Bnny tells us about her All Time Influences (Cat Power, Bob Dylan, Blonde Redhead, more) ++ listen to her new album

Chicago musician Jessica Viscius just released her new album as Bnny, One Million Love Songs, via Fire Talk. “I wanted to make songs that are exciting to play—songs that make me feel happy,” Viscius says. “This album is about love after loss, getting older, and just trying to have fun with a broken heart.” Someone might call the Better Business Bureau about false advertising — I count 11 songs here — but they’re all fine examples of the kind of hazy, breathy indie rock Bnny does so well. Listen to the whole album below.

Jessica also made us a list of her All Time Influences, musically speaking, which include Bob Dylan, Cat Power, The Carter Family, Blonde Redhead and more. Read her list and commentary below.

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BNNY’s ALL TIME INFLUENCES

Scout Niblett
I first heard Scout Niblett sometime in high school. I was blown away by her simple, drum-forward songs. I remember thinking she was so effortlessly cool. I recall sitting on my desktop computer in high school trying to find her on myspace, but she didn’t have one… even cooler I thought. Her voice always had a little bit of sorrow and anger in it… perfect.

Bob Dylan
I got into Bob Dylan in college while dating a guy who looked and dressed like Bob Dylan. He showed me his early albums and I fell in love…with him and Dylan. Eventually we broke up but my love for Dylan only grew. I devoured every Bob Dylan album, book and documentary I could find. I became obsessed. I remember reading Suze Rotolo’s memoir “A Freewheelin’ Time” and deciding right then and there that I would move to New York with romanticised dreams of experiencing something that didn’t really exist anymore. I only lasted a year in New York and when I came back to Chicago that’s when I started Bnny. I love Dylan’s lyrics, they are equally simple and complex. I can still listen to a song that I’ve heard 100x and discover something new.

Modest Mouse
I have a vivid memory of my sister and i in high school driving around the suburbs at night in our green toyota camry, stoned out of minds, listening to modest mouse. We were listening to the song Dramamine, and she looks at me after he sings the lyric “We kiss on the mouth but still cough down our sleeves” and she’s like “that’s such a good lyric.” I think I was too stoned at the time to understand it, but she explained it to me.

The Carter Family
I love simple, straight-forward love songs. The Carter Family has plenty of them. I first taught myself guitar with a Carter Family songbook that I found at an Antique Mall, so they hold a special place in my heart.

Cat Power
I remember being at a Barnes & Noble reading the now defunct Venus zine. There was an article about Cat Power and I immediately thought she was the coolest person in the world. Her voice and songs have so much sadness in them. As an often depressed and anxious teenager, her music always made me feel less alone.

Robert Johnson
I love blues music in the same way I love early country music. simple, heart-breaking, honest songs that tear you up inside. Robert Johnson’s almost mythical legacy always captivated me. “Me and the Devil” was the first guitar tab I ever taught myself. To this day it’s still probably the most complex song I can play.

Blonde Redhead
Blonde Redhead was a band I discovered in high school that was unlike anything I had ever heard before. At first, I hated it. Her voice was horrible, she can’t sing, I thought. But eventually it grew on me. When I listen to the song “In Particular” I’m transported to my parent’s basement, my little mind being blown to pieces, my ear pinned to the desktop computer speakers.

Ariel Pink
I know he’s controversial now, but as a teenager he was one of my biggest influences. His early recordings sound so shitty but incredible. They have this otherwordly quality to them. I remember wanting to be a weirdo just like him. I’m not a great musician, so I can’t really comment on anyone’s musicianship really, because I don’t know what I’m talking about… but these songs always made me feel something.

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Bnny will be touring later this spring, including a Brooklyn show at Baby’s All Right on June 13. All dates are here:

BNNY TOUR DATES
Fri. Apr. 19 – Chicago, IL @ The Empty Bottle (Record Release)
Thu. May 9 – Rotterdam, NL @ Rotown
Tue. May 14 – London, UK @ Paper Dress Vintage
Wed. May 15 – Southampton, UK @ Heartbreakers
Fri. May 17 – Brighton, UK @ The Great Escape
Sat. May 18 – Manchester, UK @ Yes (Moodswings)
Mon. May 20 – Paris, FR @ Supersonic
Thu. Jun 13 – Brooklyn, NY @ Baby’s All Right