The Pussywillows: In Concert (Music/Concert Review)

The Pussywillows: concert in New Brunswick NJ, Court Tavern (6-7-91) The Pussywillows hailed from New York and consisted of three friends, Elinor Blake, Lisa Dembling and Lisa Jenio, who enjoyed singing together in a girl group fashion. With a singing style similar to that of 1960s groups such as The Shangri-Las and The Ronettes, they sang on stage dressed in thrift-store dresses.

A group so little known that even their years of activity are not clear or precise. They say ‘Around 1980 – 1990’!In reality, it must have been even later, in 1987. A very good, energetic trio, but they must have been overshadowed by other bands, such as The Bangles, whose music is very similar. The Pussywillows didn’t leave an album behind. Not one that I could listen to, anyway.

The only track I’ve been able to find on an album is ‘Come On Now’ (which isn’t even on Spotify! ) in the compilation ‘Guerilla Girls: She-Punks & Beyond 1975-2016’ alongside other much better known bands such as Blondie, X-Ray Spex, singer Patti Smith (considered to be the grandmother of punk), The Pandoras, We’ve Got A Fuzzbox And We’re Gonna Use It!!!, Au Pairs, Mo-Dettes, The Slits, Babe in Toyland, L7 and of course Bangles. I love listening to their songs from time to time as soon as I come across them. I really enjoyed this concert. It’s not perfect, there’s a certain lack of control at times (probably due to a lack of work), the vocals don’t always sound very accurate, for example, certainly due to the fact that this group ended up dropping out rather than persisting.

That’s not to say that singer April March, née Elinor Lanman Blake, is no longer active. This American singer-songwriter and ‘lifelong Francophile’ who performs in English and French is widely known for her France Gall/Serge Gainsbourg-based cover of Chick Habit (Laisse Tomber les Filles), which was featured in Jamie Babbit’s film But I’m a Cheerleader (1999) and Tarantino’s Death Proof (2007).

April March is also a writer, illustrator and cartoonist. Her work includes a children’s book and visual designs for The Ren & Stimpy Show, Pee-wee’s Playhouse, Madonna’s Who’s That Girl film and video credits and more.

Since The Pussywillows, she has recorded as a solo artist and contributed to film soundtracks, as well as performing the theme song for the Cartoon Network series I Am Weasel.

My Rating