The Mynabirds Release New Video for Believer.
Laura Burhenn of The Mynabirds live on Echoes.
The Mynabirds released one of our favorite albums from 2015, Lovers Know, and also came in for a great live performance on the show. I thought promotion was over on this album, but they’ve just released a new video for the song, “Believer.” It’s a powerful vocal performance from Laura Burhenn, who is The Mynabirds. I also like the snowy owl cult group that’s like a cross between the Guilty Remnant (The Leftovers) and zombies.
The tattoo of a snowy owl has a direct Echoes connection. When The Mynabirds played live on Echoes last year, Laura, revealed this story. She had lived in Hagerstown, MD and would hear Echoes on Baltimore’s WYPR as well as former affiliate, WITF in Harrisburg, PA.
I got to hear Echoes quite a lot. You know, stumbled onto it. I remember I wasn’t quite sure when it came on, but it was always like these late night drives and I would, you know, turn on NPR and there it would be. And so I always enjoyed to hear your voice. One time, it was probably 2007, January, very snowy and cold, and I had been invited to go up to play in Harrisburg, PA. And I was kind of going through this really like difficult time. I feel like I go through these difficult times like everybody does, but I was driving back to Virginia to stay at my moms and I’m driving through snowy PA, and it’s just like snow on the fields on either side. And I tuned in on the radio and there you were, your friendly voice. And you were interviewing this really beautiful Icelandic, I think they were a string quartet [Amina] And they were playing their music box. And it was just one of the most beautiful sets I had ever heard. And everything just sort of felt like it was coming to a head in my mind. And they played this beautiful song and at the end of it, you said to them, “What is that song?” And they said a word in Icelandic [“Ugla”]. And you said well what does that mean? And at that instant, I kid you not, this white snowy owl swooped in front of my headlights and they said “An owl, it means an owl.” Even now I tell that story and it gives me chills. And I have this white snowy owl tattoo now on my arm.
John Diliberto: From that?
It’s been a recurring symbol in my life, so you’re with me.
You can hear her interview in the Echoes Podcast.