GUEST POST: MARISSA NADLER (w/INTERVIEW)

Aubrey Bramble is a filmmaker, musician, writer, artist, and wife to ninebullets.net tech Dr. Trevorkian, from St. Petersburg, FL. Her website is avant-gardeinthenow.com.

Marissa Nadler is a living, breathing siren. With her long raven locks, haunting soprano and songs dressed heavily in American folklore, love and death, Marissa’s music is enough to lure any man willingly to his watery grave. She is a true creative soul; a modern storyteller, a gypsy, a bard.

I am surprised that she has not been mentioned in the ninebullets universe until now.

Since first hearing her music almost two years ago, I have been smitten with her magical guitar picking and ghost-like, reverb-heavy vocals. The dark themes she explores in her songwriting are an added bonus; in the song, Box of Cedar (from her first album Ballads of Living and Dying), she trills, “And I’m going to tell everybody I know that I’m glad to see you even though you’re coming home in a box of cedar.”

Her third full-length, Songs III: Bird of the Water (2007), is probably her best-known work to date – catching the fickle favor of Pitchfork with the single Diamond Heart, but I still am in love with her first two records (Ballads and The Saga of Mayflower May.

On March 3, 2009 Marissa will release her fourth full-length album, Little Hells, this time working with indie producer Chris Coady (TV on the Radio, Yeah Yeah Yeahs). I’m excited to hear what she’s done differently this time around; although the root of her unique sound carries strongly from album to album, she’s always got a little something new and fancy up her sleeve to delight us with on the next release.

I have been lucky enough to form a small acquaintance with Ms. Nadler, interviewing her on a few occasions as part of my work with Florida-based Reax Magazine and directing/producing a music video for the song Virginia off of Ballads of Living and Dying, which you can see here:

In a recent email exchange with Marissa, she was kind enough to answer the following questions:

What are you most looking forward to concerning the release of Little Hells

I am fearful that people are going to want the same record over and over again from me. That’s not what an artist does. Artists evolve and change. I am looking forward to the open minded listeners that take the record for what it is. I took a lot of risks and I am happy with the record.

What new musical landscapes/themes have you explored on Little Hells; what are some of your favorite themes to write about in general?

My favorite themes to write about are mortality, love, faded love, death, memory, nature, and beauty. The sonic landscape is different but the Marissa is still there – in full force.

What was it like working with producer Chris Coady on this album?

Fun fun fun. He was very open minded.

You are very involved and “hands-on” with your fans and with your marketing. Is this difficult with your touring/recording/performance schedule and/or is this something that is fundamentally important for you to do on a personal level and if so, why?

Well – I try to write back to everyone as best as I can because people get offended if you don’t. I would. It’s hard to keep up and avoid the stalker types. But you know….it’s not an easy way of life. I am not going to lie to you. It might be easier to work in a cubicle typing all day. But, music and art was my dream and I am living it and it’s a struggle.

If there was one message you would like to convey for first-time listeners of your music, what would it be?

Listen to the lyrics. Listen to the honesty and feeling. It’s an entirely pure emotional thing for me.

If you would like to delve deeper into the world of Marissa Nadler, be sure to visit her websites, marissanadler.com and marissanadler.blogspot.com.

Little Hells is currently available for pre-order through Kemado Records, kemado.com.

Marissa Nadler – Annabelle Lee
Marissa Nadler – Diamond Heart
Marissa Nadler – River of Dirt
Marissa Nadler – Box of Cedar