The Key Studio Sessions: Mean Lady

You could call Mean Lady an electronic duo, or you could call them pop, but neither of those is completely an accurate fit. The Newark, Delaware-based band casts a wide net and incorporates a variety of influences into its sound; downtempo electronic groups of the 90s (Mono, Sneaker Pimps) shine through, as does psychedelic indie rock (Animal Collective), and showtunesy moments (imaging their session opener “One Big Family” coming from a choreographed ensemble as the curtain goes up). These are just things you hear on Love Now, the album that Katie Dill and Sam Noble released on Fat Possum Records earlier this year. In this session, Mean Lady performed three new selections from their next album, and the songs’ various states of completion showcased the duo’s range. While”Little Face” takes a similar electropop approach as “Family,” there are almost no electronic components to “Could It Be The Place,” and its seven minutes of impressive singing by Dill with Noble’s mellow keyboard backing is purely jazz torch song-y. On “Darling,” the difference is split: the performers felt mid-take that the drumloop wasn’t quite clicking, so they reimagined the song with just vocals and electronics, giving it a cool R&B flare. Listen and download all of these performances below, and watch a video of Mean Lady doing “One Big Family” in our studio.

Mean Lady “One Big Family” – WXPN Key Studio Session from WXPN FM on Vimeo.