Authenticity. You either have it or you don’t. And being the recipient of tens upon tens of emails from PR firms and artists inquiring about coverage here each week, I can tell you it’s in short supply.
Which is why I’m delighted to keep banging the drum for The Mynabirds, DC expatriate Laura Burhenn’s latest incarnation with what is quickly becoming my favorite release so far this year.
It’d do the record a disservice to compare it to something contemporary and I mean that as the highest compliment. It’s so otherworldly as to become an immediate classic. It’s eerie how ‘right’ all of this feels—like when I heard Nilsson for the first time—I’ve known these songs forever it seems yet they’re just appearing and making themselves known to me. Transcending perhaps.
And yes, this is high praise but don’t take my word for it. OK – do take my word for it. We’ve got 'What We Lose in the Fire We Gain in the Flood' to give away in advance of The Mynabirds’ homecoming appearance at The Black Cat next Wednesday, 6/2.
How do you get your hands on the record you're asking? Give us something authentic in the comments to this post—either about the band, Laura, or its short supply these days. Or where you find it thriving.
We'll choose one winner for the LP on the day The Mynabirds play the Cat—next Wednesday, 6/2. Remember to leave us contact info too!
The Mynabirds - Numbers Don't Lie (Mp3)
The Mynabirds - Let the Record Go (Mp3)
Authorized for download!
8 comments:
I'm not commenting to win because I have this LP but I just wanted to say the record is amazing and I really recommend everyone pick up this album. Laura's lyrics and voice are nothing short of amazing. One of my favorite bands on Saddle Creek.
Heard Bill at Crooked Beat playing this in the store a few weeks back and really enjoyed it. It's been on my "to buy" list, so...I'll gladly throw my hat in the ring for the contest!
Authenticity? I can't say definitively what it is exactly, but I will say that whatever it is, it did seem to be in good supply this past Saturday at the DC Record Fair. It was great to spend the afternoon combing through the stacks and just soaking in the general good-natured and non-pretentious vibes.
Err...I mean this past *Sunday*. Ooops!
Vinyls should really be used more. To me, it just makes the music sound better, more personal maybe. Bands should still be releasing vinyls, which is one reason why I love Saddle Creek. Almost every album released on Saddle Creek is on vinyl also, which is fantastic. Laura is a wonderful singer, and her beautiful voice deserves to be heard, especially on vinyl.
Definitely one of Saddle Creek's best up-and-coming bands. After seeing their record for sale in their online store and the various packages to choose from, I could tell this would be one of those hands on bands I could appreciate for a long time. Knowing SC, the vinyl pressing of this has to be amazing. The options they give you in their store are also just generally cool, such as the screen-printed vintage tie. Who even thinks of something that creative? The people behind this band are nothing short of amazing, and you can tell Laura is pouring her soul into everything she's doing with The Mynabirds. No surprise that this is a Saddle Creek band. There's that warmth and feeling of home with this label that's always present in the bands that they sign. Just amazing.
It's difficult for me to put into words what this album has meant to me over the past month or so... and I'm a writer. The lyrics and Laura's hypnotizing voice have become my soundtrack, and I noticed, quite literally, that my feelings about my life started to turn around after I began listening to this album on repeat. Quickly, I started to have a new outlook on my life and the difficulties I was facing. I realized that the lyrics of "What We Gained in the Fire" started to seep into my brain and have a powerful effect on me. What I find so unique and wonderful about the album is that it is not like most music -- love songs to others. It is really a collection of love songs to yourself, how to see the truth in life, and how to move on despite any pain you may be feeling. Thank you, Laura!
- wendy@wendywegner.com
What I love most about the record, besides the lush vocals, eerie natural reverb, and tasty arrangements, is the great tacky upright piano sound they managed to get throughout the whole LP. Talk about AUTHENTIC - you just can't get that sound from a box, you need the real thing. Great job, engineer(s)!
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