Au Revoir Simone preview

Au Revoir Simone
Empty Bottle, Chicago
Tuesday, May 8, 2007

“Depressing things are empty beds and lonely dinners and women who are middle-aged with naked fingers” sing the interchangeable voices of Au Revoir Simone on “Fallen Snow,” a track from the trio’s first full-length release, The Bird Of Music (Our Secret Record Company).

The stark sentiment rings true and often across the album’s 11 tracks, but the drama remains disguised by shimmering harmonies, delicate keyboards, and pulsating synthesizers. These Brooklyn girls may contemplate the stars and the thin strings of love that bind us, but they have a sense of humor too. After all, they lifted the band’s name from a line in Pee Wee’s Big Adventure.

Erika Forster (keyboards, vocals), Annie Hart (keyboards, vocals), and Heather D’Angelo (keyboards, vocals, drum machine) met in 2003 and bonded over their desire to create a band revolving solely around the use of keyboards. A sampling of their efforts saw the light of day on 2005’s Verses Of Comfort, Assurance And Salvation. The girls beefed up the production on this latest release and enlisted key session players to add trumpet, cello, and violin. The results seem destined to fall at the feet of Sofia Coppola. Or, at least have a panty-clad Scarlett Johansson appear in the accompanying music video.

Au Revior Simone open for Peter, Bjorn And John.

— Janine Schaults

Category: Stage Buzz, Weekly