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Singer-Songwriter Emily Arin collaborates with Philly indie-rockers
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Singer-songwriter Emily Arin is from Montour Falls, New York, but she traveled to Philly to record h...Singer-songwriter Emily Arin is from Montour Falls, New York, but she traveled to Philly to record her debut album Patch Of Land. In fact – she liked Philly so much, she decided to move here. Produced by Brian McTear (Weathervane Music/Shaking Through) and recorded and mixed by Jonathan Low at Miner Street Studios and Greg Weeks of Espers at his Hexham Head studio the album features Dave Hartley (Nightlands, War On Drugs) on bass and drummer Thomas Bendel of Buried Beds. The album is currently available here: http://emilyarin.bandcamp.com/album/patch-of-land
Arin’s debut is filled with honest, yearning songs and stories sung in a plaintive and natural delivery. Here is a case of where less is more; the songs speak on their own with touches of mellotron and slide guitar that add the necessary colour yet never distracts from the center stage of her songs and her haunting listen-to-it-all-day kind of voice. You may find some musical touch points in Emily’s music like Suzanne Vega, Gillian Welch, Rosie Thomas and Sharon Van Etten, yet Arin’s songwriting steps out with a grace and beauty of it’s own.
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Emily Arin: Patch of Land by Joanne Gibson
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For her first studio album Patch Of Land, Emily Arin recruited Espers’ Greg Weeks as producer, putti...For her first studio album Patch Of Land, Emily Arin recruited Espers’ Greg Weeks as producer, putting her in such excellent company as Sharon Van Etten, Marissa Nadler and Orion Rigel Dommisse. A very shrewd move it was too, for Weeks seems to have an uncanny instinct for framing female voices in revelatory and sympathetic recordings. Patch Of Land is an album full of lightly orchestrated folk dances with lyrics that touch often on pure poetry. Some songs here possess the circular rhythm of a folk story told through the ages, unravelling the lives of the characters who populate them even as they stir up fond memories of summer fields that stretch out to the horizon. Others are slow waltzes for the likes of the desperate Spalding Gray, who took his own life in New York Bay, and the “dirt-stained boy” who offers his hand to the beautiful but terminal girl beneath the oak tree in ‘Sweetly Breathe’.
It’s clear from the opening line of the first track ‘Say’ that Arin has the poets’ desire and talent to find the right words, to distil an emotion or experience until it is presented to the listener as a picture: “There goes my imagination / painting you with gold / golden sunlight on your shoulders.” Arin’s first words are emblemic of her style, chimed gently over acoustic guitar before a rhythm kicks in, moving from a tiptoe to a skip. At times the songs are stripped to bare simplicity. ‘When You Knew Me When’, featured last year on her Slipstream EP, is accompanied only by flickering guitar chords and is all the more ponderous and touching for it. The story is of a person paused in time, poring over a box of poems from a past lover: “Each line whispered an amen / Do you still pray with your pen?” Similarly, a gently strummed guitar supports ‘By The Fiery Glow’ as Arin tells an unflinching tale of humanity and acceptance through the eyes of a prostitute and the febrile light that marks all her experience.
In essence, then, Patch Of Land doubles as a storybook whose characters play out with delicate precision the pathos and joy of being human. It demands to be read time and time again, and with each successive reading the characters and scenes gain more sinew, bone or colour, swaying with gentle acoustics or jigging to the lonesome curl of slide guitar – dances that are weaved through ecstasy and confusion alike.
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Singer-songwriter Emily Arin sings with quiet heartache on free mp3 from debut
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It’s more common for aspiring musicians move from small towns to music hubs like New York or Los Ang...It’s more common for aspiring musicians move from small towns to music hubs like New York or Los Angeles, but Emily Arin did the opposite: the singer and songwriter relocated from L.A. to Montour Falls, a tiny burg in the Finger Lakes region of western New York. That’s where she wrote songs for her debut LP, “Patch of Land,” which she releases herself on Feb. 8. (She has since moved again, this time to Philadelphia.)
She counts Tom Waits, Leonard Cohen, Hank Williams and Gillian Welch among her influences, but then, so do a lot of people who can’t write for shit. Arin has the goods, though, on “When You Knew Me When,” the free song from “Patch of Land.”
The song actually sounds a little like winter in western New York: desolate, dusky and a little heartbroken. Arin sings in a clear, quiet voice, clean notes from a solo electric guitar cascading around her, and the sound of strings swelling up subtly midway through the song. It’s a lovely introduction to a promising young performe
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See Emily Play: Emily Arin set to mark release of new CD, 'Patch of Land'
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Singer and songwriter Emily Arin is one of the most talented solo artists to emerge from the Ithaca ...Singer and songwriter Emily Arin is one of the most talented solo artists to emerge from the Ithaca music scene in recent years. With a plaintive and delicate voice, she weaves tales that examine, in her words "the heavy graces of being human."
"White Heat," from her 2007 the self-released "Time and Space," burns soft and warm like a kerosene lantern in winter. Her talent is on par with early Gillian Welch, Jana Hunter and Nina Nastasia, and her oeuvre ranges from the country sing-a-long "You Won My Heart Outright" to the haunting ballad "Waltz for Spalding Gray." Though she writes with the precision of a sociologist, the lyrics also broaden to an almost philosophical investigation and an inspiring vision of the human condition.
This month, Arin releases her latest CD, "Patch of Land," a collection of 11 tracks that are a revelation. Whether autobiographical songs of love and longing, or third person waltzes and ballads (as in "Sweetly Breathe" or her transfixing meditation on Gray), Arin's inventiveness with language and melody once again hold court.
"Songwriting for me is a process of distillation," she reports. "My aim is to repeatedly filter an idea and emotion to form an honest vehicle for sharing life's poignancy, playfulness and mystery."
"We just mailed out all of the CDS!" Arin said by phone. "We're working on radio promotion, and we're recommended on Triple A Radio this week, so I'm excited about how this is going."
Arin moved to Philadelphia earlier this year - surely a boon to the city of brotherly love, but a great loss for our local music scene - but she returned late last month for two performances in the area. The first was held a few weeks ago in her hometown of Montour Falls, and this Sunday, Feb. 13, Arin will stop by Felicia's for a 7 p.m. show.
"One of the things that prompted the move was the possibility of collaborating with other artists," Arin said by phone. "There are a lot of people there that are working on music full time."
Arin continued: "In Ithaca, I think there is a good music/life balance. But I was ready for a city jolt, and this challenges me in a new way, to create new work that is new for me." She added "It's also nice not to feel too far from home."
Though she is a lovely and self-possessed solo performer, Sunday night Arin will be joined by four talented musicians: Brian Dozoretz, Peter Glanville, Joe Novelli and Zug Thompson.
"It's much more fun to play with the support of handsome men," she said. But, with all their full schedules and traveling lifestyles, I know I can't play every show with them. So, playing solo is good practice - you can't hide behind the great musicians playing with you - there's level of honesty and confidence you have to try to tap into to connect with the audience."
"I'm excited to play Felicia's - it will be a fun night. It's a really nice place to get together with friends," Arin said, adding that though the show had no Valentine's theme, "people should feel free to bring candy hearts."
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Emily Arin performs at Felicia's Atomic Lounge, 508 W. State St. in Ithaca, at 7 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 13. "Patch of Land" is available now on CD. Visit www.emilyarin.com to learn more.
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Emily Arin - Patch of Land by Andrew Duncan
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What a beautiful masterpiece of hidden gems from this New York singer/songwriter. Emily Arin comes i...What a beautiful masterpiece of hidden gems from this New York singer/songwriter. Emily Arin comes into your life with dignified subtlety and a voice that is so gorgeous you cannot help but take note to its natural beauty. For Arin, there is no excessive vocal enunciations, she does not go out of her way to make a point. What is the veritable in her music is well-written songs with an honest tongue.
The lyrics cascade like a tear that cries from the heart of a slide guitar as “Say” is that lonely drive out into the Sonora with nothing but the moon by your side. “Lyle’s Light” glows like a lonely candle in a bedroom that blots out street lights while words ring out with intimacy that breaks the silence.
Another aspect to Patch Of Land is the influence that points direction to the ‘50s and ‘60s girl groups. A voice that is as light as Francoise Hardy and with spirit of Dusty Springfield. The roadside diner music flows like dust falling off of a white dress. The only downfall to this is that without that Chart or Sun Records rustic recording sound, it’s a little too smoothed out for something that could be so charmingly haunting.
Nonetheless, Arin does wonders to the singer/songwriter style with a debut that will blow you away.
Rating: 4 out of 5
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Today's Girl Crush: Emily Arin
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A girl and her guitar… le sigh. Emily Arin is a folk songstress whose voice and lyrics are on an ent...A girl and her guitar… le sigh. Emily Arin is a folk songstress whose voice and lyrics are on an entirely different plane than the one we know here in this world… and with each syllable and note your heart is reminded of your own humanity. She delicately moves through her new album, Patch of Land, with the grace of a barely earth-bound nymph: whimsical and evoking, lyrical beauty suspended against a wall for all to admire.
Arin hails from Montour Falls in Schuyler County, New York, and is on the cusp of exploding and enchanting the world with her sultry melodies. Citing Leonard Cohen, Tom Waits and Nick Drake among her influences, she takes these geniuses to heart and exposes herself as an old soul wise beyond her years.
One listen of “When You Knew Me When,” will make you realize crushes like this don’t come around very often:
And I’m back to when you knew me when
Before my heart learned to pretend
It feels so good to remember
You captured something in your tender words
I thought was gone left on the lawn of that summer
When you knew me when
When we both felt born again
In finding the root of the stem
Arin’s candor on this new album is a deep look into the soul and experiences of this amazing artist. Scoop up this lil’ darling’s, Patch of Land, and a happy bunny you shall be.
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Random Friday - Birthday Thoughts
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One can’t help but to reflect on their life during their birthday. I’ve been thinking a lot about m...One can’t help but to reflect on their life during their birthday. I’ve been thinking a lot about me the past few days. Notably, the different “me”s there have been. Example: Folk-rocking college Duke or post-college double-shift-working Duke or the current stay-at-home/music blogging/musician/writer Duke. The song below kind of waxes on these sentiments.
If Emily Arin doesn’t someday become a household name, it will be a shame. She is an incredibly gifted songwriter who used to have a subscription service. You paid a flat fee and get new original music from her every month. Her debut album – Patch Of Land – should hopefully land her on some “best of lists” for 2011. Plus, she gets a ringing endorsement from my favorite DJ – Vin Scelsa AND “Arin” is my middle name.
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Voice on the Verge: Emily Arin
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Text/download available at: http://www.wearsthetrousers.com/2010/03/voice-on-the-verge%C2%A048-emily...Text/download available at: http://www.wearsthetrousers.com/2010/03/voice-on-the-verge%C2%A048-emily-arin/
Currently recording her debut album with Espers’ Greg Weeks, Emily Arin is our newest crush to emerge from the venerable school of dusky, graceful songwriting. Hailing from the small village of Montour Falls in Schuyler County, New York, this plaintive voiced lady is a must-listen for fans of Sharon Van Etten, Laura Gibson and similar. Arin explains her musical philosophy best: “Songwriting for me is a process of distillation. My aim is to work to arrive at an essence — to repeatedly filter an idea/emotion until lyrics, melody, and rhythm combine to form an honest vehicle for sharing life’s poignancy, playfulness and mystery.”
Poignancy. Playfulness. Mystery. Three of our favourite things, and they’re all very much in evidence on her recent Slipstream EP, which Emily has very kindly allowed us to give to you for FREE. Among the five tracks are a demo version of ‘When You Knew Me When’, which recently had the distinction of featuring on the soundtrack to the first internationally distributed film ever to come out of Greenland, and the pretty, sweet lament ‘It Wasn’t Love But It Was Lovely’.
Download link below. First, though, Emily tackles our trusty questionnaire!
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What’s your middle name?
Arin.
What’s your earliest memory?
I was around three, living with my family in Yuma, Arizona, in a small house with a little rock garden out front. One afternoon I was so excited to find a striped and colourful pebble in the mix and picked it up to show my mom and siblings, but was soon crying from a bee sting on my finger. I was also crying from feeling stupid that I couldn’t tell a rock from a bee.
Who was your childhood idol?
Nadia Comaneci. I was an obsessed gymnast from age four to ten and watched the movie ‘Nadia’ countless times.
What did you listen to when you were growing up?
On the car radio in Yuma, Arizona (pre-school years): Fleetwood Mac, Hall & Oates and Anne Murray
Family road trips: The Beatles, ABBA, Paul Simon
Fourth grade: Whitney Houston’s Whitney tape (almost exclusively)
Middle school awkwardness (favourite singles): ‘Hold On’ (Wilson Phillips), ‘More Than Words’ (Extreme), ‘Losing My Religion’ (REM), ‘Sowing The Seeds Of Love’ (Tears For Fears), ‘Ice Ice Baby’ (Vanilla Ice), ‘Can’t Live Without Your Love & Affection’ (Nelson), ‘Love Takes Time’ (Mariah Carey)…alright, enough, you get the picture…
Early high school in Americus, Georgia: U2, Bob Marley, The Doors, Tracy Chapman, Indigo Girls, 10,000 Maniacs, REM, Radiohead.
Back in Los Angeles to finish high school: Joni Mitchell, Nick Drake, Leonard Cohen, The Beatles, Edith Piaf, Billie Holiday, Tom Waits, Bob Dylan, Peggy Lee…
What’s the biggest guilty pleasure in your record collection?
I’ve always felt really self-conscious about listening to (and really enjoying) Enya — maybe because it’s labelled New Age? Anyhow, I love old Enya albums and have ever since my dad played Watermark when I was in middle school. The productions are so lush and transporting. I volunteered for a free acupuncture clinic for AIDS patients while in high school. Besides signing people in, my one job was to flip the eponymous Enya tape over while the patients received treatment.
Which female musicians have most inspired you?
Gillian Welch, Nina Simone, Joni Mitchell, Peggy Lee, Asha Bhosle, Sibylle Baier, Amalia Rodriguez, Billie Holiday, The Carter Family, Memphis Minnie, Diane Cluck, Karen Dalton, Stevie Nicks, Emmylou Harris, Etta James, Edith Piaf, Vashti Bunyan, Cesaria Evora, Joanna Newsom, Meg Baird, Patsy Cline, Chan Marshall…….ad infinitum (and then a mighty hefty list of men too).
What’s your favourite poem and how much of it can you recite from memory?
In a poetry class in college, I encountered Leonard Cohen’s ‘Suzanne’ in the Norton Anthology of Poetry and was thrilled to see his lyrics celebrated as “official” poetry — and also thrilled that I already had one poem committed to memory. I’ve tried memorising other poems straight from the page (’The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock’), but unless the words are tied to music, my brain doesn’t seem to have a shelf to put them on.
If you were the answer to a crossword puzzle, what would be your clue?
A walking contradiction: deeply impressionable and stubborn as a mule (aka American woman of German-Polish-Swedish-Scottish descent) (5,4)
What would you be if you weren’t a musician?
Well, at present, in addition to being a songwriter, I’m working in the non-profit adult literacy field. It’s good, challenging work, but underfunded. Other non-music roles would include: teacher, writer, counsellor, gardener — or hairstylist?
What’s the worst job you’ve ever worked and what was so bad about it?
About a year after graduating from college (and after having tried my hand at smalltown journalism to no joy of mine), I got a job working in a small cabinet shop in LA. I was definitely feeling lost at that time in my life, living in a cheap crack house apartment building that leaked like a sieve (it was a particularly rainy season that year). The one good thing (I thought initially) was that I had found a job within walking distance of home that allowed me to work with my hands. Unfortunately, my hands ended up getting smashed underneath a vintage radial arm saw (only broke one finger and lost one nail, but it was traumatic).
Besides not loving the work (sweeping, sanding, table saw kickbacks), the vibe of the shop was all wrong. I was a young woman working in the midst of an awkward male trio: a creatively frustrated owner, a disgruntled former Teamster and a virtually silent Central American immigrant. I didn’t last long.
What’s been the best moment of your career so far?
Well, a couple years ago I was in Paris in a neighborhood near the Louvre and met Stelios, a Greek man who ran a very fancy convenience store (I’m talking wood-panelled walls and chandeliers juxtaposed with your typical fluorescently lit “grab your stuff and go” case). He spoke English and we had a nice chat. At the time, I was travelling around with my just-finished, self-produced (i.e. bedroom recordings) Time & Space album and had a habit of giving a copy to anyone I enjoyed meeting. When I handed one to Stelios he asked me if I knew the band Os Mutantes. Did I? I love Os Mutantes! “Well,” he said, “Sergio Diaz (the guitarist from the band) happens to stay at my apartments whenever he is in Paris. I’ll give him a copy if you have an extra.” But of course!
A few days later (by this time I was in San Sebastian, Spain), I received a sweet and simple email from Mr. Diaz saying he enjoyed the CD and thank you. It was such a lovely moment — a sweet kiss from the universe. I have since become friends with Sergio on Facebook and he still remembers the CD he got via Stelios. How fun!
Do you have an instrument you’d still like to learn? What’s stopping you?
The kora. I tried taking lessons once, but felt conflicted about being a white girl wanting to casually study an instrument with such a rich tradition of heritage and lineage. I may change my mind and try to learn it again some day.
Which artist would you most like to work with – your dream collaboration?
Caetano Veloso — he’s like magic.
What’s your top household tip?
Listening to [US radio show] ‘This American Life’ while washing dishes or folding clothes makes cleanin’ time something to look forward to (almost).
Oh! And, this is more in the household health category, but rose oil in jojoba (I’ve only used the Aura Cacia brand) is incredibly healing on minor burns. Takes the heat right out. When I was a grill cook I burned my hand on pot handles and grease many times, and this helped like nothing else!
Do you have a tattoo?
I don’t. But it might be fun to get some jewellery or makeup tattooed on. No?
What’s your tipple?
Whiskey — neat. (I’ll admit, I had to look this word up, being American and all.)
What would you tell your eighteen year old self if you could go back in time?
Buck up princess! (A good friend once wrote this in an email to me—and it definitely had a cheering effect.)
How would you describe your new album in ten words or less?
Dusk pine walk.
How are you most likely to die and what would you want written on your headstone?
No clue! No headstone please. Ashes to ashes and dust to dust. (The perfect soundtrack to this answer would be John Prine’s ‘Please Don’t Bury Me’.)
Would you rather see a ghost or simply have a piece of toast and watch the evening news?
I do love toast! Thick slices of butter (of course)!
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Download the Slipstream EP here. Cover art below. For more things Emily Arin, pay her a visit on Myspace.
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John Darnielle of the Mountain Goats takes IC
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21 September 2009
A capacity crowd was thoroughly entertained this past Saturday night as John Da...21 September 2009
A capacity crowd was thoroughly entertained this past Saturday night as John Darnielle, leader of the Mountain Goats rocked their collective worlds for over an hour and a half. The energy was palpable and you could tell from the start this wasn’t going to be your regular college show. For that, Ithaca, I say thanks!
Local upstart Emily Arin opened the show just after 8pm joined on stage by guitarist extraordinaire Peter Glanville of Hubcap among other local outfits. He was the Buddy Miller to her Emmylou Harris as his depth brought new meaning to her well-crafted songs. After Emily shook of the nervousness, she won over the ever-growing crowd with selections from her recent album “Time and Space.” I recommend you pick that up.
Hanging with John backstage – er in the classroom that served as backstage was beyond even my expectations. I haven’t met that earnest a fellow in quite sometime. The fact that we shared similar views on the industry and similar musical tastes and obsessions was enlightening. I, personally, had a blast getting to know him and though I was already a fan of his work, I left a bigger one because of his amazing presence.
The highlight of his set for me came when he broke a string and had trouble locating a replacement. Pete Glanville produced one from Emily’s case and John grabbed Emily’s guitar to finish the song. While most would either start over or abandon the song, John broke immediately back into the exact point where the string broke. Punk rock.
http://www.dansmallspresents.com/smallsworld/?p=3520
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Singer seeks inspiration, ingenuity
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Article by Gitana Mirochnik
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Inspiration can come from many places. ...Article by Gitana Mirochnik
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Inspiration can come from many places. For up and coming singer-songwriter Emily Arin, it's in the poignant moments she shares with someone.
Arin will be performing this Saturday at the Auburn Public Theater along with lead guitarist Peter Glanville, Brian Dozoretz on upright bass and Gordon Rowland on mandolin and accordion.
“It should be a really fun evening. We're all really excited about it and about the ... venue, given what the owners are trying to do in rejuvenating the community,” she said.
Arin, who moved to Montour Falls from Los Angeles a year and a half ago, started playing in the Ithaca area almost a year ago. She instantly gained a following of fans and was named one of Ithaca's top new artists in 2008 by the Ithaca Journal.
“It feels great and it's very encouraging to keep going on this path, which I definitely have moments of doubt on,” she said. “It's a labor of love and it's really helpful to have the support--knowing that people are appreciating (it).”
Her music, which is very lyrical and story-telling, includes up-tempo as well as mellow beats.
But Arin is not a typical record label musician. She recognized that in order to be competitive in this industry, she would need to come up with a unique approach to attract fans.
“Given the current music industry climate, how does an aspiring songwriter economically support themselves or envision the way that's going to happen? I've tried to answer that question for myself,” she said.
Three years ago, Arin began offering a subscription series newsletter. For $15, subscribers receive six months of new music, along with a story for each new song. The third installment of the series started in Feb. 2009.
In addition to providing her followers with a new song every month, the series helps Arin stay motivated and committed to writing new material. Sometimes, she even writes two or three songs a month.
“I've been steadily devoting myself to becoming a better songwriter in the last 10 years,” Arin said, and this is one way to keep her on that continuous path.
But the subscriptions are not just a way to encourage Arin's creativity. The money is used to provide free music lessons to children in her community. Currently, she teaches a total of seven students, with four learning how to play guitar and the remaining three getting piano lessons.
Arin offered a few pieces of advice for those who are hoping to make a career out of making music.
“Keep yourself inspired, keep listening to the people that you truly admire and hold the bar the really high for yourself,” she said, “so that you 're constantly trying to grow and become clear about what your goals of connecting with people are.”
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Film Soundtrack has touch of Montour Falls
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Thursday, January 14 2010
Emily Arin was born in Los Angeles, but often felt she belonged in a sm...Thursday, January 14 2010
Emily Arin was born in Los Angeles, but often felt she belonged in a small town. When she moved to Montour Falls about two years ago, the singer/songwriter said she felt right at home.
The music she writes from the small cabin where she house sits is a marriage of sorts between country and folk music.
The film tells the story of a young man's odyssey from mundane existence into an acute sense of the sacred, according to the Sundance Film Festival's Web site.
What begins as an unremarkable outing becomes a transcendent journey at the edge of the world as the man grapples with his elusive past and tunes into the present, the Web site states.
"Nuummioq" was one of 13 films accepted into the World Cinema Dramatic competition at the annual Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah. It will debut at this year's festival on Jan. 23.
In celebration of the inspiring trajectory of the first Greenland/Inuit produced film, a post-premeire concert will be held from 9pm to midnight at the Sundance ASCAP Music Cafe in Park City. A handful of musicians from the soundtrack will take the stage, she said.
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Fresh Voice Blends into Music Scene
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I first heard recent transplant Emily Arin playing a lovely set at the Montour Falls Harvest Festiva...I first heard recent transplant Emily Arin playing a lovely set at the Montour Falls Harvest Festival. I was sitting on hay bales with my wife and kids. Her performance is a nice highlight from 2008. Arin combines folk and a bit of country swing with a great voice and really good tunes.
Another great thing about emily Arin is she's approaching the rapidly changing music industry in a smart way, allowing her to build a career as an independent artist. She accomplishes this through a subscription music program. In fact, a new six-month music subscription series is about to launch. Coming soon, subscribers may purchase subscriptions on her website (www.emilyarin.com) for $15. In return they receive one newly written and recorded song each month for six months. These are e-mailed as an mp3 file along with a story behind the song.
Tompkins Weekly recently had the opportunity to chat with Emily Arin. She will be playing December 12 at 8p.m. at No Radio Records.
Tompkins Weekly: You're pretty new to the area. How has it been going breaking into the Ithaca music scene?
Emily Arin: It's been a gradual and interesting process. I moved from Los Angeles to Montour Falls in August of 2007 to help my parents run The Harvest Cafe and to create a lifestyle for myself more conducive to reflection and songwriting. Eager to make friends and meet kindred spirits, I spent the first few months going to shows and handing my Time and Space CD to musicians whose work I enjoyed. I met The Common Railers in September 2007 at the Americana Jubilee held at the Rongovian Embassy. We kept in touch and performed along with the Yardvarks at The Harvest Cafe's first evening of live music in December of last year. As more people heard my music, the more I'd hear "you really should meet Jennie Stearns." I ran into her one night in the bathroom at a Keith Frank show at the Rongo and, without thinking, asked if she would like a CD. She graciously accepted. To my pleasant surprise, she got in touch with me about a month later, eventually asking if I wanted to sing backup at one of her shows. That's the beautiful quality of the Ithaca music scene--it's full of amazingly talented musicians and songwriters who are, at the same time, down to earth, welcoming and accessible. Because of this, I've had the good fortune of collaborating with Peter Glanville and Gordon Rowland (of The Common Railers) and Jennie Stearns and her band. I've grown so much as a songwriter and performer in these last several months as a result.
Tompkins Weekly: How did you start playing and writing? Did you always write your own material?
Emily Arin: I grew up studying classical piano and attended the piano program at LA County High School for the Arts, but was never (for lack of the intense discipline required) a contender for being a serious classical musician. I knew I loved music though and, with a fantasy to join a band, I asked for a guitar in high school. A little too shy and clueless to start or join a group, I strummed away absent-mindedly from time to time in my bedroom. Around the same time my older sister played Leonard Cohen's "Suzanne" for me and my mind was blown open with the possibility of what a song could communicate. I wrote a couple of song snippets before going a way to school, but the urge to write songs really kicked in around sophomore year of college. I've been writing ever since.
Tomkins Weekly: Who are your influences?
Emily Arin: (in no particular order) Leonard Cohen, Gillian Welch & David Rawlings, Caetano Veloso, Townes Van Zandt, Os Mutantes, Asha Bhosle, John Prine, Van Morrison, Hank Williams, Joni Mitchell, West African Kora music, Glen Gould, Paul Simon, Billy Bragg, Miriam Makeba, Johnny Cash, Bob Dylan, The Carter Family, Frank Sinatra, Brian Eno, Neil Young, Tom Waits, Yo La Tengo, Nick Drake, Edith Piaf, Amalia Rodriguez, Yann Tiersen, Cat Power, Buena Vista Social Club, Enya, Peggy Lee, Beatles (together and apart), Coleman Hawkins, Phil Ochs, Calexico, Thelonius Monk, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Ennio Morricone, Billie Holiday, Gordon Lightfoot, Josh Ritter, Will Oldham, Emmylou Harris, Nick Cave, Orchestra Baobob, Willie Nelson, Cesaria Evora, Tom Petty, Memphis Minnie, Glen Gould, Cat Stevens...there's so much amazing music in the world that this list could go on forever, but these are some of the people/groups who've made a big impression on me over the years.
Tompkins Weekly: You've started playing around a lot. How's that going?
Emily Arin: It was recently suggested to me that I need to learn to crave the stage. A lightbulb went off. Instead of fostering a dread of performing (which I did have when I first started several years ago), I'm now getting excited about shows and the possibility they hold of connecting with an audience. A show with heart and soul and laughter can really transform an evening for someone.
P.S. I can't say enough about playing with Peter, Gordon (and now Brian Dozoretz). They're passionate about music and so much fun to perform with.
Tomkins Weekly: Who are you listening to that might be kind of under the radar?
Emily Arin: I don't know how under the radar, but I don't hear of them often: Fionn Regan, Benjamin Biolay, Nicolai Dunger, Super Mama Djombo. Little Joy's first album recently came out--and it's great.
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WLSC2008 Journal l Night #6
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That’s it! At Royal Oak, the last three contestants have been chosen to advance to the Semi-Finals o...That’s it! At Royal Oak, the last three contestants have been chosen to advance to the Semi-Finals of the WLSC2008, TONIGHT at Public Assembly on North 6th Street. There were contestants from Nashville, Seattle, Canada, and as far as Ireland, all coming together in Williamsburg to share their song, make new musical acquaintances, and of course, win $4,000.
But as always, there can only be three lucky winners (pictured, left to right). Emily Arin is a markedly skilled songwriter, and strong performer. I couldn’t help but be reminded (in a good way) of Jaymay, a highly revered WLSC2005 Finalist. Mike Schrieffer put a ton of heart into his performance, spinning a forlorn alt-country tale of a war widow, and earning himself a slot alongside what promises to be an extraordinary line-up tonight. Todd Michaelson vivaciously strummed his Parker Fly electric guitar as his projective voice soared and delivered him into the Semi-Finals.
Philip Radiotes performed a solid song with an old-time guitar feel and charismatic voice. Chris Braciszewski shared his unique guitar parts and song arrangement. Scott Gibson’s powerful vocals and epic guitar parts captured the audience’s attention. Although they did not advance to the Semi-Finals, Gabriel Miller-Phillips and Matt Lindauer both brought unique songs to the stage, driven by strong guitar playing, smart lyrics, catchy melodies, and straight up damn-goodness. Charles Ramsey is perhaps the most proficient and tasteful guitarist to perform in the contest thus far. Add to this natural (rather extraordinary) songwriting ability, thoughtful lyrics, and a really great voice, and you have yourself a singer-songwriter to keep an eye on.
At Public Assembly tonight, the 18 Semi-Finalists, gathered over the last six nights, will perform their song for a slot in the Finals, where the remaining 9 contestants will sing for the title, and the cash. Show starts at 8:00p. $7. See you there!
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WLSC2007 Night 3
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...this was another solid night of music. Let's start with my favorite who didn't win...
As I men......this was another solid night of music. Let's start with my favorite who didn't win...
As I mentioned in my pre-blog blog earlier today, Emily Arin completely won me over. Walking up onstage in her coat and scarf (it was SO COLD in that room) she played a timeless, Hank Williams-inspired number. It reminded me a bit of Jaymay, who snagged a WLSC 2nd place slot a few years ago. But unlike the personal songs of that excellent, Dylan-inspired artist, Arin's "You Won My Heart Outright" was a lovely old school number with lyrics that were timelessness and resonating. I sat there wishing--imagining, even--that she had written that love song about me...
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SINGER/SONGWRITER EMILY ARIN PUTS A NEW SPIN ON SHARING INDEPENDENT MUSIC
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ITHACA, N.Y. -- Connections. The record industry is all about them. And they are necessary for the s...ITHACA, N.Y. -- Connections. The record industry is all about them. And they are necessary for the success of every artist, at every stage of their career.
Independent singer/songwriter Emily Arin is aware that label executives and other industry professionals aren't the only people who can help an artist rise to the top. For Arin, the fans are her biggest asset and a powerful force in getting her where she wants to go.
"Eating lunch one day in my car between music classes, I wondered if there might be a way to revive a patron-artist relationship," said Arin. "A way to allow the music fan to become a shaper of new things to come, not just a consumer of a finished product."
Motivated by this possibility, Arin has developed an innovative opportunity for those who love her indie-folk songs to join her on her journey toward the limelight. For $15, fans can become members of Arin's exclusive New Music Series for six months. It includes one new original song download per month and insights into the inspiration behind them.
The membership also features entry into Arin's private fan forum, where participants can discuss her latest music and offer comments and suggestions.
Along with providing an avenue for her to connect with fans, proceeds from Arin's New Music Series will help to fund six months of free guitar or piano lessons to three under-privileged students in Schuyler County, New York. Updates about the students' progress will be included in Arin's newsletter.
"Arin writes with profound emotional intimacy and honesty and has an exquisite voice to boot," said Luke Z. Fenchel of the Ithaca Journal. "Her talent is on par with early Gillian Welch, Jana Hunter and Nina Nastasia."
Arin has long dreamed of a career in music and, over the last ten years, has been making progress towards her goals. In late summer of 2007, she moved from Los Angeles to Schuyler County to focus on developing her songwriting skills without the distractions of the big city.
Since relocating to the New York countryside, Arin has written numerous songs, performed regularly and been joined by a stellar backing band. She also has performed with Jennie Lowe and the Fire Choir (formerly the Jennie Stearns band) at the esteemed Finger Lakes Grassroots Festival of Music & Dance.
Additionally, Arin has been invited for guest appearances on both local and New York City-based radio shows, such as Vin Scelsa's Idiot's Delight on WFUV, 90.7-FM.
"Emily Arin is one of my finds here at the end of the year," said Vin Scelsa. "She's one of the most interesting new songwriters I've come across in a while."
For more information about the New Music Series or to sign up, log on to www.emilyarin.com. Arin's CD "Time and Space" is also available on the site, as well as downloads of additional tracks previously released.
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Music’s New Messiahs: You!
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The platinum towers of music industry temples have trembled in Biblical proportions. Former titans o...The platinum towers of music industry temples have trembled in Biblical proportions. Former titans of music retailing like Tower Records have folded, and major labels have been hit hard by file-sharing. With dramatic changes in traditional music retail and distribution, how do artists find the Way, the Truth, and the Light? End times bring forth new revelations. We the artists have become the authors of a new testament in the future of digital media, and can flourish by taking advantage of this newly-level playing field...
At the D.I.Y. conference, I bumped into Emily Arin who has a brilliant idea of a subscription-based website that serves several purposes. For $12, subscribers receive a song monthly for a year. This not only pleases subscribers, it motivates Emily to maintain deadlines and builds her repertoire for live shows. Her subscriptions have exploded, and people enjoy the surprise of a new song at their home every month. www.emilyarin.com
supersonic
