arts & entertainment
Makin her
first Michigan
appearance,
Marissa Nadler tells
real-life stories
through song.
Marissa Nadler: "I think the world
has enough entertainers like Britney
Spears. There's a place for all of that;
but in my songwriting, I want to tell
stories that connect with people on an
emotional level."
Suzanne Chessler
Contributing Writer
M
arissa Nadler will perform
songs from her original record-
ings — with different arrange-
ments — when she appears Monday, July
25, at the Crofoot in Pontiac.
Her story songs, like her voice, come
across as serious and haunting.
Although she hasn't liked the "folk" label,
her work has been described as "dream folk"
to capture the sometimes-eerie edge.
"The arrangements will be stripped down
for the show"' says Nadler, 30, a singer-song-
writer-guitarist discussing her career during
a phone interview from her home outside
Boston. "My approach to performing is very
much about playing the songs.
"People coming to my shows should not
expect a big stage production. It's more about
listening to the vocals and melodies.
"I think the world has enough entertain-
ers like Britney Spears. There's a place for all
of that; but in my songwriting, I want to tell
stories that connect with people on an emo-
tional level:'
With her newest CD released in June
and self-titled, Nadler will highlight selec-
tions that reflect its nostalgic, looking-back
point of view. The CD, her fifth full-length
recording, is the first on her own label,
Box of Cedar, supported with the help of
Kickstarter, a Web-based funding platform
for the arts.
While her song "The Sun Always Reminds
Me of You," a bittersweet countrified tune
about the sad memories of happy times,
reflects the direction of the recording, "In
Your Lair, Bear" is a first-person confessional
about a love affair gone wrong.
"'Mr. John Lee Revisited' is a sequel to
a song I've written': explains Nadler, now
expressing herself in first rather than third
person for more impact.
"In the past, I wrote a lot of songs that
were in the fantasy realm, where I would
use fiction instead of reality to tell a story.
Usually, the fiction was influenced by life
experiences. In the new record, I've stripped
away a lot of the fiction and used more of
actual events to tell stories through song-
writing.
"'Mr. John Lee' was on my second record
as a murder ballad in the Gothic Americana
theme, and I've revisited the same characters
in a more realistic time and place. I went
from fantasy to reality with pure and fresh
emotions. I wanted listeners to know about
things that were relatable:'
While Nadler tries to stick to her own
music on stage, occasionally she will use
cover songs as a way to engage audiences not
familiar with her music. In Michigan, she
will be appearing with cellist Helena Espvall
and guitarist Mike Fiore of Faces on Film.
"I still steer clear of topics I find trite; but
at the same time, I want to be about issues
and feelings that are universal': says Nadler,
whose influences range from country-west-
ern performers to Leonard Cohen.
"My songwriting is a cathartic release.
My natural inclination is to be serious. The
music, novels and artwork I like are on the
more serious side. They make people think,
and that's my way of coping with the world:'
Although Nadler, sister of novelist Stuart
Nadler, has been touring for 10 years, this
will be her first time in Michigan.
"I get some emails from people in
Michigan',' says Nadler, named one of Spin's
Five Best New Artists for June. "I like to see
who's buying the record in which cities.
Performing has been difficult for me because
I'm shy, but I think that adds an element of
mystery to my performances:'
Nadler, who earned a master's degree from
the Rhode Island School of Design with
plans to become a teacher, has been playing
music since she was 15.
"As I got older, I found more pleasure and
both emotional and artistic release from
writing songs versus painting': she says. "I
made my first recording when I was a senior
in college although I didn't think anyone was
going to hear it.
"I had sent it to a couple of small record
labels, and it was released on a small scale.
That brought some invitations to tour
Europe.
"At that point, I decided I wouldn't have
a chance to play music again. It was a good
opportunity I couldn't pass up, and I kept
writing and performing."
Nadler gets inspired and writes music
for each album in the span of a couple of
months, working on the songs and practic-
ing them.
"I have a belief in generic memories, and
I think that the progressions of my melodies
in the minor keys are like a lot of Jewish
music that is sad and in the minor keys': says
Nadler, raised in a Reform household.
"I think there's a natural inclination
toward playing in certain keys, and that
occasionally sounds like Hebrew folk songs."
As music became Nadler's work, painting
became her hobby.
"I do a lot of art on an online crafting
website (etsy.com )," says Nadler, influenced
by her mother's artistic interests. "I still do
a lot of painting that's figurative and like
portraiture. I think my paintings look the
way my music sounds with a softness and
gentleness.
"In my living room, there are watercolor
portraits that I've painted of friends. I think
painting from observation is important
when you're doing a figurative work because
The self-titled Marissa Nadler, released
in June, earned this praise from NPR:
"On this gorgeous new record, Nadler
outdoes herself with 11 songs that are
as accessible as anything she's done,
but also just as satisfying."
it allows getting the light and volume better."
Nadler, who enjoys exercising and watch-
ing movies, looks for new experiences as
subjects for her songs.
"I don't have delusions of grandeur
involved in wanting to be a pop star or a
rock star:' says the single singer-song-
writer. "I want to be well-respected in my
field. I just got an Appalachian dulcimer
as a present, and I'm doing some fiddling
around on that." I I
Marissa Nadler performs 7:30 p.m.
Monday, July 25, at the Crofoot, 1 S.
Saginaw, Pontiac. $10. (248) 858-
9333; thecrofoot.com . For more
information on Nadler, go to her
website at marissanadler.com .
July 21 - 2011
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