The indie world had wondered where MS MR had gone, but they promised to return and have showcased an acoustic performance of "Leave Me Alone" off of their new album How Does It Feel live at Vogue studios. Chillwave duo MS MR, namely Lizzy Plapinger and Max Hershenow, are everything New York. They took the indie music world by storm with "Hurricane" and "Bones" off of their 2013 debut album Secondhand Rapture, which came with an air of mystery and lyrics as shadowy as the subject matter. There was also that burning question of what exactly their name was supposed to mean?
The Bay Bridged indie music blog originally reported in an interview that Plapinger co-founded Neon Gold Records when she was just in college, a boutique label that has housed talents Haerts, Charli XCX, Tove Lo, Passion Pit and successfully launched Ellie Goulding into her current megastar status. The two graduated from Vassar College north of the city but were acquaintances at most. It was only when Hershenow sent an email to her looking for vocal talent to jumpstart his new project MS MR did the two really connect on a musical level. MS MR has the distinct ability to transition trendy music into trending fashion and Vogue reported that the duo can often be spotted front row at New York Fashion Week shows.
The video begins with the duo introducing themselves as a band in their signature, simple style. They start nearly all of their acoustic sets this way, but for some reason it always sparkles and is maybe even as glittery as Plapinger's silver earrings in the first shot. Their acoustic performance was filmed in classic black n' white simplicity and with the bare bones cream-on-cream element of Vogue studios it is just stunning. She sings into her microphone in earnest with that ethereal yet strong vocal style she is known for and softly belts out ("The only way I know when you love me / Is when you leave me alone"). If "Hurricane's" lyrics were written by Plapinger in an hour about Hurricane Irene bypassing New York, then the lyrics to 'Leave Me Alone' must have been written even faster, as they are a lot easier to decipher.
