Emily Wells on violin, vocals, banjos, organs, synths, subs, sounds, samples, drum machine, xylophones, metallophones, and glockenspiels, ukuleles, guitars etc
Jessica Catron performs cello on the recordings of Symphonies 1 - 9
Count Bass D appears on Symphony 3: The Story (Featuring Count Bass D)
PRE ORDER the new EP "Dirty" on CD. Ships June 9... 10$... direct from emily
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get "the symphonies"
direct from emily: 12$
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You can also download from iTunes:
get "sleepyhead" direct from emily:
12$...
(copy and paste if the buttons aren't treatin you right)
https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=5828263
Or download from iTunes:
Packages should arrive within 7 to 10 business days in the US and can take a little longer overseas.
Influences
nina simone, bob dylan, egon schiele, biggie smalls, timmy straw, outkast, yoshi nara, toumani diabate, aphex twin, billie holiday, david sedaris, hope sandoval, simple citizens, matmos, beethoven, raymond carver, suzuki, carl orff, FAV NEW BAND: Department of Eagles
Listen to Andrea Seabrook's Interview with Emily on "All Things Considered"
Watch the Trio's live performance on KCRW's Morning Becomes Eclectic Oct 2008
Check out Symphony 6 on KCRW's today's top tune
The Symphonies: NY Public radio top pick...
Sounds Like
"Emily Wells is a wonder to behold, a multi-instrumentalist who moves from violin to sampler with the greatest of ease, who cites Outkast, Aphex Twin and Matmos among her influences, but who doesn’t mimic, overdo or overproduce. She makes funky beats using analog reverb and, as a string player, understands and appreciates the art of arranging better than most guitarists. Her self-released The Symphonies: Dreams Memories & Parties is a humble affair that’s crafted with just enough ornamentation to offer a hint at what Wells might accomplish in more grandiose surroundings."
-Randall Roberts
LA WEEKLY
"Ms. Wells’ latest album, “The Symphonies: Dreams Memories & Parties” (creative control) is a warm, intriguing slice of avant-garde pop, and on stage she’s a delight. "
-Jim Fusilli
Wall Street Journal
"Many great composers have struggled to write nine symphonies in their lifetimes – think of Beethoven or Mahler. Now, a 20-something singer and violinist named Emily Wells has released an album containing ten symphonies. As you’ll hear, the term "symphony" is used rather loosely here; these are really electronic-folk songs that fuse layers of strings, bass, and drums to create rolling sonic textures. Working in her own recording studio, Wells played up to 21 separate tracks of violin on each symphony, often using an octave pedal to create the tones of a cello or viola. You can hear that DIY feel in the track, "Symphony Number 6."-picked by Brian Wise
-WNYC's CD picks:
"Wells carves up elegant, classically based pop tunes and frosts them with Björk/Kate Bush-style embellishments... This multi-instrumentalist is multitalented, with subtle powers of magic and persuasion; she even "taught the neighborhood how to creep for you."
-Falling James
LA WEEKLY
“Multi-instrumentalist Emily Wells says she's ‘most influenced by the songs and voices of Nina Simone and Bob Dylan.’ You can hear it in Emily's music. She's a singer-songwriter with unconventional and often chilling vocals."
-NPR
"Emily Wells has a quavering, angelic voice that has a little aura of strangeness."
-iTunes (indie spotlight)
"... she's something of a music phenomenon. She started playing violin during her pre-school years and was fielding record label offers at the age of 17. But she didn't want to be the pop star they were hoping to create, so she kept on her own path which eventually led to Los Angeles.
It's hard to describe her music – I can start by calling it pop with classical elements (she's an incredible violin player). But with all the layers and layers of music, the songs end up sounding like symphonies – as they are named on her record. And to keep us guessing further, she covered the song "Juicy" by the Notorious B.I.G.
Definitely keep an eye out for this one and check her out live if you can."
-KCRW music news.. VOX
"....no one raises the bar for exquisitely crafted, orchestral (and danceable) indie folk like Emily Wells, who's celebrating the release of her ambitious new album. The Symphonies: Dreams Memories and Parties has been years in the making, and its soaring arrangements and heartbreaking harmonies are well worth the wait."
I love rap music and Vivaldi. Nina Simone and Biggie Smalls make my world go round. The first record i really, you know, heard, in headphones, was Simon and Garfunkel's "Sound of Silence". I play the violin and have since i was a little kid. Growing up, my home was filled with music. There was a lot of singing, french horn playing, and symphony listening, plus youth orchestras, church choirs and xylophones, I use to listen to the classic rock station in a three up front car with my two best friends, the windows cracked and the Indiana winter creeping in. I was born in Texas.
I love the studio, it could very well be my favorite place, (especially when it's raining). So I do a lot of live sampling and looping in an attempt to bring the studio to the stage. All the live looping is like a sporting event, or keeping the first take of every recording. I could fall off the balance beam... which makes it all so much more exciting.
As a dirty teen I would sneak into a tiny jazz hole in the wall almost every night and watch the band play. My favorite person there was an old upright bass player with a bushy smile. The women who worked there knew I wasn't of age... They served me coffee while I fell in love with jazz and live performance.
I really like to make beats, sample old records, but I often leave the beats up to my favorite drummer, Sam. Joey is the bass player and together we make a live trio. I started playing with them both a couple of years ago while making my first record "Beautiful Sleepyhead and the Laughing Yaks." Even though I made and released a number of cassette tapes and CDs before that, I call "Sleepyhead" the first because all the others were similar to going to college. Very important, very influential to my future, but mostly, they were about learning. This year I released my latest work, "The Symphonies: Dreams Memories & Parties", which consists of 10 songs heavily influenced by classical music and hip hop production.
I'm interested in old or odd instruments, samplers and synthesizers, mallets, and analogue reverb. I collect toy pianos, though I only have three. I'm interested in songs, and word play, and sonatas. I'm curious.... Most of all, I'm grateful for every day I get to make music.
after seeing you in Salt Lake City for the Hotel Cafe Tour, i immediately fell in love with your style and artistry. i was just looking at some more recent youtube vids of your performances, and your work still takes my breath away. you're nothing short of amazing! keep it up and come back to salt lake SOOOOOON!
Thank u all who've helped with listening to my song "Say" thats up for a contest for a record deal. out 1 to 9954 my song is ranked 78 wuwho!! Lets keep the numbers going. If you haven't gone the the site or passed on my demo widget please do so. Do it again lets not stop lets keep the chain going. here is the site. Http://lnk.ms/09nH5 or send the widget around to friends who don't have it on their myspace facebook or blogs. I really am thankful to all who've helped it really means a lot to me. I'll keep you guys posted on the numbers. Come on guys lets get it closer to top 10 lol.
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