ShadyLady began, esoterically enough, as Simone van Seenus’ solo freeform tapestry of ambient minimalism with a dusting of shoegazer influence.
The Carmel native says her songwriting has taken an unexpected turn, transporting her back to high school, when she was a featured vocalist—and the first female selected—with the prestigious Monterey Jazz Festival-affiliated All Star Band.
If you have been keeping up with Monterey Peninsula’s local music scene in the past year, you know that garage rock is the sound du jour. That’s in part what makes the breathy voice and jazz undertones of Carmel native Simone van Seenus (aka ShadyLady) so unique.
We’re not talking exclusively about her vocal chords. Van Seenus’ haunting lyrics are about love – being scorned by love, being redeemed by love—but are not lacking in maturity. In “Catlike,” she takes the blame.
“I speak the language of a cat… I’ll never greet you at the door.”
Her keyboard and the subtle drumming of Joseph Herzog generate her minimalist sound. It’s worth mentioning that she can extend a note and effortlessly transition it into spoken-word rapping.