Cindy Lou Gooden, aka Very Fresh, is a quirky and multi-faceted talent. She spent the last year recording on Ava Luna’s last album, touring with Kino Kimino (Sonic Youth) and Leapling on bass, and prior to that, forming the all-female Pavement cover band, Babement, with Speedy Ortiz’s Sadie Dupuis. She also worked on her third EP to date, 'Hey, it's Me!,' which reveals a songwriter drawn in many directions. Opening track 'California Low,' with its whispered beginning, soon exploding into a '90s influenced guitar-pop chorus, only to settle again into a mellow bridge, sums up well what comes next - although this track is pretty darn out there. Our favorite song here is 'Schedule IV' (streaming), which develops in more linear ways, revealing Cindy's melodic talent and her remarkable voice. Don't miss her EP release show at Shea Stadium on 11.13.

After rewarding singer songwriter Cindy Lou Gooden's lo-fi project Very Fresh with our Record of the Month back in 2010, we kinda lost touch with them. We are glad to see them they are still at it, with a bunch of releases under their belt. Now a quartet, the group put out a two song single in November 2015 featuring Cindy Lou's signature quirky lyrics and '90s influenced melodies. Check them out live at Palisades on April 21st and check out single 'Clean Touch' below.

Cindy Lou Gooden (formerly Very Fresh) is back with a new EP! 'Kitsch Tapes' is a stripped-down, acoustic detour of sorts (CLG sometimes plays and often records with a louder, more abrasive band), commemorative of a prolific summer of songwriting in which several months were spent traveling around the country and crashing with friends in NYC, LA, and various parts of New England. It draws on some perennial influences: Stephen Malkmus and early Dirty Projectors. Everybody says it sounds like Liz Phair even though she says doesn't really listen to her. Cindy Lou will be playing solo at Big Snow Buffalo Lodge on May 15th for Permanent Wave NYC's Hollaback! Benefit. - (as posted in The Deli's Open Blog - post your band's entries, videos, and Mp3s here). The Deli's NYC Open Blog is powered by The Music Building.

Ah, the delights of The Deli's Open Blog! NYC duo Very Fresh posted an open blog entry here a few days ago - we checked out their songs and... we were impressed! "Marker", in particular,  is a splendid song, very fresh sounding, slightly reminiscent of Liz Phair for the honest, fun delivery and the surprising melodic turns, but more chilled and intense - Phair's material was always so: "yeah whatever, this isn't really affecting me at all, dudes..."
This song shows a ton of potential and earns the band's EP "Americana" the Deli NYC's CD of the Month title. Amongst the other tracks we also like spare and dark "On Moot Point", while "The Clientele", which also displays a Barretesque love for unexpected melody twists, would benefit from better performances. Don't miss these guys' live show at Les Poisson Rouge on July 10; they'll be opening for Larkin Grimm, in whose band singer Cindy Lou Gooden plays the bass. Actually, we should write something about Larkin soon too...