EMA
has been playing music since her accidental performance art / teenage barbands back in good ol Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
Her first solo record, Past Life Martyred Saints, came out in May 2011 on Souterrain Transmissions.
GREY SHIP
As far as Grey Ship goes (and in fact the whole album), I’ve always been fascinated with fidelity as some sort of sonic signifier, like how different production and recording techniques make a song mean something different depending on the qualities of sound. Take for example how something lo-fi signifies something different than to us something hi-fi.
It’s hard to say if that is just because of our experiences with lo-fi tape things as being early documents, (equals demos, naivete, authenticity) or if tape really does have some sort of magical alchemical property that just sort of glues stuff together and makes it beautiful. I mean, it’s MAGNETS BRO, THINK ABOUT IT!!!
So for a long time I’ve wanted to make a piece that changes fidelity in the middle of the song, from lo-fi to hi-fi. I imagined it being like when Dorothy opens the door to Oz and the whole world turns from black and white to technicolor.
So the first part of this song is recorded on a 4track and it’s sposed to be kind of a hippie song about aliens. And then the bass drops and electronics come in. (One thing about lo-fi is most of it doesn’t have BASS! Do u miss it or no???)
CALIFORNIA
Do I hate Cali? Nah. But someone’s gotta rep the darkside of the zeitgeist.
PAST PROJECTS:
LITTLE SKETCHES ON TAPE
GOWNS
Love what your doing, can’t wait for the new album to come out. Cant wait to hear that Robert Johnson cover.
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Hi You..it’s Angie Bowman ( I know weird huh) ,
I am sitting here with my roommate Derick Guse and listening to Grey Ship and talking about you. listening, listening……………..and love it. Wish we would of had a chance to know each other. Hope all is well, and Lee ( Walsh) says hi. Keep on doing what you are doing and I know you will go far. Maybe when we come out your way (touring with Lunar Funk Theory) on our winter tour we can catch each other.
Just wanted to say hi! Love when I see someone who has broken out of the Midwest and making something out of them self!!
Respect,
Angie Walsh ( Bowman)
Angie! So nice to hear from you and thank you for the kind words. Your message warmed my heart. Love and respect to you too my darling and I do indeed hope to see you when I’m back in town.
hearts–
EMA
Saw the California video on Pitchfork. Rad!!
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Looking forward to the record. Everything thus far kills. Also that RJ cover is pretty fucking special! Hope to see you in Ireland sometime.
“california” is fucking greatness.
<3 <3 <3
Hi!
If UTR are not putting you on in London-we’d love to and come and do a podcast session too please!
and-Is that a custom 6 Jag Baritone ?
x
Hey ya! hit me with an email and I’ll see if it can happen. thanks for getting in touch!
i pirated the album to play “marked” on my radio show… I promise i’ll buy it when it drops.
really the most amazing music i’ve heard in a long time. thanks
hmm… maybe it’s time to get a presale button up! i know it’s hard to wait
buying helps tho, means I’m more likely to keep making records.
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I love your work. You should really consider playing the Titwrench Festival in Denver:
http://www.titwrench.com/
We would be so (so, so, so, very stoked.) Hope you’re well and good luck with everything!
hey ya! looks sweet! lemme check where I will be during that time. the person who might know better is Lisa : lisao@highroadtouring.com hit her up if yo serious!
Love it–so great!
mwah,
Em
I love your music. I found it through the SPIN feature on April artists to look for. I heard “California,” and then “The Grey Ship,” and now I’m sold. I’m ready to make converts, actually–I send links to my friends, and I’m jealous they’re hearing your stuff for the first time. Can’t wait to see your show at Pitchfork!
yay thank you! thanks for reaching out with such a nice note
Hey, just came across Soul On Fire on EMusic .. awesome.. best new music I’ve heard in a long long time.. i’m totally blown away by it. Just bought Grey Ship and Kind Heart and booked a couple of tickets for your gig at the Macbeth in London next month! Too cool.. Thanks!
You gotta come play New Orleans!!!
Might I suggest June 2nd?
Hiya, bought the album on UK iTunes last night. What a great album it is!
You have a really good, cool sound! Will be my soundtrack for a good while I think…
Cheers
Was visiting portland monday night and wandered into the doug fir and experienced your set. Mindblowing. More memorable than coachella a coupla weeks ago! Thanks for putting it all out there – can’t be easy to keep it raw like that.
Your thoughts and methods on lo-fi to hi-fi are spot on. Heartwrenchingly beautiful stuff. If you’re around the hills of Appalachia, come through Athens, OH. I’d love to see you.
Hey, I just wanted to make you know I’m totally in love with your new album and I do really think it is one of the best albums of the year. Really great stuff, very touching lyrics . Keep doing such great work, luv your music
yay! thanks for the kind words
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It *is* a top-notch album: I think Anteroom, in particular, will be around a long time.
Come tour Australia!
workin on it!!! maybe during your summer?
cannot wait for you to play in melbourne. if you could play a song or two from little sketches on tape, that would be amazing!
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Wow. I had been looking for something ‘new’ to listen to lately and have been coming up blank…Happened on you at pitchfork (which I mainly loathe due to it’s bullshit hipster mantra) along with The Antlers new one, which is equally impressive.
Btw, if you care about who and what age is listening to you, I’m 37, white male married with 2 children. All I want outta life is to smile. Thanks.
Ps, fucking LOVE that tone on Butterfly Knife!
Killer show @ Detroit Bar Costa Mesa last thurs, THANKS!
I saw you last night at the High Noon in Madison. You were amazing and beautiful and your music is equally amazing and beautiful.
Hi
Just wanted you to know that your CD got a 5 star review (out of 6) in one of the biggest national daily papers in Denmark – in case you did not know.
I just got your album yesterday and I’m entranced. I should be in bed right now but I’m staying up late to listen one more time. I haven’t felt this way about an album in a few years. It’s a nice feeling.
Yep, Past Life Martyred Saints is definitely one of the albums of the year so far. I can’t stop listening to it – so rich, so raw, lyrically and musically a feast. So when you coming to Dublin, Ireland? x
HELLO! im coming to see you on Friday in Manchester with a certain lady DJ…looking forward to it!
)
Lou/lilmissmosher (lil miss nowhere is a kinda cool name, too though
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I am ashamed to say that I only just now heard you for the first time today on your Daytrotter session. I am so hooked already. Looking forward to discovering more! Love it!!
Hey EMA, love your record and having really enjoyed your show at Reeperbahn-Festival, Hamburg. I am searching the net up and down for KInd Hearted Woman and can’t find it anywhere (not even on iTunes). Is it available for purchase ANYWHERE?
should be available as a B-side to “Grey Ship” as an iTunes single. although someday i would love to see it taking up one whole side of a 12″…
Hi,
last saturday I went to my record store after a long time and asked for new music. Having heard 10 seconds of your music I knew that I will listen to it for at least a week and – believe it – I did so.
Now I visit your web-site and looked up tour dates, but in the list for European countries I was desperately missing Germany. Please, let it not be true!
Best
Nico
uh oh! we just did a ton of germany, sorry you missed it! maybe we’ll be back this summer?
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Saw you guys tonite in Sydney (drove 2 hours to get there, woulda gone further). You owned it, despite a) the health issues and b) having to play ‘support’ to Yuck. Hey, they’re OK, but I gotta say that I heard all that stuff 20 years ago (yep, I’m that old), and anyway they and no-one will ever reach the heights of My Bloody Valentine, so why bother? You are way more interesting, more adventurous, more original, and that’s what it’s all about for me. Next time, you won’t be supporting anyone. Can’t wait to hear and see where you go from here. It’s gonna be huge, I have no doubt.
best
Roger