Katie Griffin

The GATE CD release review May 2003

CD Release Party

Friday, May 16, 2003
By W. Andrew Powell

When I first heard that Katie Griffin, who I had known primarily as an actress, was about to release her debut CD, I had a few worries. I mean, I couldn't help thinking, "Uh-oh. Will this be like William Shatner's attempt at a music career?"

What I didn't know was that Katie is one freakin' talented lady. When I first featured her as a Babe, I got a glimpse of the kinds of things she was interested in, but she never really got into the whole music thing. Now that I've heard her debut CD, "Kiss Me Chaos", and seen her perform, I'm even more impressed by how many creative endeavors she's involved in, and I can also tell you that all my doubts are gone...

She's one talented chick - and this was one great CD release show!

Obviously, she's got the whole stage presence thing down-pat. For someone who's fairly new to performances like this, she has an easy banter and style that eclipses lots of big-time artists that tour the country. She's also unique in her approach since some performers might make you feel like they're putting on an act, whereas Katie always acts like herself up on stage and makes the crowd love her for every moment she's talking. It's like any good show, the banter isn't a break to the performance, it's a window into who she is and what makes her music tick.

On top of that, she's got a really easy style that sucks you in, even if you don't know the words. Her music just seems so familiar, like an instant classic that you want to sing along with, but it's still really elegantly complex with a wide range of unique pop angles. That's all mixed in with a romantic charm that's incredibly beguiling.

Seeing Katie singing and playing guitar, rather than just acting as the singer, also made me feel like she was deeply connected to her songs, rather than just being the image and voice of the music. A lot of artists flounder when they're just up on stage without an instrument, but Katie's a natural whether she has her guitar or not.

As far as her band goes, I was equally impressed with their style and how well they jived with Katie - especially since they seemed to capture every nuance of her performance and take it an extra step. Michael Kulas, formerly of James fame, is the centre of the bands guitar-driven sound though and he adds the perfect kind of gutsy chords that make Katie's voice, and music, really shine. All the music is definitely about what Katie can do with her voice and the lyrics, but it's the way he frames her voice that actually defines the style, and charm, of these pop tracks.

Just having seen her and Michael perform once, I'm already hooked and ready for their next show, but seeing them perform was also the perfect compliment to listening to Katie's CD, which shines all the more for me now that I've seen what they can do with the music live.

So, I'm telling you - don't miss Katie if you get a chance to see her perform - she's a dream of a singer, and together with Michael and the rest of her band, they make some really fresh pop music together.

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