The Singer and The Songwriter

I’d like the cocktail table in the corner, thank you, and may I have a whiskey neat? No, it’s just me … and what, there’s no smoking in here? That’s OK, I suppose, because The Singer and the Songwriter will probably be smoky enough. I heard a couple tunes on a local blog. They’re a duo. It’s this woman named Rachel Garcia who sings like the people my grandpa listened to on his old Victrola, along with a guy named Thu Tran who supposedly taught himself how to play guitar, piano, harmonica, ukulele and banjo. What, you say? It’s the first you’ve heard of them? (Sure, you can keep my tab open.) Anyway, the Singer and the Songwriter put out an album in mid-December; they called it “What a Difference a Melody Makes.” I checked it out and dug its sophisticated but playful vibe. Sounds old but current at the same time, y’know? Like the cool lounge-y record you’d put on in the background when you have somebody over for dinner. Sure, I’ll have another whiskey. What did you say you were doing later? - BuzzBands.LA

8/10

TS&TS are the LA duo of vocalist Rachel Garcia and multi-instrumentalist and songwriter Thu Tran, and they saunter through this debut long player which was produced by Charlie Stavish (Ryan Adams, Jenny Lewis), with admirable grace and style. Their own musical backgrounds take in 1920s jazz, pop, bossa nova, folk and gentle country, which they've filtered wonderfully into their own sound. Lovelorn opener ‘The Art of Missing You’ bagged the duo the ‘West Coast Songwriters’ International Song Contest’ award in 2012. It’s a delightfully poised and melancholic classic jazz ballad that Sarah Vaughan or Billie Holiday would have gladly wrapped their wounded souls around. Garcia’s voice takes on a smouldering Alison Moyet quality, while Tran’s colourful and emotive guitar laments behind her.

It’s as simple and classically minded as it comes, and all the better for it. While most of the album is sparse, leaving just room for Garcia’s wonderful attractive voice and Tran’s superb and tasteful playing, upright bass and drums, pianos horns and strings appear on occasions adding emphasis, atmosphere and occasionally theatrical drama (‘Dry Spell’, ‘Old Fashioned’). Elsewhere, ‘A Borrowed Room in a Borrowed House’ is lent some palpable melancholy; awash with strings and sadness. Countering that, another standout is the gently orchestrated ‘Out of the Fog’; a gentle, dream-like sway of a tune with a enchanting melody, and violins mirroring Garcia’s vocals. It has the unusual ability to actually be genuinely uplifting. Why this talented duo have masked themselves behind this most non-descript of monikers is anyone’s guess; however the music on this record is diverse, confident, stylish and accomplished. - Americana-UK.com

In a swish of delicious retro-pop gossamer, TSATS’ modern take on romantic banter adds tangy flames to cozy taffeta jazz basking in attractive bop, savvy appetites and enamored glamour. Primed in sophisticated mischief, “Difference,” polishes posh thoughts into bewitching whimsy for a suave hurrah to witty simplicity, effectively selecting choice chords steeped in breezy, matriarchal sparkle and cavalier, chandelier swing.

-John Noyd - Maximum Ink

THE SINGER AND THE SONGWRITER/What a Difference a Melody Makes: A Django inspired guitarist hooks up with an Elvis inspired chanteuse and the awards go flying through the air. Sounding retro and lo-fi, this nu cabaret music for the café in the farther parts of the galaxy. Loaded with polish that doesn't let you feel that it's anything but sincere, this is performance that brings a lot of heart and soul along for the ride. - - Midwest Record

Some things just go together: peanut butter and jelly, for instance. But when you talk about how different genres fit together to form a larger rhythmic canvas, things can get a little more complicated. That is, until you hear the casual cross-genre explorations of San Francisco duo The Singer and the Songwriter (AKA Rachel Garcia and Thu Tran). Their folk and jazz-centric musings could easily have become awkward combinations of mismatched tones and melodies, but by using the common musical threads of these respective genres, they are able to successfully integrate a wealth of influences into a cohesive rhythmic whole—the result of which is their debut LP, "What a Difference a Melody Makes."
Tying together Garcia's love of jazz and blues vocalists, as well as early pop artists like Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons and Elvis, with Tran's modern folk tendencies and keen poetic lyricism, this collection of songs acts as an homage to their shared musical inspirations. His guitar shimmies and swings like Django Reinhardt while her voice wraps around each note, swaying in unison like a modern-day Ella Fitzgerald. But it's at the crossroads of their influences that the real identity of The Singer and the Songwriter emerges. Not content to simply be the expression of a set of shared influences, the duo creates something unique from these all-too-common sounds.
-Joshua Pickard - Nooga.com

Coming from Los Angeles via San Francisco, the duo known as The Singer and The Songwriter has released its highly anticipated first full-length album, What a Difference a Melody Makes. Founded in 2009 by Tru Tran, guitarist/multi-instrumentalist and songwriter, and Rachel Garcia, lead vocalist, the duo evokes visions of dark, smoky jazz clubs and ’60s coffee shops. Their songwriting is a fantastic blend of that decade’s folk and jazz, combined with a modern pop approach. From the opening track to the last strains of the album, What a Difference shines bright from start to finish.

With exquisite production by Charlie Stavish (Juliette Lewis, Ryan Adams, Imagine Dragons), the album takes off on an emotional ride from the opening track: the award-winning “The Art of Missing You,” which won the Songwriters International Song Contest in 2012.

With just the right amount of jazz, blues, and a modern edge, the duo brings out the best in each other. Garcia’s voice is reminiscent of the late “Mama” Cass Elliot and the bluesy side of Bette Midler, yet her delivery is all original. Her voice possesses a calming ambiance, which readily combines with Tran’s stylistic guitar playing and song crafting. Lyrically, the material is insightful, true, and melancholy. While the singer can carefully create a mellow atmosphere, she is quite capable of becoming a vocal powerhouse. Song-wise, there seems to be no filler here. Every track makes its own statement, while still holding its true sound together. Spotlight tracks here include “The Art of Missing You”; “Old Fashioned,” an up-tempo romp about the want of a modern romance; and “Someday,” a ’60s -style tune with beauteous harmonies, reminding one of the girl groups of that era.

This is a great album: smoky and jazzy, with just the right amount of modern-day songwriting. The Singer and the Songwriter has created an opus worthy of national attention. With just the right exposure, this album has the makings of a certain hit in its genre…and, perhaps, outside of it. B+ | Marc Farr - Playback:stl

The Singer and The Songwriter is an L.A.-based musical duo (comprised of Rachel Garcia and Thu Tran) who play songs that are captivating enough to keep you hitting play over and over, but also languid enough to send you to sleep on a Sunday afternoon. If you do fall asleep listening to them, you’ll probably have the best dreams you’ve had in a long time (though they may involve cell phones or dogs yelping). Their new album—What a Difference a Melody Makes—is being mixed by Mason Jar Music, the collective who also mixed some of Feist’s music, which works out perfectly, because I heard a hint of Feist’s style here.

I understand that it’s not summer anymore, but I just heard this song today, and I’m totally enamored with it. She’s in love with the summer day, and I’m in love with this song. The guitar is plucky, the ukelele is beautiful, the piano is spry and her voice makes me want to fall asleep in a field of daisies, or whatever relaxed, happy people do. Summer Song This video stars Groucho Marx and the cutest, smartest funniest dog ever. The song is a jazzy, jaunty, and upbeat appeal for someone to love a homebody (who looks like Groucho Marx and really loves his dog.) - See more at: http://scannerdrome.com/the-singer-and-the-songwriter/#sthash.eJAS5o9c.dpuf - Scannerdrome.com

The album What a Difference a Melody Makes by The Singer and the Songwriter is an ode to 40-50’s Jazz not dissimilar to what Anabot tried to do in their latest album. What a Difference a Melody Makes is a much more purist attempt however, there are no fancy synthesizers or other modern contraptions that mix uneasily with the vintage sound.

What a Difference a Melody Makes is if nothing else true to form. Rachel Garcia imparts us with her soulful voice throughout the album and Thu Tran gives a great performance on jazz guitar. Again with What a Difference a Melody Makes many of the songs could be placed on a vintage turntable and be passed off as music of an earlier era. In this area I say more power to them, with so many bands these days pushing recycled 60’s nostalgia and with the indie circuit awash with third rate Velvet Underground ripoffs it’s refreshing to see someone do a good honest take on another era.

Not all of the tracks are in the 40-50’s jazz style. My favorite of the album, “Dry Spell,” seems more like it belongs in the intro of a Bond film circa 1973. “Dry Spell” has excellent dynamics between a minimalistic clean jazz guitar before building to a crescendo with an artfully place drum beat kicking in before fading into an ethereal string symphony. “Dry Spell” would also be a good if anachronistic addition to Mad Men now that I think of it. “Summer Song” is also a bit different and has a more folksy feel between the acoustic guitar and harmonies.

The rest of the album doesn’t have any tracks that are a detriment to it as a whole, however none really have the impact and careful orchestration that “Dry Spell” does. As a whole, it is easy to like what The Singer and the Songwriter have managed to put together: an album which will quench anyone’s craving for a vintage sounding band with some good jazz influences.

Rating: 8.0/10 - Surviving the Golden Age

4 stars out of 5

It’s been a long and fascinating journey for The Singer & The Songwriter. The duo comprised of vocalist Rachel Garcia and multi-instrumentalist Thu Tran met in 2006 while students at San Francisco State University, but it wasn’t until 2009 that they released a debut EP.

Now based in Los Angeles, The Singer & The Songwriter have fine-tuned their sound and their first full-length, “What a Difference a Melody Makes,” is a revelation. Tran’s pop- and folk-influenced songwriting blends seamlessly with Garcia’s jazzy vocals to create a sound all their own.

The duo earned some acclaim by winning the 2012 West Coast Songwriters International Song Contest. That tune, “The Art of Missing You,” is flat-out terrific and lifts the lid on “What a Difference a Melody Makes.” Things only get better from there as Garcia and Tran — who plays guitar, piano, harmonica, ukulele and banjo on the record — soar on keepers “Old Fashioned,” “Out of the Fog,” “Half the Week,” “A Borrowed Room in a Borrowed House,” “Pacific Coast Highway” and “Summer Song.”

There aren’t any clunkers on the 13-track release, making for an extremely enjoyable listen. Here’s hoping The Singer & The Songwriter don’t wait so long to make their next album. (Jeffrey Sisk) - Pittsburgh In Tune

Silver Lake is no Paris but just for a minute on Friday The Singer and The Songwriter nearly had me convinced otherwise. Garbage trucks huffing along Sunset be damned. The careening jingles of runaway grocery carts on Maltman? Whatever. Sunset Triangle Plaza’s hosting of the 2nd Annual Make Music LA event was a small enclave of acoustic folk and jazz to bring anyone’s busy work week to a deliriously adorable end. With stages set up at either end of the park, cafe goers basked in the waning sun, picnickers murmured on the grass, and toddlers danced jubilantly on everyone’s favorite polka dot dance floor – all were serenaded by the lineup of troubadour acts who performed throughout the afternoon and evening. The event was simple, stages were delineated plainly by rugs or something of the sort – so the acoustics were wholly up to the band. If you couldn’t perform at an audible level in this truly stripped down arena, then the performance was lost altogether. The quaint and affable duo The Singer and the Songwriter delighted with their poppy riff on French Jazz. The combo of Rachel Garcia and Thu Tran drew quite the crowd at the east end on the Maltman Stage. Tran’s vibrant rhythm guitar swung faster than Amanda Byne’s changing moods and his colorful playing style paired wonderfully with the dramatic and soulful voice of his partner in crime. It was clear that underneath Garcia’s cafe-jazz voice on Friday lay a rich, billowing and powerful vocal onslaught. This duo’s set of original material did clearly mine the annals of Gypsy Jazz (as well as ‘60s folk) for inspiration. However, The Singer and The Songwriter are a Los Angeles original. And on this day that was the summer solstice, the duo brought their set to a close with the apropos “Summer Song”, a bright, frantically-tempoed number whose wistful lyrics eagerly invited in that dizzying potion known as summer love. - The Eastsider LA

Rachel Garcia and Thu Tran are simply The Singer and The Songwriter. I first stumbled upon the duo at the modest 2nd Annual Make Music LA affair in Silverlake earlier this summer. The acoustic event was little more than a rug to stand on and a set time for the would-be troubadours of the day, who update the swinging yet decisive sounds of Gypsy jazz with a California-folk whimsy.
To literally just be heard above the puffing garbage trucks and the ubiquitous, echoing “Oms” of one of Sunset’s busiest stretches was no small task. Garcia’s richly textured voice, however, was not only heard, but made the statement of the day, while Tran played a frenzied guitar whose levity was the perfect foil to the anchor that was Garcia’s booming jazz voice.
The twosome began playing together in 2009 in San Francisco. A move southward and a couple incarnations later, though, the duo found themselves reinvigorated. They have spent the last two years writing and recording, and The Singer And The Songwriter are now primed to release their first full-length album, What A Difference A Melody Makes, just last week launching their Kickstarter campaign in an effort to put the finishing touches on the LP.
The wildcard that also makes The Singer and The Songwriter one to watch in the folk scene is the album’s producer, Charlie Stavish. Stavish has worked on albums for bands such as Imagine Dragons, Foster The People, and The Joy Formidable. With a delicate hand to polish off the album, The Singer and The Songwriter could be ready to breathe new life into LA’s folk scene. - LA Music Blog

Rachel Garcia and Thu Tran are The Singer & The Songwriter. The duo’s California-folk whimsy updates the swinging sounds of the gypsy jazz of the 1930s and ‘40s; a style that even in its heyday marched to its own beat, so to speak. Garcia’s sultry and booming jazz vocals are the anchor of the duo. A choir singer from a young age, it’s no wonder where Garcia learned to develop her standout voice. I first stumbled upon the duo at the modest 2nd Annual Make Music LA event in Silverlake earlier this summer. The acoustic event was little more than a rug to stand on for the would-be troubadours of the day. It was difficult to hear the day’s acts above the careening shopping carts and murmurs of the Friday afternoon weekend seekers; but Rachel Garcia was not only heard -- she put an exclamation point on the day with her richly textured voice.
As independent musicians in this niche genre, it’s fitting then that The Singer and The Songwriter display a special kind of moxie and are charting their own course without the backing of a major label. "There are a lot of unknowns and fear in being an independent artist, but the other side of the coin is the creative freedom [...] I get to choose who I want to be, what I want to sing and how I want to present myself. The effect that this freedom has is you learn to trust and rely on yourself and your band mate." Garcia and her partner in crime,“Songwriter” and guitarist, Thu Tran began playing together in 2009 in San Francisco. After, a move to Los Angeles the duo hit their stride and have spent the last two years writing and recording. The Singer and The Songwriter are now primed to release their first full-length album, What A Difference A Melody Makes. Just recently the outfit launched their Kickstarter campaign in an effort to put the finishing touches on their LP. The ingenuity and creativity of The Singer and The Songwriter are what enable the duo to carve out a path distinctly and charmingly their own.
The wildcard that also makes The Singer and The Songwriter one to watch in the folk scene is the album’s producer, Charlie Stavish. Stavish has worked on albums for bands such as Imagine Dragons, Foster The People, and The Joy Formidable. With a delicate hand to polish off the album, The Singer and The Songwriter could be ready to breathe new life into LA’s folk scene. - Made Woman Magazine

Based in Los Angeles, the jazz/folk duo The Singer and The Songwriter are premiering their second single, “Nights & Weekends,” here on Elmore from their EP, Ballads for Trying Times, available this March. Resonating the theme of the album title, “Nights & Weekends” is a necessary song of encouragement and draws attention to the realisation of their musical calling. This soulful folk song sets a contemplative but reassuring mood for exploring the dilemma of pursuing music alongside a full-time job.

The Singer and The Songwriter comments: “We have always had to juggle full-time day jobs to pay the bills while pursuing music. We wrote “Nights & Weekends” out of the feeling that inevitably creeps up for artists who are trying to balance their passion with a day job. It can sometimes feel frustrating and draining, but this song is an ode to remaining hopeful in the face of cynicism and self-doubt”.

With this frustration in mind, Garcia’s expression of toil through her floating vocals simmer above Tran’s steady guitar rhythms and his bluesy playing, reflecting their optimism in the midst of self-doubt. The ballad, which relentlessly calls for a musical career, rolls endlessly onwards with a series of lyrics which both motivates the listener and the singer, finally climaxing with Garcia’s outcry: “Anyone out there?.”

Taking on their own advice, The Singer and The Songwriter are “excited to make “the leap” of quitting [their] day jobs to become full-time touring musicians,” with tour date announcements to be expected very soon.

Either for the drive home from a late-shift or as motivation for a song-writing session into the early hours, The Singer and The Songwriter provides that bluesy soundtrack for you to “do what you love, nights and weekends”. - Elmore Magazine

The Singer and the Songwriter may just be selling themselves short with their straight-laced moniker, so it’d be impossible for them to make any pretensions about their own cleverness. Behind the workmanlike descriptor there’s two songwriters, Rachel García and Thu Tran, a pair who’s been collaborating together for close to a decade after fate brought them together at an open mic night. The rest is, well, history.

The folk-driven duo write baroque lullabies that move along with an ease and fluidity that showcases their musical maturity and sensibility. García’s torchy vocals have a soft spoken tone that can surely alleviate the end of a busy shift, the kind that befits their knack for lilting bossa nova rhythms and lush jazz arrangements.

The Deli is proud to present an exclusive stream of The Singer and the Songwriter’s latest EP, Ballads for Trying Times, one that aptly soothes and gives hopeful tranquility to the never-ending noise of the everyday. And if you’re tempted to leave the house, which may be a bit of a challenge after an hour-long session to their music over a cup of tea, then make sure to catch their record release show tonight at Hotel Café. - Juan Rodríguez - The Deli LA

The duo’s low-key EP lives up to its name, with Thu Tran’s tight, folk-jazz guitar patterns illuminating melodies warmed by Rachel Garcia’s smoky vocals. Bass and occasionally accordion, cello and violin pad arrangements, but spacious simplicity suits Garcia and Tran’s melodic compositions. Their economically composed songs address challenges and spirit-boosting moments of an artist’s life (“Do what you love nights and weekends/ In empty bars to scattered applause”), with smart commentary on social attitudes. Recommended for Norah Jones and Tracey Thorn fans. - Pasadena Weekly

Rachel Garcia and Thu Tran make up this Los Angeles-based duo, whose jazz-influenced folk songs feel like an intimate conversation between two old souls. Their latest, Ballads for Trying Times EP, follows their full-length debut album What a Difference a Melody Makes (2014). "Ballads reflects the sobering feeling that comes after arriving at that destination—disheartenment, vulnerability, disquiet," they said. This new EP provided the opportunity for Garcia and Tran to create a "more sonic space for reflection and a more contemplative mood, while retaining our ever-present love for melody and song craft." While the songs explore disenchantment, Garcia's rich, warm voice wraps around you like the softest quilt and Tran's subdued guitar shines at all the right moments, creating somber tracks that are more than palatable and neccessary. In the song, "My Favorite Person," the melancholy shines with lyrics like, "You are my favorite person to be angry with, to feel lonely with." - Bitch Media

The sultry duo of Tru Tran and Rachel Garcia, known collectively as The Singer and the Songwriter, has released its newest effort. Ballads for Trying Times is five tracks dripping in glorious melodies, melancholy lyrics, and superb guitar work. Guitarist Tran and vocalist Garcia take their incredible songwriting talents to new heights on this EP.

Starting out is “Nights and Weekends,” an ode to a life, perhaps one wasted in pursuit of a dream. The lyrics are brutally honest, and sung by a soul who is lost in a dream. The production, by the band members themselves, is organic. No sequencers or digital tricks here: just honest playing from a duo who deserve stardom. The recording was done over a five day during which they created some very well-crafted tunes.

The EP draws the listener into a melancholy world of failed dreams, lost loves, and the craziness of blinding love. Illustrating this clearly is “If You Followed Me/If I Followed You,“ a catchy song about pursuing a loved one down the road of chased dreams.

Succulently performed, this release is a breath of musical fresh air. With a Sade-esque feel, Garcia delivers sultry vocals to go with Tran’s elegant guitarwork. They seem made for each other, as if they are musical soulmates.

Ballads for Trying Times is a delectable listen, an emotional journey down a sullen, yet hopeful trail. Garcia and Tran bring together songs that appear written just for the listener, and no one else. A very personal and intimate release. A+ | Marc Farr - Playback: STL