(Interview by DCist contributor Colleen Clark)

Laura Burhenn is playing tonight at DC9 with Metrosexuals and The Guins, and May 19 at the Black Cat backstage. You can listen to some of her mp3s here.

Local musician Laura Burhenn's song, "Helicopters," first fell into our hands on a mixtape from an old colleague. We joked that it was the lost song from the "Garden State" soundtrack (and we mean that in a good way, in a "This would fit on a mix with The Shins and Iron and Wine" way). Then our friend went on a date with a chef who extolled Burhenn's "Fiona Apple meets Portishead" album, "Wanderlust". After hearing her compared to everyone from PJ Harvey to Cat Powers, we decided it was high time to give the girl a listen.

"Wanderlust" layers bluesy piano and moody Wurlitzer parts over a wash of cello, guitar and drums. Floating above the lush soundscape, Burhenn's voice paints cityscapes, lovers' quarrels and quiet moments of might-bes. She's the kind of singer-songwriter who creates a space for you to pour your own rainy-Sunday musings into.

Burhenn grew up on a farm in Maryland on a steady diet of Nina Simone, piano lessons and her pet cows (which explains why she’s now a soulful, classically trained pianist...and a vegetarian). We caught up with Laura the morning after her show at New York's Rockwood Music Hall to talk about the D.C. music scene, day jobs and where the indie girls are.

How long have you been working on this solo project?

I played with a lot of other bands first. I did an electronica project in high school. And then we did a hardcore project, and I played a little bit with some punk rock kids. I was all over the place. And in college I played with this hippy band for a little bit. Finally I decided that I just wanted to do my on thing. I had been writing songs since I was about 14, and then started doing my own solo thing in college. I got my current band together about a year and a half ago.

Lets play the influences game.

Well, I was really into Nina Simone as a young, impressionable girl. I loved her guttural voice, the way she would get up there on stage. She's so captivating. Leonard Cohen, Joni Mitchell, the Beatles, for sure. I loved Stevie Wonder. There's definitely a bit of blues and funk and jazz in my music from that. Beth Gibbons is a huge influence. Oh and PJ Harvey and Tori Amos -- I mean, a girl who's playing piano and writing songs. That's kind of where I started.

You seem to play with space a lot in your music.

It's funny that you say that because for a long time I was trying to be really loud and over the top and write these really elaborate piano parts. And someone said to me, have you ever thought of coming down and taking the bare elements and making songs like that. I've recently heard a criticism of my music "Oh she just sits up there and plays chords, how impressive is that?" But I think, well there is an art to taking the bare elements and making something out of it because then it's at the core. So I definitely am interested in that space a lot.

How do lyrics fit into that idea of simplicity?

Laura: I love old jazz lyrics. I think lyrics that are really simple are very strong. But I also like to paint scenes. So something like John Lennon's "Lucy in the Sky." That's a good example of a song that takes you to another place but is still simple. I like to write that way.

What do you think of the singer songwriter scene in D.C.?

There is a big scene. It's kind of quiet, but I think it's growing a lot. My friend Andy who plays in a band People Chasing People started an indie rock singer songwriter night at Staccato, and he invites people out. Each person does about a twenty minute set. There aren't a ton of singer songwriters but there are some.

It's interesting because in DC the genres are really separated by which club you play at. If you go out to Jammin' Java in Vienna you’re gonna have all kinds of singer songwriters. You go to Black Cat, DC9 and Velvet Lounge, and you have bands. But in there you do have some people who are really committed to songwriting as an art form. It's not huge but I think it's growing. I have a lot of faith in it.

However, there's a lack of girl musicians in DC, I would definitely say that. Last week, I represented the girls at the indie rock night, and I do that a lot. There are definitely good women on the scene, but there aren't enough of them.

You've been playing lots of shows in New York recently. How would you characterize the DC music scene in comparison?

There is a scene in DC, but it's not snobby. You go to New York and I've noticed recently, it's very racially divided, and you don't think of that. Where I have been in New York recently -- and this is just my experience -- it's very rare that you go to a place and it's mixed as far as people of different races and cultures. You go into the Black Cat and yeah it's a majority of white kids, but it's a pretty good mix.

Why did you decide to start your own record label?

I had listened to a lot of Ani Difranco, and I was like, you know, she is very successful and has everything on her own terms. What a great way to do things. Yeah it’s harder, but instead of sitting around and saying "Oh I can't do music because no one will sign me," it's just, you know, I'll do it myself. And it's been very hard, it's a lot of extra work. But it's very rewarding. When I get a good show or when I'm selling CDs and people are interested, it's like, hey, I did that all with my friends.

So what's next for you?

I got a grant for the DC arts commission, a small projects grant. So I'm gonna start recording some new things. I do a lot of recording at home on my PowerBook, I love Pro Tools... Hopefully if the right label will come along, I would love their assistance just because it's really hard to work full time and book my own shows and send out press kits and make calls.

Let’s finish up with some easy ones...Favorite local acts?

Q and Not U -- they're intelligent, socially and politically aware and fun, so fun to watch. Paul Michael, People Chasing People, Carol Bui -- she has a very PJ Harvey-ish edge to her. There's so much good music around DC. Let’s see, Army of Me, Bicycle Thieves, Gist, Restoring Poetry in Music, My Friend Autumn, Verbal -- they sound kind of like Sea and Cake. Oh and Metropolitan is a big staple DC band

Favorite record stores?

There are two really good record stores I have to give a shout out to: Crooked Beat on 18th and Revolution Records. Revolution is owned by the guy in the band Gist. They do great things for local music. They just put out a DC compilation CD. They do in-store performances.