Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Let's just imagine that we have no idea who The Sweet Hurt is or that The Sweet Hurt is and has always been the brainchild of a one Wendy Wang. Then we'd have to pretend that many lifetimes ago in the trenches of a certain corporation, where amongst a sea of employees with bad taste in music we were saved by Ms. Wang's unflappable fondness for skate punk and boy bands, which was both weird and wonderful. We would then have to forget all the times we have spent since then hanging out listening to her favorite music or listening about her struggles of continuing to do music or listening to her own music she had just written (our favorite). So perhaps to give a fair review of her EP release show on Saturday we might have to put all that we know of Ms. Sweet Hurt behind us.
But that we cannot do.
You see, unlike perhaps most musicians around town, Wendy Wang has never craved the spotlight. And she'd be the first to tell you that she'd rather be huddled away in a dark studio in Rancho Park than on any stage in Los Angeles. So you can understand the joy of the moment as she stood there on the night of the release of her new EP In the Shade of Dreams basking in the light of pehrspace's Christmas colors enjoying the warmth of an adoring, capacity crowd.
Over the course of its existence, The Sweet Hurt has gone through many changes, ranging from bedroom demo days to rock quartet phase to minimalist girl-girl duo (our favorite) and everything else in between. But on this night, she pulled out all stops inviting an all-star cast of friends featuring members from bands I Make This Sound, Charlie Wadhams, Patrick Park, and Let's Go Sailing along with surprise guests Priscilla Ahn for a few new songs ("Banjo Song", "Maybe Someday") and Nate Cole from Castledoor for an absolutely lovely rendition of "Lost Again". Any musician that wasn't on stage pretty much filled out the rest of the room as some of the scene's biggest names came out to see one of L.A.'s most well-known side players be the star of the show for once.
And then there was us, listening, as we have done since those college days. Proud of the musician who is doing what she's always wanted to do. Happy for the friend whose band we can finally say...
Los Angeles Loves The Sweet Hurt.
In the Shade of Dreams will be available through Red Rockets Glare Records on 7/8. The Sweet Hurt performs 7/5 at Crane's and 7/28 at Mr. T's Bowl.
The Sweet Hurt on MySpace.
Photos from the EP release show here.
The Sweet Hurt - "Where Would You Go?" (MP3)
The Sweet Hurt - "Lost Again" (MP3) Limited time download
The Sweet Hurt - "M. Misery" (MP3) Limited time download
The Sweet Hurt - "What I Might"
