Music of the Sine Wave Variety

Few things make my miserable life happier than when a musician looks at my little blog and thinks, “Hmm, my music might fit there.” Then he or she or they send me a note along with some music and ask what I think. Actually, I’m flattered you’re looking for my opinion.

And that’s from whence comes today’s music. L.A.-based singer/songwriter Leerone sent me a very nice note a couple of weeks ago, complementing the variety of stuff I post here and asking if I cared to listen to her music. Flattery will get you everywhere with me, so of course I agreed. I found her music perfect for a day like today: a Sunday afternoon, lazing around the house, relaxing. I also found a lot of it really catchy; the sort of songs that stick in your head long after the CD is over. But there is a darkness in the lyrics that comes from her background.

Born in the Israeli port city of Haifa, Leerone’s (pronounced Leeee-rhone. Like the “Lee” of Leroy and the “Rone” of Tyrone) family relocated to America when she was still an infant. Growing up, she attended school in suburban L.A. while spending summers in her Middle Eastern homeland. “The experience definitely changed me,” she says. “I think having two homes makes you more open and critical of who you are, because you're more aware of the things that are shaping you.”

Leerone says her world changed when she first heard PJ Harvey's 1992 album Dry. Riveted by Harvey's psychosexual meditations on contemporary romance, Leerone knew her days as a passive music listener were over. “I loved that record, but at the same time I was jealous," she said. “It was killing me. I felt like, ‘I want to do that.’”

Earlier this year, Leerone released her first full-length album, Imaginary Biographies. She described the album as “a cohesive mélange of mod British pop, pianissimo balladry, rococo classicism, minimalist Euro-rock, soul melting love songs, top-hatted show tunes, haunting musique noir, and German opera of the Three-penny sort.” That pretty much covers everything, I think. Less esoteric comparisons might be Fiona Apple or Tori Amos.

“Care for some Whiskey” was more or less the first single from Imaginary Biographies. It’s also the song that hooked me into Leerone. Maybe it’ll do the same to you.

Care for some Whiskey.mp3

(NOTE: Top photo by Walter Briski Jr., from Leerone’s Web site.)

Labels: indie

posted by aikin @ 5:42 PM