The Brunettes

The Brunettes, an indie pop outfit from New Zealand, center on the duo of Jonathan Bree, who handles multiple instruments, vocals, and production, and Heather Mansfield, also a multi-instrumentalist and vocalist, while drawing on as many as eight additional players to achieve their dense, Phil Spector-esque sonic layers. Among the group's ever-changing lineup are Lil' Chief labelmates Harry Cundy along with James Milne and Ryan McPhun of the Reduction Agents, plus the Lil' Chief Orchestrette, whose contributions on banjo, marimba, saxophone, cello, and clarinet further expand the instrumental range.

Bree and Mansfield first crossed paths in 1998 during separate band engagements at a shared bill; their decision to team up on melodic yet intelligent pop, shaped by '60s girl groups and '70s punk, led directly to the Brunettes' formation. The duo's debut EP, Mars Loves Venus, surfaced before the year ended. Although that initial outing appeared promptly, four more years passed before the full-length Holding Hands, Feeding Ducks emerged on Lil' Chief Records in 2002; the same year also brought the Boyracer EP. Together these releases cultivated a loyal domestic audience. Throughout 2003 and 2004 the band toured Australia and the U.K., opening for like-minded acts including Architecture in Helsinki and the Futureheads. By summer 2004 a second album, likewise titled Mars Loves Venus and sharing only the title track with the earlier EP, documented their growing studio command and broader stylistic touchstones from Gram Parsons to Prince.

Reaching the U.S. shores for the first time in 2005, the Brunettes performed as a seven-piece while supporting the Shins and issued the When Ice Met Cream EP to mark the visit. That autumn they joined the Sub Pop roster and later traveled as a five-piece alongside Rilo Kiley. Their 2007 release Structure and Cosmetics marked a further leap in refinement and became the first Brunettes album issued stateside; two years afterward they managed their own distribution for Paper Dolls, issuing the album in both the U.S. and New Zealand through Lil' Chief.