Artist's Cookbook: Date and Orange Muffins and Chai Tea Courtesy of You and Me

It wasn't long ago that any thought or mention of pronouns would instantly bring on the cold sweats. Memories of Mrs. M and her "grammar patrol" came to the surface after years of being suppressed. With the rise of pronoun rich bands such as She and Him I have been forced to meet these anxieties head on. It has been a slow process but I think I am finally getting over the trauma.

That's great news, especially since I recently was introduced to another pronoun driven band, You and Me. You and Me is a Montreal based folk blues band spearheaded by Valerie Giroux and James Lemay. These two have been making the rounds since 2001, playing in places as varied as Santa Monica, San Antonio, New Orleans and Key West. Along the way they nurtured a fan base that includes the likes of Jeb Brien a producer/director at Sony. It wasn't long before a demo was requested. The two took the DIY approach and turned their Westfalia van into a solar powered recording studio. Ultimately they weren't signed to Sony but the experience of completing every part of the recording process on their own opened their eyes to talents that they didn't necessarily know they had. You and Me have just completed their debut album all on their own taking great pain to make sure the producing, engineering, mixing, arranging and performing are exactly how they want it.

"Head Up High" is the second track on their album and it features bongo drums, sexy grooves and some quiet attitude. None of this takes away from the happiness one feels while listening along. While it isn't my favorite track on the album (that would be "Today is Gonna Be a Better Day") it is the one that demonstrates what You and Me can be the best:

You and Me - Head up high by write.click.cook.listen

Check out the rest of the album via bandcamp (you can also download "Head Up High" for free there):

With all this going on it is amazing that the band still finds time to bake (let alone eat). One of their specialties is Dates and Orange Muffins. Pair it with their Home Brewed Chai Tea and you've got, just like James and Valerie, an amazing and complimentary duo.