Carolyn Pennypacker Riggs was in acoustic Bay Area band The Finches for years.  She recently made the move to Los Angeles and, as a result, broke up the band.  Her new project is called PALMS and it's a new day for Carolyn-- PALMS includes electric guitar!  PALMS will be performing May 10 at Echo Curio in Los Angeles with the Bay Area's own The Mantles and Colossal Yes.  Here, Carolyn chats about her new band and also about some of the music that has made an impression on her over the years.

ME:  So your old and beloved project, The Finches, has come to a close.  Tell me about that and about the development of your new band, PALMS.  Is your new band sonically similar to The Finches or is this a whole new thing? 

Carolyn:  Yar, the two bands must sound awfully similar to a lot of folks -- this weekend I played a show in LA and a new friend from England asked me if I ever listened to The Finches. That's only natural -- I'm still writing the songs, but playing electric guitar now.

Also, I'm recording the songs myself, so there's more time to mess about.  I'm thinking of adding oboe to a few of the new ones.  So far all the PALMS shows have been solo, but I've been playing a bit with my friend Katy Davidson (who was Dear Nora) on bass, and still looking for a drummer (or two). It's a much darker sound than the old acoustic pop; I think it needs a few more musicians to weight it down, and electricity to give it friction.