Emm Gryner
Country of origin:
Canada
Type of music generally:
Alternative pop
Status:
Most recent release, Just for You (2020)
See also:
Emm Gryner's site
Comparisons:
Her voice reminds me at times of Joy Askew, and at other times of Lauren Christy. (jjhanson@att.net)Her mellower songs hint at Sarah McLachlan. (kamesan@geocities.com)
Covers/own material:
Mostly own, one album of covers
General comments:
Emm is a singer/songwriter whose primary instrument is piano but also plays guitar. A powerful, soulful live performer, I was quite impressed with her from the first few songs I heard. I bought her first independent disc from her, and I was stunned at how good it was. It's been in constant rotation in my CD player since I picked it up.
Emm is very definitely one of the most exciting new singer-songwriters in Toronto today. She's gotten some exposure through the media, but I'll bet the most (rapid) growth in her fan base has come from word-of-mouth. Attendance at each successive show I've attended has increased, this despite the fact that her last two shows have been opening slots, and despite the fact that some shows have been *completely unadvertised* in the local print media. In a reversal of the usual process, venues was completely packed for Emm's opening slots and almost completely emptied out after she left.
I'm never very good at describing artists anyway, and Emm I find particularly difficult to pin down. She's an early 20s singer-songwriter-pianist who also plays guitar (although not as well). She has a band, but so far I've only seen her play solo, which she does extremely well. Her mellower songs hint at Sarah McLachlan, but beyond that I'm at a loss to compare her to other artists, hopefully someone else will be able to help me out here.
it may be that Emm's music is too "pop" for some ectophiles' ears—Emm falls on the more mainstream pop side of ecto. All the extra production on Public can only contribute to that feeling. By far the vast majority of the shows I've seen her do are stripped-down, solo acoustic performances. In my opinion this is where she shines. I can say that I love Emm as a songwriter and a performer. I urge the rest of you to see for yourself if Emm appeals to your ears. (kamesan@geocities.com)She really is quite wonderful, definite ectofodder. Emm has been performing club shows for a couple of years now, and she puts on a terrific performance. While I have a bit of a tough time staying interested in the original leapyear from start to finish, I do give it good marks (she's better live). (carnivore@bigfoot.com)
Because I'm not that much of a pop fan, I wasn't overly impressed with Emm Gryner as a songwriter or a singer, especially compared to her compatriot Sarah Slean who is much more to my personal taste (which isn't fair, but there it is). I gather Emm is lots of fun live, though, and she certainly has a way with a pop hook. People who like pop music more than I do will find a lot to admire here. As it is I enjoy selected songs from the original leapyear, especially "89 Days of Alcatraz" quite a lot. (Neile)
I love Emm Gryner. (Riphug@aol.com)
Emm is a 23-year-old native of Forrest, Ontario who moved to Toronto when she was just 19/20 years old to begin making music. She began taking piano lessons at 4(?), wrote her first song at 10, began to play bass and form bands with her brothers, and formed her own record label "Dead Daisy Records" to put her material out on. She released two of her own LPs on this—And Distrust It, which is no longer available, which she did when she was like 19, I think, then she released the original leapyear in 1996. She did shows in Toronto and began to build her fan base, and some fans/friends began to spread the word through the 'net (which is where I heard of her). In 1997 she signed an international record deal with Mercury Records (U.S.), and spent the winter in the U.K. recording her debut release Public. Public combines rearranged and reworked versions of several of the songs from the original leapyear as well as more recent songs like "The Good You Make". "Acid" is featured on the Lilith Fair sampler CD.
Emm is immensely talented—she plays 8 instruments ranging from piano and bass to wurlitzer and hammond organ, writes all of her own words and music (and her words, in my opinion, are very original), and knows production/recording/etc. Public might be a little too "pop-y" for those people who are really into folk music, but I believe it might grow on you.... I wouldn't know who to compare her to besides like Tori Amos, because her music is very original. Her songs are very personal—ranging from a sarcastic look at the end of a relationship ("Your Sort of Human Being"), to how religion and wanting to know all of the mysteries of the world now ("Wisdom Bus") to self-analysis and deprecation, deep sadness, and again, celebration.
I've listened to her music many, many times over the last year, and I have an immense amount of respect for Emm's talent and musicianship. I should probably note that I'm *so* biased about Emm right now. I think she has a talent that 80% of the people on the radio couldn't touch, her writing style is *hers* (some of her songs are sarcastic, healing, funny, moving, and deep), and she's got a great melodic sense. I also think that Emm is a great hook writer. I can pick out hooks in each song that will stick in my head all day.... That being said, I don't think that from just hearing "Summerlong" a listener of the radio should automatically classify her music as "pop". Sure there's definitely a pop feel to "Summerlong" and a few other songs—but beyond that, without labeling her music, I think she's just a *great* musician. I do understand what Steve said about it being a little much for some people here, maybe it is—*but*—I hope that people would buy this album *for* the album. It took The Original Leap Year awhile to grow on me.. awhile as in, I couldn't *stand* it at first.... Her voice was flat in a couple of places, and I just flat out didn't like anything but one song.... I started listening to it more and it grew on me (And grew and grew :). Maybe the album would grow on people like it did for me, or maybe it will end up not being the kind of music that you like, but I hope that people will give her a chance. :). (Songbird22@aol.com)seeing her live and listening to her album are two different worlds, but I appreciate the disc even more after experiencing her live again. what a gifted songwriter she is. Emm knows how to write tremendously catchy and hooky music, whether it be on the guitar or the piano. That's a skill and a talent. She doesn't have good technical skills and she doesn't provide much variety within songs and styles, but to be able to use the piano for her music is something. (paul2k@aol.com)
Comments about live performance:
I had the wonderful fortune to see Emm perform live with our own Jessica Weiser at Brandeis University. Emm performed with a terrific guitarist/drummer/singer from the British band, The Unbelievable Truth. She played a terrific set of songs from Science Park and Public. She even took a couple requests, but unfortunately, although she tried, she couldn't remember how my request, "Stardeep" started! I hope I didn't embarass her. Anyway, it was a terrific show! (2/00, colford@chlotrudis.org)I'd never seen Emm perform live. I have to say I have been left rather bewildered by all the buzz she's been getting...Public did less than nothing for me, and I don't think I was motivated to listen to her second disc more than once. But now that I've seen her play, I think I can see where people are coming from, though I'm not about to jump on the groupie bus just yet. In my opinion Sarah Slean has more of a spark, though Emm does get extra bonus points for playing bass (in addition to piano and guitar)! (Does she always look like Björk? She had a very Björk eye makeup thing going, and was wearing a bright blue and pink dress that could have fallen out of a video for one of the songs from Homogenic. :) (2/01, meth@smoe.org)
Recommended first album:
public will be easier to find
Recordings:
- And Distrust It (c. 1995)
- the original leapyear (1996)
- public (1998)
- Science Fair (1999)
- Dead Relatives (2000)
- Girl Versions (2001)
- Asianblue (2002)
- Songs of Love and Death (2005)
- The Summer Of High Hopes (2006)
- PVT (remixes, 2006)
- Goddess (2009)
- Stray Bullets EP (2010)
- Gem and I (2010)
- Northern Gospel (2011)
- The Best of Emm Gryner (compilation, 2012)
- Torrential (2014)
- 21st Century Ballads (2015)
- Calmphonic (2016)
- Aonarán (2016)
- Slant (covers EP, 2017)
- Only of Earth (2017)
- Just for You (2020)
the original leapyear
Release info:
1996—Dead Daisy Records—EMM 001
Availability:
See Emm Gryner's site
Ecto priority:
Recommended for pop fans
Group members:
Emm Gryner—vocals, bass, piano, keyboards, acoustic guitar & electric guitar
Guest artists:
Mark Stewartson—electric guitar & eBow
Jason McComb—cello
T.E. Peacock—drums & live drum loops
Ryan Ferrando—lead drums
Bwana Moto—percussion
Stu Brawley—the mellotron that never was
Produced by:
Stu Brawley and Emm Gryner
Comments:
I *adore* Emm Gryner. At first I thought (and still think a little) a few of the songs on her CD sound a bit flat, but after hearing some live songs and *really* getting into a few of the songs on her cd, I really like it. (Songbird22@aol.com)Stunningly good from start to finish. (kamesan@geocities.com)
A pretty solid CD. None of the songs stand out as immediate hit singles, but the album is solid and well worth listening to. I'd love to see her perform live. (jjhanson@att.net)
This is pretty mainstream pop for me, but there are a couple of really fun pop songs on here that stick in my head pretty well. Overall, I find the album a little uneven. I was intrigued quite a bit by the concept of the cd—it seems to roughly chronicle a year in the breakdown of a relationship. There are 12 songs, it starts with Aquarius, and later songs mention March, then spring, then July, then another New Year coming up. (Neile)
the original leapyear is growing on me immeasurably. (paul2k@aol.com)
public
Release info:
1998—Mercury Records (U.S.A.)—314 558 460
Availability:
Wide on release; now hard to find
Ecto priority:
High for fans of pop music
Group members:
Emm Gryner—bass, piano, acoustic guitar, wurlitzer, mellotron, Hammond organ
Guest artists:
Chris Whitten—drums
Caroline Lavelle—cello
The London Session Orchestra—strings
Dave Genn—electric guitar
Dean Tidey—electric guitar
Martin Ditcham—percussion
Warne Livesey—programming/additional Hammond organ, additional acoustic guitar
Produced by:
Warne Livesey
Comments:
i didn't like it much on the first listen or two, but it's grown on me; jessica's comments on emm's mastery of the hook are spot-on. (woj@smoe.org)Public definitely has a fuller sound than what I witnessed live, and I dare say is a tad overproduced at points. I could see "Summerlong" being picked up by AAA radio. Judgement is tough as my point of reference for nearly a year was the stripped-down live versions of what I still find to be her strongest material (not surprising given the short set lengths and the "familiarity factor" that almost always, for me anyway, taints the first few listens). Take a listen to "Acid" for what was most representative of my memories of the live experience. "Your Sort of Human Being" and "This Mad" are also close but with violins added at times to good effect, though occasionally overbearing. If nothing else, her distinctive voice will certainly guarantee it a few more plays and I don't regret in the least picking it up. I agree that she shines in live performance. (rjk1@cs.wustl.edu)
After several listens to Public, which is my first introduction to Emm Gryner's music, I have to say that I'm puzzled by the amount of enthusiastic press she's gotten on the ecto list. Maybe since she's mostly been mentioned in the same breathless raving posts as her compatriot Sarah Slean I was expecting something as engaging and promisingly wonderful as Sarah Slean, but instead what I'm hearing is decidedly above average, yet still quite generic alternarock. She's got a nice voice, but the songs don't strike me as anything overtly special, and I forget them almost before they're over. Help me—what am I missing? After all the hype about her on ecto, I was amazed by how bland and boring this disc is. I guess I just don't Get her. (meth@smoe.org)
if Emm Gryner's "Summerlong" is given a chance, i think it could do EXTREMELY well on modern rock and top 40 stations. (paul2k@aol.com)
For me this is a "grow on you" disc. I understand she's at her best live, though. (JavaHo@aol.com)
A great album by one of the coolest people I know. "Acid" is one of my all-time favourite songs, and Emm is one of my all-time favourite people. (kamesan@geocities.com)
Boring lowest-common-denominator production. (rkonrad@ibm.net)
Though I've had Public for a while, and like it, I'm just not *that* impressed. (burka@jeffrey.net)
Public is decent (nothing spectacular, but i do enjoy it enough to not take it out of my CD player). (iflin@speakeasy.net)
I got my first Emm Gryner CD today, Public...I've been listening to it pretty much all day and I have to say, with each listen it grows on me more and more. I see most people complain that it is too "poppy" and overproduced...I agree with the overproduced part definitely, but I don't think it's overly pop at all. I can't wait to get more by Emm though, I'm definitly a fan...wish I lived close to Canada and could see her live! (RocketsTail@aol.com)
Science Fair
Release info:
1999—Dead Daisy Records—DDR 003
Availability:
See Emm Gryner's site
Ecto priority:
Highly recommended for Emm Gryner fans
Group members:
Emm Gryner—vocals, all instruments, except
Guest artists:
Kevin Fox—cello on two tracks, percussion on one track, guitar on one track and additional acoustic guitar on one track
Stephen McGrath—drums on one track
Produced by:
Emm Gryner
Comments:
From the liner notes: "Science Fair is a collection of 8-track recordings made March 27 to April 12, 1999."Emm was so captivating live, that I was afraid the new album would disappoint me. It really retains the essence of her music and performances, in my opinion. Hard to produce an album that cleanly. (gregdunn@indy.net
Thanks to those ectophiles who talked this up; I would never have known it was released or even made otherwise. And let me add my hearty thumbs up. This album has all of Public's merits, but they come through far better without all the added production. (I'm not putting down Public because I like that album a lot.) This goes in more of an acoustic direction where Public went pop. (JoAnn Whetsell)
Those of you who felt Public was too overproduced should check this one out, since Emm takes a back-to-basics approach on this album, which she made almost completely by herself. (kamesan@geocities.com)
Yeah, Emm pretty much rocks.... Her voice/songwriting are maturing and developing and she's simply amazing now...live, even more stunning. I love "Revenge" on Science Fair, as well as "Closure"...and...okay, I like them all. Great album, and she produced it herself! (Songbird22@aol.com)
I'm pretty much dumbfounded. I liked Public, but this is spectacular. I can feel my productivity slipping away, my ability to form sentences, m y ty pnining ingngng (gmcdonald@furia.com)
Her most recent album Science Fair was fairly stunning. (dmw@mwmw.com)
I was a fan of Public, Emm's previous album, and I find Science Park to be just delightful. I'm not a big lyrics person, but hers jump out at me. In fact, Emm's got my favorite line of 1999 with the classic, "You're forgettable like 1993" from "Disco Lights." The songs are pretty poppy, but the production is so spare and stripped down that you feel like you're sitting in the room with her as she performs. (colford@chlotrudis.org)
Dead Relatives
Release info:
2000—Dead Daisy Records—DDR 004
Availability:
See Emm Gryner's site
Ecto priority:
Highly recommended, especially for fans
Group members:
Emm Gryner—vocals, piano, bass, keyboards
Guest artists:
Jason Churko—guitars
Marty & Jay—drums
Dino D'Ottavio—bass
Ryan Ferrando—drums
Stuart Brawley, Frank Gryner—programming
Produced by:
Emm Gryner, Stuart Brawley, Frank Gryner, Transistor Sound & Lighting Co.
Comments:
This is a collection of songs Emm had sitting around, mostly recorded on 4-track between 1993 and 2000. One listen, and I think this is my favorite of her albums (although I've never heard the original leapyear). Her voice and the songs themselves really shine in these acoustic versions. I think it will be a hit for those who thought Public was over-produced. This is a much mellower sound. The arrangements here are totally uncluttered, just what's needed. Lyrics available online at emmgryner.com. (JoAnn Whetsell)
Girl Versions
Release info:
2001—Dead Daisy Records—DDR 005
Availability:
See Emm Gryner's site
Ecto priority:
Highly recommended
Group members:
Emm Gryner—performances and arrangements
Guest artists:
Alex McMaster—cello
Produced by:
Chris Wardman
Comments:
I just got this yesterday and am just listening to it for the first time now. The 2nd track just finished. I *LOVE* this. Emm gets better and better with each album and with the simpler arrangements (this is mostly, if not entirely, her vocals and piano and a cellist). I can't comment on the songs as covers because I don't know the originals, except for "Pour Some Sugar On Me" which I barely recognize. I also can't compare it to Tori Amos' Strange Little Girls because I haven't heard even a clip from that album yet. But the recording is clear; this is gorgeous. This may tie Dead Relatives as my favorite Emm album, and I play that one *a lot*. It's one of the few albums I've gotten lately that almost every song gets stuck in my head at some point (over the summer and continuing).
If you don't have this, get it. If you don't have Dead Relatives yet, get them both. (JoAnn Whetsell)Emm Gryner's covers album is stronger than Tori Amos' Strange Little Girls. She has even made stone temple pilots sound good. On my list for the best of 2001. (stjarnell@yahoo.com)
So I heard a few songs from Emm Gryner's Girl Versions the other day and she nearly took my breath away with these songs. I've never been a huge fan of Emm's music, probably didn't give it much of a chance but hearing "Pour Some Sugar On Me" makes me want to go back and listen to everything of hers I can get. Of the songs I've heard from Girl Versions, they surpass most everything from Tori Amos' Strange Little Girls, which is a good cd and I love Tori but Emm's covers are so beautiful and ironic and nearly brilliant. Of course Tori's "Smells Like Teen Spirit" set the stage for people like Emm to do "Pour Some Sugar On Me", more than likely and Tori's covers of Led Zepplin, Stevie Nicks, etc. on just piano are magical...Strange Little Girls isn't that and "Girl Versions" is. (RocketsTail@aol.com)
I've got to agree on this one. Emm Gryner's Girl Versions is one sublime album. For me, however, it's not really what Emm does with these cover version...although what she does is amazing, it's just how she makes these songs her own. I am captivated by Emm's mesmerizing voice and song stylings. There's an honesty in Emm's music that used to be in Tori's, but have found missing of late. (colford@chlotrudis.org)
What Strange Little Girls was not. (dlw@sympatico.ca)
Asianblue
Release info:
2002—Dead Daisy Records—DDR 006
Availability:
See Emm Gryner's site
Ecto priority:
Recommended
Group members:
Emm Gryner—vocals, piano, bass, acoustic guitar, wurlitzer, melosonic
Guest artists:
Daniel Burns—acoustic and electric guitars, programming, percussion, keyboards
Wally Gagel—acoustic and electric guitars, bass, piano, programming, keyboards, drums
Mike Rowe—bass, wurlitzer, organ, keyboards, noises
Jordan Kern—electric guitar on "Divine Like You"
Jim Shewbridge—drums on "Siamese Star"
Alex Clark—guitars on "Siamese Star"
Nigel Powell—percussion on "Siamese Star"
Joao Carvalho—cymbals
Produced by:
Wally Gagel, Emm Gryner, Daniel Burns, Mike Rowe, Alex Clark, Joao Carvalho
Comments:
It's interesting that Emm devotes a full page to noting that the album was entirely independently done, because the album it most reminds me of is Public. I like Public, so, to me, this is not a bad thing. It's definitely a return to poppier songwriting, sort of like the songs of Public filtered through the production sensibilities of Science Fair. I don't use pop in a demeaning way as many people do. I think good pop music is hard to make and hard to find. I could imagine many of the songs on here more stripped down, and it would be interesting to hear how she performs them solo. (JoAnn Whetsell)It's a near-perfect pop record, perfect for blasting at full volume while driving down the highway at a high rate of speed. (meth@smoe.org)
The more poppy Emm gets, the more I love it, she got all the talents, songwriting, voice, and arrangements to be as good as it gets. Right now, I think a lot of people would like to take a Northern Holiday with Emm. Asianblue gets you in the right mood. (jsutton@hrmusic.com)
Songs of Love and Death
Release info:
2005—Dead Daisy Records—DDR 007
Availability:
See Emm Gryner's site
Ecto priority:
Highly recommended
Group members:
Emm Gryner—vocals, guitars, piano, bass, drum machine, claps, clarinet, harpsichord, keyboards, organ, vibes, shoes, cello arrangement on "Shining Light"
Guest artists:
Charles DuMont—drums, kalimba
Margaret Corcoran—fiddle
Sean Odell—flute, guitar solo on "Nowhere"
Dana Feder—cello, cello arrangement on "Shining Light"
Kate McGarrigle—banjo
Produced by:
Emm Gryner
Comments:
I'm not familiar with any of the originals of these songs, but I do like Emm's versions. As on Girl Versions, she takes other people's songs (this time with the unifying them of having all been written by Irish songwriters) and remakes them through her own aesthetic. From the Asianblue-esque pop of "Forget Georgia" to the soaring balladry of "Shining Light" to the traditional "Moorlough Shore" and the neo-80s-ish (on harpsichord!) "Dearg Doom," this is a diverse collection of treasures, united now not only by their Irishness but by their Emm-ness. (JoAnn Whetsell)
The Summer of High Hopes
Release info:
2006—Dead Daisy Records—DDR-010
Availability:
See Emm Gryner's site
Ecto priority:
Highly recommended
Group members:
Emm Gryner—vocals, piano, guitars, bass, vibes, tin whistle, clarinet, harmonica, mandolin, keyboards
Guest artists:
Bryce Kushnier—glockenspiel, bowed guitar, electric guitar, noises on "Star/Crossed"
Dana Feder—cello
Tim Weed—violin
Phil Ruthig—mandolin
Nathan Larson—guitars, bass
Lyle Molzan—drums (1, 3, 7)
Kevin March—drums (4, 6)
Jens Jansson—drums and percussion (10)
Michael Ward—guitar (1)
Sean Odell—slide guitar solo (1)
John Mullane—vibes (2)
Charles Dumont—triangle and tambourine (1)
Produced by:
Emm Gryner
Comments:
Emm Gryner's one of my favorite musicians who most people have never even heard of, and this is her first album of original material in three or four years. The album's not necessarily anything new for her, but it plays to all her strengths—great lyrics, great pop hooks, and a couple of lovely ballads thrown in for good measure. The album's notable for the song "Almighty Love," which Bono recently named one of the songs he most wishes he'd written himself. (josh@cajo.org)
PVT
Release info:
2006—Dead Daisy Records—DDR-011
Availability:
See Emm Gryner's site
Ecto priority:
Highly recommended
Group members:
Emm Gryner
Produced by:
Emm Gryner
Comments:
PVT is not so much the album Public remixed as reimagined. Same songs, same track order, but a completely different mood and feel. Public was better-than-average pop, with maybe too much production. PVT is gentle, meditative, sometimes brooding, with Emm's thoughtful singing giving more weight to the lyrics. Just piano and vocals, with occasional chimes (and maybe some other instruments; they're unnamed). Of course, this doesn't work equally well for all the songs. "Summerlong," for instance, works better as a sunny, upbeat tune than as a somber one. But for the most part, PVT works really well. The differences between the versions of the songs are striking, and in some cases, they're unrecognizable. But PVT works not just as an album of interesting reincarnations of the songs on Public, but as an excellent album in its own right. (JoAnn Whetsell)
Goddess
Release info:
2009—Dead Daisy Records—DDR014
Availability:
See Emm Gryner's site
Ecto priority:
Highly recommended
Group members:
Emm Gryner—vocals, piano, bass, keyboards, guitars, percussion, programming
Guest artists:
Dana Feder—cello, string arrangements
Tim Weed—violin, string arrangements
Russell Broom—electric guitars
Charles Dumont—drums
Phil Ruthig—vocals (8)
Stew Crookes—pedal steel guitar
Produced by:
Emm Gryner
Comments:
Love this album. Poppier than her recent work, but not to the extent of Asianblue or public. (JoAnn Whetsell)
Stray Bullets EP
Release info:
2010—Second Motion Records/Red Eye
Availability:
Wide
Ecto priority:
Recommended for fans
Comments:
Nice, but inessential, EP. I like the upbeat tracks like "Rico" and "Holiday," but the others don't do that much for me. (JoAnn Whetsell)
Gem and I
Release info:
2010—Dead Daisy/Outside Music
Availability:
Wide
Ecto priority:
Highly recommended
Group members:
Emm Gryner
Guest artists:
Matt Nathanson—vocals (1)
Royal Wood—vocals (2)
Sass Jordan—vocals (3)
Sara Quin (Tegan And Sara)—vocals (4)
Tom Dunne—vocals (5)
Joel Plaskett—vocals (6)
Joe Elliott (Def Leppard)—vocals (7)
Justin Sullivan (New Model Army)—vocals (8)
Bubbles—vocals (9)
Nathan Larson (Shudder To Think)—vocals (10)
Produced by:
Greg Wells
Comments:
Emm does duets! Similar in style to her solo work, but the interplay with the other singers makes it a bit different. (JoAnn Whetsell)
Northern Gospel
Release info:
2011—Dead Daisy/Outside Music
Availability:
Wide
Ecto priority:
Highly recommended
Group members:
Emm Gryner—all vocals
Guest artists:
Stuart Brawley—keyboards
Joe Corcoran—guitar, bass, horns
Matt Mayhall—drums and percussion
Lyle Molzan—drums and percussion
Produced by:
Stuart Brawley
Comments:
Overall a good album which mostly sticks to Emm's poppier side. "Fast Exit" has an 80s Hall and Oates vibe, and "A Little War" gets a nice, if not revelatory, makeover. (JoAnn Whetsell)
Torrential
Release info:
2014—Dead Daisy Records—6 23339 20162 9
Availability:
Wide
Ecto priority:
Recommended
Group members:
Emm Gryner—vocals, guitar, piano, keyboards
Guest artists:
Joe Corcoran—banjo, bass, guitars, harmonica, keyboards, mandolin, percussion, programming, trombone, trumpet, ukulele, vocals
Jenny Ewing—additional vocals (2)
Chris Hadfield—vocals and guitar (6)
Darryl Lahteenmaa and Karen Bell—handclaps (6)
Produced by:
Joe Corcoran
Comments:
Another solid album, similar to Emm's recent output. (JoAnn Whetsell)
21st Century Ballads
Release info:
2015—Dead Daisy Records—6 23339 20172 8
Availability:
Wide
Ecto priority:
Recommended
Group members:
Emm Gryner—vocals and piano
Guest artists:
Joe Corcoran—bass, guitar and keyboards
Produced by:
Joe Corcoran
Comments:
An album of ballads has the potential to become too same-y and boring. That was my reaction on the first few listens. But in the right mood (turns out a rainy morning is perfect) it's an enjoyable collection with more tempo variations than I'd originally thought. It kind of reminds me of Dead Relatives. (JoAnn Whetsell)
Further info:
Emm released the DVD Videochrome in 2004. She is recording with Jerome Kern under the name Northern Living Allowance. Their cover of "Available" appears on Brad Walsh's album Unhitched, Restitched (2010). Other collaborations include:
- "My Brother Moves" and "Everything You Know Is Wrong" with The Production Club and Lou Barlow on The Production Club's album Follow Your Bliss (2003)
- "It's Always Raining in Dublin" with Vitamins for You on their album The Legend of Bird's Hill (2006)
- "You Are the Stars Tonight" and "I Don't Want to Be Just Friends" with Brittlestar on their album Arcane Anthems (2009)
- "Indie Rock" and "Get In2 the Family" with Brad Walsh on his album Human Nature (2009)
Thanks to Jessica N. Weiser and JoAnn Whetsell for work on this entry.
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