"See how it feels when we're water once more"

Thanks to a conversation about Mazzy Star, I was reminded of a recording session with the lovely Amanda Standalone.

One slow night at the Bloomfield Bridge Tavern open stage, John is getting ready to shut down, when in walks a bubbly girl with a funny midwestern accent and a smile the size of lake Michigan. Earlier in the evening, I borrowed John's guitar and had a conversation during this process about how he rarely trusts people to play, but he wanted to hear me, and he could mostly trust me, "just be good to it". These are all sentiments I can relate to, as my guitar is at least a decade older than myself, so when she asked to borrow John's guitar to play a few tunes, I could understand his skepticism. It probably didn't help that she was self-described as buzzed off a few beers and had been walking around Pittsburgh all day (literally - from Regent Square to Bloomfield after god-knows-where).

John, being of the skeptical-of-his-own-skepticism breed, very slowly handed over his guitar. Or was it someone else's guitar? I forget. Either way, as soon as this silly girl from out-of-the-blue got on stage, we were all hooked. She sung a sweetly sad song about her brother off in Iraq, as well as a song about walking all day. If she made a mistake, she would laugh, that kind of "oh, well shit on me, guess I'll keep playing" giant and carefree laugh that can warm even the coldest hearts.

There were a few other chance encounters... the first Globalista Jam, a performance of her "Lady in the Window" for Art All Night the following night, the first-ever recording session at avienani studios a few nights spent hanging out... and then, just as quickly, she was headed back to michigan...

So I'm done reminiscing, and insist that you now go check out her music. Be impressed, unless you can somehow avoid it. I couldn't!

Rob helped with the description: Jolie Holland and Jenn Gooch gave birth to Mazzy Star.
Is this a style of music? If so, call me a fan... Add to the bands in this genre: hope for agoldensummer Any other suggestions? Leave a comment!