Amy Millan (of Stars/Broken Social Scene), Greg Laswell December 3, 2006

On Sunday, December 3, U. of O. Campus Radio 88.1 FM KWVA welcomes Amy Millan (of Stars) with special guest Greg Laswell.

“Millan’s voice is intimate and still like country air, while biscuit-box beats, electric guitar and New Orleans brass build on a bluegrass foundation,” notes Uncut. “She comes over like Tammy Wynette crossed with Parker Posey – an indie queen with a Kentucky twang.”

Tom Waits has inspired countless records. King Tut’s influence, on the other hand, has generally been restricted to the Bangles. At least until now. “It’s from a Tom Waits interview that I read, where he had a couple songs that were quite old on his new record that was coming out,” Amy Millan says, explaining the title of her new album. “He said mummies were buried with honey because it never went bad. So when the archeologists pulled them up, there was all this honey that was still fine. So he said, that’s kind of how I think of the songs. That they’ve been buried for a long time, but they’re still sweet.”

The above bit of folklore is the story of the twelve songs that make up Amy Millan’s solo debut, Honey From The Tombs. Most were written before 2000 (before Millan joined a little band called Stars), then recorded over the last three years with the assistance of friends old and new (including producer Ian Blurton and the boys and girls of Crazy Strings and Broken Social Scene).

“I wanted to make a record that had a thru line between pop music and old, country music,” Millan says. “I finally had someone say to me, ‘It doesn’t matter. The thru line is your voice.’”

“They’re all about little deaths,” Millan says of her songs. “Whether they’re your friends or your old lovers... they’re little photographs and little deaths. Like Losing You, that song, I’m sure when I’m 72 I’ll still relate to it. Whenever you’re with somebody and you fall in love with them, you think they’re the one. That’s why you do it. That’s why you go head first.”

Lovers change, but love endures. King Tut’s brand of rule may go out of style, but honey will forever remain a delicious snack.

Greg Laswell is touring his Vanguard Records debut, Through Toledo.

Originally from Long Beach, California, Greg relocated to his adopted hometown of San Diego to attend college and pursue musical aspirations as front-man of the local band, Shillglen. It wasn’t long before Greg established himself as a prominent figure in the local music scene. His first solo effort, Good Movie, garnered critical local acclaim and earned him the 2004 San Diego Music Award for Best Local Recording. Greg also became one the area’s most sought-after producers and formed his own record label, Twenty Inch Records.

Now with Through Toledo, Greg is poised for international exposure having just signed with Fiction Records in the UK.

While there is no denying Greg’s candor and vulnerability, Through Toledo isn’t merely a collection of sad songs. Greg's pensive lyrics capture his emotional turmoil while the album's intricate musical arrangement and production creates a powerful atmosphere ranging from the haunting tone set in “High and Low” to the lush and wistful string arrangements on the album's first single, “Sing, Theresa Says”.

In addition to having a knack for making a sad song sound happy, Greg is able to tell a sad story with a profound sense of optimism. Through Toledo resonates with the sentiment that Greg’s anguish will ultimately lead him to a better place - a concept that is reflected metaphorically in the album's title.

Tickets are $10 in advance, $12 at the door. Doors open at 7:30 pm and showtime is 8:00. SHOWTIME: 8:00 PM, PRICE: $10 advance, $12 door. BUY TICKETS NOW