Lucy Michelle and the Velvet Lapelles

I'm surprised that more people, especially in the Twin Cities area, don't know about Lucy Michelle and the Velvet Lapelles. They are a local gem that more people really ought to know about.

There is something old timey, yet fresh and new about their music. Rhythms that are clapped and stomped out, mixed with sounds cello, upright bass, accordion, and ukele, mixed with Lucy's one-of-a-kind vocal stylings blend together to form this unique band that plays with an almost nonchalant energy.

What's worse, Lucy is so nice. Met her once while out dancing to Patty and the Buttons and she was so sweet and amiable.

Anyways, my whole point is this. You should probably at least know about Lucy Michelle and the Velvet Lapelles. Good music and good people. Can't go wrong with that.

Also, if you like jazz, you should check out Lucy's side project, a duo (though sometimes more) simply called Lucy and Charlie. They perform a wide array of covers, from Ella Fitzgerald to the Beatles. I got to see them perform almost by accident at Aster Cafe and was quite impressed. She puts soul behind her singing and will make a sad song even sadder, but in a good way. They don't play many shows, but if you get a chance to see this jazz duo, it's worth your time and money. Plus, their Myspace recordings do not do them any justice, so seeing them live is definitely the way to go.