Band:
Miranda Lee Richards, Rick Parker, Kirk Hellie, Matt Mayhall, Kevin Stevens
Influences
Sigur Ros, The Beatles, Bob Dylan, Cocteau Twins, Debbie Harry, The Velvet Underground, The Pretenders, John Lennon, Dusty Springfield, Nico, Opal, Bat for Lashes, Spacemen 3, Mozart, Beethoven, Gorecki, The Doves, Brian Eno, Pink Floyd, Mazzy Star, Joni Mitchell, Marianne Faithfull, Led Zeppelin, Patti Smith, Kate Bush, David Bowie, Sandy Denny, Eva Cassidy, Gillian Welch, Nick Drake, Air, The Left Banke, Anonymous 4, Donovan, The Rolling Stones, The Arcade Fire, Pablo Neruda, Emmy Lou Harris, Aimee Mann, Joan Baez, Nina Simone, The Beach Boys, Big Elf, Wilco, Serge Gainsbourg, Edith Frost, White Magic, The Pixies, Fleetwood Mac, The Byrds, Jackson Browne, The Moody Blues, John Cale, Purple Wizard, Teenage Fanclub, Black Sabbath, Frida Kahlo, Uma Thurman, Galaxy 500, Rachel's, The Molecules, Zero 7, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Jose Gonzalez, Anne Lamott, Eva Cassidy, Anne Briggs, Aretha Franklin, Sufjan Stevens, Iron and Wine, Marjorie Faire, Winter Flowers, The Hidden Cameras, The Bird and the Bee, Feist, Lavender Diamond, Magic Mirror, The Great Lake Swimmers, The Left Outsides, Fleet Foxes, Beach House, Papercuts, Bright Black Morning Light, Dead Meadow, School of Seven Bells.
Sounds Like
Nothing you've ever heard and everything you've ever heard at the same time... How original!
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" The follow-up to her 2001 debut evokes her Cali dream-pop heroes Mazzy Star, although Richards' music is airier and poppier — think of it as freak folk with just a schmear of freak. ‘Life Boat’ is a big, warm hug with dub effects, pedal steel and hash-den tambourine; ‘Mirror at the End’ sports a chorus big enough for Sheryl Crow. Delivered in a pure, unblemished voice, even the sad songs are comforting…”
--Will Hermes, ROLLING STONE, February 19, 2009
“California country has always been as much about evoking a magic-hour atmosphere as the genre’s traditional strum-and-twang. Richards’ new album, Light of X, is as beguiling and witchy as Joni Mitchell but also dripped in reverb, distant pedal steel and Richards’ tender alto.”
--LOS ANGELES TIMES --SUNDAY (Show preview), February 9, 2009
"The soft but assured vocals of Miranda Lee Richards cast a glow upon the delicate, 60's inspired folk-pop on her new CD, LIGHT OF X (Nettwerk). The chiming guitars, strings and piano shine with a melancholy dreaminess, and so do Richards's lyrics. (‘Finally, there's something/I can hold onto that isn't broken’)."
--Scott Frampton, O (THE OPRAH MAGAZINE), February 2009
"Miranda Lee Richards, has veered from the trendy norm.. The singer successfully channels her hippie-princess vibe through wah-wah pedal steel and lithe soprano, resulting in retro-leaning, Baroque folk-pop perfect for a lazy Sunday afternoon. X reminds us, once again, that the creative Mecca Laurel Canyon is not just a place but also a sound and state of mind. "
--Jessica Draper, PERFORMING SONGWRITER, December 2008
“On LIGHT OF X, Richards sounds like a Southern California incarnation of ethereal Canadians Sarah McLachlan and Loreena McKennitt, dressing these 12 tracks with warmly swelling melodies; poetic, melancholy lyrics; carefully nuanced arrangements; and smooth dynamics that ebb and flow in a low-key manner.”
--Gary Graff, BILLBOARD, February 14, 2009
“[The songs] are triumphant, even exultant…the songs on this ol’ long-player manage to bridge the gap between melancholy and aw-shucks happiness, like the freedom found in finally letting go of all that once was good to you…Light of X is good when the lights are out and all around is dark.”
--Dan Collins, L.A. RECORD (review), February 2009
“Courtney Taylor from the Dandy Warhols calls my genre ‘Pixie Fairy Dust Chick Music,’” Miranda Lee Richards laughs, from her home in Los Angeles. “But I think another fitting description for "Light of X" might be ‘Psychedelic Chamber Folk Rock.’”
Richards grew up in San Francisco, the daughter of Ted and Teresa Richards, stars of the underground comics revolution. Her father created The 40 Year Old Hippie; her mother was one of the founding editors and contributors of Wimmin’s Comix in the 1970’s. “Growing up, I got the message that if you do what you love to do, money will follow, just not a lot of it.” It was a very Bohemian upbringing to put it lightly.
Richards played in school bands, but never considered music as a profession until her senior year of high school, when fate offered a unique hand. Her best friend began dating Kirk Hammett of Metallica, and Hammett taught Richards a few songs on guitar. “As soon as I knew how to play, I started writing and everything came together for me. Eventually I got a piano to expand my musical repertoire.”
Richards recorded her first demo in Hammett’s basement studio. Dave Deresinski, the then manager of the Brian Jonestown Massacre, passed the recording along to singer Anton Newcombe, who asked Richards to sing with the group. Shortly thereafter, Ondi Timoner began filming the BJM for her seminal documentary DIG! (2004). In one scene, a hiker observed the all white-clad members of The Brian Jonestown Massacre and friends gathered on a mountain top location. “Excuse me,” he asked, “is this a cult or a photo shoot?” Miranda then candidly replied, “Honestly sir, I don’t know the answer to that question.”
Richards had since moved down the coast to LA to further pursue a music career. “I played clubs and open mics while I worked odd jobs and made demos. A mutual friend introduced me to Rick Parker (producer/musician who went on to work with BRMC and The Von Bondies), and we’ve been working together ever since.” After recording a few sets of demos, she signed with Virgin, and began tracking her debut, The Herethereafter.
The Herethereafter (credits include Jon Brion and David Campbell) enjoyed critical acclaim, and a heavy film and TV placement history allowed her to play music full time. Since it’s release, Miranda has collaborated in the studio with Tricky, Tim Burgess (Charlatans), Neil Halstead (Mojave Three), Joe Firstman, and The Shore. She joined The Jesus and Mary Chain for the West Coast leg of their 2007 tour, singing duets with Jim Reid on “Sometimes Always” and “Just like Honey.” In the fall of 2007, she toured the UK in support of a vinyl single, “Life Boat”, on Sonic Cathedral; in early 2008, she supported Tim Finn (Crowded House), and in late August she supported Neil Halstead, both on solo acoustic tours. The Early November EP was released digitally November 4, 2008 on Nettwerk Records; the full-length sophomore effort, "Light of X", is due for worldwide release February 10, 2009.
"Light of X" is moody and introspective, the kind of music to play while you’re getting dressed up at night, sitting by the phone, and waiting for it to ring. The album fairly shimmers with folk, country, psychedelic, and even classical influences. Richards and Parker assembled a top-notch group of players including Eva Gardner (Mars Volta, Tim Burgess) on bass; main drummer Keith Mitchell (Mazzy Star); Ben Peeler (Wallflowers, Shelby Lynne) on pedal steel, and Josh Schwartz (Beachwood Sparks) on guitar. Rick Parker produced, engineered, mixed, and played guitar on the album; Richards composed the material (including string arrangements), and played acoustic guitar, piano, and organ.
As a songwriter, Richards has an uncanny knack of finding the diamonds in the dust of every day life and the relationships within. She’s able to look at an average moment and describe it in a way that transforms it into something much more profound, a talent evident on every tack of "Light of X". The album balances Richards’ beautiful, close to the heart vocals, with music that has the wide open, spacious feel of a desert sky or an empty church. Call it Ambient Americana, or Richards’ self coined term ‘Psychedelic Chamber Folk Rock’ if you like, "Light of X" is an album full of love and loss, desolation and salvation, both moody and comforting.
HEY "MIRANDA" WHAT YOU UP TO. I HAVE HAD YOU AS MY FRIEND FOR A SHORT TIME NOW. BUT YOU HAVE NEVER SENT ME A COMMENT. HMMMMMMMM. DO YOU RUN YOUR OWN PAGE? WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU LOVE Tj
Miranda: I had a great time last night at your show. Thank you for the autograph. I hope to see you again in N.Y.C. or even more closer to me in New Jersey. Best of luck on the new CD. Cheers Michael
I was at the Largo for the first time at the end of February to see John Doe. Too bad you werent playing around town that week. I would have been great to see you. Chicagoan's first trip to LA. Had a great time, cant wait to come back. Love your new album.
Just sent in my vote for 'Lifeboat' to Radio 2 ... "Pick'n'Mix Favourite: MIRANDA LEE RICHARDS - LIFEBOAT I tracked down her first album 'The Herethereafter' after connecting on myspace - she writes fabulous songs, and deserves a wider audience ;-) TP Starry Eyed And Laughing" All the best for the European Tour ...
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