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Hurray for the Riff Raff

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Hurray for the Riff Raff
File:Hurray for the Riff Raff.jpg
Background information
OriginNew Orleans, Louisiana
United States
GenresFolk, country, indie, Americana, singer-songwriter
Years active2007-present
LabelsATO Records, Loose Music, Mod Mobilian, This Is American Music, Born to Win Records
MembersAlynda Lee Segarra
Yosi Perlstein
David Jamison
Caitlin Gray
Websitehurrayfortheriffraff.com

Hurray for the Riff Raff is an American folk-blues and Americana band from New Orleans, Louisiana.[1]

Background

Alynda Segarra

Segarra was raised by her aunt Nereida in the Bronx where she developed an early appreciation for doo-wop and Motown. She is of Puerto Rican descent.[2]

Segarra became a regular attendee of hardcore punk shows at ABC No Rio when she was young.[3] She left her home in the Bronx at age 17, spending time crossing North America, hopping freight trains.[3]

Dead Man Street Orchestra

During this time, around 2007, Segarra became a part of the Dead Man Street Orchestra, a band that was documented in a photo essay by Time Magazine in 2007.[4]

Musical career

After two self-released albums, 2008's It Don't Mean I Don't Love You and 2010's Young Blood Blues, Hurray for the Riff Raff released a self-titled CD composed of Segarra's favorite songs from those records on Loose Music in Europe on March 21, 2011. Tracks from the band's debut release received airplay on BBC Radio 2 and BBC 6 Music.

In February 2011, the band were featured in an article in The Times, based around the HBO TV series, Treme, with their track "Daniella" being listed in their selection of New Orleans' essential songs.[5]

In May 2012, Hurray for the Riff Raff released Look Out Mama on their own label, Born to Win Records. No Depression said it "sounds like something The Band would’ve had playing on a Victorola while making Music From Big Pink in Woodstock."[6]

Loose Music released Look Out Mama in Europe on August 20, 2012. The album was recorded in Nashville, Tennessee at The Bomb Shelter Studios and produced by Andrija Tokic (Alabama Shakes).[7] The record features “End of the Line,” a song about a house where Segarra and her friends would meet in the Holy Cross, New Orleans neighborhood.[8]

Hurray for the Riff Raff released a covers album called My Dearest Darkest Neighbor on July 1, 2013 through Mod Mobilian Records and This Is American Music. The album was previously available only as a Kickstarter reward and in limited local release and featured handmade covers.[9][10] Tracks on the record include songs by Townes Van Zandt, Billie Holiday, Gillian Welch, Leadbelly, John Lennon, Lucinda Williams, Joni Mitchell, Hank Williams, and George Harrison—and features Segarra's interpretation of Gillian Welch's "Ruination Day."

Wall Street Journal describes Segarra's singing: "She has a subtle, expressive voice that she wraps around songs that draw on the sounds and styles of the American South, and her lyrics often takes unconventional tack on traditional subjects."[11]

Spin previewed a video of their song "St. Roch Blues".[12]

In February 2014, Hurray for the Riff Raff had their major label debut, Small Town Heroes, on ATO Records.[13] The record features original songs written or co-written by Segarra, and features fiddler Yosi Perlstein, keyboard player Casey McAllister, and two members of The Deslondes: Sam Doores on guitar and Dan Cutler on bass.

Describing the Segarra's music, NPR says "Segarra's morning-after alto might be the least showy great voice to hit the national scene this year."[14]

Discography

Year Title Country Label
2007 Crossing the Rubicon (EP) US Out of Print
2008 It Don't Mean I Don't Love You US self-released
2010 Young Blood Blues US self-released
2011 Hurray for the Riff Raff EU Loose Music
2012 Live at 2012 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival US
2012 Look Out Mama US Born to Win Records
2012 Look Out Mama EU Loose Music
2013 My Dearest Darkest Neighbor US Mod Mobilian Records/This Is American Music
2014 Small Town Heroes US ATO Records

Notable performances

Notes and references

  1. ^ Monger, James Christopher. "Hurray for the Riff Raff: Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved 3 February 2014.
  2. ^ Swenson, John (February 1, 2014). "Radio Zeitgeist: Hurray for the Riff Raff's Alynda Lee Segarra". OffBeat. Retrieved 3 February 2014.
  3. ^ a b Keyes, J. Edward. "eMusic Selects Q&A: Hurray For the Riff Raff". eMusic. Archived from the original on March 15, 2010. Retrieved 3 February 2014.[dead link‍]
  4. ^ Heil, James (January 19, 2007). "Time Photo Essay: The Ballad of the Hobo". Time. Retrieved 3 March 2011.
  5. ^ "Hurray for the Riff Raff - The Times". Loose Music. February 1, 2011. Retrieved 3 March 2011.
  6. ^ Gibson, Donald (April 16, 2012). "Hurray for the Riff Raff". No Depression.
  7. ^ Schlansky, Evan (April 23, 2012). "Hurray for the Riff Raff". American Songwriter.
  8. ^ Jed Portman (December 10, 2013). "Premiere: Hurray for the Riff Raff, "End of the Line"". Garden and Gun. Retrieved 3 February 2014.
  9. ^ Hurrayfortheriffraff. "Help Hurray for the Riff Raff Release Our New Album". Kickstarter. Retrieved 3 February 2014.
  10. ^ Fensterstock, Alison (June 12, 2013). "A take on John Lennon's 'Jealous Guy' heralds Hurray for the Riff Raff's new cover CD, due July 1". Times-Picayune. Retrieved 16 June 2013.
  11. ^ Danton, Eric R. (November 26, 2013). "Hurray for the Riff Raff Streams 'I Know It's Wrong (But That's Alright)'". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 3 February 2014.
  12. ^ McGovern, Kyle (January 14, 2014). "Watch Hurray for the Riff Raff Honor New Orleans in 'St. Roch Blues' Video". Spin. Retrieved 3 February 2014.
  13. ^ "ATO Welcomes Hurray for the Riff Raff". ATO Records. June 30, 2013. Retrieved 3 February 2014.
  14. ^ Powers, Ann (January 23, 2014). "Hurray For The Riff Raff's New Political Folk". NPR. Retrieved 3 February 2014.
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