Marissa Nadler

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Brooke Black Just-Olesen
Big Hassle Media
brooke@bighassle.com
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Biography

Marissa Nadler
The Sister

“Heartbreak is a great muse, but it can wear you down,” says Marissa Nadler, referring to the stormy relationships that haunted many of the heavenly hooks on her last couple records. “For The Sister, I realized I had muses all around me, whether it was childhood, betrayal, friendships, new love, nature, or hope. The narrator’s stronger in my songs now, and more able to bounce back if they choose to.”

While that may be true, the deeply personal characters in Nadler’s eight new songs—a filler-free collection that’s subtly linked to last year’s self-titled LP—are as complex as ever, from the codeine-clouded memories of the rock ‘n’ roll singer in “Constantine” to the downward spiral diatribes of the lost soul in “Christine.” And then there are the introspective turning points where the clouds part, where metaphorical wrecking balls burst through cement-clogged hearts and slivers of light slip through the cracks.

Meanwhile, the singer/guitarist  keeps her confessionals as intimate as possible and hits her stride sonically, playing lead on every last song and letting only the slightest distractions—a skittish drum set, a punch-drunk chorus, a muggy mandolin—break the album’s brutally honest spell. Or as Nadler puts it, “I wanted the starkness of every song to reflect the lyrical content. Some of my biggest influences are confessional songwriters. It’s always been a very powerful thing to listen to Elliott Smith and Joni Mitchell, and feel so much from their stories.”

She’s also learned a lot from touring over the past eight years, especially shows with such guitar-toting expressionists as Glenn Jones, James Blackshaw and the sorely missed Jack Rose. Since 2009’s Little Hells LP is as close to a poison-tipped pop record as she’s going to get, Nadler has grown increasingly comfortable with pushing her fallen angel vocals to the fore alongside chords that creep like rain water in a river bed. Fragile and delicate, just like her lyrics and general state of mind.

“I have bouts of extreme social anxiety, stage fright, and crippling shyness,” admits Nadler. “I can hardly even order coffee at a coffee shop; I order the easiest thing to say out loud. In my songwriting, though, I feel freer to write what I want every year.

She continues, “That said, I think you are doing something wrong if you don’t have self doubt. Sometimes I throw entire records away because of it. After all, it takes a lot of strength to get this stuff out there.”

“Instead of settling into the same folky dream-pop pocket that’s her bread and butter, Marissa Nadler spreads its wings, allowing its creator to step out from the flattering reverb haze of albums past and sing and write songs that embrace different styles and a newfound sense of playfulness, both lyrically and musically. Marissa Nadler isn’t the work of an artist who discovered what she wants to sound like; it’s the work of an artist who’s just discovering what she’s capable of.” – Pitchfork Magazine, Best Records of the Year Honorable Mention

Best Records of the year, honorable mention – Brooklyn Vegan

http://www.brooklynvegan.com/archives/2011/12/brooklynvegans.html

“One of the record’s many high points, “In Your Lair, Bear,” is a cyclical, finger-picked beauty that, once you lean into it some, never lets you go.” – Spin Magazine

“Marissa Nadler’s new video for “In Your Lair Bear” from one of our favorite records of the year. List coming soon! Marissa Nadler is out now.” – Stark Online

“Here’s something about singer-songwriter Marissa Nadler that nobody ever mentions for some reason: She is a stone cold fox. That foxiness is very much in evidence in her video for “In Your Lair, Bear,” the opening track from her self-titled 2011 album. The entire clip consists of soft-focus shots of Nadler swanning around a house. Nothing much happens, but all six minutes are worth watching. I’m just saying.” – Stereogum

“Marissa Nadler redefines dream pop in a languid sultriness. Her self-titled album seems physically restrained yet internally infinite. A haunting sepia tone truck drive down empty Appalachian roads.” – Motor City Rocks

“Marissa Nadler‘s self-titled fifth album has been buzzing around a bit in 2011, as it should be – it’s a great dream pop record by a talented songwriter with an angelic voice. Her knack for balancing visual, melancholic lyrics with lilting musical landscapes has made her a favorite among critics and fans alike this past year.
Nadler self produced the video for her latest album’s opening track, “In Your Lair, Bear” which just came out today. The video’s soft glow and homebody atmospheres of turntables and candles perfectly embody the song’s rainy day vibe.” – Death + Taxes

“Instead of settling into the same folky dream-pop pocket that’s her bread and butter, Marissa Nadler spreads its wings, allowing its creator to step out from the flattering reverb haze of albums past and sing and write songs that embrace different styles and a newfound sense of playfulness, both lyrically and musically. Marissa Nadler isn’t the work of an artist who discovered what she wants to sound like; it’s the work of an artist who’s just discovering what she’s capable of”. – musicOMH, 4.5/5

“Nadler is a different sort of folk musician: the kind who isn’t afraid to splice all sorts of sounds together. Although this detracts from that independent atmosphere that you get with some other folk musicians, it in no way makes Nadler’s music less deserving of praise: indeed, Marissa Nadler is the sort of folk album that you’ll be returning to simply because it is so varied.” – One Thirty BPM

“This is the sound of the singer at full solo stride, suffusing her music with – as she puts it on “Daisy, Where Did You Go?’’ – “phantom limbs and eerie hymns.’’ – The Boston Globe

“Marissa Nadler does continue Nadler’s impressive track record, and showcases her at her most confident. Hopefully it’ll win her the legion of fans that she richly deserves.” – No Ripcord, 8/10

“Marissa Nadler hints at larger tragedies and losses, implying an overarching break-up narrative that gives each song added force. In that regard, the self-titled aspect is telling, as this album truly represents an artist coming into her own.” – Paste Magazine

“Her robust production sense and vivid songwriting imagery continue to advance, but musically she’s reverted to her most intrinsic state…In that sense the record’s self-titled nature is a most accurate description: as a reconciliation of her most innate stylistic tendencies it’s a beautiful realization of her skills as an arranger and songwriter.” – cokemachineglow

“This record is a masterclass by someone in control of a talent that threatens to overwhelm, but there is something lighter here than in previous outings, even though she still trawls the half-lit streets of American Gothic, and her regretful tone about ghosts of the heart remains present throughout.” – Consequence of Sound

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