PUPPETS
OF
CASTRO

"Niblock's poetic instincts are sharply evident in the way his
expressive voice attacks, caresses, and interprets Lorand's lyrics."
---Pasadena Weekly

"...a lot of depth...witty, intelligent pop."
---OC Weekly

PUPPETS OF CASTRO (Catalogue No. TRCP 1307), the new project fronted by singer/songwriter Andrew Lorand and poet/vocalist Matthew Niblock, brings together two of Los Angeles' most respected artists in one of the most anticipated recorded works to be released by Trough Records.

Lorand, whose songs have been recorded by such folk stalwarts as Emily Kaitz and Kristina Olsen, decided to try something new when recording his latest collection of songs. His 1997 release, "Location Location Location," earned the praise of critics and folk radio programmers across the country for its inspired mixture of humor, pathos and passion. His followup effort has been eagerly awaited ever since.

Searching for a new sound for his next project, Lorand sought out longtime friend and collaborator Matthew Niblock, of L.A. alternative folk bands The Clear and Superman Loses the Girl. With an unrivaled range and beauty, Niblock's voice is as distinctive as it is stunning. With Niblock's participation as the new project's primary vocalist, PUPPETS OF CASTRO was born. The resulting CD, a captivating combination of Lorand's quirky/funny/sad--and always catchy--songwriting, and Niblock's unique, often soaring vocal stylings (with a few sung by Lorand himself), is a truly original work.

Whether it's emotional dysfunction (the humorously co-dependent strains of the opening "I'd Do Anything" or the gut-wrenching loneliness of "Talking Like a Fool"), romantic confusion and isolation (the sweetly questioning "Weight of the World," the devastation of "We Had Hope" or the up-tempo "Planet"--which poses the musical question "What if Columbus wanted to show off his vacation slides?"); whether it's tackling difficult subjects such as the crippling sense of loss following a miscarriage (the quietly sad "Piles of Leaves"), talking about blind faith ("Mr. Smith," co-written by Lorand and Niblock), the love between a father and his child (the aptly titled "Extraordinary Things") or just flat-out humor ("Maria," "The Obnoxious Ones"), PUPPETS OF CASTRO keeps the listener involved and satisfied. Lorand's melodies remain as catchy and memorable as ever, made even more so by Niblock's immense vocal range.

As with their previous projects, Lorand and Niblock have surrounded themselves with a stellar collection of musicians and backing vocalists, culled from their longstanding association with many of the finest players and writers in the Los Angeles Acoustic Underground. PUPPETS OF CASTRO is certain to take its place among the year's finest releases.

You will need the RealPlayer® 8 to play these sound clips:

i'd do anything	space and time	maria
mr. smith	we had hope	piles of leaves
weight of the world	girls who look like that	already gone
talking like a fool	extraordinary things	the obnoxious ones
	planet

TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT PUPPETS OF CASTRO, SEND AN E-MAIL TO TROUGH RECORDS , OR SEND AN E-MAIL DIRECTLY TO ANDREW LORAND .

You can purchase "Puppets of Castro" at:

You may also purchase "Puppets of Castro" by sending $15.00 (check or money order only), payable to Andrew Lorand, to
Trough Records, P.O. Box 8174, Van Nuys, CA 91409-8174.

ALSO CHECK OUT THE FOLLOWING SITES:

ANDREW LORAND --Go here to find out more about Andrew's solo work.

SUPERMAN LOSES THE GIRL --Matthew Niblock's current alternative folk project. Click on this link to take you to the band's MP3 site, where you can download songs and learn more about this intriguing assemblage of musicians.

THE CLEAR --The project which earned Matthew Niblock national attention. Visit The Clear's MP3 site to hear for yourself, download songs and purchase its recordings.

CLICK HERE TO RETURN TO THE TROUGH RECORDS HOME PAGE .