laura burhenn - vox, wurlitzer, miscellaneous keys. collaborators have included: mark lewis (vintage guitars, white noise), dan perriello (back beat) charlie loudermilk (bass), amy domingues (that gorgeous cello), holmes ives (math, universal order), black moth super rainbow (remixology), ira gonzalez (more bass), jamieson tobey (more back beat), j tom hnatow (pedal steel), dagon james (guitars as symphony orchestras), peter mavro (singing guitars).
Influences
we are all that is around us: strangers on the subway, geese in chevron flight, the northern lights, the physics of you and me, electricity, neologisms, long division, the process of becoming, particles and waves at once, big questions with simple answers, pots of tea in early morning fog, poems that spill from mouths all around unknowing, lacuna, the constellations of freckles on your shoulders, knee scrapes and heartaches, coincidences and mistakes (if you believe in them that is), power and politicking, water in all its forms, string theory, stillness, messness, uneasiness, scribbles on napkins, graffiti on walls, black and white, colour, big canvasses, small films spooling from one reel to the next with a single beam of light passing through it, chinese fortunes, and most of all: you.
Sounds Like
just as my fingers on these keys make music, so the selfsame sounds on my spirit make a music, too. music is feeling, then, not sound; and thus it is that what i feel here in this room, desiring you. [wallace stevens]
musically, laura burhenn is the cure for what ails you. and listening to her sing is much like tilting your head to the sun. lyrically, laura speaks to the loneliest part of you and lifts you up. or she draws you down into the darkest corner and shows you light. "after all," she says, "the light might shine you, but it's the shadow that defines you."
laura came to music early, aiming her mr. microphone into the a.m. radio and turning out songs on her mother's upright piano. and somewhere in the space between her pj harvey, beatles, and nina simone records, laura found her voice. live solo or with her band, laura's voice lilts and soars and commands rooms to silence. layering loops of wurlitzer with waves of lush guitar, laura invites you into her world and lets the songs tumble forth. at the heart of it, though, laura's songs remain simple and strong, her voice, honest and raw.
"laura burhenn is a perfect example of how independent musicians will eventually save the record industry from itself, from the downward spiral of over-marketed throwaway acts and slutty teenagers pandering to lecherous old men. she breaks all the molds of the young, beautiful, aspiring singer, and does so in a way that surpasses many established female songstresses."- the conjecturer
"this is one of my new favorites."- billy zero,
xm radio
aaand if my line waiting doesn't work... i'll just see you in brooklyn the following night. hope things are going well. svet tells me you are one happy lady :)
be back? just checked yesterday that chelsea no 2 is an l. cohen cover. ...sometimes my brain is too slow.... i hope you enjoyed beeing in the old world.i just managed it to listen wanderlust just twice a day...:-)best wishes t.
you know what is funny? i am just sitting here, thinking: should I text laura (is she even textable and back yet)? should I myspace her (it may get lost in the fanmail cavalcade) or email her?
and you send me a "miss you". i miss you too. so so so ridiculous a lot.
I heard you on the radio today. Your voice sounded fantastic! I became nostalgic for those days listening to you play solo piano at the dive bar down the street...
the lovely people in the world remember woolly bears. indeed... they even blog about them. cute. http://susankwilliams.blogspot.com/2007_03_01_archive.html
Hey Laura, It was really great seeing you again last night. Really amazing show. I'm really looking forward to the next one, and catching you DJ (mtv's the grind-style) at Bourbon. Happy Holidays!
