Individually Deb Talan and Steve Tannen enjoyed careers as singer-songwriters before they came together as the Weepies. Tannen's career blossomed in New York City with the aid of Suzanne Vega and Jon Gordon, who helped him with his solo debut Big Señorita in 2000. His second release, Stopped At A Green Light, appeared in 2003. He also performs with his brother Greg as the Tannen Brothers.
Talan was a member of the Portland, Oregon, band Hummingfish for several years, and subsequently released notable solo efforts including Sincerely (2001) and A Bird Flies Out (2004), steeped in lyrics rich with references to art, literature and dreamy romantic perspective — worthy and reflective of her studies at Brown. Her voice — with a lilt and a dappled-sunlight inflection that channels '70s Laurel Canyon luminary Joni Mitchell and '00s folk-rock standard-bearer Jonatha Brooke — blends perfectly with Tannen's own honeyed vocals and introspective, life-as-an-insomniac acoustic folk-pop.
Tannen and Talan began working together shortly after he'd released Big Señorita; their first effort together was an EP, Happiness, in 2003. After being signed to Nettwerk, they released Say I Am You (2006), which was nominated for the Shortlist Music Prize. Taking a step away from their own projects, they collaborated with actress/singer Mandy Moore on her unexpectedly warm Wild Hope album, contributing music and lyrics. The duo live in the bohemian enclave of Topanga, on the outskirts of Los Angeles. Hideaway followed the birth of their son and marriage in 2007.
Provenance: Topanga, California
Latest Release: Hideway (2008)
© 2008 Nigel Music Media LLC. Used by permission.
The Weepies
