Cheat Sheet: Morningwood

Cheat Sheet: Morningwood

N.Y. band melds sexy shtick with an '80s aesthetic: Aidin Vaziri | Morningwood is a A New York quartet led by voluptuous 23-year-old singer Chantal Claret and rounded out by a group of music industry veterans, including bassist Pedro Yanowitz (former drummer for the Wallflowers and Natalie Merchant), drummer Japa Keenon (formerly of Cibo Matto) and guitarist Richard Steel (formerly of Spacehog). The group's self-titled debut album was produced by Gil Norton (Foo Fighters). Does the name Morningwood have anything to do with lumber? Er, only metaphorically. So what does it sound like? Morningwood takes most of its musical cues from '80s rockers like Joan Jett and the Cars (with just a touch of the Pixies), while the lyrics to songs such as "Babysitter" and "Body 21" are largely delivered with tongue firmly in cheek. Meanwhile, the single "Nth Degree," in which Claret simply spells out the band's name over and over, has been elbowing Green Day and Nine Inch Nails out of the way for regular airplay on Live 105. Does the song "Take Off Your Clothes" inspire lots of nudity at its shows? Absolutely. The last time Morningwood played San Francisco, at the indie-rock nightclub Popscene, Claret pulled a girl out of the crowd and persuaded her to remove her top. Remarkable? Not really. Claret does it all the time, usually with added straddling and simulated sex. "It's fun," she says. "And educational."