At Jammin' Java. Don't know her, but opener David Mead is great...
Sunday November 21
7PM and 9PM
$10 adv/$12 doors
Vienna Teng
David Mead opens
Review by Brett Hartenbach (allmusic.com)
With his sophomore release, the Adam Schlesinger (Fountains of Wayne) produced Mine and Yours, David Mead proves that his stellar 1999 debut, The Luxury of Time, was no fluke. And while there's nothing here as immediately irresistible as, for instance "World of a King" from its predecessor, a couple of listens reveals the same mix of sophisticated, intelligent songcraft and pure pop delight. Mead is the consummate songwriter, much in the tradition of John Lennon and Paul McCartney or Paul Simon, creating timeless, memorable melodies that are fresh and inventive, while still ringing with a certain, inviting familiarity. Nearly every piece is meticulously put together, from the rich, textured arrangements to Mead's thoughtful lyrics: intricate, engaging tunes and warm, captivating tenor. Schlesinger's production follows the same basic idea used on The Luxury of Time, but with even more of an emphasis on the classic pop elements in Mead's songs. Mine and Yours, with cuts such as the dreamy melancholy of "Comfort," the buoyant '60s pop of "Girl on the Roof," and the infectious, rocking title track, shows Mead to be one of the best pop songwriter/performers to come along in quite a while.
Vienna Teng (from Jammin' Java website):
By the time San Francisco-based singer/songwriter/pianist Vienna Teng, 25, quit her full-time software engineering job at Cisco Systems in the summer of 2002, she had signed with independent label Virt Records and was preparing for her debut release, Waking Hour. Just a few short months later, she was featured on NPR?s Weekend Edition, made her network television debut on the Late show with David Letterman, and was followed around by a camera crew from CNN for a prime-time profile. She was soon opening for artists such as Shawn Colvin & Joan Osborne, had her song, "The Tower," used in the NBC tv show "Ed," and saw her album rise to #5 on Amazon.com's Best-Seller List. With her graceful melodies and evocative lyrics, Vienna has garnered critical acclaim and a rapidly growing legion of fans throughout the world. Her days are now filled with interviews and sold-out performances. Needless to say, it has been an abrupt shift from her cubicle days.
