Agnelli & Rave

Folk-rock duo Agnelli & Rave were both veterans of the new wave scene by the time they teamed up in the early '90s, bringing a strong melodic pop feel to their recordings together. Lauren Agnelli began her career as a freelance rock journalist under the pen name Trixie A. Balm; she subsequently founded the New York new wave outfit Nervus Rex, then moved on to the stylized protest-folk group the Washington Squares, who were part of the anti-folk scene that sprang up on New York's Lower East Side in the mid- to late '80s. Ontario native Dave Rave (born Dave DesRoches) started with Canadian new wavers the Shakers, then became lead singer and guitarist of popular punkers Teenage Head before forming his own, more classicist pop group, the Dave Rave Conspiracy. Agnelli played bass in the group, having met Rave when he moonlighted as a supporting musician for the Washington Squares. In 1994, Agnelli performed on a collaborative album with the eclectic polka/world music outfit Brave Combo, titled Alumettes (aka Kiss of Fire). That same year, the Conspiracy disbanded, and Agnelli & Rave teamed under exactly that name, debuting with the single "Pray for Rain." Their first album, Cowboy Flowers Sessions, appeared on Mystery Tone in 1995, featuring production by Mitch Easter and guest accompaniment from John Wesley Harding. 1997's Confetti was a compilation of tracks from the duo's past projects, including the Squares, the Conspiracy, Brave Combo, and their previous album. A second album of new material, the poppier Heaven and Earth, followed in 1999. With the subsequent CD reissue of the first Dave Rave Conspiracy album, Rave formed a new version of that group without Agnelli, and resumed recording. Agnelli joined the power pop group the Rooks as bassist, and also embarked on a...