We're All We've Got

Look at all those days that passed between posts! Except really I've slowly been working on that web TV post for days. And I was busy being a drunk zombie this weekend. Also, I forgot to mail my rent and health insurance checks. Ruh oh. But that's not why we're here right now, is it? Today we are here to talk about Angie Mattson.

I first saw Mattson perform around this time last spring when she opened for Uh Huh Her at Double Door here in the Windy City (or, as I like to call it, the Rainy Fucking City because that's all it's been doing for days and days). And saw her I did. Couldn't really *hear* her at all, though. It was wall-to-wall lesbians and hipsters chomping at the bit to see UHH and I couldn't actually hear a damn thing. All I could see was this tiny girl with a guitar on stage and I could hear some guitar reverbs below the rumbling of the crowd. Curses to that sound guy. But she seemed cool and Leisha kept giving her shout outs. So after the show, while we were waiting in the two hour line to meet Leisha and Camila (Leisha loved my Murmurs pin, and I was a starstruck freak, for the record), my friend and I signed up for Mattson's mailing list. It was through one of her email newsletters that I remembered I wanted to give her tunes a listen. And I am so glad that I did. Her voice is smokey, like fire- Dancing and dark and beautiful. If something gives me goosebumps, I'm sold, and all I get are chills when I listen to her sing. Some of her songs were featured on TV- 8 Simple Rules, Joan of Arcadia, etc. She recently hosted an episode of NewNowNext on Logo and she's opened for Melissa Ferrick. I can't tell if she's queer or just queer friendly between the Logo spot where she is wearing suspenders, touring with Lezzie bands, the fact that all her favorite musicians are queer, the cryptic talk about her music having a sexual vibe for everyone, regardless of orientation, and videos about 'a person' but lyrics about a man... I just don't know for sure and I don't want to make any assumptions. But no matter what she's so gorgeous and so talented that it almost hurts to watch her videos. But in the good way. She's that super adorable kind of sexy where you can't tell if you want to hug her or... ahem. Yeah. Here's a bit of wisdom from one of her MySpace blogs:

What I learned from this tour:

1. MySpace won't let you post photos of fans breasts

2. I should have joined a truck stop points program

3. You can wear one pair of jeans for two months (if they're Levi's anyway)

4. Guitars break on planes

5. I am a magician who can make Guitar picks disappear into thin air

6. Silver sharpie ink looks cool on skin

7. Liquid eyeliner lasts longer than pencil

8. Tuna come in vending machines sometimes

9. It's good to have a million pairs of underwear

10. Don't eat a ceasar salad while driving

11. Vitamin C and whiskey can sustain you

12. If people are drunk they love you more

13. I can't wait to tour again

Adorable, no?

Here's the video for In Violet where she sings to/about a guy:

The Drive video where she sings about grabbing someone & running away:

Spring Tour 2008 Webisode #1 of 6:

Now, go buy Given To Sudden Panic And Noisy Retreat on iTunes. Angie also has an earlier cd, Monarch EP, available through her website.