"Over the course of nearly 20 tireless years of writing, recording, and touring, Marissa Nadler has amassed one of the most singular catalogs in contemporary music. Her work glides between delicate folk, windswept Americana, doom metal-adjacent darkness, meditative ambient music, and fearlessly experimental sounds, all anchored in her unmistakable singing voice and finger-style guitar.
Shortly after finishing her Masters degree at the Rhode Island School of Design in Providence, Nadler released her first proper full-length album, the ethereal Ballads of Living and Dying, in 2004. Though she was initially associated with the indie-folk movement, Nadler soon distinguished herself with her willingness to go darker and more personal, writing songs that felt deeply intimate with solitude and heartbreak while still retaining an otherworldly sheen. If she was born a century earlier, it’s not a stretch to imagine that her vast talents would be mistaken for conjured magic.
After a decade of releasing records with various labels and on her own, Nadler joined forces with Sacred Bones Records and Bella Union for 2014’s seismic July. That record marked a kind of reset in Nadler’s career, and the sounds she explored there served as a jumping off point for subsequent modern classics like For My Crimes and he rcollaboration with Stephen Brodsky, Droneflower — both of which she created the cover art for.
The Path of the Clouds is Nadler’s ninth solo album, and it feels like yet another significant evolution. Two decades into a storied career, there’s still an untapped reservoir of thrilling musical ideas and stirring emotions lurking in her endlessly creative mind." -Artist Bio
"Spanning more than two decades, Jesse Sykes and The SweetHere after have remained faithful to their own unique spin onspooky folk rock, sometimes leaning into heavier psychedelic explorations—their collective vision has culminated into a distinct sound they have remained loyal to. Sykes coined the term “Spectral Music” in the early aughts, and it remains apt. An evolving cast of characters, the core remains singer-songwriter Jesse Sykes and guitarist Phil Wandscher.
Spin Magazine called 2011's release, Marble Son "a sprawling psych rock vision,” and The New York Times has described their sound as"spellbound music, rapt in fatalism and sorrow.” All Music adds; "Whether the sonic setting is one of doomy distortion or fragilefinger picking, Sykes remains a truly unique vocalist whose dusky voice is capable of imparting a transcendent, almost spiritual quality to almost any tune it touches."
The band has toured extensively in the US and Europe, and have just completed both a US and European run, supporting avante garde drone metal purveyors Sunn O)))—who Sykes is known for having both collaborated and performed with over the years.
Having been fortunate to have worked under the guidance of such wise ears as Tucker Martine, Mell Dettmer, Martin Feveyear, Randall Dunn and most recently Johnny Sangster and Seattle’s Robb Davis—Sykes and Wandscher (who will appear as a duo for these shows) are patiently awaiting the release plan for their 5th studio album. They are beyond thrilled to be sharing the stage with Marissa Nadler again.
As Jesse often says, “Marissa Nadler is my favorite living singer songwriter." -Artist Bio
@ Ballard Homestead
7p doors, 7:30p show
All ages, mostly seated
