(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.