The Carrots infuse girl-group harmonies with punk rock attitude in NYC

May 29, 2008 at Cake Shop

By Eleanor Whitney
Published: May 31st, 2008 | 8:35pm

Before the Carrots took to the low stage at New York’s Cake Shop, the audience members were already bouncing up and down in their Converse sneakers. DJ Jennifer, co-host of the evening’s dance party, had warmed up the night by spinning a perfect prelude of classic songs from 1960s girl groups. When the seven members of Austin’s neo–girl group phenomenon bounded onstage wearing mismatched, bright red outfits (a vest here, a pencil skirt there, a tunic over there) the usually jaded New York crowd swayed and buzzed with even greater intensity.

Looking like a mixture of new-wave film stars and a high school punk band they began their set with the a cappella “Babies Unborn” that emphasized the vocal chops of lead singer Veronica Ortuno, as well as ukulele playing by guitarist Lace Durant. After such a sweet, soft introduction, the Carrots launched into the more raucous “Ladies of Givens,” featured on their 7”, Doing Our Part (Elefant). The song, like many the Carrots played, featured the classic oohs and ahhs of '60s pop expect and lyrics filled with heartbreak and regret such as “I’ve been a fool, you’ve been so cruel.” Their set also featured cutely synchronized shoulder-shaking between singers Ortuno and Shelley McKann.

On every number, the Carrots attacked their vocal harmonies with the kind of enthusiasm and audacity usually reserved for singers in heavier, faster genres of rock music. Their energy and earnest, bouncy “ba ba bas” made up for the lack of perfect vocal harmonies. The Carrots riveted the crowd with them for their entire set, and many began snapping and clapping along with the band during the breakdown of “I tried to call you.”

The Carrots played on this energy and during their song “Beverly” the instruments dropped out, isolating the five-part vocal harmonies, only to leap back in for dramatic effect. Over this, the ladies pleaded, “Beverly, stay away from me, you break my heart every time you leave.” “Jimmy Don’t Cry” followed, and in the midst of a chorus of expected “whoo whoo whoos” the band segued unexpectedly into “Ring My Bell.” Afterward, Ortuño proclaimed this decision to be “kind of a disaster.” The crowd, focused on shaking their hips and clapping along to the music, didn’t seem to notice or care.

The Carrots closed the set with a much-anticipated cover of the Shangri La’s “Walking in the Sand,” during which bassist Chris Lyons leapt onto his knees for dramatic effect. The song ranged from soft finger snaps to bombastic vocal harmonies and epic guitar work. This range seems to typify the Carrots’ approach to their music and each band member deeply inhabited the drama of the song. Their performance was a delightfully raucous, fresh homage to the much loved girl group genre and one that feels just as contemporary as retro.