Jangly pop has been a Boston staple for almost forever. And with Letters to Cleo, Kay Hanley stood for a time at the top of Boston’s bubblegum heap. She and her husband, ex-Letters guitarist Michael Eisenstein, may have relocated to LA, but when Hanley returned to T.T. the Bear’s Place on January 5, she was greeted by a packed crowd who hadn’t forgotten past triumphs. With backing from Eisenstein on guitar, Joe Klompus on bass, and Gravel Pit/Gentlemen drummer Pete Caldes, Hanley got the home-town-hero treatment as they warmed up for their Hot Stove, Cool Music gig at the Paradise three nights later.
Hanley seemed relaxed and happy to be home. She opened a playful, high-energy set by dedicating "Cellars by Starlight" to long-time friend (and Phoenix writer) Brett Milano. The song, from a split single she and Scamper (an up-and-coming local band) released this month, is a bright, keyboard-laced number full of handclap rhythms and an anthemic vocal hook. Although she complained of losing her voice, it didn’t seem to put much of a damper on her soaring vocals. And though she spends more time composing than performing these days, she still radiates a low-key but tangible star power on stage.
The set included everything from familiar Letters to Cleo tunes like the metal-edged "Get On with It" — from their 1993 debut, Aurora Gory Alice — to newer solo material like the sexed-up rocker "Brown Betty." Hanley passed the torch to Scamper when she joined them on stage to add backing vocals to their heartfelt rocker "Barcelona" — the song she recorded with them for the split single. Scamper’s goofy, upbeat set had a playful Fountains of Wayne/OK Go feel to it, replete with ironic posturing and choreographed dance moves.
