Any indie artist can
easily hit or miss with their music, especially when they take such
bold steps to produce sounds which deviate from any mainstream
formula. For The Primidonnatives, who blend older indie music with a
wall of complex rhythms, their "in the skanky workshop" CD is pure
hit. There are songs that sound can remind one of such-and-such band
if you search hard enough, but the band’s originality is so strong,
especially when coupled with skilled musicianship. There are catchy
tunes like "Wilderness With You", where the instruments almost take on
an assault like quality as the song nears the end, "Allston Boneyard
Blues", and "I Deviated," the best tune on a CD filled with best
tunes. The music shifts a bit for "World of Things", the most bluesy
track where Jic Davis on organ almost does a turn as Ray Manzarak. Mo
Digliani’s vocals are expressive and provide a good blend of humor
when needed, especially on "Corporate Boogie", while his voice also
serves as another instrument when used as a backup on "Snakes". He
sounds like a Boz Scaggs who had been given a caffeine injection,
though maintaining a strong bluesy edge. "In the skany workshop"
deserves a few spins, even if it is just to hear the witty lyrics.
