reviews

Aversion

Ill Ease isn't the usual type of band. In fact, it's just the vehicle for Elizabeth Sharp's solo work (she's played drums in New Radiant Storm King and bass in Skinner Pilot). Live at the Holiday Sin isn't the usual type of live album. If truth be told, the Holiday Sin isn't a club at all, but a seedy little motel room outside of Atlantic City that Sharp rented to record this album. Oh, and the "Live" part of the title? Who knows where that comes from – Sharp laid down all of the tracks herself in a studio situation with help from producer Thom Monahan (Beechwood Sparks).

That kind of thing is par for the course for Sharp, however, as Ill Ease isn't the sort of band that takes too kindly to the limits of convention. While Live at the Holiday Sin avoids the messier recesses of experimental compositions, it's also not willing to bend and fall into line with songwriting conventions. Ill Ease's sound isn't static, as Sharp sometimes dabbles with electric guitars, sometimes with acoustic ones, while she's not afraid to drag out a piano or xylophone should the need arise (let's not even wonder how a xylophone ends up in a run-down motel room). Because of this, Live at the Holiday Sea has a knack for wandering into everything from mysterious, bass-driven pseudo-lounge ("Jackie's On Acid") to sharp-toothed lo-fi pop ("Whatever Turns U On").

Sharp's eclectic directions on this album may give it a bit of spice, but its sound really centers on her voice. Buzzing like a bundle of nerves, Sharp sounds neither like an angry-at-the-world grrrlie or a sugar-voiced chanteuse; in fact she often sounds as much like a prepubescent skater boy doing his best to sound tough. Throw in songs that are ironically obscene ("Yr. Corporate Sponsor") or fast-forward three-minute dramas ("Jack and Ginger"), and Live at the Holiday Sin's got enough wrinkles in its vocal tracks alone to make it interesting.

Don't check in to the Holiday Sin if you're looking for a nice, clean pop record or a rousing rock album. It's neither, and, really, its challenging, unconventional side may make it a bit difficult to listen to, but then again, that's the source of all its off-kilter charms.

Ptolemic Terrascope/
Careless Talk Costs Lives

Elizabeth Sharp is Ill Ease and her third album 'Live at the Holiday Sin' was recorded at a cheap motel in Atlantic City. You may remember her as the crack drummer in Radiant Storm King and her stick skills are in no way diminished here. Her beats (and loop samples) are ramshackle and not perfectly within their time signature, but it is always recognisably HER signature.

Ill Ease is an apt name as Elizabeth suffers from a neurological disorder which makes certain aural frequencies stimulate the brain. She does grooves obsessively until they become the Sister Ray of lo-fi electro, when the repeat riffs kick in you imagine she's found her frequency and her brain is getting tight, like the dogs in that experiment which were taught to administer morphine via a foot pedal; they just kept doing it over and over until they died, no matter what distractions they were offered (food, bitches on heat). She has explored addiction before, including, on her last album 'Circle Line Tours' lyrics about a smacked out Ray Charles living in Macon.

Elizabeth's distinctive Polaroid photography and stencil typography made the whole package of 'Circle Line Tours' a joy and it's the same here. The pictures make scale bend, cars on the street look like toys. She has a kind of narcoleptic vocal style, slightly slurred, it sounds like it's always in the process of waking up. The experimental lo-fi agenda is simply the production for great songs too (including 'Motel California'). 'Yr. Corporate Sponsor' shuffles along with conspiratorial whispering whilst 'Ruler of the Ho-Dom' mixes cute tinkly chimes with lyrics like "I shoulda fucked you when I met you" and a glam descend middle eight. We definitely need much more of this kind of thing."

Baby Sue Review

"WOW! This girl's music doesn't just sound unlike all the other GIRLS out there -- it also sounds unlike all the other BOYS as well. Placing yourself in her unique musical territory isn't an easy thing these days, but Elizabeth Sharp (who is the one-man band Ill Ease) sure makes it sound easy. Ms. Sharp was once the drummer for the band New Radiant Storm King. Lucky for us all, she's now out on her own making music. I can't quite determine who this music sounds like. Elizabeth uses some peculiar instruments and even stranger arrangements to get her ideas across. The overall sound is something like a hazy, somewhat distorted brand of pop where there's just enough to grasp onto while still retaining an odd haze of spontaneity... Easily one of the most original sounding artists of the year thus far."

Salt for Slugs

"It's nice every once in a while to receive something that sets itself apart immediately when you first hear it.... There is no doubt that this girl is very musically inclined and has a great voice as well. She basically has gone into a room by herself and laid down track after track and come out with a great record. Her creative use of melodies combined with odd time rhythms and stinging accents makes for a mesmerizing and intriguing rock-like journey."

BB Gun

"FUCK, YEAH! A crunchy sound from a band that is rhythmically centered and bent on creating a unique and modern niche for themselves."

Punk Planet

"Ill Ease is fast becoming one of my favorite "bands" that I have reviewed. I say, "band" in quotes, because I'm not sure if this is a real group or just some sort of studio project. Either way, it's cool. Ill Ease create funky, highly textured music that builds each song up layer by layer until you have some really groovy indy pop music. Circle Line Tours is actually more coherent than their last release, 'Live at the Gate' and seems more like an actual album, with a sort of travel theme going on throughout. Ill Ease do what a lot of other similar groups fail to do, which is pair artistic experimentation with songs that are actually catchy and well written. Highly recommended"

Magnet

"In Sharp's hip-hop, rock-steady world of beats, she breaks and makes rock simultaneously. Like her cover photos, which reveal urban abstract expressionism in rust and peeling paint, these tunes come from a woman overflowing with ideas and a great sense of texture. Her cut-up sensibility never crowds the organic simplicity of the elements. Even her extensive use of maracas defies convention. Think of her as less a quirky confessionalist/lyricist and more a a rhythmic, atmospheric poet. Although the LP was mixed in two days by Thom Monohan (ex-Lilys), the different moods of Sharp's songs never stray from a raw, rootsy feel. "The Suckers and the Players", built on a word riff, is a mellow rap with distorted atmospherics spilling around maracas and a gentle, calm guitar arpeggio, while "Birmingham" masters the bump and grind as its thrash rock foundation. This is rockin' yet trancey stuff, and suprisingly cohesive, with a different tone than any mid-fi name dropping might suggest."

UCLA/Campus Circle

"Ah, the sweet sound of another artist damning the world to hell. Ill Ease, made up of Elizabeth Sharp, Elizabeth Sharp, and well, Elizabeth Sharp, makes the often pain-ridden lyrics of today's artists seem like carnival rides. here's the key: Sharp does it wih creative flair, making her new album, Live at the Gate, a far cry from the violence of pissed off head-bangers, pessimistic folksy female artists and cynical alternative bands. ill Ease's new album is an intriguing expression of old and new hard rock styles, wrapped up in lyrics that slaughter society to little bits. built with low murmurs of rock & roll, moments of blues' beats, and clips of hip-hop, Live at the Gate definitely takes anger to a new musical level.

Playing just about every instrument known to man, and every instrument actually on her album, Sharp demonstrates that she's got some talent. Tinkling tambourines, smooth guitar sequence and spastic drum beats, along with a whole mess of other sounds, propel each song into a mind-boggling neighborhood of distorted classic rhythms. An old antique record scratch underlies each track, giving the album a street-side performer feel. It's strangely charming despite the album's wickedly cynical theme. Sharp taps into an eclectic vein of chords and lyrics that satisfies while it soothes and empowers while it angers. It's rough, and it's abrasive, but above all, it's charged with a rare lyrical and instrumental honesty that takes you back to early American rock styles. Ill Ease may spit fire at society, but she leaves a musical residue that you can't help but find intriguing. And that's a pretty positive outcome, coming from someone who curses the world."

Pop Smear Magazine

Alice Cooper The Life and Crimes of Alice Cooper (Rhino)

Ill Ease Circle Line Tours (Smilex)

Luscious Jackson Electric Honey (Grand Royal)

Mike Ness Cheating at Solitaire (Time Bomb)

Nebula Nebula (Relapse)

Streetwalkin' Cheetahs Live on KXLU (Triple X)

Tom Waits Mule Variations (Anti/Epitaph)

Verbena Into the Pink (Capitol)

Vic Masters Adult Contemptuous (Wondermeat)

Where Is My Mind? A Tribute to the Pixies VA (Glue Factory)

Milk

"Ill Ease is one person, Elizabeth Sharp, who used to play in New Radiant Storm King and is now in Skinner Pilot. This album, Live at the Gate, performed and recorded on eight-track by herself, is more exciting than either of those bands, though. It kicks off with the bizarre, dancey "Walking Pneumonia" which, between verses, encourages the singalong, "Fuck [insert your state here]." For 40 minutes, the record doesn't let up, simultaneously groovy and disquieting. She's someone you'll be hearing more of."

Ptolemic Terrascope

"Elizabeth Sharp...has been experimenting with drums, guitars, piano, and a variety of small shaken objects in a large echoey cavern, creating fascinating rhythms which grab rock n' roll by the scruff of the neck and drag it kicking and screaming...."

ink 19

"Edgy chords, mechanically precise playing of organically complex musical ideas, and an overall sense of not knowing whether this particular song was the result of some off-the-cuff studio riffing of dedicated hours spent tweaking evey last note. "New York London Paris" features a startling marching beat, an insidious Rhodes jingle, and a ton of textured noises, all sitting behind an affected recitation of "New York London Paris Tokyo Rome." Braniac people take note. Also, fans of Blonde Redhead, Beekeeper and other studiously angular outfits will find plently to make Ill Ease their favorite obsession"

Pop Culture Detox

"This album is eclectic to the core. Each track pulls together a bunch of sounds to form some beats. Lay on top of those beats are some rather spoken-word like lyrics. Ill Ease is just Ms. Elizabeth Sharp. She plays a long list of instruments on this album, from the drums, bass, and guitar, to the toy xylophone, vibraslap, and a broken tambourine. Going back to the vocals, I can feel some grrrl edginess in her voice, especially on "Rockerfeller Center." And yes, that is how she spells Rockefeller. Sharp definitely scores points for cleverness and originality for Circle Line Tours."

Alternative Press

"Ill Ease shies away from nihilistic misery. The drums are the focus, with shuffling beats and tinkling tambourines. Extra instrumentation combines with the drumming to create a suprisingly full sound. The lyrics add a cheerful viciousness.... There's always enough variety to keep the listener interested. It's a fresh and unique take..."

Space Age Bachelor Pad

"She's the master of capturing anxiety on vinyl. And is there a season more prone to anxiety than Summer? Sleepless nights, sweltering heat in rush hour, cursing yourself for wearing sandals on the city streets trying to negotiate patches of cigarette butts and broken glass. The music is like one of Sun's proto-dubs brought forward to 1999. Surprisingly, she uses no samplers in creating a deeply layered sound of phenomenal rhythms, and all sorts of warped effects. Drum and bass are foregrounded and fractured in a wholly unique sound. The instrumental backings are how I'd picture dub mixes of glory-era Rolling Stones tracks"

Your Flesh

"Elizabeth Sharp comes off super stoned and standoffish here; she's the one in the corner of the house party whispering sneers at the lame hipsters and hypocrites who invariably surround you. And it's hard not to agree with her when she's making this much sense. Copping some vocal takes on familiar blues/oldies songs ("Hello, won't you connect me to long distance information...") and fusing them with some Beck-like clunky guitar/drum interplay, Sharp ends up with a repetitive yet fascinatingly warm and fun release. Possibly the brightest moment is the tired revelation of "The Suckers and the Players" which simply repeats "I must say, for such a pus-head you sure get a lot of play." This is haunting and strange, but it successfully addresses the average person's daily life better than most of the music people call 'honest' or 'real'."

Chattanooga Free Press

"This disc Live at the Gate was not recorded before a live audience, though it is a catchy title. One-woman-show Elizabeth Sharp is Ill Ease and she plays guitar, bass, drums, piano, xylophone ... you get the point.

Like Cat Power stepping out and doing Royal Trux covers, Sharp moves from herky-jerky rhythms to slower, minimal post-rock with little or no effort.

Most of this is not noisy in the obvious sense of the word, but it's not meant to sound trendy either. According to the press release, early American rock 'n' roll artists are influences. Though some of the influences may nt be immediately apparent, nods to Jerry Lee Lewis and Scud mountain Boys did not go unnoticed.

This may not be for everyone, but anyone with an ear sophisticated enough to regress will pick up on it. It's one of the better records of its kind I've heard in months."

Pulse

"This smooth but deadly indie rock treasure of a CD will sneak itself into your routine. It will bash down your defenses in the strangest ways. Repeated listening may cause one to question the laws of gravity.

Live at the Gate was entirely recorded and performed by a certain E. Sharp on a bender of a four-track/eight-track odyssey that included Minneapolis, Brooklyn, and Northampton, MA. Along with her soft-spoken yet subtley menacing vocals come unexplained noises, crunchy guitars, pounding drums and crazed melodies that appear out of nowhere. My favorite line, found in a track entitled "Hey, Hey Fruitcake" claims "I like moives about weapons of mass destruction". Well, hey -- so do I."

Gajoob

(Circle Line Tours Review)
"Ill Ease (or E.A. Sharp, the roving indie band female drummer) creates alternative hip-pop sketches of New York City complete with junkies, hotels, models, cabbies, slackers and Rockerfeller Center. If you are interested in these subjects (or implied subjects and their matter), you will revel in "Circle Line Tours". Her/their sound (Luscious Jackson with shades of Sonic Youth) is something like a soundtrack to a subway to SoHo.

Splendidezine

"Circle Line Tours mixes the pathos-ridden atmosphere of emo with funky drum beats and weird, stabbing accents, creating a world where you're not sure whether you want to cry or dance, but you're too discombobulated and confused to do either. Sharp's vocals are subtle, slipping unassumingly in and out of the mix with subliminal impact, constantly verging on mumbling. The highlight of the album is the epic "Sick Groove", a 10-minute jangle-funk oeuvre that slides gleefully down your earholes. I'm also quite taken with "Saturday's Crossword Solved"; it's the most hip-hoppy track on the album and also the most punk, but it manages to dispense itself slowly and never loses control. Indeed, control would seem to be the biggest key to the artistic success of Circle Line Tours. Nothing on this disc loses control; the passion is kept within boundaries, like smoldering ashes in a campfire circle that need only provocation to swell up into an inferno. Circle... also wins by having a sound distinctive enough to separate it from the glut of genre-crossing-mish-mashes already on the market. It deserves your attention, if for no other reason than the fact that it manages coherence! File this one under hip, quirky, dark and fun."

CMJ Weekly

"Ill Ease is the latest creation of Elizabeth Sharp, the former drummer of Massachusetts' New Radiant Storm King, and the former bassist of New York's Skinner Pilot. The multi-instrumentalist sings and plays bass, guitar, drums and xylophone. This is an intriguing, personal work by the accomplished photographer, whose work has been displayed at new York's Museum of Modern Art. Some of Sharp's own photos grace the album"

The Bee's Knees

"Another beat oriented record makes this seem like there is a new one girl band revolution going on. In the same manner as Kitty Craft, Elizabeth Sharp or Ill Ease has created a wonderful album of beats and loops with an original flare to it. Don't be surprised when a whole new movement of new girl bands start up after hearing these two girls different albums. What you get is hip hop with an indie song in a lyrical way. Pure good pop with a hip hop flavor. 7"

Thumb

"Cool and spikey beats and off-kilter rythms in crazy times ('ill ease' aptly discribes the lo-fi, down-beat feel)."