Fronted by the spunky vocals of Casey Hanner, Pittsburgh-based indie pop band Donora has just released an album that is bound to get anyone in the mood for warmer days ahead - the sunny but not too sweet EP "Play Nice."
Comprised of Casey on vocals and guitar, her brother, Jake Hanner, on drums and bassist Jake Churton, Donora, www.donoramusic.com, will perform Feb. 7 at The Empty Bottle, 1035 N. Western Ave., Chicago.
TeamMate and Warm Ones are also on the bill. The show starts at 9:30 p.m. and tickets are $8, available at www.ticketweb.com.
I had the chance to talk to the members of Donora about the new EP.
Q - I understand that you came up with the band's name after seeing a road sign for Donora, Penn. What was it like to actually play there?
We were asked to play on the Donora-Webster bridge for the 100th anniversary celebration of the bridge. That was our first experience in Donora, and we were all for it!
However, it was snowing so hard that day, that the celebrations were moved into a firehall on the Webster side of the bridge. So technically, we've never actually played in the town of Donora! Ha ha.
Q - Of course, your new EP was just released. In sitting down to make the record, what were your goals and do you think you achieved them?
The inspiration for this EP came from a photograph Jake H took in downtown Pittsburgh. He was walking around taking pictures and came across this amazing piece of artwork someone had created on the wall of a construction site.
The artist made this keyboard out of plywood, glued it to the wall, and spray painted the words "Play Nice" underneath. We hung this photo on the wall of the studio when we started working on the new EP.
Our goal was to make an EP that sounded like that photo. We wanted to make something really cohesive, and we kept referring back to that photo. I think we managed to achieve that.
Q - Your music has been described as "New Wave." Do you think that is an accurate description? How would you describe your sound and who are your biggest musical influences?
I think that's accurate to a certain degree. We have definitely been inspired by some 80's music like The Cars and Billy Idol, but we try not to be too derivative.
There are also other influences that creep into our music, from late 50's girl group pop (like Brenda Lee) to current pop (like Robyn) and even some old Walt Disney whimsical sounds (like the original Sleeping Beauty score).
Q - Your music has been used in various projects, including TV shows and a movie. Do you see that as just another way to get exposure for your music? How do you think your music fit into those projects?
It's definitely great exposure for us, and I think our music lends itself to these projects well.
Our music is happy and upbeat, but it's also meant to make you feel something. And I think that aspect of the music is appealing to music supervisors.
These days placements are also a great way to fund other projects. Commercial placements allow us to keep focusing on writing new material and touring.
Q - What are the pros and cons of siblings playing together in a band? Would you recommend it?
When you play with your sibling, I think you can communicate better. You both come from the same place and upbringing, so it's easy to be on the same page.
There may be annoyances or silly sibling arguments that come up, but at the end of the day, you're family. I definitely recommend it, as long as you let family be the most important thing!
Q - Your dad, Dave Hanner, has had a successful music career. What kind of influence did he have on you and what kind of advice has he given you?
We grew up around music, but our dad never pushed music on us. In fact, I think it was the opposite.
When I (Casey) wanted to learn how to play guitar, instead of teaching me himself, my dad gave me a guitar chord book and told me that if I really wanted to learn, I would learn on my own.
My brother (Jake H) learned so much from my dad about recording music. Any time we have a question for him, he's always ready to help out or give his opinion. Sometimes we ignore his advice, but he usually ends up being right in the end!
Q - What are the advantages of being signed to an independent record label? With all the resources available to musicians these days, do you think it is easier to be a musician than it has been in the past?
Working with Rostrum had been great. We personally know each employee and have a great relationship with everyone involved.
We consider the head of the label (Benjy) to be a great friend and supporter of our music. That may seem normal, but I think it's a very rare thing these days.
Making music, playing music, recording music, and promoting music has all gotten easier. However, that means there are a lot more bands out there trying to make it work.
Q - What are the band's short-term and long-term goals?
Our short-term goals are to promote the new EP and get back into the studio for a follow up. I think the long-term goal for any band in our position is to be able to sustain a living by making music.
Specifically for our band, we want to make people happy with our music. We want to encourage one person dance parties all across the world!
Garnering comparisons to Jewel and Fiona Apple, Chicago musician Andrea Dawn will bring her hypnotic vocals on Feb. 1 to the newly opened Rivers Edge Theatre in downtown Yorkville, www.riversedgetheatre.com.
The show starts at 8 p.m. will
also feature local songwriters Ben Thomas and Pat Moynihan. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased at the door. In 2008, Dawn was voted one of Illinois Entertainer's "Best of
Around Hear," and in 2009 she won the grand prize for Backthird Audio's
Songwriter Showcase. For more information, go to facebook.com/andreadawnmusic.
The tight-knit Chicago blues community will come out in force Feb. 17 to raise funds for fellow Chicago bluesman Eddie C. Campbell, who suffered a stroke and heart attack while recently touring in Germany. The benefit show will be from 6 to 11 p.m. at Rosa's Lounge, 3420 W. Armitage Ave., Chicago. Tickets are $25, available at www.rosaslounge.com.
Chicago band Common Shiner is the kind of band that keeps people guessing.
After releasing the folk-oriented "Before They Sold Out: Part 1" last year, the band turns up the energy on its new CD, "Before They Sold Out: Part 2." Common Shiner will celebrate the release of its new album with a show on Feb. 2 at Schubas Tavern, 3159 N. Southport Ave., Chicago.
I had the chance to interview Common Shiner frontman Morgan Foster about the new album.
Q - What made you
want to release "Before They Sold Out" in two parts? How did you decide
what songs should get both the unplugged and plugged in treatment?
Well, it was partly a musical decision and, to be honest, partly a
financial one. We've historically always had songs that were very low
volume and intimate that we really liked playing in concert as sort of a
"take a breath moment" between higher energy songs.
Our fans have
always really enjoyed those songs, and while our full band sound has
gone more and more in a rock direction, we've still found ourselves
writing those songs and wanting to use them here and there.
So what
better way than to just make a whole album of those songs, and it's just
a fact that making an album of those songs is going to be far less
expensive. So it was actually while recording Before They Sold Out (Part
I), that the idea of creating a companion album that gives the rock
"yang" to our folksy "yin" was born.
Q - The band has a unique name. Any meaning behind the name?
We liked the name because it can mean a variety of different things to
different people. A usual interpretation is that it's a standard black
eye, which made me feel like a real tough rock star until my relentless
neurotic thoughts kicked back in and then I just went back to feeling
like me.
I've always enjoyed the idea of the "shining" of the "common"
experience, but truth be told it's the name of a fish, and I thought it
sounded kinda cool. :)
Q - How do you think the band has fit into the Chicago music scene since
moving here from Grand Rapids, Mich.? What made the band want to move to
Chicago?
When we moved to Chicago together, I think we were all really in need of
a change. There wasn't necessarily anything wrong with where we were,
but we had been there for a while and we needed a new adventure.
Chicago
was a great fit because we had always felt a certain kinship with it
(since we're all Midwesterners), and it also wasn't too far away from
our base in Michigan, which was nice too.
I think where we really found
our home here was with all the songwriters in town, as we started
bumping into all of them at open mic nights and even started hosting our
own get-togethers where we could all share songs, talk about
songwriting, and create together.
That's really what being a musician is
all about, and we'll be forever grateful to that wonderful community of
songwriters that exists in Chicago.
Q - It seems like folk and roots music is popular again. Why do you think that is and what do you think the band adds to the scene?
Well, I think folk and roots music will always come back and be popular
because it isn't a fad; it's really at the center of all music. And I
think that's because it's always so focused on the song itself, not the
sound, and that's what will never die.
I think what we add to that is
that we have a focus on songwriting and making songs that really speak
to people, which is what we have in common with folk and roots music.
What our new album adds to that is a little bit of an edge or epic-ness
to those songs.
Q - How do you think the band has evolved since first forming? Where do you see the band going from here?
Well the band first started as a two acoustic guitarists with an almost
jam-band kind of quality, so we certainly have evolved quite a lot since
then. I think we've evolved more and more in the sense of the drive and
passion that we play with live.
We've always had a pretty passionate
type of stage presence, and so our music continues to evolve to match
that drive. As far as where we go from here, I think we'll probably just
keep adding to the depth of our songs while striving to find ways to
move people.
I can't claim to know where that means we'll go, but the
ride seems to be getting more and more exciting.
Q - What goals does Common Shiner have this year?
This year I think one of our biggest goals is to tour again. We toured
the East Coast a few years ago, and we really haven't hit the road for
any length of time since then.
There's a certain freedom and energy to
going on the road, and we definitely would like to do that with this
album. Beyond that, I think we'd just love to really get out there
regionally and just spread the love that we poured into this album.
And
if we're dreaming big, I think we'd like to be the first rock band to
play on the space station, so if you know anyone that can make that
happen, that would be pretty rad.
