Concert Review: Lisa Germano, Knaack Club, Berlin, Jan. 21.

- Tim Mohr

There are precious few rock vocalists who actually sound better live than on record. Lisa Germano utterly transcended her recorded moments during this show in support of her latest album, Geek the Girl. Despite a cold, her voice permeated the club - rich, earthy, full and completely enthralling. Not since Concrete Blonde's Johnette Napolitano have I seen a singer whose live voice could make her studio renditions sound so like fleshless skeletons by comparison.

Lisa Germano (vocals, electric and acoustic guitar, occasional piano) was joined by only one other musician, who accompanied her on bass and guitar. The sparse settings, leaving out all traces of violin and percussion from her two albums, allowed her warm vocals to create a transfixing atmosphere in the sold out club. She seemed genuinely pleased with both the turnout and the response to her performance, and made mildly disparaging comments about problematic American audiences.

Covering material from both of her records, she also made frequent reference to her next album, though she admitted it would probably not be out before the end of the year. The next album will apparently be a loosely thematic piece based on lying or liars, though Henry Rollins is not slated for a guest appearance. The three or four new songs from the as-yet- untitled record melded well with material from Happiness and Geek the Girl.

The new and old songs lyrically sketched a grim, depressing world of antagonism, self-loathing, doubt, and justified distrust. At one point Lisa Germano explained that "People always say I hate men. [bemused sigh] Actually, I think *everybody* is confused and manipulated." The gentle eloquence and often sardonic humor of her lyrics kept the program from descending to melodramatic bathos.

As the concert progressed an increasing degree of spontaneity animated the two musicians. For the second encore, demanded after the lights had already come on, the two had to test chords together before striking into a song. They discussed how to close the night with the audience, opting in the end for "Cowboy" from Happiness.

The only question raised by such a simple yet powerful concert is Why doesn't she record like this? She is so vocally winsome that it is difficult to see why Lisa Germano bothers to tart up her albums with filler like the Italian folk tune that periodically pops up during Geek the Girl.