Miz Metro and the Make-Believes
Frank's Lounge
Taking the Express to Past, Present, and Future
by Lauren Sison
Lately, the music industry has been overrun with prepubescent child actors who switch between their Mickey Mouse ears and their $500 designer mini skirts. Whether or not any of these kids (and I do mean kids) have any talent is up for serious debate. What isn't confusing is the cookie cutter, bubblegum style pop with which they spout less than cultured lyrics. Gone seem to be the days where we listened to music that not only made us feel good, but also made us connect to ourselves and each other. Enter Miz Metro. Pay attention, you're now reading about New York City music's new queen.
Walking into Frank's Cocktail Lounge in Brooklyn for the Nu-Soul Series night last Saturday, I thought maybe I was in the wrong place. Though not a townie bar, it seemed a little too chill for a rock show. Dim candles lit cozy tables in a long thin room that ends in an unexpected mini stage with dripping twinkle lights. A group in the corner sat relaxing, joking, awaiting the crowd. A leggy brunette with knee-high boots and her hair piled on her head bustled around, directing traffic on stage as band members set up equipment. There was no way to label her style of dress, no signature look as seen in stores or magazines.
The same can be said of Laura O'Reilly aka Miz Metro's music. With a voice somewhere between Fiona Apple and Gwen Stefani (if either lived in the 40s), and inspiration from Etta James to Lauren Hill, Miz Metro is strikingly retro, modern, and something completely new all at once. As the band did sound check, I realized how full a sound I was about to experience. Miz Metro's band, the Makebelieves, consists of Allan Mednard on drums, Sean Lewis on bass, Matt Meade on Guitar, Henry Jeria on keyboard, as well as Alex Violette on sax and Robert Ball on Trombone. Including brass into the band enriches the melting pot of Miz Metro's sound, filling out the rock, funk, soul and reggae with jazz, blues, and ska.
After an intimate performance by Tim Dillinger and company, a NYC singer known for his four octave range, patrons were reminded that they had quite a show yet to come by enthusiastic MC Fiona B. So many independent artists have trouble finding their way from the studio and rehearsal room to the stage without looking a bit like a deer in headlights. Miz Metro, all sass and stage presence, matches any 10 year veteran of the industry, exceeding most in professionalism. Not even a few minor technical issues seemed to trip up her smooth performance. Miz Metro and the Makebelieves kicked off with “Who's That Girl?” using the call and response tradition common in hip hop along with a high energy ska beat.
There is no question that she feels her music heart and soul. Anyone can wail out a tune, but a true artist believes in their own lyrics and what they have to say. Some songs such as “Love is a Show” are personal, alluding to a lover who tried to convince her they were in a casual relationship but “don't think I don't know that love is a show/ and I'm playing the fool/ don't think I don't know that my love is a show/ 'cause I play it for you.” This jazzy blues tune also includes a rap section, performed by Crosby. But do not mistake Miz Metro for one of those singers whose main subject is love and relationships. Many songs like “T.V. Land” bring up social issues, tellings us “everyone wants to be on T.V./ but nobody's dealing with reality,” “instant gratification is all that we want” and “our freedom of speech is being taken away/ we better start playing instead of getting played.” Saturday night's performance also included the introduction of a whole new song never done in public before called “Lunar Eclipse,” a psychedelic song exhibiting more of Miz Metro's songwriting range. Quick and witty, this songstress never stops pushing herself to create and recreate.
The band itself is a well of talent as well. Her voice and their music blend and move together. A great show is always best when all those participating are of one mind, and that one mind was all about knocking the socks off anyone in ear shot. Saxophonist Alex Violette in particular impressed all present with his bold jazzy improv. Each band member got a chance to show off in their one cover of the night, “Summertime,” which was a perfect choice for O'Reilly's vocal abilities and she really brought the Miz Metro style into it. There really needs no other words than her own that night, “It's completely me, and I'm everything.”
You can't choose just one aspect to commend her on, be it the well developed lyrics, her mature sound and voice, or the way she and her band are able to play with rhythm and beats like no one I've ever heard. You can compare her to Gwen Stefani or Amy Winehouse, but really she is the next step on the evolution of not just female musicians, but music as a whole. And what better place than New York City, diverse in so many ways, to inspire an eclectic artist such as Miz Metro and her fabulously talented band, the Makebelieves. “Watch what you say/ 'cause I'm here to stay.”
(To view article with photos go to:
http://www.bebrazen.org/reviewmizmetro001.html )
