"You know what they say? New Yorker audiences don't move," says guitarist Nina Diaz midway through Girl In A coma's very good set at the Studio At Webster Hall Friday night, "But we can see you moving there". Nina is quite correct, we are moving, swaying, to the band's mix of punk rock sophisticating into an accomplished modern rock sound.
Promoting their best work to date new album, Exits & All The Rest, the Blackheart recording artists (Joan Jett is in the audience, wearing a gray hoodie; her signature Jett black shag hairdo is back), there is no excuse for this tight, marvellous hard rocking outfit not to break through any remaining hurdles. But on stage there is an excuse, the first half of the song is standard issue punkdom and it is only Ok despite singer guitarist Jenn Alba's power voice working its way from one height to another.
But around a third of the way through, the band begins to expand their sound with a flawed but fascinating cover of "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" Last years Girl In A Coma released Adventures In Coverland and the attempt has lead to a widening of the colors they use. Soon after there is a terrific Spanish song (and then the highlights off the new album "Sly" And "Smart" which go down very well thank you.
Girl In A Coma got the name from the Strangeways Here We Come album, and have opened for Morrissey in the past, but on stage the San Antonio trio seem stuckk in a place and can't wriggle out of it. They are a good, self-assured live band who are in the process of catching up to their recorded sound.
Grade: B
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