Vanessa Kafka is not your typical UConn student. After all, how many typical college students have released three albums, and get the opportunity to be the opening act for one of their musical influences?
Kafka is a Tolland native who has been playing guitar since the seventh grade, and wrote her first songs in 10th grade. Kafka has since released two independent discs - 2002's "Eye of the Beholder" EP and 2003's "Barefoot." Her third will be available this weekend.
Kafka's latest release, "From the Backroom," is a five-track collection of solo acoustic songs. One of the common threads through the album is love, more specifically losing love. The opening song "Silhouette" highlights Kafka's brawny, mature voice. Her voice has a bit of a country twang, and though she lacks a heavy Irish accent, her voice on this particular track evokes the same feeling as that of Dolores O'Riordan of The Cranberries. Her voice is strong, and "Silhouette" shows just how much power it possesses.
"Box of Matches," on the other hand, is a quiet tune which focuses more on Kafka's gift for vocal melody, as opposed to the sheer brawn of her voice. Her confessional lyrics are simple, but grip you into listening further.
"I took a bath in bourbon and then came back/and when you're not looking/I'll mix in the prescription/and I'll drug you up ... When love is someone's gift/for another it's a prison"
With such a bold voice, it would be easy enough for her guitar work to be masked. However, Kafka seems to have found a balance that works perfectly for her. She uses the guitar to accent her voice, as opposed to attempting intricate melodies that would overshadow her impressive voice.
"Wondering" is another quieter song from Kafka that is hardly lacking in vocal strength. Her voice resonates through your head when she hits the crescendo of the song. Kafka's voice shines on this track, with deep personal lyrics keeping in the vain of heart-wrenching love songs.
"What if I told you you made me believe that you were an angel?/But I was deceived; you're only human, flesh and bones ... What if I told you that you weren't perfect for me? ... What if I told you that you were an angel?/and I am only human?"
Kafka's voice and lyrics make for an incredibly personal listening experience. Her five-song EP "From the Backroom" shows the intimate side of this UConn student. Her deeply personal lyrics are incredibly easy to relate to for anyone who has had a relationship gone awry. Her lyrics are clever, her voice strong and gripping, her guitar playing subtle and yet captivating. Kafka states on her website that she would eventually like to be labeled as "witty with a hint of mystery." Her confessional lyrics on "From the Backroom" have helped her to achieve just that.
Kafka will be opening for Matt Nathanson Saturday night at Jorgensen Center for the Performing Arts. Tickets are $10 for students, $15 for non-students. Kafka's latest album "From the Backroom" will be available for purchase the night of the show.
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