Led by Megan Hickey and her '40s lap-steel guitar, The Last Town Chorus won widespread critical praise for its self-titled 2004 debut, on which Hickey sings of heartbreak, joy and alienation. The band performed a concert from WXPN and World Cafe Live in Philadelphia on Jan. 19.
With a sweet, strong singing voice — she's been compared to Beth Orton, Gillian Welch, Cocteau Twins' Elizabeth Fraser and Mazzy Star's Hope Sandoval — Hickey often delves into personal material. Her group's forthcoming CD, Wire Waltz, digs deeper than its predecessor; it arrives in the U.S. in March after already finding an audience in France, the U.K., Australia and New Zealand. The album includes a reinvention of David Bowie's "Modern Love" which was recently featured on the hit drama Grey's Anatomy.
Copyright 2007 XPN