Spring Summer

It's been a good six months since the good folks at Dublab (currently holding their Proton Drive fundraiser) have delivered up a new installment of Vision Version, a video series that captures touring or L.A.-area artists performing one-off songs in beautiful or unusual settings. Last time, to wit, syllable-spewing local rapper Busdriver pulled a Mos Def by delivering verse after rapid-fire verse of "Coon Talk" whilst riding shotgun through the streets of Echo Park.

Well, this latest addition is a bit more mellow.

Jennifer Furches may have built a house in Louisville (also, she may not have), but she currently lives in Los Angeles, and has been putting in violin work with Sea Wolf, Coconut Records (a.k.a. Jason Schwartzman), Patrick Park and Cass McCombs. She's also got a solo debut on the way. There may (also: may not) be information about that here. - LA Weekly Nov 9 2009

Dublab is excited to share the next installment of the VisionVersion film series. Their goal is to showcase incredible musicians while sharing hidden corners that define our spectacular city. VisionVersion film clips are available to stream and download free through their website , on other video sites across the web and at select film screenings around the globe. This live performance from Jennifer Furches was filmed on an idyllic sunset hilltop in Elysian Park. Jennifer Furches of Spring Summer, is a talented singer/guitar player/violinist from Winston-Salem, NC who now resides in Los Angeles. She sometimes lends her violin talents to bands such as Sea Wolf, Patrick Park, Coconut Records and Cass McCombs.

For more on dublab’s VisionVersion series, visit: http://dublab.com/visionversion - Evil Monito Magazine Nov 14 2009

It's Tuesday. Perhaps you should check out some new music. I am here to help. The talented and lovely Jennifer Furches has just completed a new album. Check out Spring Summer. I promise you shall not be disappointed. - Rarely Wrong Erin (blog) Nov 10 2009

In addition to a live presentation of the store’s S/S 2010 namesake collection (which mixed up everything from bold floral shift-dresses to leopard print and flashes of hot pink with lace inserts), musical performances were also an important part of the event line-up, spearheaded by a few whimsical ballads sung by Jennifer Furches... - Harpers Baazar -- Oct 09

Spring Summer—a.k.a. North Carolina-bred singer-songwriter Jennifer Furches—marries angelic, wispy vocals with a folksy, back-porch aesthetic to create meandering acoustic numbers that are both confessional and melancholic. Check out this music video directed by Roman Coppola to get a little taste of what we’re talking about. You can also purchase Spring Summer’s self-titled debut album over at iTunes.

Furches laid down her Vital Stats for Anthem on the run up to her shows in Paris at Club Le Baron and La Cigale (supporting Micky Green) last month.

BAND NAME: Spring Summer

HOMETOWN: Los Angeles

DESCRIBE YOUR SOUND IN TWO SENTENCES: Sometimes folky. Sometimes pop-y.

FAVORITE NIGHTSPOT IN THE CITY YOU CALL HOME: It’s probably pretty uncool to say this, but with the exception of playing shows, it’s been years since I spent much time in any “nightspots.” However, there’s this one small bar that I love in Hollywood called The Laundry Bar. It only fits about ten people and it has karaoke.

HOTTEST OP STAR: I don’t feel qualified to answer this question, but Lady Gaga is fascinating to me.

HOTTEST DEAD ROCKER: I could listen to Gram Parsons and John Martyn all day.

FAVORITE NOW DEFUNCT LABEL: My favorite label is Merge. They’re alive and kicking like an animal!

WHO’S MORE CREATIVE, AN EARLY BIRD OR A NIGHT OWL? I’ve tried both and although I appreciate the romance of it, the alcohol involved in the night owl attempts has me asleep before I even have a shot at it. I prefer a long, bored afternoon. The last frantic hour before I have to be somewhere is always the most productive.

SOMETHING THAT’S ALWAYS IN YOUR POCKET/PURSE/WALLET: I have this Weezer guitar pic that I caught at a show ten years ago. They played in a school gym in Raleigh, North Carolina—it was pretty great. I’m not like a crazy Weezer fan, but it was a fun night and I’ve moved it from wallet to wallet over the years without ever really thinking about it.

BEST RECENT PURCHASE: Piano lessons!

MOST MEMORABLE SHOW YOU’VE PLAYED: Many years ago, when I was in another band, the bass player turned around mid-song in front of a sold out show and told me he was too stoned to stand and begged for my permission so he could just sit down and relax for a second. I’ve never laughed so hard, and I have occasionally wondered what the crowed must’ve thought of our animated conversation.

LYRIC YOU’RE MOST PROUD OF: Yikes... Nothing ever sounds as good out of context.

MOST DIFFICULT ASPECT OF RECORDING: At the beginning: Overcoming inhibitions. By the summer: The broken air conditioner.

ONE BRAND YOU MIGHT CONSIDER SELLING A SONG TO: Hopefully one with good taste. But for the right price, I may just throw those scruples out the window. It costs a lot of money to tour with a band, and I’m not sure where else musicians get it these days.

DECIPHER THIS WEIRD FORTUNE COOKIE: “THIS IS THE TIME TO MAKE CIRCLES WITH MINTS. DO NOT HASTE ANY LONGER.” Sugar is bad for you unless you draw with it first. - Anthem Magazine

Spring Summer is the nom de tune of L.A. songstress Jennifer Furches, whose lovingly orchestrated pop hits the same sweet spot where the likes of Natalie Merchant and the Sundays dwell. Furches is working in the right circles — the debut album features contributions from Patrick Park, Dustin O’Halloran and Robert Schwartzman, among others, and her video for “First Time Around” was directed by Roman Coppola. As constructs go, think of Spring Summer as shelter from your storms.

||| Download: Spring Summer, “First Time Around”

||| Live: Spring Summer performs Feb. 25 at the Bootleg Theater. - Kevin Bronson/Buzzbands

SPRING SUMMER
PHOTO BY MIA KIRBY
WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR PEOPLE WHO STRIVE TO SUCCEED IN
STARTING THEIR OWN BAND?
DO IT!! IT'S THE MOST FUN THING EVER!
IT'S THIS REFRESHINGLY VIBRANT OUTLOOK THAT MAKES SPRING
SUMMER FOLK-POP FRONT-WOMAN JEN FURCHES ENJOYABLE ON SO
MANY LEVELS. HER ENTHUSIASM FOR MUSIC IS UNPARALLELED, ESPECIALLY
WHEN IT COMES TO HER ADORATION FOR HER BAND. "I
PLAY WITH A ROTATING GROUP--MOST OF WHOM PLAYED ON THE RECORD.
PATRICK PARK I'VE KNOWN FOR A LONG TIME AND HE SORT OF
PICKS UP THE SLACK--WHATEVER INSTRUMENTS ARE LACKING. HE
ALSO MAKES HIS OWN BEAUTIFUL MUSIC AND SOMETIMES I PLAY
WITH HIM TOO. My DRUMMER MATT MAYHALL ALSO PLAYS WITH
PATRICK, AS WELL AS A FEW OTHER GREAT LA BANDS. AND, ACTUALLY
SO DOES MY BASS PLAYER, KEVIN HOULIHAN. HMM. I GUESS
I JUST BORROWED PATRICK'S BAND! I KNOW APRIL FROM OUR DAYS
IN SEA WOLF--AND DUSTIN FROM A TOUR WE DID WITH THE DEVICS.
AND CHARLENE HUANG IS THE VERY TALENTED VIOLIN PLAYER
FROM LESLIE AND THE BADGERS. I LOVE MY BAND!" THE FEELING
IS UNDOUBTEDLY SURE TO BE MUTUAL. ASIDE FROM SPRING SUMMER,
THOUGH, FURCHES ENJOYS PLAYING WITH OTHER BANDS AS
WELL IN ORDER TO BETTER HER PERFORMANCES, FURTHER DEVELOP
CREATIVELY, AND LEARN FROM OTHER MUSICIANS. NOT TO MENTION,
SHE TAKES PLEASURE IN PERFORMING WITH OTHER ARTISTS SIMPLY
BECAUSE OF THE PURE DELIGHT SHE TAKES IN MUSIC ITSELF.
IN FACT, OTHER THAN HER DABBLING IN VARIOUS MUSICAL GROUPS,
SHE LIKES TO TAKE TIME PLAYING A CONSIDERABLY UNIQUE ASSORTMENT
OF INSTRUMENTS, WHICH SHE SOMETIMES INCLUDES IN HER DIFFERENT WORKS. FURCHES EXPRESSES THAT, "FOR NOW EACH SHOW SEEMS TO BE A BIT DIFFERENT
FROM THE LAST. WE JUST PLAYED WITH THE FULL BAND, FOR INSTANCE,BUT HAVE TWO
VERY DIFFERENT SHOWS COMING UP: ONE WITH ONLY PIANO AND GUITARS
AND THE OTHER WITH STRINGS AND BANJO. I IMAGINE THE SHOW WILL
EVENTUALLY EVOLVE INTO A PREDICTABLE LINE-UP BUT I'M
ENJOYING THIS CHALLENGE OF NAVIGATING EVERYONE'S SCHEDULE. I THINK THERE ARE GREAT DISCOVERIES TO BE HAD EVERY TIME
WE HAVE TO RE-ARRANGE A
SONG TO FIT WHAT WE'VE GOT." BECAUSE SHE IS SUCH A HUGE FAN
OF ALL MUSIC, SHE IS ABLE TO INCORPORATE SO MANY DIFFERENT
FACETS OF MUSICAL STYLES INTO HER SONGS, PARTICULARLY HER
SPRING SUMMER RECORD. WITH THE GENEROUS HELP OF PATRICK
PARK, FURCHES' GREAT EFFORTS IN PUTTING OUT AN ECLECTIC COLLECTION
OF SOUNDS WHICH LISTENERS CAN EMBRACE DEFINITELY
SHOW ON THIS ALBUM. IN TERMS OF FUTURE RECORDS, HER ENTHUSIASM
IS JUST AS ANIMATED AS IT IS FOR HER CURRENT COLLECTION.
"I'M EXCITED FOR THE NEXT PHASE--PLAYING AS MANY SHOWS
AS POSSIBLE--BUT I REALLY CAN'T WAIT TO START WORKING ON THE
NEXT ONE." - MF Magazine

Sometimes a simple song and a simple video can be the best kind of song and the best kind of video. Spring Summer is the work of the LA-based, North Carolina native Jennifer Furches. While her site is still under construction, and songs from the just-released album are in short supply online, WLYS recently attended a private listening party for the debut album and can in all honesty that it’s got us rearranging our top ten lists for best releases of 2009. Beautiful girl, beautiful voice, beautiful words, beautiful music. Get in on the ground floor. - We Love You So -- Where the Wild Things Are