OutGrabe's Reviews
San Jose, CA
FEB/MAR 2000
This six-song release from San Francisco´s Outgrabe is a highly polished eclectic work of art that transcends musical genres and stylings. Overall, the musicianship is topnotch. Outgrabe has the ability to sound like LA punk legends X at some points and Heart at others. The two harmonizing vocalists of the group, Christopher St. John and Chloe Calaveras, intertwine their complementing roles with a smooth and dark twist. The guitar work of Peter Morley ranges from Andy Summers type flanges to Romeo Voidish tones while providing the band its third weapon.
The tracks "Love Me" and "Sweet Dreams in the City" are standouts with the latter displaying the electric dulcimer skills of St. John (could be wrong, it could be Morley on a whole other instrument but it sounds like a dulcimer). Outgrabe is a band who you don´t see much playing the circuit. If the band is able to reproduce their studio quality in the clubs, they´d really be a force on the local music scene.
ZERO MAGAZINE
San Jose, CA
July 1999
Locals Outgrabe have forged a niche for themselves in this vast and varied Bay Area music scene. It would be a daunting task to pigeonhole this lot, as there isn´t much else on the market quite like them. Their style seems influenced by 70´s prog-rock, traditional folk music, and a bit of the 16th century Renaissance. The music on this disk evokes visions of dragons, kings, and court jesters, making even the most rigid of Trekkie blush. (Jim Kaz)
EXPRESS: The East Bay´s Free Weekly
Oakland, CA
April 23, 1999
If Renaissance English minstrels used buzzing electric guitars and borrowed heathen ululation, they might sound something like Outgrabe -- if they weren´t burned as witches first. (Sam Hurwitt)
