Exhibit A: The Harmonium
Ray plays the harmonium, a small, hand-pumped reed organ. It sounds like a cross between a mini church organ and an accordion, and has the accordion’s “in-and-out” pumping action. She’s a physical performer, and her choice of instrument allows her to really show it. There’s nothing like watching her pump away at the organ while she rips a song apart with her voice.
Exhibit B: Holy Crap Awesomeness
Pianos might just be the perfect place to see her play. The stage is low to the ground and very small, and the audience can really get up close and personal with her and her band. So please, for the love of God, if you’re not joining me at Glasslands to see High Highs, go to Pianos. It’ll be the only time she’s in New York until at least May.
Ray’s got a myspace page and her very own website. She’s got a pretty recent album out, Teenage and Torture, but it's an older one, A Fish Hook / An Open Eye (Extra points if you know what poem that title’s from) that I HIGHLY recommend. You can find Teenage and Torture here, and virtually grab A Fish Hook… on Amazon here. As I mentioned above, she’s on tour and is stopping just about everywhere in the U.S., and a few places in Canada too. See her myspace page for details.
