Lindsay Holler
Gig Seeker Pro

Lindsay Holler

Charleston, South Carolina, United States

Charleston, South Carolina, United States
Band Alternative Americana

Calendar

This band has not uploaded any videos
This band has not uploaded any videos

Music

Press


"From One Side to the Other"

Despite a budding career heading into the open atmosphere of the jazz realm — a style of music that allows for improvisation and expression — songwriter and musician Lindsay Holler opted to take a major musical and personal detour. After years of studying, singing, composing, and collaborating, she gradually found her own personal approach to creating melodies, arranging song ideas, and writing lyrics — demonstrated on her lovely, new, independently-released collection, Malleable.

"I started out in jazz and got a college degree in Jazz Voice, but I wanted to write and I don't have the vocabulary to really write in jazz," says Holler, speaking from her downtown apartment. "It wasn't something I was really actually interested in or really listened to [laughs]."

A native of Moncks Corner, Holler played music and sang her way into the Berklee School of Music in Boston for a year's worth of study before changing direction.

"Berklee was great and all — I heard and played a lot of music and met of lot of people — but when it got back down to it, I realized the money I'd be putting into that kind of education," she says. "I didn't want to teach; I wanted to perform. So I tried some other things."

Holler transferred to New Orleans from Boston for a short stint. After a lengthy visit in N.Y.C., she relocated back to the Charleston area in 1996 and finished her music degree in the CofC's music department. After embarking on her professional artistic career just a few years ago as a solo songwriter, she gradually worked material out in the practice space, the home studio, and the local stages.

Holler began serious collaboration with other versatile local musicians and slowly put enough material together in the local Kniveland Studio with engineer Jason Dodson (of Jack of Knives) and guitarist Brad Russell to assemble Malleable.

"I started out with a drummer in town named Nick Jenkins and a friend of mine from Ohio [Russell] contributed ideas. Then everything started coming together. People got interested and started to join in. There was no plan — it all just fell together nicely. I've never really enjoyed doing just the solo shows, you know. But I really enjoy the interaction between musicians."

"Love Gone Awry," a feathery waltz with a morose tone, demonstrates Russell's contributions, with a rolling banjo track, strummy acoustic guitar, and volume-pedal electric guitar resembling a pedal steel. Title track "Malleable" and closer "Grove Street" feature the low-key rumble and clickety-clack of the Jenkins/Holler two-piece configuration — twangy acoustic guitar, brushy percussion and snare fills, and Holler's trembling wails and whispers.

"We got a vibe player recently, which added a whole new element that I'd never played around with much before," Holler says. "It's a pretty sound. Some of my songs are on the darker side, lyrically, so I like that contrast."

Holler cites her main influences as Tom Waits, Gram Parsons, Nina Simone, and Neil Young — all "genre straddlers, categorical misfits, and undefinable."

"I'm drawn to those artists who aren't confined to a certain genre — artists who incorporate many different elements into their sound. My voice can definitely take on a kind of jazz aspect pretty easily. I've tried to pull it back a bit, actually, I've developed an interest in more twangy music. The songwriting speaks to me and the sound is very comforting. I'm just picking up bits and pieces of stuff I've heard over the last few years, considering it, and going, 'Okay, here we go.'"

Currently, Holler's backing band features drummer Jenkins (also of Jack of Knives, Steve Fiore, Vintage Velvet, Toca Toca), percussionist Michael Hanf, guitarist Dave Linaburg (also of Toca Toca), and bassist Ben Wells. They collectively call their sound a fusion of "Americana with gritty textures and dark lyrics ... a little twang and a little late-night clarity."

Hanf, who recently made his mark in the local jazz circuit, also adds a peculiar battery of percussion instruments to Holler's songs — from metal trash cans, cooking pots and pans, and homemade things to other hand percussion pieces.

"We're very excited to be able to take part in the Local Blend series this year," says the bandleader. "The folks at the Library have tapped into a facet of music that tends to get overlooked during the Spoleto Festival — contemporary, original 'popular' music, for lack of a better term. There are such possibilities in the local music community here, and any effort to support that is exciting.

"For our set, we are interested in taking full advantage of the schematics of the venue by exploiting the silence," she adds. "This environment affords us the opportunity to manipulate sounds and textures in a way that's not always available in clubs and bars. We're not promising a quiet set, but the option will be embraced."

- Charleston City Paper


"Something to Holler about ..."

'Local Blend' series has something to 'Holler' about

BY DEVIN GRANT
Special to The Post and Courier

Every now and then a friend will tell me about a particular artist he or she has seen or heard, hoping I will go and check the group out.
I try to accommodate as many of these suggestions as I can, since I like to stay open-minded about music. Plus, the temptation of being exposed to a great new act is almost always too good to resist.
Suggestions by various fellow music fans over the years have led to my becoming a fan of bands such as The Fire Apes, Cary Ann Hearst and Cowboy Mouth.
As a matter of fact Cowboy Mouth is directly responsible for my current open-mindedness when it comes to checking out new acts. A friend of mine tried to convince me back in the mid-'90s to go see what many consider (and rightly so) one of the best live acts in the country. I blew the friend off the first three times, saying that I would see the group eventually. When I finally did experience the force of nature that is Cowboy Mouth's lead singer, Fred LeBlanc, I was actually upset with myself for missing the previous three opportunities I had to see that band.
Add Lindsay Holler to the list of artists that I was told I needed to see. I am now a fan.
I had been told of Holler's talent by more than one friend, and while I did not go out and see her perform right away, in this case it was a matter of finding the time to see her, rather than being indifferent to the act. I had received some small doses of Holler's talent at last year's Chord and Pedal Christmas Show, as well as during a recent Cary Ann Hearst performance at the Pour House.
In both cases Holler was serving in a supporting roll. Yet there was that voice. It was one of those voices that, without any visible effort, seems capable of shoving other accompanying vocals aside. It forces you to absorb its smoky goodness. After seeing her as a back-up, I knew I'd have to check out Holler's act, and soon.
Happily, that chance arrived Monday, thanks to the main branch of the Charleston County Library. For the last four years the Friends of the Charleston County Library have made it possible to stage a series of performances at the main branch downtown. The series offers an impressive collection of local and regional artists. This year's series, dubbed Local Blend by its creators, will conclude today at 7 p.m. with a free performance by Papa Robbie & S.W.A.T.
Monday evening's performance featured Holler and her band, The Dirty Kids. Two dozen or so folks showed up for the free performance. They barely began to fill the hall just off the library's main lobby.
That didn't stop Holler and her band from receiving enthusiastic applause after each song. Holler sang and played acoustic guitar, while behind her guitarist Dave Linaburg, drummer Nick Jenkins, bassist Ben Wells and vibraphonist Michael Hanf supplied music that melded Americana and country styles with those of jazz and folk.
One wouldn't expect jazz strains to mix well with country music, but that is what makes Lindsay Holler's show so riveting. Just as Cary Ann Hearst is a rock 'n' roll girl with a country heart, so is Holler a country girl with an internal jazz singer fighting to escape.
In addition to Holler's mesmerizing vocals, it is Hanf's prowess on the vibes that really unlocks the secret to the band's unique sound.
Hanf plays his instrument with the traditional mallets. He also occasionally uses a violin bow to coax sounds from the keys, creating a sound not unlike that of a wet finger being drawn across a crystal goblet. Hanf's handiwork was readily evident during songs such as "Rustle" and "Dandelion," as well as a show stopping cover of Nina Simone's "Forbidden Fruit."
When not trying to meld together jazz and country sounds, Holler's music tended to follow the high and lonesome sound, as evidenced on songs such as "Malleable," "Weak," and "Nothing." Highlights of the Monday night performance included "Backdoor" and "Dirty Kids," as well as the Simone cover. While The Dirty Kids did a fine job of causing the listeners to rethink much of what they knew about country music, it was once again Holler's wonderfully husky vocals that trickled into the crowd's eardrums. If you don't believe me, go and see Holler for yourself the next time she performs locally.
Do yourself a favor though and go the first time you see Holler listed, otherwise you will be reliving my Cowboy Mouth experience.
Devin Grant can be contacted at chucktowncritic@yahoo.com.
- Charleston Post and Courier


"The Double Life of Lindsay Holler"

"The Double Life of Lindsay Holler"
by Julie Miller

Lindsay Holler lives a double life. Every morning she wakes up, drinks her coffee, and works her 9-5 job. And as a musician and songwriter, she stays up until the wee hours of the night going over the lyrics to new songs. She's a business woman who can organize logistics, she's a friend, a lover, and a Southern gal who knows how to have fun. Her music is as dynamic as she is. The rhythmic sounds are something of a neo-alt-country sound that's both folky and electric. Her lyrics are honest and bare. They tell of broken hearts and bottles.
Holler, born and raised in Pinopolis, has also lived in New Orleans and New York. She spent time studying at Berklee College of Music in Boston. The people she's met along her journey have filtered into her sound. The brutal-in-your-face-screw-everything New York attitude is never far from the acoustic guitar and southern twang.
For the past three months, Holler has been working with the newest additions to her band: Nick Jenkins on drums, Michael Hanf on vibes and percussion, David Linaburg on guitar, and Ben Wells on bass.
Holler says being the only woman working with four men can sometimes complicate things, "I've been doing this a while and i've always been a minority. I have two older brothers and lots of male friends," says Holler, "It may complicate things a little but i've enjoyed it. It opens up different doors."
Holler and her band members have led completely separate musical careers up until this point -- a situation that allows the group to bring years of professionalism, talent, and differing musical experiences together.
Listening to her CD is only half the experience, Holler's music is meant to be both heard and seen. "There's a communication that takes place during our shows" says Jenkins,"It's like watching a party."
Holler describes the connection she feels during their shows. "This music is one which lends itself to the people," she says, "It's enhanced by others being there and communicating with us on stage."
Holler and the rest of her band continually make sacrifices for their music. "You sacrifice your sanity," says Linaburg. The group makes financial sacrifices too, giving up the psychological comforts that come with having insurance and a stable lifestyle.
"And you stink" says Hanf who, along with the other three band members, manages to juggle classes, work, and music. "You play a show, you don't shower, and then you wake up in the morning and go to class."
The band's busy schedule makes it difficult to have a life outside of music. "The hardest part is at the end of the night you watch cute girls go home with other people," says Hanf.
You can call her a renaissance woman, a delight, a rebel rocker, or an American artist. Lindsay Holler, as well as her sound, is simply indefinable. Come out and see for yourself. Holler and her band will be playing at the Map Room on this Thursday, Oct. 19.
- WEST OF


"Lindsay Holler"

"Featuring a retro, soul-filled voice and cotton field blues, Charleston's own Lindsay Holler is a magnificent display of pain and pleasure. Holler is rare in her creativity and brave in her leadership but not unprecedented as she falls behind some other great female blues/soul artists such as Bonnie Rait and Stevie Nicks. Holler is certainly worth one's attention... " - PREVIEW Charleston Post and Courier
- PREVIEW / Charleston Post & Courier


"The Dirty Kids are Alright"

LOCAL ACT ? The Dirty Kids are Alright
Lindsay Holler's unusual ensemble blooms

BY T. BALLARD LESEMANN


Lindsay Holler & The Dirty Kids
w/ American Aquarium, The Beggar's Guild
Fri. March 2
10 p.m.
$6
Cumberland's
301 King St.
577-9469
www.cumberlands.net
www.lindsayholler.net

"After months of negotiations and under-handed intimidation, we were finally ready to call a spade a spade," local singer/songwriter Lindsay Holler says of her current band. "The dirtier the better, is what I always say. I'll see if I can string these boys along for a little while longer so we can make some fabulous music and break some more hearts ... I think we're just getting started with that."

Holler got her start in jazz, studying, singing, composing, and collaborating with campus players for years and earning a degree from the CofC. A year ago, she started playing out with a band comprised of various local CofC jazz students and young local rock musicians. By last fall, they'd taken the moniker "Hollerettes."

These days, they're calling themselves "The Dirty Kids." Cute and catchy, but not entirely accurate. The vocalist and her colleagues are neither dirty nor childish ... musically adventurous, certainly, but not immature or silly. Locals who keep an eye and ear out for things in the scene might have assumed that Holler had fired her rhythm section or hired an entirely new backing band. Actually, all were aboard and things were naturally falling into place.

"When we started performing as a band, we considered coming up with more of a proper band name," Holler says. "Richard Weld of A Decent Animal jokingly came up with the Hollerettes, which we used for a little while [laughs]. I'm terrible at coming up with names for songs. We finished a song where I refer to 'those dirty kids' in the lyrics. Nick Jenkins [the band's main drummer] liked that for a song title and, eventually, we liked it for the band name."

Jenkins is a guy who knows how to get power and delicacy out of a snare drum and a pair of brushes. He stays extremely busy in Charleston, keeping time on the side with a wild variety of bands -- Jack of Knives, Steve Fiore's various bands, Morimoto, Leah Suarez & Toca Toca, and Run Dan Run, among other jazz and rock pickup gigs. He was with Holler from the start and played multiple instruments on her debut EP, Malleable (released last summer).

Vibes player and auxiliary percussionist Michael Hanf is an aggressive player with a delicate touch. Tall-standing guitarist Dave Linaburg (who, with his Noel Redding 'do and hollow-body guitar, is looking more and more like a mod-turned-psyche-rocker from the Beat Club days) also plays with Leah Suarez & Toca Toca and Morimoto, and Run Dan Run. Acoustic/electric bassist Ben Wells plays with the New Groove Quartet, Metropolis (who are on hiatus), Run Dan Run, and a bit with Frank Duvall, Kevin Hackler, and other local jazz acts.

"We did a recording session at the unspeakably wonderful Sioux Sioux Studios in Charlotte," says Holler of her solidified lineup. "Sixteen songs in two-and-a-half days with engineer Chris Walldorf [drummer with Charlotte band Pyramid]. We are probably going to put out an EP of six songs under Lindsay Holler & The Dirty Kids. Hopefully, that will materialize in late spring. I think the difference in sound and style reflects the different players involved. When we recorded Malleable, it was pretty much [engineer] Brad Russell and I doing the writing and arranging, with Brad, Nick, and I recording the songs. With this new EP, we all had a hand in arranging, which seems to reflect the different influences from the people involved, whether that's Neil Young, Tom Waits, Aloha, or Radiohead.Malleable was more reflective of my influences and with the Dirty Kids EP we've added everyone else's into the mix. I'm still championing the twangy side of things, but we've figured out a good way to add what everyone else brings to the table."

At an elegant performance at Theatre 99 last week, members of The Dirty Kids and like-minded local trio A Decent Animal walked on and off stage at various moments with different tasks. Most of the night looked like a local supergroup, replete with two drummers and a percussionist (all of whom kicked in a few call-and-respond moments of excitement).

Bassist/singer Weld and singer/guitarist Jonathan Nicholson were longtime bandmates in Telegram before forming A Decent Animal as a duo in 2005. They expanded the lineup and the dynamics a year later with drummer George Baerreis.

It's clear both groups are on the same page, musically and aesthetically. Sometimes, they blend into a large-scale country-rock collaboration. Under the name "Lasso," they recently booked a show at Cumberland's as a one-off gig (but possibly becoming an occasional thing) featuring Holler on keys and vocals, the full A Decent Animal lineup, and Clint Fore guesting on guitar. Lasso delivered what they called "gritty/rhythmic blues," opening for Black Diamond Heavies in January.

Under strings of white Christmas lights, Holler and the band performed a remarkably beautiful, amusingly collaborative show on the crowded Theatre 99 stage. The place was nearly packed and the audience was at full attention. Highlights included a vibe 'n' vocals-only renditions of Tom Waits' "Take It With Me" and Radiohead's "Videotape," and a rousing closing number called "The Boxmaker Will Find You," with everyone pitching in. The lineup also featured the debut of "Charleston's premiere back-up choir," The Jesse Janes, comprised of Holler, Cary Ann Hearst, Jamie Resch, and Emily Painter.

Holler and the band perform two shows this week -- an "in-store" on Wed. Feb. 28 at 7 p.m. at 52.5 Records with support from The One AM Radio, and a bar gig on Fri. March 2 at Cumberland's with support from American Aquarium. Next weekend, both The Dirty Kids and A Decent Animal pack up the shared gear for a week-long tour through the Carolinas, Virginia, N.Y.C., and Maryland.

Their unusual instrumentation certainly helps set the Dirty Kids apart from the more conventional rock and pop bands in town. Their sophisticated, wide-ranging sound and ambitious approach to original compositions, cleverly reworked renditions, and expressive live performances might just set them ahead of the pack."

- Charleston City Paper


"Lindsay Holler"

Lindsay Holler first gathered serious attention from the Charleston music scene when she released "Malleable" last year. Now, with the release of her new demo and with her new band, The Dirty Kids, Holler is set to turn the Charleston music scene on its ear once more. There is something subtly raucous about Holler's voice. Her mixture of alt-country and blues weeps with sincere and painfully evocative vocals. The simple, hypotonic strumming of the guitar, the bass guitar's plucking style and clockwork drumming give Holler the space she needs to let her voice flutter through each wonderfully arranged song. Lindsay Holler and The Dirty Kids will appear at Cumberland's on Friday with American Aquarium and The Beggar's Guild. Call 577-9469 or visit www.cumberlands.net for more information. Cumberland's is at 301 King St. - Charleston Post and Courier


"review ... from the Netherlands"

Lindsay Holler - Malleable
Ze komt uit Charleston, South Carolina. Studeerde een jaar aan het prestigieuze Berklee College of Music in Boston. Lindsay Holler. Vijf liedjes bevat Malleable.
Love Gone Awry. Een mandoline zet een huppeltje in. De akoestische gitaar volgt. Dan horen we Lindsay Holler zingen. Een stem die klinkt als het ruisen van de banden op asfalt. Die klinkt als het kraken van de banden op het grind. Tenslotte de prachtig losjes geslagen drums van Nick Jenkins en de in de verte huilende elektrische gitaar van Brad Russell. Een lijzige melodie spreekt voor zich.
#9. Een lichte paniek maakt zich soms meester van de elektrische gitaar van Brad Russell wanneer Lindsay Holler laat weten dat het allemaal fout is. Als het liedje voorbij komt hangt Neil Young juist tegen een lantarenpaal. Even, nauwelijks merkbaar, knikt hij. Lindsay Holler gaat haar Gram halen.
Malleable.
Voorzichtig kijkt de akoestische gitaar om zich heen. Dan laat ze het rifje komen. Nick Jenkins klapt nu. Zo klinkt het althans. O nee, nu zijn het potten en pannen. Lindsay Holler heeft ijs in haar stem. Geen blokjes uit haar glas cola maar zoals het gras op een winterochtend: een harde witte woede. I’ve been neglected. Tom Waits heeft borsten en kan weer zingen. Na al die jaren.
Rustle. Dezelfde gitaar als zojuist. Maar nu met minder schroom. Voorzichtig zingt Lindsay Holler. Haar spiegelbeeld in het raam lijkt op dat van Janis Joplin. Door het beeld schemert een eindeloos lege vlakte. Can’t tell you mister fuck me eyes. Er zit een barst in het glas. Van de slide gitaar van John Royall valt een traan. Net voordat Lindsay Holler de accordeon ook naar buiten laat kijken.
Grove St.. Nick Jenkins slaat zijn slag. Lindsay Holler zegt waar het op staat. I’m on the wrong end of my dishonesty. Het gaat hier sneller dan elders. Het laatste moet gezegd. Al wil ze het niet ingewikkelder maken dan het al is.
Dan is het ineens afgelopen. De liedjes zijn tot op het bot gegaan. Verbinden heeft geen zin zolang de liedjes zelf het verband zijn. (Wim Boluijt)
************************************
(translation)

Lindsay Holler comes from Charleston, South Carolina. She studied a year at the prestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston. Malleable contains 5 songs.

"Love Gone Awry" starts off with a mandolin. The acoustic guitar follows. Then you hear Lindsay Holler singing - it sounds like you're driving tires over asphalt (note: this is slang for being smooth). The music sounds like a tire jack grinding. It ends with the great drumming of Nick Jenkins and the wailing guitar of Brad Russell. It's one great melody that speaks for itself.

In "#9" a light panic ensues when Brad Russell plays the guitar and Lindsay Holler lets you know that everything is wrong. As the song goes on, it sounds like Neil Young hanging out by a lamppost. Even though it is hardly possible, Lindsay Holler deserves a Grammy for this one.

On "Malleable" you have to listen for the acoustic guitar. Then Nick Jenkins lets a riff go like a thunderbolt. Then there are pots and pans. Lindsay Holler has ice in her voice. Not like ice cubes out of her cola, but like icy grass on a winter night - a hard, white anger. "I've been neglected..." Tom Waits still has chest and can still sing after all these years.

"Rustle" has the same guitar as the rest of the album, but now with a little bit of "schroom". Lindsay Holler carefully sings and at times mirrors Janis Joplin. Throughout the song, there is an empty, endless feeling. "Can't tell you mister fuck me eyes..." There sits a bursting glass. The slide guitar from John Royall feels like a train. Be sure to watch out for Lindsay Holler playing the accordian near the end.

"Grove St." Nick Jenkins slaughters this song. Lindsay Holler sings about going out again (note: means going out like on a date). "I'm on the wrong end of my dishonesty..." This song is faster than the others. The last thing I can say is that at one point, it's not all together but suddenly it is. Then the song is immediately over.

These songs are going to the top of the charts. Their music speaks for itself. (Wim Boluijt)

- www.hanx.net


"live review, February 2007"

JOSH KALER / LINDSAY HOLLER
Cumberland’s
Charleston, SC
December 10, 2006


The Lindsay Holler and Josh Kaler show proved why live music and independent labels still rule. The crowd only got bigger, quickly filling up the floor of Cumberland’s in downtown Charleston.
Kaler was a wonder to watch. He is not a singer, which is unique in and of itself in this Idol age. Instead, Kaler is a fully engaged composer and arranger. He played guitar, steel slide guitar and keyboards with the aid of recording devices. Each instrument was recorded as he performed with it. The original guitar loops that started the track were played back while he improvised on top of them, playing the guitar strings like bongos. Then on the keyboard, notes seemed to gather and scatter like a flock of birds before being layered in with the original guitar loop. Next the steel slide took center stage. Members of the crowd were spellbound as Kaler performed and they eagerly applauded each effort.
The repetition of loops can’t help but bring to mind Philip Glass. However, Kaler’s stylings ran the gamut from psychedelic to new wave to 1990s alternative rock. After his set, Kaler was invited to play with Lindsay Holler and the Hollerettes (LHH) on some songs. Nothing in his act hinted at country, but Kaler blended seamlessly with the Hollerettes.
Lindsay Holler is a passionate performer and a classic country rock balladeer. Her songs were beautifully performed, showing a lot of wisdom and introspection. She has a soulful, strong and melodic voice. Her stage persona conveyed the image of someone who has experienced more than a few heartaches and failures, but she’s not devastated or weakened by it. Her themes included unrequited love, unfilled expectations, missed opportunities and domestic life blues.
Meanwhile, her backup band, the Hollerettes, played country with a twist. The guitars, steel slide, standup bass and drums hearkened back to country’s roots, but the xylophone player was a unique addition. As the xylophone player leaped around, his mallets emphatically beat the xylophone bars, cymbals and random metal objects for a sort of “steel mill” sound. This effect added to the blue collar, country attitude of Holler’s work. The audience responded positively to Holler’s performance as they swayed, stomped and danced around.
At the end of the show, it was clear why these two acts are frequent players at Cumberland’s. While the genres and some influences were familiar, the music held surprises at every turn.

- Review & photo by Kathleen Wehle
Southeast Performer, February 2007
- Southeast Performer magazine


"Lindsay Holler & The Dirty Kids – 'Love Gone Awry' – (Independent)"

When it comes to alt-country ingenues, the Lowcountry is lucky enough to have more than one group residing in the area.
Most folks interested in that music style are well aware of the firecracker known as Cary Ann Hearst, who regularly rocks out at venues around town, and around the region. Just as entertaining, though with a style all her own, is Lindsay Holler.
Describing Holler's unique vocals is not an easy thing. Take Janis Joplin, add a little Margo Timmons mixed with Lucinda Williams, and take away that trio's anti-depressants, and you'll begin to get an idea of what Holler's voice is like.

It's wonderfully rich and full, with just the right touch of weariness to make the subjects of the songs on 'Love Gone Awry' completely believable. I can almost guarantee that after listening to the six songs on that new CD from Holler and her Dirty Kids, you'll want to seek the singer out to give her a hug.
Although all six tunes on this EP are worthy of repeated listening, there are a few standouts. 'Dandelion,' which closes the CD, sounds like it was recorded in a smoky jazz bar thanks to Michael Hanf's rich vibraphone playing.

'Backdoor' begins with Holler's voice distorted and creepy, before ripping into a tin pan alley tempo that would make Tom Waits proud.
The CD's best song, 'Nothing Tonight,' is an achingly beautiful tale of regret and solitude that will absolutely devastate you with its beauty.

If Holler is looking to get noticed outside of Charleston, then this EP ought to do the trick. Pick up a copy of this great CD yourself at the official CD release party at Cumberland's on Friday. (A-)
Download These: 'Nothing Tonight,' 'Dandelion,' 'Backdoor'

- Devin Grant
Charleston Post & Courier
Thursday June 21, 2007
- Charleston Post and Courier


"Love Gone Awry"

Through her raspy-sweet voice, Lindsay Holler sings the honest tales of a woman with plenty of love to give, in need of some of her own. A touch of Ani DiFranco and taste of Robinella, Holler's "empty bottle" lamentations are spun into off-kilter, upbeat works of art with the help of the multifaceted Dirty Kids. Lyrics like "I always end up alone" and "The smell of regret is strong" from the flawlessly country-western "Nothing Tonight" become spunky head-bobbers when Michael Hanf lays a perfectly melodic vibraphone progression over them, or guitarist Dave Linaburg follows with an almost pedal steel-esque slide guitar segue. Opening track "Dirty Kids" demonstrates the band's tightness immediately, pleasantly complemented with background "aaass" to Holler's story of a woman still in love with the man she lost 20 years ago. The syncopated "Weak" that follows is everything but that. Made up of local players on the jazz scene, the Dirty Kids aptly demonstrate their stylistic versatility and have done a bang-up job of capturing their songs into concise, beautiful studio tracks. The music sounds like they took an antique house and spruced it up with color, all the while maintaining the classic feel. (www.lindsayholler.net) —Stratton Lawrence - Charleston City Paper


Discography

malleable (2006)
love gone awry (2007)

Photos

Bio

lindsay holler sings and plays guitar. her voice moves onto the sidewalk through a cracked upstairs window on dusky afternoons. it smells you with its tongue, pensively considers, and strikes. In clubs and theatres ... its the same. On some occasions it caresses; other times accuses. When amplified it can be seen on the air ... then we all drown.

Holler lives in Charleston, South Carolina. She hails the South as home and has lived in New Orleans and New York; she studied at Berklee College of Music in Boston. The music's current state of evolution is supported by a little twang and a little late-night clarity. The new EP, malleable, contains five originals, each displaying Hollers succinct penwomanship, which treads the trammels of broken relations and lost love. With the addition of Nick Jenkins on drums, Michael Hanf on vibes and percussion, Dave Linaburg on guitar, and Ben Wells on bass, they have created a sound fusing americana with gritty textures and dark lyrics. "Its not me, its my sweet disposition ... , " to quote her lyrics is to take them out of context.

Holler cites influences from the likes of Tom Waits, Gram Parsons, Nina Simone and Neil Young.