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The Weepies
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Say I Am You
Nettwerk Records
Release: 3/07/2006
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Rated:
Review by:
Jonathan Shipley
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Imagine you're meeting a girl for the first time at a funky
coffee shop down the street from the apartment where you
live. You don't know much about the girl. You met her at a
reading at a bookshop nearby just awhile back. You
discussed the poetry of Rumi. She wasn't beautiful, in the
Vogue sort of way, but she had something that
sparked for you, a beauty not defined by body structure. So,
you're sitting in the coffee shop, near the window to watch
passers-by, and the small talk has started to run a little dry.
You're wondering what you should say next. You want to say
something witty, something smart and wise and funny. While
you're thinking a musical group plays up on the stage. It's a
warm little caress, the lilting voice, the plucking guitars, the
quiet happiness that reminds you of those groovy strong
women that made a name for themselves in the 90s, like
Sheryl Crow and Lisa Loeb, The Waifs and Aimee Mann. You
say to this girl, "They're pretty good." "Yeah," she says,
"they're The Weepies. I like 'em." "Me, too," you say, and
smile.
A smile, that's what The Weepies sound like if smiles made
sounds with guitars and voice. They're like Simon and
Garfunkel with some estrogen thrown in. The duo is Deb
Talan, formerly of the Portland, Oregon-based group
Hummingfish, and Steven Tannen, a New York boy who
released his debut album, Big Senorita, in 2000
featuring players from the bands of Suzanne Vega and
October Project. They met, admired each other's musical
capabilities, and The Weepies were created. In 2003 they
issued Happiness, an eight-song CD featuring
folky songs about, among other things, happiness. Their first
major label album is Say I Am You and has
thirteen tracks, all quiet short affairs like little bits of biscotti
with that cup of coffee you're having with the girl you like.
It's sweet but solid, with empowering songs (most about
love) and confident instrumentation and vocals.
The more solid songs utilized the vocal talents of Deb Talan.
Steven also lends his voice to several songs but it's Deb who
creates an immediate sense of intimacy with listeners.
"Citywide Rodeo" is a marvelous tune and the song "Gotta
Have You" was recently featured on the TV series
Everwood.
The songs, however, begin to meld together and one can't
tell when one song ends and another begins. That's not to
say it's bad music, it's simply the same cuddly warm fuzzy
music track after track. It'll be interesting to see how the
group develops with future albums to see if they use a
greater variety of instruments or begin pushing the envelop
in regards to song shape and style. In the meantime, sit
back, cup of coffee in hand, and sip your hot drink, dip your
biscotti, as The Weepies dip you and hold you in their cute
little musical hug. |
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