Laura Rafetseder
Vienna, Vienna, Austria | Established. Jan 01, 1998 | INDIE
Music
Press
"Eine Art Konzeptalbum zum Thema Einsamkeit. Aber auch wenn man nicht auf die sehr starken Texte hört, entfalten die faszinierenden Songs und Laura Rafetseders Stimme eine ganz merkwürdige Sogwirkung." / "A concept album about lonelyness. Even if you don't listen to the well crafted lyrics the fascinating songs and Laura Rafetseder's voice will put a spell on you." (G. Tartarotti) - Kurier, Wien
"Die wunderbare Sängerin Laura Rafetseder hat sich zu einer der authentischsten & stärksten Songwriterinnen des Landes entwickelt." / "One of the strongest and most authentic songwriters of the country" (A. Bovelino) - Freizeit Kurier, Vienna
Der Albumtitel "Swimmers In The Arctic Sea" suggeriert einen Kampf gegen Windmühlen. Schließlich singt Laura Rafetseder nicht nur über innere und zwischenmenschliche Konflikte, die entstehen, weil der Mensch ein Mensch ist. Die auch mit dem "Arbeiterlied 1918" früh mit politischen Noten in Erscheinung getretene Wiener Songwriterin beschäftigt sich - in eigenen Worten - gerne auch mit der "Notwendigkeit von Solidarisierung in Zeiten der Endsolidarisierung", wovon gleich eingangs "Beating Hearts", ihr Beitrag zum Protestsongcontest 2016, kündet - oder im Weiteren das die Flüchtlingskrise umkreisende "Hostile Shore". Musikalisch wird zu zarten Zupfgitarren, Folk-Fideln und der Mundharmonika des jungen Bob Dylan auf die klassische Vorlage aus den 60er Jahren vertraut. Die Hausheiligen heißen Joan Baez und Joni Mitchell, wobei es manchmal auch sanft simonandgarfunkelt. Um Sperrstundenklavier und Kontrabass erweiterte Albumhighlights wie "Blues In Your Lover’s Eyes" jedenfalls klingen einnehmend. Sie spenden Wärme, die man gut brauchen kann: "We were young and wounded." (A. Rauschal) - Wiener Zeitung
Discography
2019 Solo album "Driven Creatures"
2016 Solo album "Swimmers in the Arctic Sea"
2012 Solo album "The Minor Key Club"
2010 Laura & The Comrats "Creating Memories"
2006 Laura & The Comrats "Make Me Whole Again" - EP
Photos
Bio
"Once upon a time a little songstress fell in love with music listening to her songwriter dad's piano (he used to put music to anglo-american poets' poems), her mum singing lullabies and generally being raised on her parents records (dylan, stones, joni mitchell,...). At 8 an old tape of a radio show called „the roaring 60s“ made a lasting impression – she decided to become a revolutionary (the tape started with „hippies, beat, riots, revolution,...“ and sounded very exciting). She also went on to inhale pop music history, became a beatles freak at 13, wearing only grey (it was the early 90s,you know), reading emily bronte and climbing trees. At 14 though she hijacked her dad's guitar, learned how to play and started writing songs (well... she didnt write her own lyrics at first but exploited her dad's poetry books and put new musical clothes to the poems she found). The lyrics started to flow at 18, when she moved to vienna and took to the open mic scene there. With her band the comrats she recorded the ep make me whole again in 2006. Laura & the comrats critically acclaimed debut cd" creating memories" was released in April 2010. At the moment Laura is taking a break from the band. In November 2012 she released her solo debut the minor key club on Lindo Records. A second album, swimmers in the arctic sea was released in autumn 2016. "So much for that. As for my songs, they are an attempt to see through the mess that i make out of my life sometimes (and thus embrace it). i love catchy tunes as well as good metaphors and images, there's nothing better... a constant theme are dialectics and contradictions – good and bad, dream and reality, up and down, bitter and sweet.... always been fascinated by the contradiction of sadness and happyness in popmusic - cos the great songs touch a nerve, make you happy and sad, usually both at the same time."
Band Members
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