STARK: Press

STARK, The Curse--"Explicit lyrics" and "hard rock" don't begin to cover STARK's full-length CD. Scorching guitar licks, screaming yet melodic vocals, and driving bass lines make this an irresistible CD, but not one you'd want to play at work, especially during the simulated orgasm on "Slut." The CD covers the gamut of feelings a sexually liberated woman feels over the course of a bad relationship from horny to angry to sad to glad-to-be-free. A couple of tracks show the band's softer side and its wide range. Pick this one up if you want to let out your wild child and cruise around with the girls.

STARK--The Curse CD Review:
For all its punk regalia--camo, chains, spikes, and the rest, STARK is more like a Rocky Horror trailer park theme remixed for the now fabled Meow Mix crowd. Leading lady Lani Ford, nursing a serious Chrissy Hynde infection, has got an impressive set of pipes. Ranting female orgasm slut speak, she has the kind of mouth that Tipper would love to slap a sticker over. A little bit honky-tonk, all the way from the Lone Star state, you can take the girl outta Texas...well, you know that rest.

The Curse CD Review:
STARK featuring Lani Ford has style. Lani has a wonderful, deep sexy voice. This is a knockout CD. Rich and heartfelt that reflects her cool Texas heritage. You can hear a wonderful twang in the painful lyrics. "The Curse" brings it all home. A definite must in any sound station.

STARK live show promo:
There's nothing subtle about STARK. Led by Texas-bred, New York-based singer, songwriter and bassist Lani Ford, who called S.A. home while working at KONO. The trio plays all-out brassy rock. STARK's "The Curse" includes songs such as "White Trash R & R Diva", "Wrong Guy" and "Slut" that won't get aired on commercial radio (or non-commercial radio, for that matter) but will fire up crowds.

The Curse CD Review:
STARK's Lani Ford must be one of the most honest people walking the planet today. Her lyrics are penned with the intimate abandon that is usually reserved for one's diary. With STARK, she transforms these personal reveries into emotionally charged Rock'N'Roll. Alternating between the sneering confidence of Chrissie Hynde and the mournful soul of Patsy Cline, The Curse weaves a tale of loneliness, heartbreaks and one-night-stands like the jukebox Country in a desert highway dive. Somehow Lani has mustered the courage to reveal her innermost self, a rare trait within the egotistical realm of Rock'N'Roll. More power to her.

STARK's CD "The Curse" begins with raw garage band tones that quickly make way for well-produced punk rock ala early Pretenders and Patti Smith. Front-woman, Lani Ford, writes and sings with conviction and disdain for her surroundings, whether crooning about relationships or shouting about the graphic sexual reality that splatters with angst and power in track 2's "Look at Me". She unabashedly self-incriminates without fear. In track 3, "Slut", Ford describes her line of exploits with honesty, "i don't eat pussy goddamnit, i just keeping thinking about all these guys". STARK rises far above any female fronted punk rock band we've heard because Ford and company push the paper-cutting envelope so far that your tongue bleeds with the pleasure of honest raw rock and roll. The result is exaltation in the effort. So refreshing. Track 7 is an anthem for a part of the country that hasn't really had a song to brag about. "White Trash Rock and Roll Diva" is a tasty bit of tacky, 'i got no class, and you like my ass, but before you say what i think you're going to say, i don't need no boys, i just chew them up, and when i'm done you know i'll throw you away, cause i'm a white trash rock and roll diva'. In track 12, "Summer Girl", Lani starts with sweet vocal interpretation in a massive change to country/rock story-telling. The lyrics stay punk and it's our favorite on the record. She describes a girl she gave a ride to one summer day, "baby in her stomach may not make it til next week and as i drop her off i noticed...thanks for the ride man i really needed a lift today, i wish i could pay...i'm homeless and i'm manless ain't got no shoes upon my feet...and when i go to hell i hope it's somewhere further from the heat". The final and title track is a perfect musically disturbing ode to alcoholism, hate, and jealousy as Ford describes the shame of five generations, 'the curse, it's my inheritance you see. .it's got it's stranglehold on me'. STARK scores big with the entire offering, as they push real rock music, raw punk music, blatantly right music, in a space and time where the attitude is hard to find.

STARK Live Show Promo--"In a nutshell, if you combine Joan Jett and Shania Twain and a dash of NYC attitude, you have Lani's vocals. Meanwhile, Josette with her Les Paul just plays some of the best licks I have heard."

I should have known Lani Ford and Stark would be difficult to quantify. I only just became aware of the band after some chance small talk with Lani who was tending a bar my girlfriend wanted to check out in NYC for the tacky tiki decor. The CD mix she had going ranged from Motorhead to Janis Joplin. So it probably shouldn't have come as any surprise that Stark's CD, "The Curse" could be equally described as raunchy, sweet, sneering and soulful. The sound hovers somewhere between punk, country, blues, pop, folk - never quite settling on any one for long enough to become cliche. There's some very solid musicianship and production value, yet there's also a "garage band" feel that makes it sound like you're getting in on the ground floor of something about to break bigger. For my personal tastes, the tracks from six on are my favorites. Less shock-value punk and more articulate yet never losing that defining raw edge that ties it all together. Brutally honest and real - worth the time to listen!

Typical ! I love New York City...I love the place, the food, the buildings, the people, the attitude, the vibe, but most of all, the music scene.
Noo Yoik has, to me anyway, always produced the best bands, and Stark are no exception to that rule. Fronted by the very talented Lani Ford, by day TV personality, by night, hard-rockin' bass player with one of the coolest acts on the scene. 'Put it to your head' is the brand new offering by the band, who also include in the line-up, Josette on guitars {on recording only, now Joe Hogan} and Sweet Rob Endemann on the sticks. The subject matter of the songs is complex and deals with life issues, love, drug addictions, dreams and just about every emotion available to your average person.

Track Listing :
18 Again
I Pay [ Man In The Moon ]
Dreams Come True
OH NO!
Nothing's Wrong
Co-Dependent
This Day
Reliably Disappointing Relationship
Disturbed
Butterfly

Opening chords of '18 Again' just make me wanna strap on a Les Paul, crank up the Fender Twin and join right in with them! Josette certainly rocks out with the best of 'em, with a sound reminiscent of Johnny Ramone's wall of sound, but with a delicate side as well. The lyrics aren't just your average 'throw-away-garden variety' too, they are well thought out, catchy Power Punk at its best. '18 Again with Malicious Intent, so many stories I don't need to invent' kinda sets the scene here. 'Dreams Come True' has possibly the greatest line ever written - 'Kelly ended up with the guy Kate was S'posed to marry, they have a little black dog and a brand new baby, Kate lives uptown in her high-rise apartment, she does alright as a mid-priced Dominatrix...' wonderful!

The CD slides into the darker side of life with the matserpiece that is 'Co-Dependent' which delves deep into the agony and ecstasy of true love and relationships with someone that is unable to help themselves and ultimately it falls apart. 'He needs drugs, and I need him' kinda tells it all. There is an underlying sarcasm in some of the songs, witty and creative. 'Reliably Disappointing Relationship' keeps the theme with its ' I dig, our reliably disappointing relationship, we just get drunk and talk to everyone else all night'...ever experienced that?

The best track is always a hard one to pin on any collection of songs, but if I had to choose, it would be the 'suzi Quatro'-alike 'Disturbed' with its 'if you like drinkin' drivin' say Yeah, YEAH!' chorus and ramrod guitars. This would be quite easily the song that gets any crowd whipped into a frenzy! The CD ends on a light note with the excellent 'Butterfly' hammered out on an acoustic, again dealing with personal loss.

The band have just completed a short UK tour to promote the CD, and we caught them at two of their London shows. Look out for that in next month's Soundcheck, and for readers in NYC, look out, they're headed back real soon with some shows in the city!

Well recommended listening!
Chris

Find out more about Stark by going to their Website / Myspace
http://www.starknyc.com
http://www.myspace.com/stark

For photos and 18 Again playing while you read, go to website

http://wildysworld.blogspot.com/2008/02/review-stark-put-it-to-your-head.html

Stark – Put It To Your Head
2007 Kicking and Screaming Music

What is a mild-mannered traffic reporter to do? A certain amount of angst builds up delivering the same messages of gridlock day-in and day-out in a major metropolitan area such as New York. Stark leader Lani Ford takes out her frustrations on the New York City Indie scene with great effect. Stark's 2nd studio release Put It To Your Head evokes Courtney Love at her finest as well as the finely tuned angst of Green Day. Ford is joined for this release by guitarist Josette and drummer "Sweet Rob" Endemann. The sound morphs from CBGB era Punk to straightforward rock without losing a single identity, which is quite an accomplishment.

"18 Again" is a fun romp that will get your feet moving and looking for the pit. "I Pay" is the track that most evokes Courtney Love, and is a highlight. Other highlights include "Nothing's Wrong", "This Day", "Disturbed", and the acoustic version of "Butterfly". The secret of Stark is that if you strip away the amplifiers and attitude, they can really play and sing. This is a very talented young power trio who with the right breaks are destined for big things. Check them out, and if you're in the city go see a show!

Rating: Buy It Soon!

You can learn more about Stark at www.myspace.com/Stark or www.starknyc.com. You can purchase Put It To Your Head at www.cdbaby.com/cd/laniford.

Wildy Haskell
Wildy's World
wildysworld.blogspot.com

Stark ist die Band um Lani Ford, die sich ansonsten als Verkehrsreporterin beim Sender Fox 5 ihre Brötchen verdient. Stark ist möglicherweise eine Art «Ausgleich» zu ihrem Job? Auf «The curse» merkt man dem Trio, zu dem auch Dylan Grewen und Greg Schiff gehören, einen Punkhintergrund an, obwohl der nicht durchwegs dominiert. Die dreizehn Songs sind roh, kurz, spartanisch, kommen schnell ohne Federlesen zur Sache (gilt auch für die Nicht-Punk-Songs). Das Trio erinnert zuweilen an Legal Weapon, die frühe Patti Smith oder X. Leider rocken nicht alle Songs so aufregend wie «Look at me» (So viele Männer aber meine Finger machen es in 30 Sekunden: Selbstbefriedigung und so), «Wrong guy» («Look at me» verwundert da nicht mehr) oder «White trash R&R diva». Und wenn sie dann mal nicht rocken, sind leider auch nicht alle Songs so tiefgreifend wie «Summer girl» oder das bedrückende «The curse».--,

Translation (by Elke Nominkat):

Stark is the band around Lani Ford who otherwise brings home the bacon as traffic reporter for Fox 5. Stark is possibly the "balance" to her daytime job? On "The Curse" one can tell that the trio - Dylan Grewen and Greg Schiff are also part of it - comes from a punk background, which isn't always dominating though. The thirteen songs are raw, short, spartan and get to the point immediately (this goes for the non-punk songs as well). At times, the trio recalls Legal Weapon, the early Patty Smith or X. Unfortunately though, not all songs rock as exciting as "Look at Me" (so many men but my fingers do it in 30 seconds: masturbation and such), "Wrong Guy" (no wonder that there's a song like "Look at Me") or "White Trash R&R Diva". And if they're not rocking, their songs are sadly not as radical as "Summer Girl" or the oppressive "The Curse".

"STARK's new release 'Put It To Your Head' hits with a bang—sometimes hard, sometimes gentle, always rockin'. Streetwise tunes that will have you smiling, raunchy guitars and a kick ass bottom line. This one comes on strong and then goes for broke, the perfect soundtrack to your insane life. Listen up wasties…they've got what you need, when you need it!"

"Next up is another Lower East Side mainstay: STARK. Every year, in describing her band, I run the risk of falling all over myself: I'm so taken by front person Lani Ford's stage presence, songwriting and her band's otherwise tight delivery, Rob Endemann is a good friend (and former Baghdaddio--and I'm damn proud to say that!) His drumming is the glue that holds the whole ship together. And what can you say about Josette on lead guitar? She just leaves the room breathless. Finally, Lani has the unenviable task of not just fronting the three-piece rocker but in providing the fluid bass lines and keeping all the vocals straight. This she does with the ease of a seasoned vet--which I guess, now, she is. Her 'Rock 'n Roll Diva' off their first album 'The Curse' is already an underground Village classic. And from what I've heard of her latest disc, STARK, like a fine wine, continues to get better as time goes by. You would think that a bartending and waitress staff that had heard live music for over 10 hours would have been sick and tired of hearing bands by now. But as a testament to the sound and talent of the group they were clapping along with the near-packed house that had assembled by this point."

"It finally arrived! The long-awaited follow-up to STARK's 'The Curse'. It's called 'Put It To Your Head.' Lani Ford, along with her bandmates Josette & Rob have put out a ROCKIN' CD. It was engineered by Joe Hogan, so you know it's gotta be top notch…Josette showed up 5 minutes before show time but was up on stage and ready to rock and rock she did! This girl can shred on guitar. Rob's drumming and Lani's bass move the songs along the songs' placement in the set made for a thrilling aural experience! Lani's lyrics continue to show different sides of her and keep you coming back for more…Go check them out in your local [bar], while you [still] can."

“Lani Ford, the nucleus, bassist and vocalist of STARK, has returned with a new album of introspective, personal songs about life in the urban soap opera of Manhattan. She has a new band, too…who only serve to improve the sound established on 2004’s ‘The Curse’. From the Ramones-style opener, ’18 Again’, through to the closing emotional catharsis of the acoustic ‘Butterfly’, Ford takes us on a journey of the world as she sees it, along with her dry cynical commentary on the day-to-day drama. ‘I Pay (Man in the Moon)’ pairs Arabic scales with mournful Delta blues lyrics. ‘Dreams Come True’ describes intertwined dysfunctional relationships with the insight of Lou Reed but without the contempt. Rock ‘n’ roll should be this good.”

“On the surface of it STARK (sometimes referring to themselves as STARKnyc) are typical New York tough chicks, boasting aggressive guitar work and closely observed tales of junkie love (‘Co-Dependent’, ‘Nothing’s Wrong’), rendered in the Courtney-sucking-on-shrapnel rasp of feisty frontwoman Lani Ford. Opening track ’18 Again’ is a near perfect exercise in this sort of angst-ridden Babes In Toyland/Betty Blowtorch inspired punk, but delve further and you’ll find that beneath the harsh exterior ‘Put It To Your Head’ has a heart of golden melody, in core blues and country inspired songs which if anything cut deepest with their sneaking attack of sly hooks and poetic sensibilities.”

“Three years on and STARK are back with a new album and this really does kick ass! Both lyrically and musically this is much tighter than their debut ‘The Curse’. That break has certainly given Lani Ford food for thought and with those life experiences and changes in the band will certainly guarantee this is one of the best albums I’m going to hear in 2008. Opening up with the potent ’18 Again’ this album steams into wicked songs such as ‘Dreams Come True’, ‘Nothing’s Wrong’, ‘Reliably Disappointing Relationship’ and ‘Disturbed’. Lani Ford doesn’t mess around here and for me has got to be one of the best artists to come out of NYC. Not only do you get a great album musically but the production is top notch and packaging is the tops too. It’s great to read Lani’s lyrics too—even if you don’t like the music I’m sure you’ll love how she writes. Yes, check this baby out."

“Catchy straight ahead rock mixed with punk overtones…STARK, a trio who hail from NYC have a new album out aptly called ‘Put It To Your Head’. All the songs are written by Lani Ford who at times sounds a lot like Bebe Buell [the author’s favorite artist]. Besides vocal chores, Ms. Ford plays bass…My personal favorites are ’18 Again’ and ‘OH NO!’ All the songs are good and I strongly suggest you check them out yourself.”

“STARK first formed in 2003. Fronted by the luscious Lani Ford, a girl of many talents, 'cause not only does Lani sing lead vocals and play bass in the band, but she also does the traffic report on Fox channel 5. STARK hail from downtown Manhattan, New York. The line up consists of Lani Ford, Bass and lead vocals, Sweet Rob Endemann, Drums and backing vocals, and Josette on guitar. However, for this UK tour Josette unfortunately couldn’t make it, so STARK’s Producer and Engineer ‘Sonic’ Joe Hogan has stepped in. The band are over here promoting their new album ‘Put It To Your Head’ released on January 26th 2008, and featured in Volume One of Soundcheck. Their influences range from such a diverse sound from The Deadboys to Janis Joplin. Lani likes to refer to the bands sound as ‘Punk-try’. Tonight they rocked the legendry Punk Haunt 'The Hope and Anchor' in Highbury Islington with their old school punk songs and lovely melodies to an appreciative crowd. Lani, looking so much like a young Suzi Quatro, rocked with the band through a set of high charged good old fashioned Rock 'n Roll tunes. Songs such as '18 Again' are reminiscent of early Blondie, whereas the melodic 'Co-Dependent' and 'Dreams comes True' bring on a more mellow rock vibe to their set. They were tight and bright. Lani and the rest of the band send out a happy vibe which comes across to the audience. You could see people were really having a good time. As well as that, I have to say that STARK are one of the nicest bands I've had the pleasure to meet!! Check them out NOW at...www.myspace.com/STARK.”

“This album has been out for around four years now but still worth picking up as there’s some good tunes on here from Lani Ford and Co. This is raw NYC sleazy Punk/New Wave being played with passion and you can hear that in songs like ‘Look At Me’, ‘Slut’, ‘Wrong Guy’, ‘Beautiful Mistake’ and ‘Summer Girl’. I guess if you’re going to compare STARK with any bands I would agree that crossing the Pretenders with Patti Smith is the nearest you’re going to get. However the music STARK play isn’t blatant copying and the same can be said of the lyrics too! STARK stand out as their own people and rightfully so. Certainly an album worth tracking down.”

“CD Release parties! The best one so far, this year, has to have been for STARK’s new release, The Curse. Lani Ford bounced back from an emergency appendectomy with energy and life to spare, giving a really burning performance. If Debby Harry had been there she could have satisfied herself that the rock music she believed in was in good hands. Lani’s Mom and Aunt were there, and took the ambient raucous silliness in good fun, even taking pictures when I gave the Mighty Afrodite Salute during “White Trash R & R Diva”. (What? It was appropriate.) They went through their set like a hot knife through butter, coaxing and pushing the audience at the same time, and giving us a fision of sweaty, cheap beer, dance hall future to come, with as much ready, hard rock as we could listen to. What else can you say about a band that is so inspiring that Banana Fish Zero shows up?…It was a great night, and thanks to the CD, which was well engineered and really captured the character and soul of STARK, I don’t have to worry about passing on the experience to future generations.”

“Lani takes her band over to London & Leeds for a whirlwind mini tour and hits high notes at the Big Note [Hope & Anchor] in London! Replacing Josette…is Sonic Hogan. A mild mannered guy, until you stick a guitar in his hands and he turns into an animal! Rock out! Amidst cheers and encores, they battle their way thru a hard hitting set.”

STARK! I am a fan! Man... This babe tells the truth and no holds barred. I find her extremely raunchy and it totally makes my wanker wobble, but let me just say that I am only through half of the album and I AM IN LOVE!!! That's of course if I believed in that sort of shit.

The next couple of shows are going to be an in depth listen to this rock band. And it is rock, sure a little of this a little of that all mixed up like thrice fried rice, but ain't that America? This first album is no doubt not for the youngsters and those who can't handle words like fuck and pussy and shit like that. It's not what you would call real intricate or complicated song structure, just real. So the next couple of shows are going to be a STARK Fest where I review each song on its merits or lack thereof.

All of the new shows are going to be something like this format, but you never know... I might just play a bunch of shit and never say anything like 99% of these other Internet pretend radio shows do. It's my show, and I can do whatever I want. If you don't like it... GET YOUR OWN DAMN SHOW! You ain't paying my ass anyway, so shut the fuck up!

STARK - Put It To Your Head (ww.starknyc.com)
A delightfully crunchy’n’punchy 10 song explosion of pleasingly raw’n’raucous punk rock sass and spirit, this album really gets your blood boiling and your ass shakin’ with its boundless go-for-it vitality and fierce, aggressive, yet still melodic sound. Lead singer Lani Ford growls out the sharp, stinging lyrics with deliciously sexy’n’snarly aplomb. The grinding guitars, churning basslines, and jackhammer drums ensure that the snappy tempos and driving beats never let up for a minute. All the songs shake, rattle and rumble with substantial flair and gusto to spare; highlights include the rousing opening track “18 Again,” the ferociously kickin’ “Nothing’s Wrong,” the chilling “Co-Dependent,” and the wonderfully thrilling full-throttle scorcher “Disturbed.” Things quiet down and end on a beautifully touching note with the lovely acoustic ballad “Butterfly.” An excellent and very impressive album.

STARK-Put It To Your Head (independent)
STARK hails from New York City and they play no-nonsense rock and roll. The band consists of Lani Ford on lead vocals and bass, Josette on guitars and Sweet Rob Endermann on drums. In opener “18 Again”, the band already shows off some great action. Think in the direction of THE PRETENDERS and THE RAMONES to get a good description of their sound. Yes, it’s that filthy. In “I Pay (Man In The Moon)”, they take back some speed. “Put It To Your Head” is already the second album by this band, which proves that they are very much capable of writing catchy and ‘easy-on-the-ear’ rock songs. No matter, if it’s a song with a punk rock attitude, like the great opener, or one with a more melodic edge. The album contains ten new tracks and runs for about thirty-five minutes. In “Oh No”, I definitely hear the influence of THE PRETENDERS again, which they can take as a big compliment. The mix of pop, rock, punk, country and soul will easily appeal to many music fans out there. The melody is there, the vibe is good, and some of the songs may even sound right on national radio. A song like “Nothing’s Wrong” may not be suitable for radio airplay maybe, but that makes it even more interesting for dirty rawk and rollers like ourselves. A job well done on this one! “Co-Dependent” and “This Day” are uptempo again, and also “R-D-R”, which stands for “Reliably Disappointing Relationship” gets a nice groove by Lani. While “Disturbed” brings back the punk attitude of the band. I decided to turn up the volume a bit louder on this one, just to let some sweat out. The name of BLONDIE comes to mind hearing this song. “Put It To Your Head” closes with an acoustic song, called “Butterfly”, where the name of HOLE popped up in my mind. STARK is a name to remember, if you like a fresh mix of different styles, topped with raunchy guitarwork. Sometimes sleazy or punky or at other times modest and melodic, yet always with a good vibe in every song. Website: http://www.starknyc.com. [8 points out of 10]

Stark is an odd sort of punk trio. Lani Ford sings lead over fast guitar rockers, but her voice is far too sweet for down ‘n dirty punk rock. Put It To Your Head is this act’s second full-length CD, and one possible reason why Ford sounds a little too refined to be a true punk is that she is a Fox 5 traffic reporter and a WPLJ New York DJ.

Songs like “18 Again” are short, sharp shocks of sound, but this group also knows how to slow down the mood. “Butterfly” is sweetly acoustic, while “Dreams Come True” has a nice little shuffle beat to it. The act’s guitarist is also a female, which makes it two-thirds girl group I guess. Guitarist Josette is also a fine player, which she reveals with her nice solo during “Dreams Come True.”

In a few instances, the group takes on social issues. One such example of this social conscience is “Nothing’s Wrong," which addresses those who are in denial about their drug habits. Drugs also enter into “Co-Dependent," where Ford sings, “He needs drugs, and I need him, there is no way that I can win.”

When Stark keeps things straightforward and simple, they’re at their gutsy best. When they follow “Reliably Disappointing Relationship (R-D-R)” with “Disturbed," which includes explicit lyrics, they sing politically incorrect words about enjoying drinking and driving. Of course, they also make it clear that these are the opinions of a truly disturbed person and not the band’s actual perspective. But the song’s fast ‘n loud playing finds Stark being true to themselves artistically. Even the acoustic closer, “Butterfly," succeeds. Not because it abandons punk sonics, but because Ford has a naturally pretty voice – one that can handle a ballad, such as this one, quite easily.

Stark gives mixed results because the band tries to do too many things well. It would have been more enjoyable had the group just played up its garage rock instincts from start to finish. When Stark thrashes without any hesitation, Put It To Your Head becomes a wild, good time.