Dear Nora
Magic Marker Recordings
The first word that comes to mind when asked to describe Dear Nora is "charming." Their task is a simple one: to round up some sweet, perky melodies and prop them up (as if they needed propping up) with some equally sweet harmonies, busy guitar strumming, and pert rhythms. It's a mission embarked upon by an inordinately large percentage of Pacific Northwest indie bands, and indeed, Dear Nora hails from the Pacific Northwest, Portland to be precise, where its members met at Lewis & Clark college. They are songwriter Katy Davidson (vocals, guitars), Marianna Ritchey (drums), and Ryan Wise (bass). Since meeting all have played in one band or another together and Ritchey and Wise performed in another notable Lewis & Clark band, Wolf Colonel.
Dear Nora recorded their debut LP We'll Have a Time with The Aislers Set's Amy Linton, and not surprisingly you'll hear a lot of Lintonesque la-la-la choruses and nods to girl-group ancestry. Dear Nora shows a lot more range than your average twee combo, incorporating some of The Softies' unspeakably gentle pastoral pop, a bit of the Aislers' gauzy garage psych, and a touch of Lois Maffeo's folky, songwriterly approach. In addition to their full-length, Dear Nora has released a handful of EPs, all on Portland-based Magic Marker Recordings.
Jesse Ashlock
last updated:
08/23/02
Similar Artists:
The Aislers Set, The Softies, Lois, The Fairways, The Crabs, Kissing Book
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