Talkdemonic Violist Now a (Touring) Decemberist

According to one Mr. Colin Meloy, Talkdemonic's Lisa Molinaro will be joining the Decemberists on the band's upcoming tour to support its quite good major label debut The Crane Wife. Says the Decemberists leader in an email to Local Cut: "did you know that Lisa Molinaro is now a touring Decemberist? Well, she is!"

The hiring of Molinaro brings to an end months of speculation over who would replace Petra Hayden. Names that have been whispered into this journalists ears include Heroes & Villains' Maranda Dabel and the lovely Seattle songwriter Laura Veirs. But it seems that Molinaro has got the right stuff. Meloy tells us why:

We picked her because (multi-instrumentalist Chris) Funk had talked to her and she seemed really cool and was really excited about the prospect of joining up. She's basically doing the following: singing, viola, glockenspiel, guitar, accordion, banjo. Crazy. And she does them all very well. Right now, she's considered a "touring member" but I suppose that could change. Depending on how well she likes the smell of our stinky feet in the morning.

And here's a little bit on the Veirs rumor from the bespectacled balladeer:

Laura Veirs will not be joining us, sadly. She's got her own thing going on (obviously) and I doubt she'd want to head out on tour just to sing a part of one song. One of these days, though, we'll work it so she can come out. . .

There it is. No word on Talkdemonic's website about how this will affect that duo's fall tour plans, but we're on it and will let you know as soon as we know.

"So much incest," says LCer Amy McCullough from across the office. "So much incest."

Photo: Lisa Molinaro, left, with fellow Talkdemonic member Kevin O'Connor. Taken by Jason Quigley.