Lisa Mychols
Lost Winter Dream and Demo CD (Rev-Ola and self-released, respectively)
By: Ronald Vaughan
Two fine recorded efforts here, from a new name in the music business: LISA MYCHOLS.Hailing from Los Angeles (though her band hails from Richmond, Virginia), she'd been in some lesser-known bands (such as "The Masticators") but now works the L.A. club scene and plays guitar and bass.
Lost Winter Dream is a very nice Christmas record. It's smack dab in the middle of Sixties pop-rock joy; but with some Eighties musical sensibilities thrown in for good measure (not to mention being co-produced and arranged by two of music's finest, The Wondermints; also, Lisa is backed up by some session musician friends of hers.)
This is the kind of party-Christmas atmosphere music that's just right for this season. It's excellent mood music.
Examples of this sound are all over: the quasi-Phil Spector production of "Listen to the Bells Ring", "Lost Winter's Dream" (a good favorite on the "Rodney on the 'Roq" show on Los Angeles' KROQ-FM, what with its Four Seasons "Big Man In Town" classic sound); "Blizzard of Ooh's" dizzying sound effects; "Jack Frost" sung in a foreign tongue (Russian?); "Shows A Lot" with its outstanding 3-part overdubbed harmony, Lisa singing with herself; a cover tune "Pure and Simple"; and the title track reprised as an instrumental (bonus track).
The demo is a great disc, too! Bubbly fresh, 60's Bangles-type sounds, intertwining,fanciful melodies and vocals, clever sound effects, and an old-style (Vox?) electric organ...
Tracks include the upbeat "Rocket To Mars" (again, a favorite on the "Rodney on the 'ROQ" show in Los Angeles); "Gonna Get That Boy" [almost an answer song to the Bangles' "Gotta Get That Girl"]; "I'll Be Your Mirror", a fine cover of the old Lou Reed/Velvet Underground song; "You" (a George Harrison cover song); and, summing up her attitude, "Pop Rules".
This reviewer says: Lisa Mychols CD's rule!
