Hannalee
Seattle, Washington, United States | Established. Jan 01, 2012 | SELF
Music
Press
We enjoyed a lot the four seasons themed EP’s released by Larkin Poe in 2010/2011 (Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter), and now here’s another seasonal treat for you from Seattle folk trio Hannalee who released the first in a series of EP’s coinciding with the seasons in the fall of 2012, Cucurbita.
The EP’s are a result of a twist in the career of bands lead vocalist and songwriter Michael Notter who was living the rock ‘n’ roll dream flying all around the US with indie-rock band Motopony before another key member of the band left for pastures new, leaving Notter to return home to Seattle where he turned his creative energies back to dreamy folk trio, Hannalee who he had formed in 2010 with wife Anna-Lisa and childhood friend Fidelia Rowe.
If the the Fall EP Cucurbita is a marker for quality then there is much to look forward to in the Winter, Spring and Summer EP’s that are planned to role out during 2013, the six-track release manages to capture the autumnal mood and blends folk elements from both sides of the Atlantic into an eclectic and pleasing release, for purchases of physical product each release will be screen printed with original artwork and there’s vinyl too! - Beat Surrender
We enjoyed a lot the four seasons themed EP’s released by Larkin Poe in 2010/2011 (Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter), and now here’s another seasonal treat for you from Seattle folk trio Hannalee who released the first in a series of EP’s coinciding with the seasons in the fall of 2012, Cucurbita.
The EP’s are a result of a twist in the career of bands lead vocalist and songwriter Michael Notter who was living the rock ‘n’ roll dream flying all around the US with indie-rock band Motopony before another key member of the band left for pastures new, leaving Notter to return home to Seattle where he turned his creative energies back to dreamy folk trio, Hannalee who he had formed in 2010 with wife Anna-Lisa and childhood friend Fidelia Rowe.
If the the Fall EP Cucurbita is a marker for quality then there is much to look forward to in the Winter, Spring and Summer EP’s that are planned to role out during 2013, the six-track release manages to capture the autumnal mood and blends folk elements from both sides of the Atlantic into an eclectic and pleasing release, for purchases of physical product each release will be screen printed with original artwork and there’s vinyl too! - Beat Surrender
Brassica is the second of four seasonal EPs from beloved Seattle indie roots band Hannalee. Every song in Brassica has been paired like a fine wine, and with each containing a unique flavor this six song EP keeps your ears in tune for the entire ride. I love the honesty and warmth Hannalee brings to their music. Their songs are filled with intimate lyrics surrounded by a trio of harmonies. Michael Notter, Anna-Lisa, and Fidelia Rowe dig deep and bring us uplifting music that is beautiful in more ways than one.
After hearing the Fall EP Cucurbita, and now the Winter EP Brassica I’m happy to say Hannalee is a fine example of what makes homemade folk music so special.
A beautifully written quote on the creation of Hannalee: “A shooting star held the moon’s shadow in an erotic and passionate embrace and little baby Hannalee was born. Cradled by the Celestial Stork, she descended through the rainy drear of the Seattle sky and landed squarely in the intersection of NW Market & Ballard Avenue. She immediately began to sing . . .” - Foxbeard
Seattle-based Hannalee have released Brassica the second installment of a four-part album series following the changing seasons. In this wintery edition the hours spent polishing their craft deep in the snowy woods of the Methow Valley are evident. Their harmonies and skillful arrangements are tighter than ever. Reminiscent of The Moondoggies and The Head and the Heart, this trio's hand-crafted, hand-printed new album is sure to find a regular place in your playlist.
Brassica is the second of four EPs from Seattle indie roots trio Hannalee. This series of EPs is timed to release with the seasons, and Brassica is a sweet hymn to the cold embrace of winter. The previous EP, Cucurbita, was an ode to Fall, and Hannalee have two more EPs (Spring/Summer) planned for the rest of 2013. Inspired by winter nights spent in the family cabin in the Methow Valley, Brassica wanders through snowy trails, late-night conversations around the fire, sleighbells, and many other aspects of an American winter. The diverse array of songs range from the beautiful love song “Baby Come Home,” to the Beatles-inflected “Born Again Tonight” and the gospel-choir uplift of “Shine.” Rain-drenched harmonies, windswept acoustic guitar work and the intimate warmth of three loving friends making music together complete Hannalee’s vision for their Pacific Northwest winter EP. With Brassica, this roots trio continue their journey to a holistic view of music, where the emphasis is on making music sustainable and plumbing the creative depths of a group. - The Examiner
Seattle-based Hannalee have released Brassica the second installment of a four-part album series following the changing seasons. In this wintery edition the hours spent polishing their craft deep in the snowy woods of the Methow Valley are evident. Their harmonies and skillful arrangements are tighter than ever. Reminiscent of The Moondoggies and The Head and the Heart, this trio's hand-crafted, hand-printed new album is sure to find a regular place in your playlist.
Brassica is the second of four EPs from Seattle indie roots trio Hannalee. This series of EPs is timed to release with the seasons, and Brassica is a sweet hymn to the cold embrace of winter. The previous EP, Cucurbita, was an ode to Fall, and Hannalee have two more EPs (Spring/Summer) planned for the rest of 2013. Inspired by winter nights spent in the family cabin in the Methow Valley, Brassica wanders through snowy trails, late-night conversations around the fire, sleighbells, and many other aspects of an American winter. The diverse array of songs range from the beautiful love song “Baby Come Home,” to the Beatles-inflected “Born Again Tonight” and the gospel-choir uplift of “Shine.” Rain-drenched harmonies, windswept acoustic guitar work and the intimate warmth of three loving friends making music together complete Hannalee’s vision for their Pacific Northwest winter EP. With Brassica, this roots trio continue their journey to a holistic view of music, where the emphasis is on making music sustainable and plumbing the creative depths of a group. - The Examiner
Seattle’s Hannalee comprises the almost impossibly photogenic threesome of husband-and-wife Michael Harley* and Anna-Lisa Notter, and childhood friend Fidelia Rowe. When you look at any of their group photos — even without having heard their music, or knowing anything more about them — you might think: Wow. I thought I’d heard of most of the San Francisco groups from the ’60s… how’d I miss them?
Looks (as we all know) can be deceiving. But in Hannalee’s case, you might not be far off the mark. Oh, they don’t specialize at all in psychedelia or any such genres; but the sense of the late ’60s is there, all right — the sense of distant possibilities, brought suddenly within reach via music.
It’s folk music, sort of, and that’s how they seem to identify themselves. (Their Bandcamp profile says: “Blending the sounds of traditional folk music with elements of dark, neverland whimsy, Hannalee creates a unique music strange and familiar at once.”) But their three-part harmonies can also verge on something older, even choral. And of course, if they’re singing in an old church (Seattle’s Fremont Abbey) with strings behind them… The song is “Valhalla,” from the first of four seasons-of-the-year EPs (the autumn title, Cucurbita – the pumpkin genus — just released a few months ago):
(for entire review see URL..) - Running After My Hat
Where the line lies between Hannalee, the fresh sounding folk group and Hannalee, purveyors of enchanting pop, is a frequently fluid affair. This Northwestern threesome quickly establishes a distinctive and decidedly charming vocal sound, matching it up with equally exceptional song crafting and delicate, minimal instrumentation. The leadoff track, “Can’t Believe It” sets a high bar that’s never missed further on with offerings such as “Golden Sunrise” and “Asleep In The Attic”.
Reviewed By: Duane Verh - Roots Music Report
Where the line lies between Hannalee, the fresh sounding folk group and Hannalee, purveyors of enchanting pop, is a frequently fluid affair. This Northwestern threesome quickly establishes a distinctive and decidedly charming vocal sound, matching it up with equally exceptional song crafting and delicate, minimal instrumentation. The leadoff track, “Can’t Believe It” sets a high bar that’s never missed further on with offerings such as “Golden Sunrise” and “Asleep In The Attic”.
Reviewed By: Duane Verh - Roots Music Report
Discography
Still working on that hot first release.
Photos
Bio
Formed in 2010 by Michael Notter (vocals, guitar, ukulele) and Anna-Lisa Notter (vocals, ukulele, percussion) and later completed with the addition of childhood friend Fidelia Rowe (vocals, percussion), Hannalee has built a strong word-of-mouth reputation in Seattle's folk circles having performed at the Triple Door, the Moore Theatre, the Fremont Abbey (BARE & the Round), St. Mark's Cathedral, the NW Folklife & Doe Bay Festivals, etc, and with the likes of Damien Jurado, John Roderick, Pickwick, John Russell (the Head and the Heart), Noah Gundersen, the Shook Twins and many more.. The band is noted for its lush 3-part harmony and its dark but hopeful, sometimes humorous lyric.
Hannalee was sparked by a cozy living room sing-along in 2010, but it wasnt until Michael's indie touring band, Motopony, fell into a lull, that the impetus to release a series of seasonal EP's, the band's first studio recordings, began to take shape. With a catalogue of songs the band had built up over the past three years, in April of 2012 Michael began to work the autumn release, Cucurbita. Hannalees idea was to release and share with their listeners the music they were making as they were creating it, continually throughout the year.
Upon releasing the records, the band teamed up with folk publicists Sue DuMond and Devon Leger (Hearth Music) to push the records nationally to folk and roots DJ's and publications and to both community and AAA radio. The EP's have enjoyed radio play on indie, roots and americana stations such as KEXP, JPR, KVMR, WSCS, many more, and have been spun in the UK, the Netherlands and Australia. Certain of the records have charted as high as #13 on the Roots Music Report.
Select tunes from the four EP's are now in in-store rotation in Starbucks cafes internationally.
Band Members
Links
