GOOGOLPLEXIA

|            |            |            |       With his electric banjo and ukulele, accordion and trombone kazoo, Robert Severson has crafted Saint Louis, Missouri's Googolplexia into a one-man outsider vaudeville. Severson stomps, claps, and gurgles into the disparate, cobwebbed corners of American music and sometimes beyond. Song to song, Googolplexia swings between styles and strategies, evoking Elvis, Belafonte, Whitney Houston, Gene Austin, Andy Kaufman, The Ink Spots, Yves Montand, karaoke, opera-from-scratch, improv comedy, Shakespeare, Smokey Robinson, gypsy, calypso, bal-musette . . . ; but whether it's a song about a giant monster fish, heartbreak and working fast food, his beloved Volvo 240, or even an off-the-cuff cover, Severson's crackling, three-steps-ahead wit and pyrotechnical phrasing give the songs beating hearts. Expect screwball theatrics at their most hand-embroidered. Welcome to the online realm of Googolplexia, winner of the RiverFront Times music award for "Best Solo Act," MMXII (here's the sweet Mike Appelstein write-up from the nominations). You really can't go wrong with some good old-fashioned sloppy pop and goofy music. Don't miss any Googolplexia St. Louis events, and don't be afraid to head back to the St. Louis music scene page for more Pancake Productions music. Check out the links below for more information. Said links are named accordingly!