1.15.2012

Cillie Barnes :: "Indian Hill" and "Hey Hi"


Paying only cursory attention to the Los Angeles music scene has its benefits. The murky resplendence (see what happened there) of Cillie Barnes came to our attention due to her being sandwiched between LESANDS and PAPA, two bands we like a lot who don't care much for lower-case letters, on a bill at the Satellite in Silverlake next Saturday. Barnes is a face that faux-vintage photographs were made to take. Her two promotional songs should suitably make A&Rs sit up in their seats and check their Internet connections. "Indian Hill" is a 4/4 slow-rock track with a clear ode to The Pretenders, letting Barnes' tweaking, raspy vocals come through the wires. "Hey Hi" is cut from a different swath, more built for the soundtrack of a romantic comedy with some dark edges. The lazy piano progression and Barnes' vocals are almost sweet enough to rot teeth, or at least stick to the roof of your mouth, and maybe this doesn't work if she isn't so pretty, but something saves "Hey Hi" from the commercial pop dust bin. It could be "Indian Hill", so listen in order, and then someone sign this girl to make the record in the style of Holly Miranda, something brittle and beautiful for the rainy days in October.

Indian Hill by cilliebarnes

Hey Hi by cilliebarnes

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