Who is The Understudy?
The Understudy is Lucy Hearn, or the music of Lucy Hearn, or both.
Lucy has been a songwriter since her thoughts turned coherent. She writes on guitar and piano and sings.
In August 2007, Lucy hopped a plane, a train and a bus to Ithaca, NY. Here she conspired with the inimitable IY (Dana Billings, Chris Frank, Nate Terepka & John Zinder) to make the debut LP What Not To Think While In Love. It was recorded in attics, basements and once-were-flophouses, some on the very same streets where Nabokov wrote Lolita. Made in just three weeks What Not To Think While In Love siphons the trash-talk and whispers, folk-tales and silhouettes of a year gone slightly mad into twelve shortish stories of guilt, voyeur¬ism and innocence lost.
Lucy has played across Australia, and in the US as The Understudy. She has shared the stage with lots of different people, including Holly Throsby, Charge Group, Novi Split (USA), Bridget Martin (USA), IY (USA), Kes, Laura Jean, Pikelet, and The Seabellies.
The Understudy won Best Female Vocalist at the ABC 1233 Music Awards in November this year.
Praise for 'What Not To Think While In Love'
Remarkably mature and melodic… this should garner The Understudy some national, and even international attention… or there isn’t hope for anyone. ****1/2. – Nick Milligan, Reverb Street Press
(A) hugely impressive debut...Hearn weaves beautifully crafted lyrics into timeless anecdotes. - YEN Magazine.
An intriguing resume [that] weaves from healthy, reliable guitar/piano balladry to atmospheric, pseudo-minimalist folk... executed pretty damn well. - Rave Magazine
Get 'What Not To Think While In Love'...
At the moment, both mp3s and physical CDs are available. You can either...
Listen to the entire album + buy in mp3 format for $10AUDor, if the real thing is more your deal...
Get the physical CD - $20AUD + postage Other albums by The Understudy...
The very first EP, Every Old Hymn, can be purchased here for $5USD, or $2.99USD for the mp3s. It's lo-fi fare, but it was made with love and earnestness. The covers are hand painted and stamped (mostly by me). It was recorded in 2005 in Ithaca, New York, mixed by Chris Frank (of IY), and mastered by Kathy Naunton at dB Mastering in Sydney. If you like, you can listen to Smile At A Stranger, in the player above, to get a taste.