Peter Pisano was not a happy man last summer. With his job as a middle-school science teacher on summer hiatus, the songwriter was granted much time for introspection. What'd he find? A nasty bout of writer's block and a wellspring of sorrow.
That changed one night -- the songs started pouring out. "I was excited, there was a sense of hope, there was something living in me again," he said. Pisano teamed up with drummer Brian Moen, and that lonely summer spark turned into a blaze, resulting in Peter Wolf Crier's impressive debut LP "Inter-Be," released last fall.
The record can't be easily pegged. There's a clear singer/songwriter element and some rootsy leanings, but Moen's visceral drums and Pisano's high, haunting vocals lend much emotional weight. The duo experienced a coming-out party of sorts at First Avenue's Best New Bands showcase Jan. 15, and folks really started paying attention.
On Tuesday, indie powerhouse Jagjaguwar announced that it will reissue "Inter-Be" internationally and add Peter Wolf Crier to its esteemed roster, which includes regional talents Bon Iver and Gayngs and such legends as Dinosaur Jr.
After a First Ave gig Saturday, co-headlining Vita.mn's Are You Local? showcase, PWC will make the trek to the hype-making South by Southwest conference in Austin, Texas.
"Peter and I have never been in a buzz band before," says Moen. He and Pisano are keenly aware of the pratfalls that loaded, sometimes dubious term possesses.
"I think 'buzz' is appropriate in its onomatopoeic sense -- it's loud, it gets your attention but it's also annoying," Pisano says. Still, he's not daunted. "If people are going to be told, 'You should go listen to [Peter Wolf Crier],' I'm not gonna be afraid of what they're going to find."
The Jagjaguwar signing, which Pisano calls a huge validation, proves that the industry is every bit as confident as he.
