The Weepies are an indie band that I’ve been really into recently. I started listening to them based on the recommendation of a friend, Austin Ford ’19, and I love them because their lyrics are simple but interesting, and their harmonies are calming and just generally lovely.
Deb Talan and Steve Tannen are the singer-songwriters behind this great music. They’re married, and their chemistry is evident in their songs. I think it’s very cute that a husband-and-wife duo is making music together. They also have three kids! They haven’t toured a lot because of this, but they’ve still managed to produce beautiful music and be successful.
I learned recently that during their music career, Deb got cancer. Their website explains that she was diagnosed with breast cancer just before Christmas 2013. What’s amazing is that they continued making music throughout her illness and treatment! They recorded from home and guest artists contributed remotely to many of the tracks on their most recent album Sirens. They say that recording was often a welcome break for them during such a difficult time. Happily, Deb beat cancer in 2014!
The Weepies have released 5 albums since 2004, and there are so many songs from them that I love. Some of my favorite tracks from each album:
Happiness (2004): “Somebody Loved” and “Jolene”
Say I Am You (2006): “Gotta Have You,” “Painting by Chagall” and “Slow Pony Home”
Hideaway (2008): “Hideaway,” “Antarctica” and “Takes so Long”
Be My Thrill (2010): “Hummingbird” and “They’re in Love, Where Am I?”
Sirens (2015): “Sirens,” “Fancy Things” and “Volunteer” (“Volunteer” is a cover of Mark Geary)
The Weepies are a fantastic band and I definitely recommend them. They have a good mix of upbeat songs and calmer ones. Their sound is basically what you’d expect of singer-songwriters in an indie band, but they’re also definitely unique. Some of their more recent songs branch out a bit in terms of genre.
Go check out the Weepies on iTunes or Spotify, or their website!