Live Music Review: FrankLee Anatra @ Woodstock

Second Life Live Music Review
Written by Enniv Zarf (RL: Paul Kwo)
Metaverse Music
FrankLee Anatra
Woodstock

4 stars out of 5 stars

Maybe I'm a little biased on this one and even picking this time to do this review. Actually I was going to do it a little earlier today when Frank was playing at Freestar Bay. But I was so distracted dealing with some stuff and writing another article for the site which I'll release in a little bit. That article needs to be proofread and polished before I can publish it.

Well I found that he's playing at Woodstock tonight so I decided to stop by and review this. I wanted to review both FrankLee and also woodstock, but I wasn't going to review FrankLee when he plays at my gallery tomorrow. I will not review anyone's performance at my gallery. That would be too biased.

Now with this website I feel like even who I hire is going to be judged! I actually hired all my musicians this month before I started this website and I would say I was just like any venue owner, did very little research. But I rarely hire anyone anyways and when I do it's usually only because that person does something really different to showcase that, or I needed to refer someone quick so I just rely on my friends recommendations.

I heard FrankLee a long time ago when...

...he first started out in Second Life. I thought he was good but that was about all I thought back then. My friend Delinda Dryssen whom I think I've mentioned before was the one who recommended him to me. So I just went with him. But comparing what I remember back then and now, FrankLee really have grown a lot and sounds pretty darn good today. I am not much less worried tomorrow about him performing at my gallery!

Frank sings both originals and cover songs and is also a musician in real life. But he defintiely sings a lot more covers then original since I don't believe he has that many originals to begin with and I haven't heard them sung live yet. But I could be wrong. It's a little hard to pay attention to every song in detail sometimes. Second Life is way too full of distractions.

What I do like a lot is Franks sweet voice. It has quality of yearning in it that works so well with a lot of the songs he sings. He actually reminds me of a very famous Canto Pop singer's voice, one of the most important and famous. It has a certain vulnerability to it and it's imperfection is very charming.

He also sings the covers that he does in his own way with his guitar strumming along. His voice is also perfect for 1 AM in the morning. Yes I am like reviewing music all around the clock, trying to catch a wide variety of musicians from all over the world. I don't want to end up looking like I only listen to people from the US. Though I think Frank is from the US. Nonetheless I am trying my best to get a good variety of people.

Frank's uptempos I think are the best. They have a great combination of life as well as a electric energy that drives them forward without ever feeling rushed. It's just something relatable, something real and here. The acoustic sound of his with his wonderful voice is a treat to listen to all hour long that's both fun and engagin.

I don't think of Frank's voice as a top 40's type of voice. It has almost a sort of folksiness to it that changes the quality of the rock songs that he sings, but it is this that makes it rather charming and enjoyable. And I think his performances in Second Life the past few months have really solidified his voice and really made him grow as an artist. It's these kinds of growth that I love to see and I want to also do as an artist myself in Second Life. I feel I have grown significantly performing here and I feel I have grown even more just this last week reviewing now over 40 musicians here. It's really an amazing place with just so much going on and I hope to continue here for a long long time. And I hope the few artists who do eventually break out of Second Life into a huge real life career won't forget us back here and will come and visit us in the future.

Second Look Music Review: Thumper Boucher @ Red Rock

Second Life Live Music Review
Written by Enniv Zarf
Metaverse Music
Thumper Boucher
Red Rock
Original Thumper Boucher Review

This is the first second look I have been invited back to by a musician whom I didn't give the most positive review at first. So here goes...

The first time I reviewed Thumper was at Golden Horn where he was performing his funk style music. My thought was his music was good, very good, but his singing was not.

Thumper sent me his notecard telling me what happened that day, where he pretty much was having the worst day ever and I happened to stumble upon that. So Of course I am going to give him a second hearing. Now admittedly he did tell me that his singing isn't his strong suit to begin with, he's no singer. And so when he was having a bad day, his singing was the first thing to go completely berserk.

He also mentioned that he does a lot of visuals for his concert that was not at the other concert since he was having major real life technical issues.

So I teleported into his concert at Red Rock at 6pmSLT. I couldn't make his other concert time. Just as he said this concert had a lot of visuals that went along with his music. He also sang less too and played more. So this time it is definitely different then the first one and it's definitely much more enjoyable then the first despite the minor imperfection of his voice.

I won't spend the whole time talking about his singing cause there's really a lot more to Thumper then that so I'll just get it out of the way. His singing is definitely stronger then the other day, but there are still some minor intonation issues. This is especially apparent in his lower register where at times is a bit shaky. Though I have to say when he sings all the higher stuff, he's much more on and sounds pretty good when he is. I don't think Thumper is a bad singer, I just think he spends all his time with his instruments and mixing everything else he just hasn't fully 100% polished his voice. Thumper knows he's not a singer and this time it's much more minor and small enough that I can look the other way and enjoy the rest of the concert and everything else that's there, and there was a lot of things there. That's except for his piano/vocal rendition of Seal's "Kiss from a Rose." Well a lot of his bad singing has to do with when he's trying sing those soft stuff with that airy voice. He just doesn't have that in his voice. It only works when he sings solidly without trying to do all that falsetto and airy sound. It just comes off...well I'll just say...wrong. But when he screams and yells and sing with power, he's great! Breath support people, breath support!

Thumper's concerts are a complete experience with both original sounds and visual effects for every song. There are a good amount of variations that goes with his beats and funky harmonies that makes it work well enough to forget the minor vocal issues he has. Today he sounds definitely even better on all his other instruments. It totally is a different performance and one where I felt he was relaxed and comfortable and enjoying the performing himself. I can definitely hear the difference. We all have off days, and that's precisely why I offer the musician a second look. But hey I gotta keep them on their toes and not tell them what I'll review to make sure they deliver every concert just as good as their best one so you can enjoy them too!

I have to say I am really feeling his music and his sound. I really do like what he has to offer with his whole guitar and visual. He rezzed out a giant robot playing a huge drumset, and also a volcano at one point that was spewing lava. I do absolutely agree, why not make our Second Life concert experience something that's truly immersive. Though it is about the music, but it can also have everythign else that goes along with it. Thumper has a good bit of both.

Of course there are the purist out there who thinks all that razzle dazzle is just not right, and it takes away from the music. Lucky for Thumper I'm no purist cause if I am, I wouldn't be in Second Life. So kudos to Thumper for trying something different and giving us a visual experience too.

Thumper's visuals today really does create a fun atmosphere to enjoy a concert in so if you are planning to throw a cool looking party with some funky music that's well produced (since Thumper mixes all sorts of sounds into his music) and impress your friends a little with that, I think you may be able to consider Thumper. He does have some wonderful sounds and excellent music. His sets are very well produced and has great production value. But if perfect singing is what you are looking for, Thumper then isn't right for you.

Music Review: Pmann Sands @ Catcher in the Pie Cafe

Second Life Live Music Review
Written by Enniv Zarf
Metaverse Music
Pmann Sands
Catcher in the Pie Cafe SLURL

Alright, so here's an actual real review of someone whom I am not friends with or anything, so I can be a little more objective. I'm thinking maybe it's time to start writing here with a pseudo name and then I can start really ripping people apart! But I won't, I'm honest and I will stand by what I say.

Well it's actually good stuff here. Pmann Sands got some good sounds to him and he has good originals here today at the Catcher stage. Today is actually a special concert for The World AIDS Day. It's actually very common for a lot of venues to be supporting some sort of charity or cause with concert series and stuff. I am playing later on in December to support the cause of Human Rights too, so we all do it.

Back to Pmann, who is a real life musician according to his own profile. He is the main songwriter for the project "Saint Eves" and is full time in the music industry and it does come across as such.

Pmann's songs are very well written for sure, and they are definitely fantastic rock tunes performed unplugged with him and his guitar. Apparently he is playing today's concert with 4 different guitars. I only wish I can play a concert with 4 different pianos! One day!!! One day I'll have 4 Steinways in my house!!!! Yeah right!

Pmann's singing is also good, but not his strengths for sure. His guitar playing is definitely much more solid then his singing. But still it's quite good though and definitely enjoyable to listen to. The quality of his voice is just great. And he is just very musical. He actually takes his time and enjoy the music. So many musicians in SL just rush through everything, and I wonder where they are all in a hurry to get to. I mean they are at home most likely when they are performing, where are they off to now!!!

But Pmann takes his time, and enjoys his music which then comes across to be something I can sit here and enjoy. And his chit chat in between songs are just as fun too!!! He cracks me up here sitting at home and that is very important. It's almost like listening to a rock star in his living room, a little more mellow, but still pretty quirky. And the way he tells a story is definitely very musician like.

It's very easy to tell when someone really have had a lot of Real Life performance experience and how in control of things they are. Pmann is totally in control of the performance, and he just goes with it. He doesn't rush through anything. He just is and he just performs and takes his time doing it. Even though his singing isn't perfect, the rest of the package works so well that it's just a good old time hanging with what feels like a real rock musician on a quiet day at his home rocking away with everyone!

Review: Zak Claxton @ Triumph Cove

Written by Enniv Zarf
Metaverse Music
Second Life Live Music
Zak Claxton Website
Triumph Cove SLURL

Now here's pretty descent singer with a very down to earth feel to listen to with both original and cover songs. Now I wouldn't say Zak is an amazing singer, but he's alright and his original tunes are pretty nice that makes me ignore the fact that he too have got some occasional intonation issues.

Well Zak draws a descent crowd to his performance with a lot of his original rock tunes which could be heard on his website too. His original tunes are definitely his strengths in terms of performance.

His original tunes are actually pretty charming and along with his voice, it's just a simple treat, which is what I love. I love a simple acoustic feel, nothign fancy, just music, lyrics and a good voice with guitar.

I do think Zak's music does give the listener a good and relaxing feel, and has perhaps a tad bit of therapeutic elements to it.

But still there are some issues with his sustained notes where he's just wavering on the pitch and just a bit shaky.

His cover performances are descent, but I think he does try a bit harder on those and it doesn't have that down to earth feel as his originals do. Though some of his covers are just not

In the end, Zak is a good singer who plays a pretty good and strong guitar and is a good way to spend a part of an afternoon or night to just enjoy some relaxing music in a light setting.

Review: Nick99 Razor @ CLose to the Edge

Written by Enniv Zarf
Second Life Live Music
Close to the Edge

This is not going to be a long review since I just left Cylindrian and came over to Nick. I guess after hearing such a treat, anything less just won't cut it.

Nick99 is a guitarist and singer, though there's not much I can find about him in his profile. Most musicians have a Myspace or something about their music to look up. But not Nick. He's among those musicians with no RL info provided and I always wonder about those and what they are really about.

Well Nick plays a nice guitar and it's fun rock music to hear. But like most other SL musicians, the problem is the voice. Though Nick isn't awful, but there are the occasional issue with his sustained notes where he has this bizarre vibrato kind of deal with it that just sends chill down my spine!

But his voice does have this sort of Dave Matthew's sound which is unique to listen to. It is however a little muddled and mainly just that shakiness in his voice that really is off setting for me. His choice or music is also interesting, has a folksy quality to it. I'm really not sure how to exactly describe it. I'll learn....I'm learning.

Well I'm not going to stay too much longer. I would say if you happen to have time and see a posting for Nick99 Razor, by all means check it out. It's not great, but it's still semi enjoyable as long as you didn't just come off from Cylindrian's concert!