typsy panthre

Typsy Panthre – Hell is now available PWYW on bandcamp! Name your price.

The album Hell draws its name from the cover image snapped by Typsy Panthre’s John Crozier, of a Shell gas station where the S has fallen off. For Typsy Panthre the title Hell blithely mirrors current events, in particular the tenure of the current GOP Administration of the US.  The song inhabiting this theme the most straightforwardly is “The Strange Thing” where the world weary singer (Allison LaBonne) addresses America’s current president with vast incredulity.

Though the three opening songs establish a sort of desolate triumvirate, the album doesn’t wallow too long.  “Hell embodies the world of the title & its opposite. The second half is especially captivating, with darkness giving way to beauty, lush sounds, infectious melodies and lyrics both immediate and layered. You should all go to Hell!” (tweet by @realtofupuppy)

 
TP-dual-band-photo
Typsy Panthre is the recording duo Allison LaBonne and John Crozier , and their self titled debut LP was Korda 001, the debut release of Korda Records. Melodic and filled with sonic surprises, Typsy Panthre’s sound is fun and dark; like a second cousin of Nick Drake and The Smiths with electronic drums and gentle female vocals.
 
Typsy Panthre started with one song: Paper Winter, singer Allison LaBonne says. It didn’t have lyrics yet. John gave me a demo and seemed surprised that I came up with words for it within a few days.
 
LaBonne (who sings and writes songs with The Starfolk and The Owls) was already a fan of Crozier’s songwriting in the likes of Ninotchka, Ninian Hawick, and Muskellunge; and of his guitar work in a host of Minneapolis bands from the garage punk Wahinis, to the bossa-pop Legendary Jim Ruiz Group, to the lush, sixties-inspired Hang Ups.
 
That first Typsy Panthre song came together easily, at least on my end. I added some unsolicited harmonies because I thought it sounded pretty minimal. I didn’t realize how much John would transform songs after the lead vocal was added. Usually radically. He’s super adventurous in his arrangements. Really different from anything I’d done before musically.