The Please, Please Me

"The EP show’s off the band’s rhythm-centric approach, especially on the ebullient single All Danced Out."

* * *

A drummer recruits another drummer through Craigslist to be a part of her band: it sounds like the start of a terrible drummer joke, but it’s actually the beginning of the Please Please Me. Jessie Torrisi moved from Philadelphia to the New York to become a musician, but she got tired staying behind the kit for a procession of go-nowhere local bands. Having secretly amassed a collection of songs on her own, Torrisi decided to relocate to Austin, and she started playing on her own with just a guitar and her voice.

But the solo route didn’t sit well either. A Craigslist ad turned up a fellow musician with a remarkably similar background: Agustin Frederic was also an accomplished drummer who had recently moved from New York to Austin. Torrisi quickly hired Frederic for a hectic tour, and something just clicked between the two of them. The duo then convinced another local musician, cellist/vocalist Alissa McClure, to quit her job and join forces as the Please Please Me. “So much of the time since then has been figuring how it all works — how the pieces fit together — with having rhythm being at the core of everything,” says Torrisi.

Since 2012, the band has logged 50,000 miles spread across ten tours, using the live setting to fine-tune their musical alchemy. They raised nearly $13,000 via Kickstarter to fund a new EP, Shake A Little Harder, the release of which the Please Please Me are celebrating tonight at Stubb’s Jr. Recorded and produced by CJ Eiriksson–whose diverse credits include U2 and Bob Schneider–the EP show’s off the band’s rhythm-centric approach, especially on the ebullient single “All Danced Out.” - KUTx

"Epic! Indie pop has finally found a band willing to do it their way."

* * *

Indie music is one of those genres where it’s all too easy for groups to jump on the bandwagon (excuse the pun) and imitate the successful artists, often devouring any kind of originality just for a shot at success. With The Please, Please Me, Indie pop has finally found a band willing to do it their way.

The Please, Please Me are an eclectic trio led by Jessie Torrisi (vocals/guitar) the self-proclaimed fiery front-woman who clearly enjoys every minute of leading this band. What is most unusual is that there is no bass player but Alissa McClure provides the gentle but weighty undertones on cello. It’s a bizarre line-up but listening to this EP, it undeniably works.

Their debut release, Shake A Little Harder opens with All Danced Out, a tune packed with so much groove it should make you shake harder all summer long. The swirling Dreamin’ is really where the cello sound comes alive, and is so epic in its delivery, it could have come off one of Train’s albums.

It’s a varied and rewarding debut EP from the fresh-faced trio and on the evidence of this, more great music is to come. They will no doubt be prowling the festival circuits soon and deliver more solid tunes live on stage. There is something for everyone here, and any band that are bringing the glockenspiel back are surely worthy of our attention! - CultureFly

A drummer recruits another drummer through Craigslist to be a part of her band: it sounds like the start of a terrible drummer joke, but it’s actually the beginning of the Please Please Me. Jessie Torrisi moved from Philadelphia to the New York to become a musician, but she got tired staying behind the kit for a procession of go-nowhere local bands. Having secretly amassed a collection of songs on her own, Torrisi decided to relocate to Austin, and she started playing on her own with just a guitar and her voice.

But the solo route didn’t sit well either. A Craigslist ad turned up a fellow musician with a remarkably similar background: Agustin Frederic was also an accomplished drummer who had recently moved from New York to Austin. Torrisi quickly hired Frederic for a hectic tour, and something just clicked between the two of them. The duo then convinced another local musician, cellist/vocalist Alissa McClure, to quit her job and join forces as the Please Please Me. “So much of the time since then has been figuring how it all works — how the pieces fit together — with having rhythm being at the core of everything,” says Torrisi.

Since 2012, the band has logged 50,000 miles spread across ten tours, using the live setting to fine-tune their musical alchemy. They raised nearly $13,000 via Kickstarter to fund a new EP, Shake A Little Harder, the release of which the Please Please Me are celebrating tonight at Stubb’s Jr. Recorded and produced by CJ Eiriksson–whose diverse credits include U2 and Bob Schneider–the EP show’s off the band’s rhythm-centric approach, especially on the ebullient single “All Danced Out.” - KUT Radio

Ryan Adams, I think you married the wrong girl. You knew her as the ace rock star drummer in Unisex Salon, Les Fleurs Tragiques, and Laptop. On her debut solo outing (which translates as burn, burn in French) the hot and fabulous Ms. Torrisi has re-emerged as an alternative country rock goddess! With melodies to die for, and a sultry behind-the beat delivery the works every time, cuts including "Hungry Like Me," "X in Texas" and "Storm Clouds" ache in all the right places. Lucinda Williams, Shelby Lynn, and Patti Griffin eat your heart out! Bruler Bruler is certainly among the best debuts of 2009.

--Tom Semioli [August 26, 2009] - Amplifier Magazine

Jessie Torrisi is a recognizable face around New York City as she has played drums for several bands over the years, and although she may call New York home, she is well traveled and influenced by cities with rich culture and music like Brazil and New Orleans and she has poured all of her eclectic influences into her debut solo effort Bruler Bruler.

The 8-track album fuses together a wide array of instruments that are not necessarily the common ones used like violin, cello, and trombone, which coincidently is the prominent instrument used early on in the album on “X in TeXas.” The blending of instruments runs the borderline between obscure and unique on “Runaway Train,” while on “Cannonball,” you are met with a 1920’s jazz feel. But all of the instrumentation aside, this album is about Jessie Torrisi and her outstanding vocal ability.

Throughout the album her vocals are full of the utmost sincerity as she shows on the more slower paced tracks like “Breeze in Carolina” and “Storm Clouds” on the second half of the album. However, “The Brighter Side” which closes the album is the standout track. It relies on heavy use of the piano to more or less accompany her vocals and she delivers them in an outstanding way that pulls you into the song allowing you to live the lyric with her. When an artist combines odd instruments together it usually ends up sounding just that, odd, but somehow Torrisi was able to cohesively blend everything allowing the true shining light of the album to come to the front throughout each and every track -- her voice. - Guest List Magazine

You put the ‘X’ in Texas,” Jessie Torrisi mischievously drawls in her charming Southern twang. But that isn’t quite how she means it: “You broke myheart in two,” she goes on to sing. Still, it’s Torrisi’s playfulness with her sexy sound and her sincerity of meaning that makes her debut album, Brûler Brûler, an entertaining and uplifting short ride.

Previously a glam-rock drummer involved witha dozen bands in New York, Torrisi’s solo soundis funky, flirty and fun. “X in teXas” features a surprising but lovely trumpet accompaniment and“Runaway Train” begins with a catchy drum-and-guitar riff that will quickly have you swaying in your seat. And then, Torrisi opens up “So Many Miles”by crooning – straight-up ‘80s pop-ballad style. She also has been known to bust out her electric guitar, harmonica and kazoo during live performances.

But not to worry, Brûler Brûler never gets too carried away with over-the-top flair; her songs somehow feel deliciously understated. Torrisi’s sweet and gentle Southern drawl reinforces the poetic sincerity of her lyrics.
In her opening track, “Hungry Like Me,” about craving someone worthy to love, Torrisi sings: “The sunlight dances on your skin / and I don’t need another man who disappears when day ends / Come on and keep me up all night long / You gonna pin me down with desire?”


Her songs mostly revolve around the themes of heartbreak, yearning and loneliness, and Torrisi’s delightful twang keeps you rooting on with her. Running at just 31 minutes, Brûler Brûler is just a taste of what Torrisi can do. “Take me to the brighter side,” she softly sings in her final track,but I have the feeling that this impressive singersongwriterin all her newfound solo glory can takeherself there. (Wild Curls Music.) XAriana Samuelson

http://www.performermag.com/pdf/Performer_Magazine_May_2010.pdf

page 40 - Performer Magazine - May 2010

Jessie Torrisi's Solo Album is Crème de la Crème

Delicate, tender arrangements and biting, love-wary lyrics provide the essential contrast on Jessie Torrisi's solo debut, brûler brûler. Out from behind the drums which she banged skillfully for a half-dozen NewYork hipster rock bands, Torrisi appears to have found some solace-- and she has put it to good use. The album, the most exciting debut of the year thus far, is a calm, gritty catharsis.

Stand-up bass, laid-back drums, pedal steel, and acoustic guitar make up the core of the accompaniment, but there are surprises such as the quiet trombone punctuating her phrases on "X in Texas". Especially in the lower registers of her voice, appears an extra treat-- the subtle influence of a "Union City Blue"-era Deborah Harry. This sultry nonchalance adds to the North-South dichotomy of brûler.

Lyrically, Torrisi's themes tend towards the importance of personal kinesis and its efficacy on broken relationships. She's a woman burning old polaroids of the big city, and with them the memories of lovers lost among the skyscrapers and smog. Torrisi wonders out-loud why her heart has so often shattered, but never sounds like a victim. In fact, as on "Runaway Train", she declares that she'll "keep ridin'" regardless of who else jumps on board or remains on the platform. It's the perfect soundtrack for a one-way trip from the Five Boroughs to the Lone Star. -- A.S.
- Swamplands

After playing drums for a number of NYC bands Jessie Torrisi has stepped out on her own with a wonderful debut album called Bruler Bruler (pronounced broo-lay broo-lay which means burn burn in French).

The now based in Austin, Texas (with former roots in Philly) Jessie wields a guitar and a downright rocking set of tunes filled with swagger and sexiness that finds Jessie at a cool crossroads between the country and indie-rock worlds.

If there was ever a female counterpart to Ryan Adams to come along, Jessie would get my vote.
--Bruce Warren, Musical Director - WXPN

After playing drums for a slew of rock bands in New York City, Jessie Torrisi has set out to try her hand at being a front woman. To kick things off she has recorded a delightful batch of country-tinged indie songs for her debut record, Brûler Brûler (“burn burn” in French).

Although it may seem like a strange album title, it’s a fitting one; these songs reveal Torrisi to be a woman who is both passionate and curious about the world and she also seems to burn with a creativity and excitement for life that makes her record really enjoyable to play.

Bearing similarities to classic country singers like Patsy Cline and current indie queens like Cat Power, Torrisi is able to exist in a space between country music and the indie scene. Thus, it makes perfect sense that she currently resides in Austin, Texas, a city which blends these two worlds more than any other Texan city.

One of Torrisi’s most obvious gifts is her knack for crafting melodies. There are moments, like on “Cannonball” and “The Brighter Side,” where her melodies are reminiscent of brilliant songwriters like Randy Newman. Yet her lyrics are also notable as they alternate between poignancy and humor, sometimes in the same song. “X in Texas” is an example of this. “You put the X in Texas... you are a wrecking ball,” she sings to a former flame and she sells the humor and sadness of each line without undercutting the other. “You can have Texas and every woman in it,” she sings to him later and she really means it.

It’s moments like these which capture Torrisi’s personality well. Torrisi brings a certain swagger and sexiness to these songs. Through her words and voice she presents a persona which is easy-going, energetic, and fun. At one point in “Cannonball” she sums it all up with this great line: “I want to sing as loud as I can/Be a one-woman rock and roll band.” And it’s easy to believe that she could do it. Most importantly, she sounds like she is having a blast while making this record and that is clearly communicated while listening to Brûler Brûler. - Blog Critics

AUGUSTA, GA - So here’s the skinny: Jessie Torrisi is a former New York drummer and present-day Texas-based siren of grit, hunger, loss and the eternal search for the Why and the What. Blessed with a voice that matches Emmylou Harris for sly, lust-tinged smokiness and rivals Neko Case in the gorgeous-as-hell-but-can-chop-firewood-all-day department, Torrisi obviously knows her way around not only every back alley saloon that’s ever been littered with heartbreak and bad decisions, but also a few low-lit jazz haunts. To put this in perspective, Case posed for the cover of her last album on top of a hot rod, brandishing a broadsword as if she were about to invent decapitation. Had Torrisi posed for the same shot, the car would’ve been dustier, and she’d have done it in heels.

Regardless, the actual album art features her jumping on the bed, so you get an idea of the dichotomies we’re dealing with here; there IS a certain wink-and-a-nod vibe to “Bruler Bruler,” but one characterized by a degree of transparency. And it has to be; as poppy, catchy, and lilting as some of these songs may be, a mixture of sideways smiles and melancholy is what lies at the core of the album. She may bemoan a lack of love on “Hungry Like Me,” but turns right around on the cabaret-tinged dive-bar tune “Cannonball” with lines like “I wanna dive into your skin/I wanna dive in like a cannonball.” A wilting flower this woman is not.

Salvation is woven throughout, but only at the periphery. The album’s most peaceful track, “Brighter Side,” sounds like something a country gospel group would have written after being stuck in a cabin on the Northwest coast during rainy season with nothing but a record player and a dusty copy of Joni Mitchell’s “Blue.” Simple to accept and tough to unravel, “Bruler Bruler” should very well speak to everyone, but that’s not because Jessie Torrisi knows who you are—it’s because she knows who she is.

--JOSH RUFFIN - Metro Spirit

Jessie Torrisi is a drummer/journalist turned Singer/Songwriter who moved from New York City to Austin, Texas for a different perspective on the world. Torrisi served as a drummer for several NYC bands; including Les Fleurs Tragiques, Laptop and Unisex Salon before making the switch to front woman (she’s vowed to never go back). Torrisi’s debut solo album, Brûler Brûler, drops October 28, 2009, and is a musical breath of fresh air that never forgets its musical past but looks stridently forward.

Brûler Brûler opens with Hungry Like Me, a musical wish list of the qualities of a perfect man in Torrisi's terms. The easy Americana arrangement is the perfect setting for a song full of longing and desire. As you get further into the song you realize Torrisi's not just casting a wish list but speaking to someone she hopes fits the bill. There's an ambivalence between hope and melancholy here, like a world-weary woman who hopes he's the right one but who's been burned a few too many times to believe it. X In Texas, on the other hand, is a breakup song of epic proportions. Mature and quiet in its tenor, Torrisi tells him why it's over, sounding like she has cause to be angry, but forgives him and wishes him well. She just asks to be left alone, even though it's clear she still cares. Cannonball is pure desire in song; it's the queen of come-on songs, like a cross between Patsy Cline, Chrissie Hynde and Martina Sorbara.

Breeze In Carolina is an amazing tune. Torrisi is singing to someone who's trying to run away, telling him that no matter how far he runs he's going to miss her. This is one of those rare songs that come along with the potential to be a classic. I could hear this being the melancholy keynote tune for a character in a musical or a movie. It's not your typical Country/Americana tune. The song is substantial in both content and emotion. Runaway Train is another song of longing, this time in an unrequited or inattentive love. Torrisi's vocals are on fire here, full of heart and a sultry country sound that's unlike anyone on Country or Pop radio.

Storm Clouds takes on a pop sway that's highly appealing. The melody here is highly memorable, and Torrisi gives a vocal performance not to be forgotten. It's yet another song of loss, but this time Torrisi decides she's had enough. There's a hopeful ending this time, with Torrisi looking to the skies and what is coming rather than behind. So Many Miles takes on an almost 1980's AM Radio R&B sound mixing with the Americana feel. I didn't enjoy this tune quite as much as the rest of the album, but it's still decent. Brûler Brûler closes out with The Brighter Side, a piano-based tune about the hope and outlook love can bring. It's a gorgeous tune, highly personal in presentation and heartfelt in delivery. It's the perfect ending to the album.

Jessie Torrisi is a bit out of the ordinary. She's a Country/Americana singer with an Alt-Rock sound mixed in with her Country Twang. Her lyrics are intelligent and nuanced; full of sensuality and a personal voraciousness for life that can be startling and then endearing. Torrisi's voice isn't what you'd call classically pretty, but you know you'll stay and listen as long as she keeps singing. The songs themselves are off the beaten track, full of a beauty and singular personality that could become a trademark. Brûler Brûler is a thrilling introduction for us here at Wildy's World, and we are excited to see what Torrisi does next.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5) - Wildy's World

Love, both lost and found, is a powerful songwriting force. Music is full of men and women, longing and crushed, consumed by the fire of love. With this in mind, Jessie Torrisi’s debut album brûler brûler, French for “burn burn,” is an aptly named collection of torch songs with a Texas flair.

A singer in the Cat Power/She & Him tradition, Torrisi’s country-influenced vocals bring heat to her songs. She’s able to evoke a feeling of hopeful longing, like someone still holding out hope that their lost lover is going to come walking through the door any minute now. Torrisi isn’t just a one-trick pony of quiet desperation. On “Breeze In Carolina” she’s able to effortlessly shift from a confident drawl to a breezy frailty, taking the listener with her on an emotional journey. The best moments on the album come when Torrisi’s voice is able to take center stage, like on “Storm Clouds,” where she sings two-part harmony over minimal accompaniment, or “The Brighter Side,” a sparse track with a simple bed of piano and occasional slide guitar.

Where brûler brûler falls flat is Torrisi’s accompaniment. While Cat Power and M. Ward (the musical Him in She & Him) have pushed their music towards minimalism and sunshine pop, Torrisi’s music isn’t nearly as engaging. Her voice is just too throaty, too smoky and dark, for such glossy production. The albums sparkly production ends up coming off more coffeehouse adult contemporary than alt-country torch ballad.

With this album, Jessie Torrisi has shown that she has what it takes to be a great singer. But, one instrument doesn’t make an orchestra. brûler brûler is a promising beginning for Torrisi. Hopefully the future will see her getting more adventurous with the music, pushing the boundaries to find a sound that’s more wholly engaging and exciting and less safe. – GREGORY HEANEY

Band’s Website | MySpace - Revolt

Recently I received a disc brujer, brujer by Jessie Torrisi, who was touted as someone who played in several NYC bands (Unisex Salon, Laptop, Les Fleurs Tragiques) that I wasn’t familiar with - so I didn’t have any expectations as to what this album would be like. Well, actually, I wasn’t expecting much for this “mystery disc”, but I am happy to report that Torrisi has fashioned a terrific little solo debut (“little” in the sense that it’s a concise 8 song disc that runs just over 30 minutes).

Torrisi is something of an alt. folk-rock chanteuse, for lack of a better term. A great place to start is with the marvelous leadoff track, “Hungry Like Me.” Torrisi’s captivating search for someone compatible is done with a deftly mix of twangy elements (pedal steel) and plucky keyboards (my copy of disc didn’t come with credit list so I’m fishing a little for specific instrumentation) that creates a tune that instantly suggests something special.
She continued to capture my interest with the second track, “X In Texas.” This song, set in her adopted home-state finds her essaying a busted relationship – one where she wants to “just unbuckle me from you.” It’s another song that boasts a strong, although subtle arrangement, as it well utilizes some subdued horns along with a slide-y guitar line.

Love is a common theme throughout this disc, and Torrisi goes back on the offensive with “Cannonball.” A jaunty, near-jazzy number, it showcases the beguiling way Torrisi sashays around a song. Near the song’s end, she chooses to sing the work “explode” quite softly, making it all the more effective. “Runaway Train” is another standout track, both with its powerful, percussive arrangement and Torrisi’s emotive singing, which resembles an arty roadhouse version of Chrissie Hynde.

She exudes a playful bittersweet quality in the troubled relationship tune “Stormy Clouds,” which also displays her knack for phrase-turning. She’s particularly adept at using vivid natural imagery - in this song, there’s a radiant line: “everything you love bursts into flames” - that reflects her dealings with relationships and love. Moreover, song titles like “Runaway Train” and “Cannonball” reveal a certain physicality to her songwriting, which also works well with her song’s looks at love.

After the sultry soulful “So Many Miles,” the disc wraps up with her most emotionally direct tune, the spare, piano-based “The Brighter Side.” This survivor’s tale is a stirring, and ultimately uplifting, number suggests a more laidback Michelle Shocked (in her gospel mood).

In “Runaway Train,” Torrisi sings: “what’s it going to take to get your attention?” With this thoroughly impressive debut, she certainly has created an attention-grabber. It’s always a particular pleasure when a “mystery disc” turns out to be surprising delights, and bruler, bruler is one of those surprisingly delightful discs. - No Depression

Jessie Torrisi knew rock bands. She lived it. The Philadelphia native had been in Brooklyn for ten years, drumming for glam groups when she came to a very important realization: Time to move on, or go completely insane. She packed up the drumsticks and said her grand farewell. She wanted to start her own band, and it would take on a different direction.
"All manner of awesome and their own twist on to indie-pop."

* * *
This also marked the beginning of a two-year search for two band mates to join Torrisi on her quest. But this is how she found drummer Augustin Frederic and cellist Alissa McClure. Yes, a cellist. All manner of awesome and their own twist on to indie-pop. The Please Please Me hit the ground running and toured a lot last year, and now they’re ready to release their debut EP, Shake A Little Harder.

Join The Please Please Me at their EP release show tomorrow night at Stubb’s indoor venue, 801 Red River. Walker Lukens starts the evening off. Doors open at 9 p.m. Recommended. - The Austin Music Minute

"Shows a tougher, more rock 'n roll side to the singer songwriter."

* * *

The Please Please Me are a trio from Austin, Texas, formed and fronted by Jessie Torrisi. Jessie grew up in the Philadelphia area, has been a professional musician in New York but calls Austin her home now. The band includes Torrisi on lead vocals and guitar, drummer Agustin Frederic and cellist/backing vocalist Alissa McClure. They recently released a rock solid five song EP, Shake A Little Harder, that shows a tougher, more rock and roll leaning side to the singer-songwriter. The band performs this Sunday, August 4th at World Cafe Live Upstairs. Go here for tickets. Below, download the dreamy “Dreamin’” from the new EP. - WXPN

"Come out, come out on the edge…” Those are the words that begin the newest release from Austin- and Brooklyn-based band. It’s an invitation to climb into an electro pop world filled with female gaze, ambiguous sexuality, and the realization that sometimes you have to go the distance to fulfill your own desires.


Their new EP Volume 2 is a heady mixture of affliction and joy. It finds the group exploring corners and crevices rarely plumbed in today’s music scene. Like a young Lou Reed dating a slightly older Lucinda Williams, Jessie Torrisi, singing lead, is more defiant than heartbroken. She's got a hypnotic power not often heard on radio today. - Slothtrop Blog

Soulful indie group The Please, Please Me are set to unveil their new album Volume 2 this week, but lucky for you we’ve got an early premiere of the video for their single “I Don’t Want to Talk About It.” Produced by Frenchie Smith at The Bubble, the song has the feel of the Pretenders by way of Cut Copy, and the video references the raw, physical sensation of the kiss-off track. Featuring Jessie Torrisi and her bandmates dancing in front of an artful backdrop, “I Don’t Want to Talk About It” is an anthem for anyone who has gotten out of a go nowhere relationship and is sick of being pressed for details by friends. You can catch the band’s release party for Volume 2 this Thursday, May 26th at Empire Control Room with Keeper and more, but until then, enjoy this video! - Ovrld