If you’re a fan of Andrew Bird, Yann Tiersen, or Cat Power I highly recommend checking out multi-instrumental artist, Sydney Wayser.

I’ve been listening to her beautiful 2009 release, The Colorful, non-stop this week. With all the hand claps, banjo picking, whistling, and glockenspiel goodness the album offers, we once again see that Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs hits it right on the mark. Nice work, Maslow.

A few of my favorite tracks on The Colorful include, “Lullaby,” “Banjo Bayou,” “La Di Da,” and “Oh The Places You’ll Go.” As a fan of Woody Allen’s classic movie, Annie Hall, I appreciate how one of the scenes was the inspiration of “La Di Da.” Wayser explains, “It was the scene on the rooftop after they meet at the tennis match… Diane Keaton gets embarrassed and doesn’t know what to say so she says ‘la di da’. It is this wonderfully awkward moment… and I feel like I have that moment a lot in my life.” Can I get a La Di Da to that?

Wayser is French-American and lives in New York (she’s originally from Los Angeles).  She’s only 24 years old, so we have lots to look forward to… and it sounds like she’ll be releasing a new album this year, called Bell Choir Coast. I’ll keep you posted!

The Colorful (2009):

Sydney Wayser – Lullaby (mp3)

Sydney Wayser – La Di Da (mp3)

Site | Bandcamp (only $1!) | Daytrotter (2009)