CD review: I Wanna Be Famous, by Jessica Delfino

Jessica Delfino
I Wanna Be Famous

Jessica is a NYC scenester who appears to take her cues from the early-mid-1990’s DIY fanzine and punkrock movement. This lady’s music is surprisingly listenable. Open this great little CD and inside you’ll see she’s reading a tattered copy of THE ANARCHIST COOKBOOK at what looks like a coffeeshop table and looking off into the distance thoughtfully. Most of the tracks are about or cover sex in one form or another, although it may depend on what your definition of sex it, and in one song she even describes in intimate detail her requirements for a prospective suitor before inviting any candidates to come see her after the show.

In another song she sings about her desire to be famous even if she has to kill someone important to achieve it. The CD sleeve insert is a foldout lyrics sheet which on its backside is covered with a brightly colored painting of a topless, rollerskates-wearing Jessica riding a large white unicorn. She appears to be menstruating through the fabric of her lime green hotpants and onto the horse’s back, while leaving behind a drab gray “Factory” (it says so on the wall outside) and passing a roadsign that indicates she’s leaving behind rapists and Chinatown, love and war, and heading towards Fame and Vermont! Its detailed psychedelia is reminiscent of those paintings I used to admire that I’d see in Time-Life books by institutionalized schizophrenics wherein they’d describe the world inside their head.

Although this music is part of the lunatic fringe of alt rock it’s actually very listenable. Jessica has a great voice, capable of sultry lows and also holding soaring high notes and then fluctuating back down the scale seamlessly. Her guitar strumming demonstrates that she can either be a great one-woman show, which might be her favorite choice to play as, or be in a band. If I remember correctly Jessica said she went on a book or music tour (both, maybe?) with SUCKDOG frontwoman Lisa Carver (Drugs Are Nice) because she was recommended to the socially conscious alt-writer and former teenage prostitute as someone who “would totally” pee on a pizza. How that skill could come in handy on a music or book tour I’m not sure. You can email her through the website listed below if you want to ask her about it… But if you’re in the Northeast and can catch Jessica Delfino at one of her many shows I suggest you do. I don’t think she gets naked but a performance of her music will make it an evening to remember. I really like this CD. [jessicadelfino.com] BY