As
a southpaw who spawns unique & interesting chords by playing her guitar
upside-down & backwards, Randi Russo never ceases to surprise her
audience. Fans have described her music as both 'sexy & cerebral'
& 'pretty & gritty.' She innately knows how to mix equal parts
of toughness & tenderness in her songwriting & performances. Her
velvety singing style is as equally intense & beautiful as her guitar
playing is edgy & unusual. Her hypnotic, pulsing guitar riffs accentuate
her raw emotions & brutally honest lyrics. As Venus Magazine
put it, 'the intensity of her sound is something to be heard.'
In the past, the press has compared Randi to fellow New Yorkers Patti
Smith, Lou Reed, & Sonic Youth for her chaotic & pensive songwriting.
Now her quieter avant-folk material is garnering just as much attention
for its intensity. Village Voice has said that, 'her guitar playing
is sweet when it needs to be, but nasty in all the right places. All she
needs is one gig opening for somebody like Cat Power, & her fame is
pretty much guaranteed.'
Randi has played high-profile shows (Milwaukee Summerfest, alongside Crosby,
Stills, & Nash) and has toured the US & Europe. She also has been
featured on compilations with some more well-known outsider-folk artists,
such as Daniel Johnston, Jeffrey Lewis, & Kimya Dawson. Also a visual
artist, Randi has had some of her artwork published in underground zines
& displayed in local galleries.
Randi will be releasing her next full-length CD Shout Like a Lady
in the summer of 06 (Big Daddy Distro).