Low Cut Connie and the Art of Restraint

Low Cut Connie has been slowly garnering a cult following since 2011’s Get Out the Lotion, winning fans over at their high-energy live shows where front man Adam Weiner plays the hell out of his piano, “Shondra.” Weiner is a true showman, leaving it all on the floor whenever he performs, strutting through crowds with a microphone in hand or pelvic thrusting atop Shondra. Hailing from Philadelphia, Low Cut Connie’s records always maintain a little grime, but have consistently become more polished over the years. Their latest, Dirty Pictures Pt. 2 (along with last year’s Pt. 1) may be their most fully realized collection of songs yet.

Dirty Pictures Pt. 2 finds Weiner practicing a rare bit of restraint. Taking full advantage of his impressive vocal range, Weiner belts out soulful ballads like the stunning “Every Time You Turn Around” and the dark, sparse “Hollywood.” Don’t worry, though. The animalistic Weiner is still in there, getting wild on the adrenaline-fueled “All These Kids Are Way Too High.” He’s still unconcerned with keeping his cool for the sake of being “cool,” and that’s what makes Low Cut Connie stand out: the uninhibited surrender to rock and roll and complete lack of put-on. Weiner came up playing nightclubs – it’s who he is and he isn’t shying away from it.

There are nods to vintage soul and rock, and as with most of Connie’s music, Dirty Pictures Pt. 2 provides endless opportunities for booty-shaking and head-banging. Weiner is a music lover and it shows all over this record. You can hear his interpretation of that old school, New Orleans piano style and bits of retro rockabilly, all wrapped up in a kind of home-grown garage sound. “One More Time” may be the best showing of this, with Weiner dropping into an almost gospel level of power, but studded with all the back barroom grit that gives it an undeniable authenticity. Or even “Please Do Not Come Home,” with its 1950s pop guitar riff and melody covered in just the right amount of fuzz. Listening to Dirty Pictures (both parts), it is easy to see why Connie fanatics can’t get enough.