We pre-streamed it yesterday with Paste Magazine HERE and released it today with Noisetrade HERE
We are so excited that we can finally show what we've been working hard on to the world and hope you guys love it! Enjoy a free download from Noisetrade and come sing a long with us at one of our shows!
Peace and Warmth as you gear up for the holiday seasons! - xx
Album artwork by the one and only (and our bassist!) Mitchell Dong
Oh, and PS - if you aren't listening to the new Son Lux album, then you don't know what's good for you - Listen HERE
I had the privilege of lending some vocals to this sweet little tune by Kyle Neal (now known as Boroughs). What talented friends I have! Kyle and I have been singing together for years whenever we get the chance. Was great fun! And am also honored to say Kiel (another Kiel...ha), the drummer in this video, will be providing me with some percussion and drums on my album in a couple weeks!
Below is the video we filmed just last week! Enjoy!
Long time not writing - so sorry! Have been busy touring, working on my solo album, and working with others!
Solo News:
Though I don't have any previews of my album just yet, it's going to be about 13 tracks that have been in the making for over 4 years! I'm thankful for my experiences in bands as well - all of this had poured into me and I am hoping to put out something that all of you will enjoy!
SO, while I'm working on that with my good friend Mark Montgomery, I've also been keeping busy touring all over the United States with Branches, and have some dates in October and November coming up as well - so check the SHOWS tab.
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Cigarette Barbies:
I also had the privilege to record with my great friend Shawn again, for Cigarette Barbies. I am part of "Angst in My Pants" and "Oh So Soon"!
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Robert Delong:
Robbie just released a new original song with myself featured on it! It's called "Open Yr I's" and we recorded some vocals for this a while back at his place. Take a listen below!
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Branches:
It's so hard to keep track of all we do! Goodness, we are all over the place.
We recently released a few new videos I'd like to share with you below! The first one is from our time at SXSW and the other is from our most recent trip to New York. Both original songs. Enjoy and share!
Finally, a big thank you to all who came out to our "Branches: Living Room Tour"- Thank you for your continued support!
Also, check out my girl Marissa Quinn's website on my FRIENDS tab - she will be doing my solo album artwork for me and I am beyond excited to see what creative things she comes up with.
It has been a long time coming for this album to be released, but the record is finally here -
one of my great friends and an incredibly talented artist Robert DeLong's album is here!
This was also a project I had the HUGE privilege to be a part of. I was lucky enough to sing on one of my favorite Robbie songs, "Perfect" (Track 11) - I met Robbie in 2008 and ever since then we've played a myriad of shows together and had so many great times hanging out. I've watched his success grow and grow steadily over the years, and when the news came he was signed to Glassnote Records, it was only a matter of time before he blew up (and he is now!) He performed on "Late Night with David Letterman" February 13th and will be playing a myriad of large festivals including Coachella - so be sure to keep watching!
You can stream the entire album on Billboard.com for free HERE, and get it on Itunes HERE
This past January, I had the pleasure of being a guest vocalist on one of Silent Planet's new songs.
The song is based on a story from a French woman, Madame Marguerite Rouffance, who survived the Holocaust. She, a long with a lot of her village, were thrown in the church and the Nazi's sent it up in flames. She survived, and said this in later war trials:
"Je suis sorti vivant du four crematoire, je suis le temoin sacre de l'eglise. Je sui une mere qui a tout perdu."
Translation:
"I came out alive from the crematory oven; I am the sacred witness from the church. I am a mother who has lost everything."
This is the piece I was asked to sing of the song acting as Madame Marguerite Rouffance. It's pretty powerful stuff - and you can check it out below - so rad! Thanks Silent Planet!
A lot has happened in the past few months.
I have graduated college now, and will continue playing music!
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BRANCHES:
Branches released a few more Christmas songs this year available HERE on our Bandcamp.
They are also on Noisetrade, though I am not sure for how long, so get them free there while you can!
We just completed a West Coast Christmas tour with some new instrumentation and a fresh set.
It was a blast singing with all of you!
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THE WILD REEDS:
I also recently released the news of my departure from my band The Wild Reeds, and here is my formal goodbye below. Thank you all for the support over the years, it has been an incredible three years with these ladies. The girls will continue on to make more great music with the addition of a few new band members and I encourage you to keep following them, because I know I sure will. I will play my final farewell show with the girls as the "last original members show" on January 13th at Cal Poly Pomona. Check my Shows tab for more info.
"So the time has come to announce my formal departure of my
band, 'The Wild Reeds'. This has been an amazing journey of three years, and
the decision came with no dramatic happening or wrongdoing, only a lot of
prayer and deep thought. Time was beginning to run it’s course in my life and time
management throughout each musical endeavor I was involved in, became tough!
Though change is imminent, these girls are amazing and will be my friends for
the rest of my life and I will always be proud to call myself A Wild Reed! J I will continue
playing music and will continue to perform and write music as well! It was not
at all an easy decision, nor free of emotional bouts, but The Wild Reeds will
press on with the addition of a few new members and a few new changes and will
continue to press forward with this journey, so please continue to follow! I
will be playing my final show January 13th at the Cal Poly Pomona
Agriculture Center. It’s going to be a great night at a beautiful venue and we
hope to see you there! Thank you so much for all of your incredible support and
encouraging comments over the years – it would’ve been so SO much harder
without you."
Some great news of great things happening.
Lots of shows are keeping me busy, and lots of side projects I've been working on have taken fruition!
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CIGARETTE BARBIES:
Firstly, [ HERE ] is a link to a project I was so lucky to be included on called Cigarette Barbies! It's release has been much anticipated!Shawn wrote, produced and recorded the entire project. I am featured on the opening track called "I'm Your Man" and I am so proud to be a part of it! Well done Shawn!
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ROBERT DELONG:
Secondly, I have gotten to perform with Robert Delong lately as well! I was honored to be a part of his residency at The Echoplex this October. Robbie is my dear friend and just recently got signed to GLASSNOTE RECORDS (Mumford and Sons, Phoenix, The Temper Trap) and I was so thankful to be able to be a part of his record that will be released come the new year! I got to record a song called "Perfect" and it will be released as a single down the line at some point, I think.
Safe Travels
x
-N
Here are some great photos from the nights with Robbie! Thank you Matt! :)
A couple of new things to share with you!
Invisible Children, our great friends, featured us on their mini-playlist this past Monday (4/9/12)
You can check it out [ here! ]
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SOLO:
Also, I've released a few solo songs on my Bandcamp for FREE download! (you can also listen on the Solo tab of my site)
"Figures" was recorded live with great friends Matt Starcher and Kiel Feher with Patrick Mundy engineering the session with help from Mick McAdams and Matt. It was a great time!
"Oak Tree's Song" was also recorded live, engineered by Matt Starcher and filmed by Aaron Flynn for their series "Anatomy of Sound" - This was recorded about a year and a half ago, but i just decided to release it live for FREE!
So head on over to my Bandcamp (click on my solo tab on my website) and check them out!
The instrumentation on my solo CD will be a bit different, but it is always fun experimenting with new sounds for live performances!
Thank you for the continued support!
Stay tuned for Branches and Wild Reeds tour dates under my shows tab!
x
It was an amazing productive couple weekends! Last weekend we had the honor of performing with Milo Greene at The Black Box Cabaret in Monterey. It was a great venue with a great crowd - thank you to all who came out! Here are a few photos from traveling and the night!
The day after the Monterey show, we packed up, and headed back up to San Francisco for a early morning photo shoot. We woke up at 4:30am (!!!) to head into the city and catch the light before sunrise. Kelly Boitano was kind enough to snap the photos for us! - Check out her work on my friends page. I will post the photos as we get them. Can't wait to see them!
Here are some behind the scenes of the photo shoot!
Then, this weekend, we traveled again to Northern California to play our NorCal CD release show in the East Bay and the next night in Sacramento! They were great fun and the fans were so fun to chat with! Thank you for all who came out! It was great to feel the love!
Plans for the future include taking this show on the road!
I will post the shows as we book them on my shows tab! :)
Thank you for the continued support and we hope to see you soon!
x
BRANCHES: Branches full length album Thou Art The Dream has been officially released, as of February 10th, 2012. We are so proud of it!! It is available on Itunes here:
Here's a few words about our new album:
Also, We have a show booked with Milo Greene in Monterey February 24th at the Black Box Cabaret Theatre. Milo Greene is currently on tour with The Civil Wars and are stopping in Monterey for a small side show. Listen to Milo Greene here.
Also, our Northern CD release show is coming up as well!
March 2nd at Cornerstone Fellowship in the East Bay.
We hope to see you there!
Safe Travels! x
-N
Here are some photos of our Southern California release show and trip to San Diego to play for Invisible Children (Which was one of the most fun shows we have played - thank you IC interns for all you do!)
I have a myriad of things that inspire me and i'd love to share them with you! (though they are not only music)
I always tell people, if you want to understand me better, listen to Lisa Hannigan, Glen Hansard and maybe a bit of Mr. Rice in there too (Damien, that is). And the three are actually all connected and come from the same roots and friend group.
These particular songs are having a profound affect on me, particularly now, when a lot of changes are taking place. Quite often lately, I've been re-evaluating the last four year of my life and how much i have learned and grown. From friendships, to relationships, to styles, to the way that I handle situations, and the three artists listed above have only grown with me. I'm not sure any of the three will ever be forgotten or leave my life, as they are timeless, well-written, strong songs with simple truths.
I can't choose my favorites, but here are a couple that have aided my reflection times.
and this....this is an oldie, but legendary.
I hope these warm your earbuds and minds and hearts. x
-N
Also, the Reeds have been active as well! We recently played our good friend Lacey Bryant's art opening at Modern Eden gallery in San Francisco on january 21st! We had the honor of being Lacey's models for a couple of her paintings that were displayed in the show, and they look amazing!
Please check out Lacey's website here, she's incredibly talented!
http://laceybryantartist.com/
Here are some pictures from the night!
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ROBERT DELONG:
And finally, Robert DeLong (aka Rob-dawg) continues to wow audiences and i am so lucky to be friends with such a talented fellow! Occasionally i will join him on - stage for live performances of "Perfect" but even if i am not singing I wouldn't miss a show for the world. It is a great community of friends and one of the things i look forward to most. He continues his residency at Los Globos and on January 21st got to play with Dillon Francis at the Observatory (big room) in Orange County.
He's also being played on KROQ and KCRW, so please call in and request OR send an e-mail requesting:
As promised, Branches and The Wild Reeds have released their Christmas music!
The Wild Reeds' is available for download here:
http://thewildreeds.bandcamp.com/
and Branches is available here:
http://soundslikebranches.bandcamp.com/
(The Reeds is a live setting, so it's obviously cut production quality, but that is what we were going for!)
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BRANCHES:
Also, exciting news!
After our gig in San Diego, Branches was invited to the Invisible Children headquarters to play a livestream session for the freetimmy campaign. It was live online from the headquarters and we heard so much support from viewers. Thank you for all the requests and love!
(Check it out and donate HERE)
They said some kind words about us on their blog! Thanks Invisible Children!
http://blog.invisiblechildren.com/tag/free-timmy/
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TAYLOR BROUGHTON:
Also, my very talented friend Taylor Broughton just released his E.P. yesterday on Itunes and it is great! I was so privileged to get to take part! Listen and buy it HERE
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Thank you so much for the continued support and helping me do what i love!
Now I will retreat to my bed with my gnome socks and a coffee to watch a Muppet Christmas Carol, and i suggest you do the same! Merry Christmas!
