Anika recommends: Scary Mansion

Who? Brooklyn based musician and artist Leah Hayes, armed with her thunderstick and joined by her twin sister Vanessa for backing vocals, Ben Shaprio on drums and Bradley Banks on bass.

What? Leah Hayes is super talented. Her band, Scary Mansion, released their debut full length album ‘Every Joke Is Half The Truth’ last year. The album flows brilliantly, each song is beautiful and Leah’s somewhat fragile voice carries her sad, intimate lyrics perfectly.

What else? She also plays in A Magical Touch Of Class (myspace) with Andrew Hoepfner of the band Creaky Boards.

Besides her music, Leah is a wonderful artist. You can see her drawings on her website and her blog, or read the superb Funeral Of The Heart. The book, put out by Fantagraphics last year, contains five completely engrossing and intensely personal stories beautifully accompanied by haunting illustrations etched out on scratchboard.

What next? New album in the summer, which will undoubtedly be AMAZING.

Watch: Go To Hell

Visit: Myspace