The Seriousness of Being Labra

Last post I wrote about how I should lighten up and promised to write about the issue of being serious. More true to my word than I had originally intended, I skipped yesterday's post altogether. Tackling this post's artist, Labrador Labratories (a.k.a. Labra), seemed to have been just as problematic for me.

I was immediately enchanted by his MySpace tracks, imbued with Devendra-like charm and the very curious bio piece. I then proceeded with my admittedly lame and failed attempt at an interview:

Q. Can you tell us a little about you? What are you trying to convey with the bio you wrote on MySpace? How much truth is there in it?

A. Not much of an interview, man. But the story is true. Ask my grandma.

Q. What inspires you to create and make music? What are your influences?

A. A lot of pretty girls i see in the street, and also being lonely, and my big mirror in my room.

Q. What's your dream performance/record?

A. Radio city, man. Naked. With Jimi Hendrix, but he plays rhythm guitar for me.

Q. Starting out as an indie artist in a world filled with other bands and artists can be very hard (but also a lot fun). What's your approach?

A. I go right for the kill.

This left me staggering for a while. Am I just too serious and stiff? Is Labra a weird post-modern cross of a Peter Pan lost boy and a street punk/indie rocker? Is there more to him than his San Francisco styled "man" and "dude" approach? Is it just a facade? I don't have the answers for these questions; I'm not sure Labra does either.

What I do know is that I like to be baffled by artists, to let them surprise me and face the unexpected. And here I got my treat: indie freak folk with classic rock roots that's genuine, kicking and screaming in its quieter moments, all wrapped in one mystery package.

And yeah, Tom. It's not much of a review either.

Listen to Labrador Labratories on MySpace and SoundClick. He also has a page on Facebook.

Labrador Labratories - Your Arms {MP3}
Labrador Labratories - Butterflies {MP3}

Bonus: Labrador Labratories - Butterflies {Video}