Pieta Brown leans towards the reclusive and private life of being an artist. Mystery seems to follow. Conflicting stories arise. So, for the record…
In her bare-bones early upbringing in Iowa there was no furnace, plumbing or running water. There, Pieta was exposed to traditional and rural folk music through her father, Greg Brown, the now beloved Midwestern folk singer. Later, while living with her mother in Alabama during her formative years, Pieta drew on and expanded these influences and began writing poetry and composing instrumental songs on piano.
By the time she left home at 18, Pieta had lived in at least 17 different houses and apartments between Iowa and Alabama. Staying true to the disjointed lifestyle of her childhood she wandered from the West Coast to the East. Each locale left its mark on her, accounting for an artist who brings together the unvarnished humility of Loretta Lynn, the honest modern rock punch of P.J. Harvey, the hipster swagger and poetry of Cat Power, and the airy sophistication of Feist. And - coloring it all - a deep abiding saturation in folk and blues that’s beyond her years. All of this, yet she has her own distinctive style, lyrical substance, and voice. She is unmistakably “a songwriter of great depth,” as Indie911.com recently noted.
On the sublime ‘Remember The Sun’ (One Little Indian Records), Pieta Brown continued to ride the upward arc begun with her eponymous debut in 2002 and extended by 2005’s critically acclaimed ‘In the Cool’. 'Remember The Sun' landed at 2 on music critic Michael Ross’ list for the Village Voice’s 35th Annual Critic’s Poll, and the Wall Street Journal included it in their list of the best of 2007.
Having recently signed with indie label, Red House Records, for the upcoming release of a 7 song EP, 'Shimmer' (produced by Don Was), Pieta Brown stays focused on her original intention: “Long before I ever put a recording out there for somebody else to hear, my aim was to be a great artist, and that’s what I’ll always be going after. All my life, I’ve been close to writing and music and all kinds of art...and that closeness continues to drive me.”
PIETA BROWN - IN THE PRESS
"The album invites multiple spins to savor the lyrical and musical intricacies of a young artist with vision, intensity, and the talent to combine them into compelling music."
-Amazon.com
"...moody, ethereal...I will listen to this album over and over again."
-NPR'S All Things Considered
“…best discs of 2007…”
-Wall Street Journal
“The disc succeeds on every level. The songwriting is tight, the singing topnotch, the instrumentation solid, and the production crisp.”
-POPMatters Review
"Remember the Sun could have been recorded any time in the last 30 years and still stand out...(its) gentle swing mixing with swagger as perfectly as beer and chasers."
-Q Magazine
"Self-styled poetess, folk goddess and country waif, Pieta's music resonates with a seductive simplicity and lyrical grace."
-BBC
After you've finished here, you may like to hear this poem sung on myspace...
Poem 162 of 230, WalkaboutsVerse (please see my blog): TEES TO TYNE: FIRST IMPRESSIONS - SUMMER 2001
Where traditions are not so rare; Sea, country and works scent the air; A multitude of monuments, Planted tubs and patterned pavements.
The longish pedestrian malls; The remnants of defensive walls; Historic buildings are a gauge Of the respect for heritage.
Wheat, rape and pines in the fields; Estuaries guarded by shields; Long sandy beaches and wide scenes; Romantic-ruin go-betweens.
Rivers in parts licked by trees, Or fringed by boat clubs, wharfs, gantries, And crossed by practical delights - Varied spans, forming pleasing sights.
Fine churches headed at Durham; Football kits ad infinitum; Kept castles - one for study; Masonry behind masonry.
And, with moulding-works out that way, It’s somewhere for a longer stay..?
hey there! we just wanted to let you know that we're going to be playing a few songs at Ritual Cafe in Des Moines on Fri Oct 9. we'd love it if you could come out and spend an evening with us...
Fantastic show at McCabes in Santa Monica. Your voice, writing and magic between you and Bo are always so warm and real. Gotta love it! Am lookin' forward to Shimmer.
