Music

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[MUSIC]

A Fruitful Endeavor

With its eclectic mix of influences, Punk Lady Apple is one of St. Louis’ most exciting new acts

Written by DELIA RAINEY

As a new band, Punk Lady Apple proved itself early on. he five piece group played nonstop shows this past summer, uic ly ma ing a name for itself in St. ouis’ pun and roc scenes and establishing a clear voice, with tough yet sincere vocals on ueer love and an invigorating rush of pun , alternative roc and .

“It was super sweet from the very beginning,” lead songwriter arris illiams says of the St. ouis music community. “ he band was received so warmly from the start. Everyone just held us up from the first show on, which inspired us to go on the summer run that we did.” ed by illiams on rhythm guitar and lead vocals, Pun ady Apple is a dream team of talented instrumentalists. here’s Madison annon on bass and Native Sound ecordings owner David eeman on drums. ead guitarist esse Edmister has been in other local bands over the years, including current project uc y Shells. Elexus Adams, on keytar, keys and bac ing vocals, is also a professional jazz pianist. lthough “pun ” comes with the name, Punk Lady Apple has an open mind about genre.

“We started as a punk band when I was writing more pun y songs at the start of the project in 1,” illiams explains. “I was very protective of that label and wanted to retain being a pun band, but to be honest, we’re more of a roc band in general.” he band’s members attribute its sound to a combination of eclectic influences Sade, Oasis, Mariah arey, ran Ocean and Dead en-

Punk Lady Apple released a four-track self-titled EP in October. | VIA THE BAND

nedys. Its ever shifting composition styles all have an energetic passion in common, as does a pun song and an song.

In the past, Williams had done some solo work as a rapper and producer. She and annon had been scheming to ma e music together for uite some time but never got around to it. The opportunity to collaborate finally came in 1 at the local scene’s annual alloween cover show. illiams, annon and dams won over the audience with their covers of ’ s girl group .

Williams used that momentum to bring her friends together to form Punk Lady Apple, promptly playing their first gig at a house show in November 2021. The band has been playing fre uently ever since, feeling right at home at local venues such as the Sin hole, eavy nchor, Off roadway and various DI spaces.

Pun ady pple’s songs came from illiams’ decision to focus on guitar again since learning the instrument as a child. She began writing guitar based songs and lyrics in mid and brought structural ideas and demos to Pun ady pple’s band practices in 1. In uic succession, those songs grew into recordings. Pun Lady Apple released its debut selftitled EP this past October, recorded at eeman’s well established local studio, Native Sound ecordings, in south city. he four trac s on the EP each highlight the different strengths and styles of the band, complementing each other and standing alone. “Paramour” is a grooving song with tropical eys and echoey, brooding guitar, as illiams’ hypnotic vocals serenade “I’ve got no girls today / just you and your weight.” distorted, throbbing guitar solo turns up the psychedelia a notch, edging out of the chorus and ending the song dreamily.

The listener will wake up when trac two, “Steppin,” comes on, jolting into a tough and hard mood “I’m stepping on names / I’m stepping on facts.” his is a confident pun roc song, unafraid of negative space to emphasi e slamming noise, with lyrics about being a frea y bitch, a “rainbow with the rats.” he spitting verses and instruments step bac and forth li e boots on pavement, then free-fall into a wonderfully di ying shoega ey segment of eys and sound.

“ ome Dear” offers the most da ling melody of the EP, drawn up and down by illiams’ guitar and dams’ spar ling eys. he lyrics about apartment drama switch bac and forth from tension to the verse’s carefree, smooth energy, then illiams’ screaming clashes out on the last refrain “I just ripped the carpet off the fuc ing floor.”

Pun ady pple’s genre shifts continue until the final trac , a tribute to old school and soul, with a cover of Otis edding’s “ hese rms of Mine.” illiams’ heartfelt voice yearns in bursts against guest instrumentalist Sam olden’s rising violin, ending the EP with an earnest call for letting love in. his emotional tenderness is what the band is all about, according to illiams.

“ his music is about being soft and vulnerable,” she explains. “Even when we’re playing a rager, we’re probably mad or dissatisfied because we were hurt or let down in some way. Staying connected with vulnerability and poetry is sort of the point of the music we’re doing here.”

Pun ady pple is about to celebrate its one year birthday at Sorority ouse on Saturday, December 1 , after ta ing a well deserved gig hiatus. he band has been wor ing on new songs, hoping to record again in the near future. s it transitions from the “new band” label to a more established St. ouis act, it will be exciting to follow Pun ady pple’s fruitfulness.

“I thin our sound is still getting sharpened,” illiams says. “ lways with a pun spirit, though.” n

STAGE

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e Rep’s production charms for the second year in a row. | T. Charles Erickson Photo

[REVIEW]

Serious Holiday Magic

e Rep’s A Christmas Carol pulls out all the stops to create wonder and holiday cheer

Written by ROSALIND EARLY

A Christmas Carol

Written by Charles Dickens. Adapted for the stage by Michael Wilson. Directed by Hana S. Sharif. Presented by the Rep through Friday, December 30. Times vary. Tickets are $23 to $92.

AChristmas Carol, like The Nutcracker, is a Christmas standard, and the Rep (Loretto Hilton Center 130 Edgar Road, Webster Groves; 314-9684925) has brought back its production from last year, with all of the concomitant thrills and delights. The show is just as sure to get you into the Christmas spirit as wearing an ugly Christmas sweater while drinking eggnog under mistletoe: That’s how Christmas-y it is.

Based on the novella by Charles Dickens, the story follows miserly Ebenezer Scrooge, who runs a counting house with an underpaid clerk named Bob Cratchit. Cratchit has to beg to get Christmas Day off because Scrooge does not believe in charity, even at Christmas.

The bah-humbug-spouting Scrooge is then famously visited by the ghost of his deceased business partner, Jacob Marley, who warns him that he better get right with Christmas or he’s going to be fettered in chains for the afterlife. Scrooge is then visited by the spirits of Christmas Past, Christmas Present and Christmas Yet to Come, and he finds the true meaning of Christmas.

But, of course, you already know the story of A Christmas Carol and Tiny Tim and “God bless us, every one!” You’ve probably even seen it or read it. Maybe more than once. But the Rep’s AChristmas Carol is worth the effort to attend, not only because it has fun concessions such as hot chocolate, specialty cocktails and flavored popcorn but also because the show is a lavish production of a feel-good classic and imbued with wonder. The Rep, in other words, brings the magic.

In this version, dancers from Big Muddy Dance Company and others twirl, flip and fly around, while ghosts, furniture and more rise dramatically from under the stage. Rounding out the magic are beautiful costumes and sets, falling snow and shimmery bursts of confetti.

The cast includes Guiesseppe Jones, who as Scrooge takes us through his transformation from self-important grouch to generous mensch who wants to host Christmas festivities for the first time in his life. Bob Cratchit, played by Armando McClain, is immensely relatable as he nicely and deferentially tries to convince his bad boss to let him have a day off. But, certainly, the funniest character is Michael James Reed doing double duty as Mrs. Dilber and the ghost Marley. Mrs. Dilber offers the right punctuation of humor throughout a sometimes-heavy story, and Marley’s entrance to the stage steals the show.

Of course, A Christmas Carol is nothing without kids. The ensembles — led by youth director Adena Varner with choreography from Robert Crenshaw — shine whether the kids are rapping, dancing, singing or being Victorian-era street urchins.

Though A Christmas Carol is a familiar story, this production makes it new again. n