some new words
“The obscurity within Lauren’s emotion-filled, smooth voice harmonizes with the serene guitars and soft drums to give this album dream-like feel.” - Mvermix
“Her lush, mesmerizing voice will soothe your sorrows; her sparse, longing instrumentals will draw you deep within yourself. Hang on, I need to pick my jaw up off the floor. Check out “Bitches Brew”…” - New Music Michael
Lobby performance at The Coast office in Halifax, Nova Scotia on April 12. Thanks to Heather Rappard and The Coast!
Review from CBC’s Bob Mersereau
“Lauren’s a watcher, these aren’t me-us-love songs, but rather observations, singular people or small bits of society. She’s singing it like she’s seeing it happen, floating somewhere near, giving us the picture too. Bitches Brew is slow, and rich, like the conversation she reports: “Calm down darling, no need for hurrying/You’re still young, your chance will come.” Meanwhile, the band gets to fill up the spaces, with some grand drum rolls, deep bass, a bit of keys, Lauren’s ooh’s, some distorted guitar and bed of atmosphere. Very murky. But the next track, Anchor Down, is a funky and jazzy number, repetitive lyrics coming out like a beat poet, and angular guitar pushing it along. Clearly this band approach was a big deal in the creation of the songs, and has moved the whole project up a notch.”
Read more here: http://www.cbc.ca/nb/mt/east-coast-music/2013/04/music-review-gianna-lauren—-on-personhood.html
Live at The Black Duck Inn in Sackville, New Brunswick April 14. This was shot by this camera….thank you!
Climbing up the Canadian radio charts!
1 1 Suuns 
Images Du Futur Secret City
2 12 The Besnard Lakes Until In Excess, Imperceptible UFO Outside Music
3 6 The Bicycles Stop Thinking So Much Aporia
4 2 Shotgun Jimmie Everything Everything You’ve Changed 5 4 Charles Bradley Victim of Love Daptone
6 3 We Are Wolves La Mort Pop Club Dare To Care
7 10 Rhye Woman Universal Republic
8 8 Devendra Banhart Mala Nonesuch
9 — Born Ruffians Birthmarks Paper Bag
10 5 David Bowie The Next Day ISO
11 11 Atoms For Peace Amok XL Recordings
12 14 Hayden Us Alone Arts & Crafts
13 13 Youth Lagoon Wonderous Bughouse Fat Possum
14 23 The Burning Hell People Headless Owl
15 15 Boats A Fairway Full of Miners Kill Rock Stars
16 18 Chelsea Light Moving Chelsea Light Moving Matador
17 9 Woodpigeon Thumbtacks And Glue Boompa
18 16 Wavves Afraid Of Heights Mom + Pop
19 48 Pick A Piper Pick A Piper Mint
20 28 Gianna Lauren On Personhood Forward Music Group 21 — Zeus Cover Me Arts & Crafts
22 45 Tegan And Sara Heartthrob Warner (WEA)
23 47 The Highest Order If It’s Real Idee Fixe
24 32 Foals Holy Fire Transgressive
25 25 The Black Angels Indigo Meadow Blue Horizon
26 17 Yo La Tengo Fade Matador
27 — Cold War Kids Dear Miss Lonelyhearts Downtown
28 24 Billy Bragg Tooth & Nail Dine Alone
29 22 The Strokes Comedown Machine RCA
30 — Grounders Wreck Of A Smile Nevado
Hard Science of Ottawa, Ontario made a sweet video of my song “June” from Some Move Closer, Some Move On. Wow!
Band on tour. Thanks Eastern Canada!
On Personhood’s six tracks have the density of a much longer album. Gianna Lauren’s beautifully captured second album, recorded over five days last June in a reconverted horse stable, is understated indie-rock existing between the meticulous and spontaneous. On “Threads,” Lauren sings “Not much foundation/flimsy construction” before concluding the song with a phrase that could be the album speaking for itself: “I’ve got a lot of threads.” On “Anchor Down” Lauren sings over a guitar lick that’s the politest takeover of the brain’s dopamine reserves in recent memory. When the songs spread out from their cozy 4/4 quarters into sophisticated instrumental passages, it feels like a touring four-piece hitting their stride. Lauren and her band channel the sort of intense thoughtfulness distilling entire emotional weather systems into a choice phrase or melody.
Birthday photo shoot!
The talented Halifax photographer Katie McKay took some photos of me on my birthday. Follow the link to see the rest! Thanks Katie!
Gianna Lauren’s On Personhood of interest
A new direction, a magical recording process and an extra loud band mark a new path for the soft-spoken folk songwriter.
by Adria YoungDo you believe in magic? On Friday at Gus’ Pub, Gianna Lauren releases On Personhood, her enchanting new six-track album. Recorded at The House of Miracles, a converted 1860s horse stable in Cambridge, Ontario, Lauren says the experience was charmed. The CKDU staffer can’t wait to show off her new studio band, Justin Nace, JJ Ipsen and Marshall Bureau.
“The studio is literally a house of miracles,” says Lauren from her parents’ home in Ottawa, just before “cigar time” and a Kingston show. Released by Forward Music Group, the perfect rhythms came together for On Personhood. From the folk ballads on Some Move Closer, Some Move On, produced by Daniel Ledwell in 2010, On Personhood marks a change in practice.
“I really wanted to do something different this time around,” she says. “And I’ve always wanted to do a live-band recording.” So Lauren approached her musical nearest and dearests from home: “I was really specific about the folks I recruited because I had a particular sound in mind,” powerful and rich rock melodies that embrace her maturing lyricism. “I’m really proud that this album is a departure from more personal material I’ve written in the past. It’s more objective.”
It’s also the product of intimate, intense collaboration. Lauren recorded the album retreat-style, gathering her studio band together for five days last June with engineer Andy Magoffin (The Constantines, Feist) at his House of Miracles. The rest was magic.
“It was the right group of people and the right amount of time,” Lauren says. “It was talented folks with the knowledge of when to jump in and when to sit back, good communication, good at reading one another, using instincts. If you put the right combination of people with those skills and that approach in the same room, you’re just gonna get lucky.”
Last week, before leaving on tour, Mitch Fillion from Southern Souls filmed the band performing “Anchor Down,” the album’s single, live at the studio (see review page 12). “It’s magic when you walk in there. You feel like you’re in a stone bunker and yet it’s set up so cozy. There’s just something so unique about the way the room sounds,” Lauren describes. “I’ve really admired Andy for a long time. He has an ear that is so distinct. As a result, we couldn’t believe what we accomplished in such a short period of time without really rehearsing.”
But when recording wrapped up and a release date was set, Lauren wasn’t sure if the band—-made up of busy sound techs and professionals in Toronto—-could tour with her to promote the album. “I was really grateful for their time and efforts but I had no expectations they would be my regular band. But then they said they wanted to be! The response has been mind-blowing.”
Playing with The Highest Order in Halifax and at The Old Confidence Lodge in Riverport on Saturday before a final show in Sackville, NB, Lauren isn’t exactly sure what’s to come. “I’m hoping these guys will want to stay with me in Halifax and we’ll start a new life together,” she says, laughing. “I’m not sure if I’ll ever be able to offer this again so I cannot wait to play a loud tavern show at Gus’. So far, people have been very generous. It makes me feel like we’re really onto something and it would stink to lose momentum, but I’m just going to enjoy this.”
Gianna Lauren + The Highest Order
TWO SHOWS!
Friday April 12 | HALIFAX, NS
Saturday April 13 | RIVERPORT, NS
Check out The Highest Order here
Eastern leg of the Gianna Lauren tour
Hey bloggers,
We hope to see you at any of the upcoming shows!
April 10: Quebec, PQ - The Attic w/ Jane Ehrhardt | EVENT
April 11: Fredericton, NB - The Capital w/ Shotgun Jimmie EVENT
April 12: Halifax, NS - Gus’ Pub w/ The Highest Order | EVENT
April 13: Riverport NS - The Old Confidence Lodge w/Highest Order | EVENT
April 14: Sackville NB - The Black Duck w/ Jon McKiel (4PM-6PM)
We had a fantastic time in Ontario. Thanks for all your support!
Gianna
Rocking out at the Raw Sugar Cafe in Ottawa!
Check out our video from the House of Miracles!
