Photo Credit: Justin Higuchi
The Moroccan Lounge Los Angeles, CA
Web: annabelleemusic.com
Contact: [email protected]
Players: Annabel Lee, vocals, keyboard, guitar; Zac Pannell, guitar; Dylan Cooper Hayden, drums; Sherome Petty, bass
Material: Annabel Lee is a mix of punk, rock and pop all rolled into one. It is a Wendy O meets Adele who had babies and named them Katy Perry and Pink. The music is high-energy, with twists and turns everywhere you listen. A rollercoaster ride of sorts as Annabel Lee’s vocals resonated throughout the Moroccan Lounge. Her vocals are very reminiscent of Adele, with that powerful delivery that only comes from the gut, and with a Wendy O delivery that keeps everyone on their toes.
Musicianship: The musicianship was very good, as all the players were on queue. The rhythm section stayed on point and that kept the show flowing smoothly. Hayden and Petty are a great duo and the dynamics between them is undeniable. Petty is a very strong player as he made his bass sing with soulful voicings and was complemented nicely by Hayden’s timely thumping. Pannell is a great rhythm guitar player who kept mostly to playing rhythm as Lee turned in a nice vocal performance.
Performance: Annabel is a strong front woman. She has charisma and good stage presence and is extremely likable. It helps that she has a powerful voice that stays in tune, even on the roughest, toughest songs. She kept the audience in the loop all night as she presented a little background at the start of each song. It kept things interesting, light and airy. The rest of the crew did what they were supposed to as they played their hearts out.
Summary: A very good outing for Annabel Lee and her crew. Tunes like “Up,” with its Tom Morello-ish guitar lead, “Alas, I’m A Lady,” with its classic '60s vibe, and “Sarah, Sarah,” with great bass and drum play, kept things upbeat and cheerful. While “Los Angeles” and “All of My Ghosts” kept things real and close to the heart with real life situations in the lyrics, “Patti Smith” stole the show with its bluesy hard-rock presentation that ended with a great crescendo that blew everyone away.
