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Tonetta 777 (Black Tent Press) Toronto, ON ::web/sounds:: |
From the there-is-no-describing-this-confusion of Paul Lawton & Aaron Levin:
Long overdue debut LP from Toronto-based sexual hyperbole that collects material recorded between 1983 and 2009. Tonetta’s recipe for success consists of wasted erotic lo-fi dripping in wet bass, fruity drum loops, and occasional 80′s guitar sleaze; backdrops for his variety show of graphic sexual acts, perverts, prostitutes, drug use, hedonism and occasional political rhetoric. Once a song is recorded, Tonetta dons a costume (g-string, Kabuki mask, demon makeup, etc), takes off most of his clothes, and dances. After the initial sexual overload, a gripping desire to break through the facade takes over. The songs are compelling enough to dive right in and the LP, removed from the visceral overload, allows a new entry-point into Tonetta’s garish existence. As a compilation of material spanning 25 years, the album is one highlight after another, from the soaring 80’s cheese of “Drugs Drugs Drugs” and “I Want to Marry a Prostitute” (which could be a viagrafied Jimmy Buffett song), to the Bowie-esque album standout “I’m Still a Slave.” In the tradition of musical oddities like Jandek, J.T. IV, or more recently Blank Dogs, Tonetta is a mystery best left unsolved. Weird Canada grants this our highest recommendation.
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This is awesome. Do you have anymore info on this guy?
Just what’s on the web! It’s still a mystery!
Hearts,
Aaron Levin
Weird Canada / Cantor Records
http://www.weirdcanada.com / http://www.cantorrecords.com
I love Tonetta, and had no idea he was from Toronto, of all places.
Plenty of worship and Tonetta details (but no mystery solving) over at ILX:
http://www.ilxor.com/ILX/ThreadSelectedControllerServlet?boardid=41&threadid=75089
Nice review. This just came in the mail the other day…never heard of him but after one video I was hooked. It’s almost too much though, I figured it was something like wesley willis, he’s singing over casio demo’s but there is some insanely great melodies. He’s like some kind of silence of the lambs ariel pink.
Awesome.
thank you for doing him justice with a fitting review!!!
tonetta has been at this for so long and it is by the grace of the Lord that he was able to finally see his dedication manifest itself in a record
be sure to order your LP soon, only 500 and then they’re gone
i just got mine the other day and it has really improved the quality of my life
Fantastic. Reminds me of an x-rated leonard cohen with better songs.
Am I the only one you thinks this doesn’t sound too different from Pink Noise and Pradada?
[...] ordered one. They’ve got an MP3 of “Drugs Drugs Drugs” up on their site and Weird Canada has got a rundown and two other tracks. If you are feeling this, your day is over because all [...]
Woah, I’ve been aware of tonetta for a long time, but had absolutely no idea he was in Toronto. I’m glad I’m not the only one who was surprised.
He needs to play some f-in’ local shows. Maybe I can work something out.
I’m so glad this has finally come out, and I’m so glad you wrote this fantastic review, and I can’t effing wait to get my copy in the mail!
this page just came up on Stumbleupon for me. Coincidence? Random? I wonder……