Acrpost: A Project of the Pacific Association of Artist Run Centres

Event Description

Josh Ritter
Josh Ritter hails from Moscow, Idaho, a part of the country once home to Russian and French settlers, Civil War refugees, and several Aboriginal tribes. Ritter began writing songs while attending Oberlin College, graduated in 1999 with a self-created American History through Narrative Folk Music major. He was signed by a United States record label, V2 Records, in 2005 and Hello Starling was re-released. Released on April 19, 2006, his fourth album, The Animal Years, received excellent reviews. Ritter's fifth album, The Historical Conquests of Josh Ritter, was released on August 21, 2007 on Sony Records.

Ritter's songs have been described as "hugely ambitious and perfectly balanced" (The New York Times) and "crafted with the sort of simple, burnished depth that transcends eras and turns 26-year-old tunesmiths into folk heroes" (The Boston Globe), while Details magazine called Ritter "the best young songwriter we've got." As a songwriter, Ritter wears his influences a bit on his sleeve with obvious nods to Dylan and Springsteen in his work, but rather than assuming the voice of the former's barbed-tongued commentator or the latter's blue-collar everyman, he instead comes across as the earnest collegian - intelligent, optimistic and romantic (if perhaps a bit bruised).

Recently deemed DETAILS magazine's "Next Big Thing", Josh Ritter writes songs that are rare gifts of natural, intuitive beauty. He has been praised for his beautifully spare, timeless songwriting and is winning comparisons to Nick Drake, Will Oldham, and Leonard Cohen. Josh has a full-blown cult following in Ireland (complete with his very own cover band!), and sells out clubs and theatres there. Whether opening a tour for Joan Baez, or rocking out with indie band The Frames, Josh can seamlessly appeal to fans of all types of music. Baez later released her own version of Ritter's song "Wings." Ritter's 2003 full-length album Hello Starling debuted at #2 on the charts in Ireland, where Ritter has developed a loyal following. The Village Voice raved, "Ritter's is the rare type of songwriting: untouched by affectation, embroidered with a quietly plaintive voice and smart melodies (think Dylan and Drake) and with words expressive of another time and place--intangible and idyllic, full of longing and nostalgia, with imagery that awakens even the inanimate."

Emm Gryner
A writer and label owner, versatile musician and producer, Emm Gryner has captured the hearts of wayward souls with songs that are filled with dark and haunting hues behind their subtle shine.

This is true of Emm’s newest release, “The Summer Of High Hopes”. Released earlier in the year in Ireland, where Emm broke through in 2005 with an unlikely collection of critically-acclaimed Irish covers (“Songs of Love and Death”), the new album of originals has already garnered wide praise.

“The Summer Of High Hopes”, co-produced by Ex-Shudder To Think guitarist-turned-film composer Nathan Larson (Boys Don’t Cry/Dirty Pretty Things/Velvet Goldmine), was recorded in locations as disparate as basements in the Ontario countryside and studios in Malmo, Sweden. Featured on the album are Matt Pond PA cellist Dana Feder, guitarist Michael Ward (Ben Harper & the Innocent Criminals, The Wallflowers), and Winnipeg native Bryce Kushnier (a.k.a. electronic/indie outfit Vitaminsforyou).

The new 11-song album is a deeply personal, tell-tale soundtrack that could only be made by a young woman left alone to navigate the choppy seas of love, warfare and day-to-day despair.

“The Summer of High Hopes” is the sonic counterpart to her revered album, “Science Fair”; a schizophrenic sister to the 8-track home recording that kick-started the career of one of Canada’s most respected indie artists. “Blackwinged Bird” is embroidered with the tones of bruises and impending storms, a melancholic open letter from a young woman to the world that could easily be a follow-up to “Julia”, from its predecessor. “Sunshine”, a bittersweet farewell to her twenty-something self, echoes out as a heart-on-sleeve sequel to “Good Riddance”. And “Merlot” stands out as the more deliciously complex, world-weary sibling to “Serenade”.
Ironically Emm’s determined independent ethic and versatile musicianship brought her to the attention of artists such as David Bowie and The Cardigans, both of whom had Emm join them as a band member over the last few years.

Nor does Emm’s one-woman business ethos prevent her from reaching wide audiences and new markets. Her vivacious on-line journal is so widely read its contents were quoted by The Washington Post during the 2004 US election. Emm was also invited to perform at the NBA’s All-Star Weekend in Denver in 2005, and also moonlights as bass player/vocalist in a new politically-charged rock supergroup, Hot One. Emm’s site at the popular music community, MySpace has also ranked in the Top 20 Most Viewed and to top it all off, she took time out to play piano on the latest album by Def Leppard.

‘The Summer of High Hopes’ is released on her Dead Daisy Records label which she formed in 1996 to release music ignored by the majors. Recently, Emm expanded the label to sign Atlantic Canada indie-rockers In-Flight Safety, acclaimed Toronto songwriter Royal Wood, Manitoba boy-wonder Andrew Spice and the punk/glam/rock Hot One.‘The Summer of High Hopes’ is released on her Dead Daisy Records label which she formed in 1996 to release music ignored by the majors. Recently, Emm expanded the label to sign Atlantic Canada indie-rockers In-Flight Safety, acclaimed Toronto songwriter Royal Wood, Manitoba boy-wonder Andrew Spice and the punk/glam/rock Hot One.

Dramatically grim as Gryner’s songs are, they always seem to hint at redemption, creative revenge and the last laugh hidden somewhere behind a twinkling eye. When she sings about “walking through the gates of hell”, it would seem that she is the only one with a key and an escape plan secreted away