September Gurl - Clients - Michelle Anthony

MICHELLE ANTHONY http://www.michelleanthonymusic.com/ [BIOGRAPHY] [PHOTOS] [PRESS] [TOUR DATES] [AUDIO]

BIOGRAPHY Michelle Anthony is a Kansas City native, Milwaukee transplant and current resident of Austin, Texas. Born into a musical family, she began playing the piano as a toddler. In high school and college, she began playing bass and guitar in bands. A curiosity in concert promotion deepened and eventually led to a position booking national bands for her university and working as an A&R intern for Capitol Records. She considered a career in the music business, but a move to the coast was indefinitely postponed when she entered post-graduate studies. She continued to play in bands, and worked as a production assistant for the largest outdoor music festival in the world, based in Milwaukee. Michelle released her first solo album, "Stand Fall Repeat," in August 2004 on the Chicago-based label Burn and Shiver. In recording her album she had the chance to work with one of her musical heroes, Jay Bennett, at his studio in Chicago. The album's eleven songs have been described as "Chrissie Hynde on an insurgent country bender." Michelle appeared on Mountain Stage (West Virginia) in October 2004 with k.d. Lang and Bruce Cockburn and on the WGN-TV Morning Show in Chicago. She played on Austin's KUT, at Antone's (Austin) and at the 2005 South By Southwest Music Festival (SXSW) where the band enjoyed two critic's picks from the Austin Chronicle. During the summer of 2005, she shared the stage with Mindy Smith, Shelby Lynne, Robbie Fulks and Junior Brown. She has played both coasts, Chicago and has toured the Midwest extensively. She is currently finishing her second album with producer Barry Goldberg, who has recorded the Smashing Pumpkins, Fleetwood Mac and Ricky Lee Jones. Players on the album include guitarist and co-writer Scott Anthony; lead guitarist Grant Tye (Robbie Fulks); drummer Gerald Dowd (Robbie Fulks, Nora O'Connor); bassist Brian Wooldridge (Wooldridge Brothers); and bassist/hammond player, Ryan Stang (Dustworks). "Frozenstarpalace" is set to be released in August 2006.

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PRESS *Michelle Anthony: Frozenstarpalace (Merctwyn Records) Popmatters.com by Jason MacNeil Rating: 7 Michelle Anthony isn’t your typical singer-songwriter, although she does have enough chops to earn that moniker, with songs like the bouncy, happy-go-lucky “Lead Glass Tiffany Shades” that sounds like a cross between Carole King and Bonnie Raitt to some extent. Meanwhile, the moody and mid-tempo adult contemporary pop of the title track is sure to bring to mind artists like Aimee Mann and Natalie Merchant. It’s the fact that she can’t be penned down that results in a very fine release, especially with the rowdier, roots rock of “Ugly Side”, which is quite pretty. Anthony shows another side with the smart, poppy “Aluminum” that relies more on her voice than it does the airtight, infectious, and winding melody. Then there is the tender, bittersweet piano ballad “White Lies” that she nails perfectly. And the same can be said for the delightfully low-key “Hard Way to Lose”. It’s a hard release not to enjoy. Michelle Anthony: Frozenstarpalace* AllMusic.com by Stewart Mason Rating: Four Stars Michelle Anthony has a big, full-throated, blues-tinged voice reminiscent of Bonnie Raitt or Lou Ann Barton, but she lacks much interest in plowing the same old roots rock field one might expect from a singer with this kind of instrument. Aimee Mann's post-punk take on the '70s singer/songwriter sound is much more what Anthony has in mind on her second album: the songs are inventively arranged, with much prominence given to Anthony's own battery of keyboards, ranging from Carole King/Carly Simon piano to the sort of oddball electric ornamentation that Patrick Warren uses to enliven Michael Penn's albums. Anthony's band consists mostly of Robbie Fulks' usual sidemen, which adds an occasional alt-country twang to tunes like "Hard Way to Lose," but on songs like the impassioned rocker "Ugly Side," which sounds like a lost gem from the Learning to Crawl-era Pretenders, and the astonishingly Mann-like "Aluminum," Anthony is making the AAA-radio scene her home, and it suits her. The only problem with Frozenstarpalace is that at seven songs in just under 25 minutes, it's too short by half. Michelle Anthony: Frozenstarpalace (Merctwyn Records) by Lee Zimmerman Even though it's of abbreviated length, the sophomore set from newcomer Michelle Anthony strikes a fine line between sass and sensitivity. Indeed, it's a mark of her versatility and musical dexterity that she's able to veer so adeptly between genres, playing the sensitive songstress one moment and the brash, defiant rocker the next. Happily, no matter which direction she takes, Anthony proves herself more than capable of setting her stance and establishing an electrifying presence. She makes her mark early on with opening offering "Lead Glass Tiffany Shades" which, despite its jumbled title, finds her singing with a swagger and a jaunty, jazzy disposition. The title track follows, a song that's all sass and slide guitar, but it's the two songs that follow - "Ugly Side" and "Aluminum" - that find Anthony in a more studied setting, the former a study in quiet contemplation, the latter a torch song ballad that becomes a riveting showcase for her raw, emotional expression. "Hard Way to Lose" and "Chance" temper the vicissitude, allowing the set to reach its conclusion with an easy lilt and carefree sway. In the hands of another, this shift in sentiment might prove unnerving. However, in this case, it's merely the mark of an artist who can claim brilliance as part of her vocabulary. - Lee Zimmerman, Entertainment News and Reviews* With a new CD in the can, Anthony happy to come home By Bobby Tanzilo, Managing Editor Published Feb. 15, 2006 at 5:21 a.m. Although she's not a native Milwaukeean, most of us Brew City music fans had come to feel like Kansas City-born Michelle Anthony was ours. So, although we wished her well, we couldn't help be feel a bit of loss when the talented alt.country singer -- whose star is clearly on the ascent -- left for Austin last year. The move has worked out well for Anthony, who has just completed a new CD and is seeking a home for it. At the same time, she's found that Milwaukee hasn't ceased to be a major factor in her career, supplying musicians, support and more. On the eve of her return to town for a gig at Shank Hall, we caught up with Anthony to find out what's happening in her now snow-free world. OMC: How has the move worked out -- on a personal level and on a professional level? MA: Personally, the move has been awesome. My physical and mental health are grateful for the sunshine and increased outdoor exercise! The weather here is awesome and I find (husband) Scott and I high-five-ing each other when we're standing outside in shorts in mid-January. I've always had great difficulty with cold weather -- my circulation sucks! -- and living in Milwaukee was a true test of my hardiness. In Austin, I sort of feel like I'm in heaven regarding the weather. Professionally, things are coming along gradually. Scott and I gave ourselves a good deal of time to do the necessities like sell our house in Milwaukee, move our stuff, buy a new house, get jobs, learn the city and find a band. I moved here in May, Scott in July and our first show here wasn't until in November. We've been playing here and there since then. We also started recording again. We're recording at a great studio here in town called Congress House studio. The owner of the studio, Mark Hallman, is a great guy and mix engineer. He has worked on some pretty great records (Ani DiFranco, Oasis, Carole King). Ned Stewart, who is in one of our favorite Austin bands (Grand Champeen) engineered the session. Two of the songs we recorded here in Austin will be on the upcoming album. OMC: do you have a new band down there? MA: The Chicago guys (Grant Dye and Gerald Dowd of Robbie Fulks band) played on the record and play our Midwest dates as well as some of our Austin shows. I also have a group of super-talented players that gig with us in Austin. John Chipman (drums) who is in The Resentments and Jon Dee Graham, Ron Flynt (bass) who was in 20/20, and Geoff Lasch (guitars), who is in the Golden Apples and Militant Babies, and also a Milwaukee transplant. I feel fortunate any time talented people spend time making my songs sound better. OMC: Do you get back to Milwaukee much? are you still linked to the place? MA: This will be my first trip back to Milwaukee since our Summerfest show. I will forever be a Milwaukeean. I'm not a native of Milwaukee; I moved there for college and stayed. Nonetheless, I played my first show in Milwaukee, booked shows in Milwaukee and had a network of close friends there. I established whatever it is I think I am in Milwaukee. In a way, I'm kind of proud to be from Milwaukee and living in Austin --it's kind of eclectic, right, to be from Milwaukee? Even though I'm not a native of the city, I spent enough time in the music scene there to really feel very connected to the city, and natives are nice enough to me to treat me as one of their own. As it turns out, there are a LOT of people here who have migrated from Wisconsin. Our good friend Dan Franke (of The Mighty Deerlick), moved to Austin shortly after we did. We've talked about all the double takes -- people here that remind us of somebody we know in Milwaukee -- little microcosms and parallel worlds going on. It's wild. OMC: Are you looking forward to the gig here? will it be an emotional one for you? MA: The show at Shank should be a fun one. I am good friends with both Dustworks and Gregory Borden. Gregory is doing a CD Release for this show. I'm looking forward to it. I'm sure it'll be emotional. OMC: Tell us about the new record. MA: The title of the new album is "frozenstarpalace." There are a total of 11 songs on the album. Nine of them were written or recorded in Milwaukee, one was written and recorded in Austin, and one is a re-record of an old song. The tone of most the album is dark and wintery, which reflects the environment I was writing in at the time. For most of the writing process, I felt like I was somewhat at the mercy of the cold, dark, short days in Wisconsin. Only people who spend time in cold climates can appreciate this. The songs possess a sense of feeling held hostage by something as inanimate as winter and a longing for escape. Their album forgoes the country vibe present on "Stand Fall Repeat" for a darker, Americana pop vibe. Barry Goldberg started working with me as producer in February 2004, where he met Scott and I for the first time. We did a demo with him, and churned a tune out in a day, which ended up becoming a song on the album. Barry has worked with a pretty diverse group of artists -- Fleetwood Mac, Dr. Dre, Marilyn Manson, Smashing Pumpkins -- and he was able to get me to sing in a way I hadn't been able to sing before. Besides having a great ear, he was very patient with me, which is awesome, because patience is a virtue I have some trouble with. He is also a super inspirational guy, and a very kind person. I've recorded songs singing next to my own dirty laundry -- and have been fine with that as it has a certain kind of effect -- but Barry was lighting the fireplace, making these awesome grape leaf rolls, bringing out vegetarian spreads, getting my sinuses to clear and creating a comfortable environment for me. In total, we spent about two or three weeks to record all the parts for the album. We had a lot of great people help make this album. Grant Tye, Gerald Dowd, Brian Wooldridge (Wooldridge Brothers), Ryan Stang (Dustworks), and melaniejane all played on the album. Scott played on the album, co-wrote several of the songs, and acted as my preproduction editor for all the songs. Ric Probst recorded almost all the bed tracks at his studio in Milwaukee, Jay O'Rourke (Material Issue) recorded all Grant's guitar parts; he also sat through my really amateur -- and really poorly played -- unkeepable Theremin parts. I had to play the Theremin... it was signed by Bob Moog! There was a lot of ftp-ing, mailing, flying, driving going on and now... finally, it's done. We'll be playing songs from the new album at the Shank show. Michelle Anthony plays at Shank Hall on Friday, Feb. 17 with Gregory Borden and Dustworks. Show time is 10 p.m. and cover is $8. Read the online article 2/16/06 - Milwaukee Journal Sentinel - Milwaukee, WI - Singer escapes cold, finds 'frozenstarpalace' Her voice, which quietly recalls Carole King at her prime and Sarah McLachlan at her most subtle, comes closer to a honeyed fullness. Her instrumental work, primarily undertaken at the piano, is no less deft. - Jon M. Gilbertson, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel "Michelle Anthony's brand of dreamy folk-pop has been garnering buzz since her album Stand Fall Repeat came out in August 2004. As a result, she went where all the action is: Austin, Texas. Since then she's been working on some stunning new material, so be sure not to miss this rare return to Shank Hall and the city where it all began for the artist. With Dustworks and Gregory Borden." - Jason Keil, Shepherd Express Blessed with a commanding voice reminiscent of Chrissie Hynde, Kansas City native Michelle Anthony offers a bluesy take on alt-country, full of cynical wit and post-relationship regret. Now residing in Austin and finishing up her sophomore effort, Anthony's mix of urban soul and rural twang should appeal to fans of Tift Merritt and Bonnie Raitt alike. Songs like "Radio Waves" and "Analog Feeling" are gutsy appraisals of lost innocence cast against hard-charging, country-flavored R&B. Equally adept at somber ballads (the ironically non-clichéd "Mourning Song"), Michelle Anthony is the cute female unconsumed with her own beauty or celebrity, a woman content to let her guitar and guts do the talking. - Darryl Smyers, Dallas Observer PRESS RELEASE *TIRED OF SHOVELING SNOW AND WRITING ABOUT IT, AUSTIN NEWCOMER MICHELLE ANTHONY RELEASES frozenstarpalace* ON OCTOBER 3 AND BIDS FAREWELL TO MIDWESTERN WINTERS** Blessed with a commanding voice reminiscent of Chrissie Hynde, Kansas City native Michelle Anthony offers a bluesy take on alt-country, full of cynical wit and post-relationship regret. Now residing in Austin and finishing up her sophomore effort, Anthony's mix of urban soul and rural twang should appeal to fans of Tift Merritt and Bonnie Raitt alike. - Dallas Observer Brooklyn, NY, 31 July 2006 - Michelle Anthony releases her second album, frozenstarpalace, October 3 on Merctwyn Records. frozenstarpalace, produced by Barry Goldberg (Smashing Pumpkins, Fleetwood Mac), is a travel log of sorts, an auditory document of Michelle's move from Milwaukee, WI to Austin, TX. Michelle took a different approach to recording the follow-up to her debut Stand Fall Repeat which was recorded in Jay Bennett's studio over the course of two intense weeks with her band. For frozenstarpalace, Michelle was more relaxed. She recorded the majority of the new album over a week in April 2005 in a studio with Barry Goldberg. She and her husband, guitarist Scott Anthony, added some elements from their new home in Austin that summer and finally a long distance mixing session finished it off. In the end, parts of the album were recorded in Milwaukee, Chicago, LA and Austin by Ric Probst (Lackloves), Jay O'Rourke (Material Issue), Barry Goldberg, and Ned Stewart (Grand Champeen) with mixing of "Lead Glass Tiffany Shades" by Mark Hallman (Carole King). The new recording process reflects a new confidence in herself and a trust in her band, which includes Scott Anthony, Gerald Dowd (Robbie Fulks Band), Grant Tye (Robbie Fulks Band), Brian Wooldridge, Ryan Stang, and melaniejane. The result is seven of the best songs Michelle has written. "Michelle Anthony's brand of dreamy folk-pop has been garnering buzz since her album Stand Fall Repeat came out in August 2004. Since then she's been working on some stunning new material." - Shepherd Express The recording process isn't the only thing that has changed since the release of her last album. Anthony recently left the bitter Milwaukee winters for the sweltering Austin summers. The move was inspired by the weather as much as anything and much of frozenstarpalace, which refers to Milwaukee, was written during the unusually harsh winter leading up to the move. With the album's start prior to the move and the end afterwards, frozenstarpalace is the auditory document of a personal transition. VOICES AND FACES Michelle has become involved in Voices and Faces, a non-profit national network created to give voice and face to survivors of sexual violence. Ann Ream, Voices and Faces founder, specifically picked Michelle's song "White Lies" to be the feature download song for the Voices and Faces website as the song's theme of telling the truth resonates with the goals of the organization. "White Lies" will be on the Voices and Faces Benefit CD released this fall, along with contributions from Neko Case, Motion City Soundtrack, Sally Timms, Kelly Hogan, Joseph Arthur and The New Pornographers. STAND FALL REPEAT Stand Fall Repeat received many accolades and helped create invaluable opportunities for Michelle including an invitation to perform on Mountain Stage with k.d. lang and at Milwaukee's Summerfest, critic's picks in multiple publications, songs placed in Roswell, Wonderfalls and on MTV, as well as performances on Chicago Tonight and WGN in Chicago. Michelle has opened for Ben Folds, Shelby Lynne, Mindy Smith, Sophie B Hawkins, Junior Brown, and Amy Rigby and will be touring this fall.

AUDIO Click below to hear a 30 second clip of an audio track from Michelle Anthony: Michelle Anthony - frozenstarplace [2006] Lead Glass Tiffany Shades [mp3] Aluminium [mp3 Michelle Anthony - Stand Fall Repeat* [2004] Don't Deny [mp3] Radio Waves [mp3]