions – all on her own.

It didn't take long for Jessica to amass an ample amount of compositions, enough to actually fill ten full-lengths. She took vocal lessons with vocal instructor Don Lawrence. She went on to form her own band, J. Poland and the Pilots, and began playing in and around her hometown - eventually making it out of town, including Pennsylvania and New York. They came out with an EP, titled On The Second Floor on 2004. In that same year, at age 16, she signed up with the New York-based Crush Management who handles her to this day.

It wasn't all happy times on the way to Jessica’s pursuit of a record deal, as she was diagnosed with a disease that affected her jaw joints, known as Condylar Resorption aka "Cheerleader's Syndrome." The condition required jaw reconstruction surgery, which left her jaw wired shut for a couple of months. This situation, however, did not stop our budding songwriter as she wrote more songs during the course of her recovery. Some of the songs she wrote during this time were included in her band's EP, I Promise This Won't Be Released (2006).

Jessica finally got the record deal she was looking for in 2007. Of all the record labels, she picked Geffen Records. This was immediately followed by her full-length project. Determined to put out a strong debut under her new major record label deal, Jessica toiled away in a small studio at the back of her manager's office. As the songs were already written, it only took a month of recording to ready the album. Mixing and mastering the tracks took a bit more time and caused a long wait for the record to be completed.

A transformation was needed. This was the time Charlotte Sometimes was born. Jessica's stage name was taken from the title of a 1969 book by Penelope Farmer. The book Charlotte Sometimes - which is about time travel, exchanging roles and living two lives – is thus a befitting pseudonym.

As a teaser, the label put out a self-titled EP on March 18, 2008. The EP contained three tracks from the upcoming full-length. Those who had been following Charlotte's music since her early years were more than satisfied. Needless to say, the new tracks attracted new listeners as well. The wait was not that long. Charlotte Sometimes' debut full-length, Waves and the Both of Us, finally came out on May 6th 2008. The debut was provided a lavish record release party held on the top of Atlas Building, New York.

The album gained an almost-instant enormous success following the nationwide radio airplay and music video for the single, How I Could Just Kill A Man, being frequently played over at VH1. Music lovers and critics alike lay praise on the debut. Charlotte played on a lot of tour in support of her newly-released record, one of which was the recently concluded Vans Warped Tour. She is currently, as of this writing, on tour with fellow singer-songwriter Gavin DeGraw.

KGRL is very proud to present our October 2008 Flower-Powered Artist, Charlotte Sometimes. Charlotte joined KGRL in-studio for an exclusive performance shot in high-definition video and audio. You already know by now that our FPA pages contains tons of goodie goodies. So, aside from the exclusive performance videos, here's a rundown of this month's treat: a CD review of Waves & The Both Of Us, photos, and our comprehensive interview with Charlotte Sometimes in video, audio, & transcribed form.

As per our usual monthly feature, we are giving away 3 signed Waves & The Both Of Us CDs! Just e-mail me at contests [at] kgrl.fm and tell us why you deserve to win. Don't forget that you can request a FREE copy of the FPA live session DVDs as well!

KGRL Charlotte Sometimes Interview

KGRL had a chance to sit down with the hot new talent Charlotte Sometimes, who is currently making waves in the music scene, for an interview right after our KGRL FPA Live Sessions held at The Alley Studio - 08.18.08.

Charlotte Sometimes Video Interview (Click to launch the player!)
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Waves & The Both Of Us CD Review

It has been quite a while since I've fully admired a new female-fronted band or solo artist in the alternative-pop genre. Back in the 90s, there was an influx of female-fronted/solo artists in the alterna-pop genre - with Letters To Cleo (need I point you to our Sept. 2006 Flower-Powered Artist – Kay Hanley?), Liz Phair, Jill Sobule, and Juliana Hatfield leading the pack. Today, the genre is mostly saturated with boys. Most of the successful female singer/songwriter nowadays gravitate towards the oddball or genre-defining, which is really great. I hold artists who try to write something new or ground-breaking in high regard. Sometimes though, I miss the pure and simple pop bliss that rocks us with their catchy hooks and nifty guitar riffs. Thankfully, there is enough female presence in the genre to fill in the void. So let's take a closer look at the artist who, I think, leads the new generation of female alternative-pop rockers, Charlotte Sometimes. Why do I think so? Waves & The Both Of Us, Charlotte's debut, is the reason.

It only took the first few seconds for the opener Losing Sleep to convince me that it I was listening to something truly special. Indeed, this song is the perfect way to open the album. From the strong and powerful voice of Charlotte to the forcefully strummed guitars to the palpable beats, it is aggressively catchy. The simplistic arrangement lends a hand in highlighting the melodic nature of the track. It's the kind of song that wiggles its way inside your ears then burrows deeper and deeper until it finally gets inside your mind - and then you know that you'll end up losing sleep.

Chalk it up to Charlotte's songwriting ability to craft a tune that has radio-hit single written all over it. The album's single, How I Could Just Kill A Man, shares three things with the similarly-titled Cypress Hill song: the title (of course), the debut single status that incidentally also came from both their debut records, and lastly, each song bolstered both artist's musical career. How I Could Just Kill A Man is definitely an extremely catchy tune but this type of music tends to suffer the fate of being “overplayed” and thus, people may get tired of it after a while.

The title track, Waves & The Both Of Us, continues the barrage of intense aural pleasures. If nudity in movies are justified by being artful, this song that talks about sex is in the same league. This eargasmic piece takes on the mature theme in an affectionately sincere yet elegantly playful manner. The powerfully sensual and expressively strong vocal work of Charlotte plays a huge role in bringing out the evocative nature of the track. It's an instant classic.

A metaphorical take on a twisted love affair merrily prances with the track Sweet Valium High. Ms. Sometimes is not just limited to pretty ballads; she makes solid rocker tunes as well. This track is quite intoxicating and is intrinsically a crowd pleaser. The melody, like the drug it draws its metaphor from, is very addictive. It wouldn't take long to make every listener dance to its groove.

One of my instant favorite tracks is an old J. Poland & The Pilots original, Ex Girlfriend Syndrome. This upbeat track, that wildly takes me on the up and up, is so hard to resist. If you thought Sweet Valium High was exhilarating, then prepare to ride the giant wave in this rocked out version of Ex Girlfriend Syndrome. While the chorus is made up of the same words sung over and over, it never really takes away from the experience. I simply adore the little nuances in the vocal work of Charlotte in this track. Just marvelous!

Male gibberish takes on center stage with the song AEIOU as it is metaphorically represented with the vowel sounds. Who really cares if she vocalizes “U” as “Ooo?” The song is just as playful as the way she sings the lyrics. I really have to give credit to the eccentricity of this track that is highly accentuated with the impressive vocal work. Without a doubt, this track is quite easily a crowd pleaser as well.

While not an in-your-face catchy tune, the song Toy Soldier works well as one that grows on you with every listen. The song is both bright and punchy. The drumbeat breathes life on this one. The vocals sometimes take on a conversational style, marking the versatility of Charlotte's voice.

A sly grin is painted on my face as I hear the next track, titled This Is Only For Now, play - knowing that I just uncovered another gem. I love how aggressive the acoustic guitar track is. The rest of the instrumentation falls in the right places coupled with a strong vocal presence. Truly a rocker!

I'll put both In Your Apartment (also a JP&TP original) and Build The Moon in the same category of slow groovy heartbreak ballads that are intensely emotional. These two tracks showcase an entirely new dimension in Charlotte's vocal prowess. We've heard her rock and sing upbeat ballads, and now we get to hear her croon. In Your Apartment starts with a gripping buildup that delivers a sucker punch by the choruses as she belts out, with such confidence and bravado, impeccable high notes.

Another slow-burn track that will never let go once it grabs you, is presented with Army Men. As a favorite of the songwriter herself, this track proves its worth after repeated listens. I love the palm-muted strumming of the guitar with its succeeding upstrokes by the chorus. This track, that served as Charlotte's picker-upper, is one of the most important songs that she has written during her high-school years.

Perhaps running out of the catchy tunes, Pilot closes the album with a bit of a downer. A bit of electronic sound is introduced this time. The song did not really reel me in until I heard the acoustic version that she performed in her KGRL FPA Live Session, which is more solemn and much more effective in drawing out emotions. Check the video below to hear what I mean.

The verdict is out. I'm in love with Charlotte Sometime's first offering. With just one song flying under the radar, Waves & The Both Of Us is easy to recommend. If you are into alternative-pop/rock, then it is mandatory for you to experience this record. It may be classified under Pop-Rock, but allow me to classify it under Pop-Crack instead.

Buy Waves & The Both Of Us on iTunes (Click Here)!

Buy Waves & The Both Of Us on Amazon.com (Click Here)!

Tracklist:

Losing Sleep
How I Could Just Kill A Man
Waves And The Both Of Us
Sweet Valium High
Ex Girlfriend Syndrome
AEIOU
Toy Soldier
This Is Only For Now
In Your Apartment
Army Men
Build The Moon
Pilot

Charlotte Sometimes Photos

Play Slideshow!

KGRL FPA Live Session - The Alley Studio 08.18.08

KGRL proudly presents another wonderful webisode of our FPA Live Sessions, this month featuring Charlotte Sometimes. The streams can be viewed using our embedded flash player. We do hope you enjoy these wonderful exclusive videos shot in high-def video and audio. There is also a 720p (1280 x 720 resolution) high-definition video of Charlotte Sometimes' single, How I Could Just Kill A Man.



And remember, those of you who support the station by donations can request a copy of the DVD. Click here for more information on how to obtain the DVD!


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Ex Girlfriend Syndrome	Waves & The Both Of Us	Pilot
AEIOU	How I Could Just Kill A Man	Army Men

*How I Could Just Kill A Man performance is available in 720p High-Definition WMV-HD format.
Click here to view this video in HD!
(Warning: File size is 80Mb and requires WMV codec for Mac and Linux)