Little Films by Vanessa Peters & Ice Cream on Mondays

The four of them hit it off instantly and recorded a demo together that was to be used for booking a tour in America. The demo ended up sounding so good that they had it mixed and mastered and released it as their first disc, Thin Thread. The band came to America in January 2005 and they toured through some of the best venues in the South, including Poor David’s Pub in Dallas, and at universities like Texas A&M. Then the band headed back to Europe and played a string of dates in Italy, which Vanessa then followed with solo dates in the Czech Republic and more shows in the States.

But in all of these airports and backseats of vans and moments before sleeping, Vanessa was writing a script that would become Little Films. In fall 2005 the band began making plans to head back to Texas to start recording with Salim Nourallah, a well-known singer/songwriter and producer who had worked with up-and-coming bands like The Deathray Davies and more established acts like Rhett Miller and the Old 97’s. Salim had also recorded Blackout, an acoustic EP reminiscent of Patty Griffin’s early work, that Vanessa released as a solo artist in May 2006. Salim’s production had caught the band’s ear in 2005 while they were on tour in Dallas, and having him at the helm was exactly what they wanted for their new album.

So the band crossed the sea once more and buckled down at Pleasantry Lane Studio in Dallas. Alberto laid the drums and then flew home; Vanessa and Manuel laid the guitars and vocals in between tour dates in Texas, then flew home as well. Juri was never able to make it to the States, but Manuel recorded some of his bass at his studio in Italy, and Salim filled in beautifully on the rest of the songs. Vanessa laid more harmonies and oversaw the mixing while on tour in Texas in March and May, and the album was mixed, mastered, and ready to go in early September.

Using the language of scripts, the album chronicles the redemptive and destructive powers that our own personal films have in our lives. Early buzz says this is Vanessa’s best album yet, showing off her 1-2-3 punch of startling lyrics, catchy melodies, and a voice that stays with you for days – likened by one reviewer to “a voice that you could obtain by mixing the earthiness of Lucinda Williams, the witty youthfulness of Beth Orton, and the problematic grace of Suzanne Vega.” The album is a blend of various genres, covering the roots-rock of Wilco and the Jayhawks, the folk-tinged songs of Patty Griffin, and a bit of pop-rock a la Aimee Mann.

Vanessa and Manuel Schicchi, the band’s guitarist, are currently on a 40-stop tour across America promoting Little Films. They are playing again in some of the country’s best venues, including McGonigel’s Mucky Duck in Houston, Uncommon Ground in Chicago, Pete’s Candy Store in Brooklyn, 8th and Rail in Auburn, and the Purple Fiddle in West Virginia, as well as various universities like University of Wisconsin and Texas A&M University. After their 60 days here in America, they’ll head back to Italy to join Juri and Alberto for another tour across Italy at such prestigious venues as Folk Club in Torino, Bar Wolf in Bologna, and the Velvet Underground in Castiglion Fiorentino.

Vanessa and ICOM are endorsed by Norman Guitars, a specialty guitar maker out of Montreal, Canada. They are at home in small clubs, on college campuses, in coffeehouses, and most at home in appreciative listening rooms or house concerts. Vanessa has been nominated for best folk artist, best new artist, best new band, and best female vocals in Austin and in Houston.

Average Customer Review: