DOWNLOAD: "Passenger" direct mp3

Emily Wells has long been turning heads with her unique songcraft. The performer, producer and songwriter trades in a striking mix of classical instrumentation, folk rawness and hip-hop production anchored by her haunting combination of voice and violin. Her burgeoning reputation owes as much to her hypnotic live show where, working a looping pedal, Wells becomes a one-woman orchestra, playing live drums, guitars, analog synthesizers and beat machines as well.  She's picked up praise from sources as varied as NPR and SPIN, who compared her to "a feral, streetwise Nina Simone."  It's that same blend of deft composition and hand-wrought quality that deeply colors each of Wells' albums, and which also caught the attention of Partisan Records, who ultimately signed her to the label. Wells' latest album, Mama, was recently announced for an April 10th release date on Partisan, and the striking first single "Passenger" is available as a free download. Emily has announced addtional live dates as well (full list after the jump), with more confirmations on the way. Details on her SXSW appearances will be announced soon as well, but until then Wells will be hitting The Echo in Los Angeles next Saturday February 18th, and prepping the big Album Release Show at the Bowery Ballroom on April 9th in New York.
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Upcoming Emily Wells Live Dates
Saturday, February 18th - Los Angeles, CA @ The Echo (Early Show, doors @ 6pm)
Wednesday, March 14th-Saturday March 17th - Austin, TX @ SXSW
Thursday, March 22nd - Indianapolis, IN @ White Rabbit (w. Echomakerdoors)
Wednesday, April 4th - Northampton, MA @ Iron Horse
Thursday, April 5th - Ithaca, NY @ Lot 10
Friday, April 6th - Hamden, CT @ The Outer Space
Monday, April 9th - New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom (Album Release Show)
Tuesday, May 1st - Minneapolis, MN @ The Cedar
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Additional Info on Emily Wells:
Born to a music minister in Amarillo, Texas, Wells began learning violin at 4 at a community college. The family later moved to Indianapolis, where she discovered Bob Dylan, Nina Simone and Biggie Smalls and gradually moved from the Suzuki method to songwriting, guitars and home recording. Releasing her own music from a young age, Wells learned to keep her work close, and toured independently while developing her palate and performance across the U.S. It was in a humble garage studio in Los Angeles that Wells' recorded her 2008 breakthrough album, The Symphonies: Dreams Memories & Parties.

Three years later, Wells returns with Mama, a collection of songs as richly hued as ever, but imbued with a newfound warmth no doubt owing to the space it was conceived in. Wells rented a tiny cabin on a Topanga Canyon horse ranch and went to work, producing Mama and playing most of the instruments herself (with a little help from longtime touring companions, drummer Sam Halterman and bassist Joey Reina). She recorded the raw tracks to tape without punch-ins or loops, often in one take. In contrast to The Symphonies, these songs are less conceptual and experimental in both sound and content, and more traditional and universal in structure and the studies of love and grief. 2012 will find Wells touring behind Mama, and preparing for the release of Pillowfight, her long whispered-about collaboration with legendary producer Dan The Automator.
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Emily Wells
Mama
Out April 10th on Partisan Records
Tracklist:
Piece of It
Dirty Sneakers and Underwear
Passenger (free download)
Mama's Gonna Give You Love
Johnny Cash's Mama's House
Let Your Guard Down
Fire Song
No Good
Instrumental
Darlin'

Partisan Records
Emily Wells Official Site
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