Elizabeth Harper is an East Coast girl by way of California who sounds like a rainy day in London. Her new CD is chockfull of Sundays-esque love songs and wanderings, akin to taking a ride on a shaft of sunlight.

Are you based in New York? Where did you grow up? Yes, but I grew up in Los Angeles against a very Less Than Zero backdrop. There were also peacocks and sunsets. For some reason I was always wearing coats so people thought it was from the east coast. Of course now that I live here I am always very home sick, and a total California girl. 
 
Where did the British influence come from? 
I have an older sister who turned me on to The Smiths and The Cure at a very young age so it just seeped in to my subconscious I guess. 
 
You have been called "The Female Morrissey." Do you agree? 
If only it were true... I can certainly say that I love his records, and he is/was a massive influence. But those are big shoes to fill. 
 
It seems like your career was jumpstarted by a lot of time spent in a particular record shop.
I sort of worked at Carmine Street guitars – It was more like a hang than a job but I met some really lovely people like Rick the owner, Bob Quine, and my excellent guitarist Scott. All of whom were very encouraging and have taught me a lot about music. 
 
The album art on your self-titled album is adorable. Can you speak a little about the artist/how you came to know her/work with her? 
 My aunt had a Robert Louis Stevenson book growing up and I happened upon it one day and fell in love with the illustrations. I always loved the drawings, so I took a bunch of drawings from the book. Joe M. from Angular did a beautiful job of designing the record to look like a story book. 
 
What is the most frustrating thing about being a musician in New York? 
 practice spaces, life, lack of nature, the subway. waking up. 
 
Do you think about your image? If so, what kind of image would you like to portray? 
 Right now I am going through an old west Victorian phase. Anything from fur trappers , can-can girls, etc. So that idea and aesthetic will definitely be incorporated somewhere, though whether it will turn up in the lyrics, the album art, or the attire I can’t predict. 
 
What were you hoping to achieve with your newest CD, sonically, career wise, or otherwise? 
On an intensely personal level I was hoping someone would hear me and see how I felt I am and make some kind of connection with the music like I did with my favorite records. On a more general level, we got to tour in England for the debut CD with the Long Blondes which was great. Joe D. of Angular has impeccable taste so I felt really lucky to be a part of what they’re over there doing. We are working on our second record now and were really excited about it. 
 
Whose career would you love to emulate, musician or otherwise? 
Cateno Veloso has had a pretty great career as well as Dylan. And Morrisey of course. To me they are artists who have always done what they wanted, and due to their authenticity been successful over a long span of time. 
 
Also Dolly Parton sort of falls into that category. What’s fake about her is what makes her real. 
 
W hat would people be surprised to know about you? 
 
That I went through a Little House on the Prairie phase. Well maybe not, but it was surprising to me. 
 
What would you like the readers of The Deli to know about you? 
 
That I didn’t mean to break that wine glass.