Octopus Head
so-to-soundz (n)
a phantasmagoria of garage psychedelia:
Burnin' with Desire
Situation Opportunist
You've Got That Somethin' That I Want
Just A Little Jam...Please
Do I ?
The Art Of Love
That's Called Life
The Spell You're Under
SotoSoundz first album, Octopus Head, sits snugly in that enviable echo chamber where Roy Orbison meets Grace Slick at a Kings of Leon show and bumps into The Doors on the waaay out.
This is why BMG are giving us free copies of all the old Jefferson Airplane stuff because they think linking to our website will boost their sales.
Octopus Head snowballs with generous reviews, video and airplay - what with a 2 hour radio special on the band in Brazil and that - but we are greedy for more of course!
July 1, 2006 - Top
Album, by Promonet!
Peacework Net Top 20
Reviewers Comments
Octopus Head Reviews!!!
Octopus Head…what is the first thing that comes into your mind when you hear that for a name of an album?
I was not too sure at first but it all became quite clear when I put the CD on and looked at the musician’s credits. Karen Sotomayor is a one-woman show on her new release Octopus Head. She sounds like Grace Slick gone wild, as if she quit the Jefferson Airplane and ran off and joined a metal band, if you can picture that.
Sotomayor has a powerful vocal delivery and plays the guitar as well as any of her male counterparts. The music is a head bangin’ mixture of old school and modern psychedelic sounds. “You've Got That Somethin' That I Want” had me singing right along on the second spin. The guitar work is drenched in feedback and sweat and Sotomayor’s voice makes the track whole, complementing the kick ass sounds of her six-string. There is no coincidence that “The Spell You're Under” is simply bewitching, once again highlighting the around talent that this woman commands while performing. What a great way to close the curtain on some amazing performances for this artist.
There is a real good vibe that runs through this entire CD, I really liked it. This music rocks, it is sexy and I want to keep playing it, which is the whole ball of wax when it comes to good rock music for this listener.
© Keith "MuzikMan" Hannaleck-http://www.muzikreviews.com
http://www.evolvingartist.com/View_CDReview.aspx?ID=353
http://blogcritics.org/archives/2005/02/21/193730.php
http://www.buzzle.com/editorials/2-21-2005-66066.asp
http://www.music-sites.net/articles/show.942.html
http://www.evor.com/muzikman/review_015.html
http://www.articlehub.com/Entertainment/Music/SotoSoundzOctopus-Head.html
Wow, garage rock in the real meaning of the phrase. There are heavy guitars, chunking between chords, what sounds like a cheesy Farfisa organ, drums mashing out a simple beat, everything sounding as if it were on the verge of making a mistake or missing a beat. And I can't help but think of velour pants, hookah pipes, black-light posters, and a dense cloud of incense floating around the room. The fact that Karen Sotomayor is pretty much doing everything by herself makes this disc, well, outstanding I say. "Do I?" evokes Grace Slick in her early days, when rabbits were running around, yet it is Sotomayor whose voice is deep and seductive here. "That's Called Life" reminds me of the Ramones in the way the verses charge out while the simple three-chord repetition hammers away. But it's the opening cut, "Burnin' With Desire," that I keep coming back to. It's raw, loud. I'm glad I heard this disc today. By: Bill Ribas http://nyrock.com/streetbeat/2005/0305.asp#twelve
SotoSoundz:
Octopus Head
Rating by Kangar Radio***
From the same people who brought you Saint this group not only has a Kick Ass sound but is just as enjoyable as Saint. The CD as a whole has that Raw and Roll Sound. I found the music like going through time from the late 70’s sounds of Rock to more modern tracks for this day and age. If you can get a copy of this CD go grab it, It ROCKZ ! Andrew Allan
Situation Opportunist - Artist:
SotoSoundz
With a definite (The) Doors sound to their music, Karen Sotomayor (everything but drums) & E.J. Trbovic (drums), create a dark infectious tune which leaves you grooving by the end of the video! Europe.Real.com
SotoSoundz
"Octopus Head"
(7Arcos)
by Paul Autry
I can't understand the album title. But, I can totally understand the album. The album in question is an eight song release that comes from the mind of Karen Sotomayor, who wrote everything and performed everything with the exception of drums, which were done by E.J. Trbovic. Back when I first started writing, I remember having to listen to a lot of releases that were done, for the most part, by one person. A solo release in every sense of the word. I haven't heard something like this in a long time and, to be honest with you, I was suprised that someone's still into the whole do it yourself thing. I admire that...especially if the person does it right.
Karen's vision, I would imagine, is a combination of garage rock with a 60's, psychedelic vibe which, to be honest with you, is somewhat of a breath of fresh air. You really wouldn't expect to hear something like this in this day and age. For the most part, it's not too bad. There was a song or two on here that I could've done without. But, as a whole, I was diggin' on it. It's cool. But, it's something that I'd really have to be in the mood to listen to. I'll pull this one out late at night when I'm tired of listening to the same thing over and over again. This will be the album I'll use to clear my head in order to get a fresh perspective on what I'm listening to. I don't know if that makes any sense to you or not. I know what I mean and that's all that's important. Listen to the album and I'm sure you'll know where I'm coming from.
http://www.ballbusterhardmusic.com/hard_reviews/07-2005/index.html#sotosoundz
SOTOSOUNDZ “OCTOPUS HEAD": SotoSoundz is a one-woman organization.
Karen Sotomayor is a songwriter, singer, multi-instrumentalist and arranger.
Besides E.J. Trbovic who handles the drums, Karen plays guitars, bass and keys.
Sotomayor is a passionate, powerful vocalist who has been compared to Grace
Slick. Karen has been involved in music since age six. This talented lady has compiled an eight-track collection that melds
classic with contemporary sounds. Her music is a magical brew of 60's
psychedelic rock with funky reverbs combined with modern, alternative edges and
feedback. The CD starts on an aggressive note with 'Burnin' with Desire'.
Scorching guitar leads are layered over a heavy beat and Karen's vocals are deep
and fiery. 'Situation Opportunist' contains perhaps not the most catchy hook
line but it is still entrancing with experimental instrumentation merging into
Karen's vocals that are strong, drawn out and dreamy. 'Just A Little
Jam...Please' is very retro utilizing low, reverb tunings with haunting vocals.
Karen rocks with originality and echoes of the past but is also very modern.
Recommended Tracks: (1,2,4) [USA 2003 -
web]
(Review by Laura Turner Lynch for Kweevak.com)
Review by Amy Lotsberg Producer of Collected Sounds
When I put this in my CDDB it labeled it Heavy Metal. I thought, oh boy, this outta be good (I am not a heavy metal fan at all). But I actually like this. If it's truly heavy metal I might have to rethink that whole thing.
Now, that's not to say it's folk or Adult Alternative, I mean, it has an edge, don't get me wrong. Lead singer, Karen Sotomayor (who, by the way was one of the first women that Collected Sounds ever spotlighted, back in 2000) has a deep, strong rock voice. It sounds almost masculine at times; and even gets distorted on some songs, but goes with the music nicely.
Thought the songs are hard and rough, they are also melodic and fun to listen to if you're in that kind of mood. Put on your leather pants and bang your head a little.
Stand out songs: The Spell Your Under, Situation Opportunist
http://www.collectedsounds.com/cdreviews/octopushead.html
A UFO located between
Nina Hagen, Nico, Patti Smith and Siouxsie Sioux, 100% garage-rock'n'roll.
Distortion, reverb and aggressiveness are the words that Karen adores and
venerates over all. It is a chick who has testicles and which is not afraid to
put them on the table if you see what I want to say! YEAH! - Popingays.com,
France
http://www.popingays.com/article782.html
Extremely psychedelic Retro hard rock, with numerous 60's references like The Doors, Jefferson Airplane and Velvet Underground, all with a modern feel, especially in the style and tone of the guitars. It is very exquisite with a voice so identifiable, entrancing and clear, and a great deal of individuality and personality in the performance. - Rock Brigade, Brazil
Octopus
Head - SotoSoundz
By: Wednesday Elektra
Singable, enjoyable, all out rock sounds escape from the confinements of this amazing album. It caught my attention right away which most albums don't. I don't really know what it is about this album that I find so utterly enjoyable! It has this almost psychedelic vibe to it, certain songs actually remind me of this band called Paisley Underground. Its not often you come across the ballad formatted hard-edge rock sound. Maybe that's what initially caught my attention - deep soft ballad like vocals backed by rumbling hard rock instruments. For some reason this band reminds me of a mixture between 4 Non Blondes, Pat Benetar, and Annie Lennox. Overall, it was a really enjoyable album - classic in content modern in format.
THE
CD OCTOPUS HEAD WE FOUND WONDERFUL.
SUBLIME
AND TRUE.
HUGS:
MARKUS
M.
ALTERNATIVE MUSIC IN BRAZIL.
It may simply be a lame fantasy of mine, but I have always thought that it would be great to have a female friend that "ROCKS" and loves to play music. Not just someone that plays a nylon string guitar and sings pretty tunes, but someone that digs Iggie Pop, UFO, The Ramones, and The Scorpions (just to name a few). Karen Sotomayor is just that person as she doesn't play tender love songs. She is as happy with feedback, reverb, and distortion as Ted Nugent. Karen writes music that is 30% energy, 50% experimentation, and 20% excitement. - Charlie Harrelson, EvO:R
Video & Airplay
Vidzone, Video-C, NTL, Blueyonder, Tiscali, UK
2 hour SotoSoundz radio special, FM 145.2, Brazil
Kangar Radio International
"General Electric" WCVF-FM
CIUT-FM Radio, Toronto
Hundreds of PODCAST!
Live 365 Stations!
#1 Evolution Radio, USA
Coquetel Molotov, Brazil
Eufonia 94.9 FM XHTEC, Mexico
Psychic Vibe Bot Radio, Japan
MusicFan.com
Radio Gets Wild, UK
Radio Free Exile, USA
iRADIO LA 91.7 FM
Megarock Radio
Most requested artist, Peacework Music Net , USA
Go Kustom TV, Seattle Wa.
"Kevin McDonald Presents" KKNW 1150 AM Seattle
Oscid, UK
M4 Radio, USA
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