"Full band with cello crazyness."
That`s how Rachael Yamagata describes what she`s bringing to Seoul.
Performing in central Seoul for the first time under the banner of Private Curve`s groundbreaking "The Beautiful Singer-Songwriter Series" of concerts, "Grey`s Anatomy," "The O.C" and "One Tree Hill" fans should be familiar with Yamagata`s music.
On Friday, the New York-based musician hits the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts to show off tunes from her newest cut, "Elephants ... Teeth Sinking Into Heart."
Yamagata`s music, according to her, is best described as "Piano and guitar driven tales of introspection and heartache, ranging from cinematic ballads to a more `Pulp Fiction` surf-guitar, gritty, anthemic rock ... with some sass thrown in."
Now, Yamagata`s star is on the rise after years of toiling away as a typical indie artist.
The 31-year-old singer-songwriter has been getting noticed for her achingly honest and personal songs and opening shows for other similar - if not more established - contemporaries like Ryan Adams, Jason Mraz and Bright Eyes.
The daughter of a fourth generation or "sansei" Japanese-American father and an Italian-German mother, Yamagata grew up dividing her time between Washington, D.C. and New York City after her parents divorced.
Describing the stories she tells through her songs, she said, "I love human motivation at odds with our higher selves. We have such ability to connect with each other and yet we put up walls and are fearful, and I love the complexities of romantic relationships especially because the stakes are so high - more to gain, more to lose."
Asked whether her recent mainstream exposure has altered her way of writing music, the blues-rocker said, "I can only be authentic if I`m writing for myself alone. If it touches me than I have faith that it will be intriguing to someone else out there - as for `mainstream` - I couldn`t even begin to guess what is or isn`t in the future. I think there are intelligent music lovers out there thirsting for music of substance and a trend will always have a short shelf life."
When it comes to the topic of her new found fan base and popularity, she keeps her feet grounded firmly on earth.
"A lot of great things have been happening lately," Yamagata said.
"I got to play Carnegie Hall for the R.E.M. tribute show, and my music has been on TV shows like `Grey`s Anatomy` and `Brothers and Sisters.`"
And when she isn`t performing, writing music or recording in the studio, she likes to "clean, vacuum, play with spreadsheets and wonder where all the money has gone."
Yamagata has been touring throughout the United States with the two-part record. Her latest is made up of two separate sections that offer two different moods. "Elephant" features darker, moodier songs, while "Teeth Sinking Into Heart," shows off her guitar-driven songs.
The ambitious album was produced by Mike Mogus who previously worked with such acts as Bright Eyes and Yamagata`s idol, Jenny Lewis of Rilo Kiley.
According to the singer, the album was not split into two until the end of the recording process. Certain songs contained lyrics and an ambiance which felt "vulnerable and intimate" while some had a "grittier" sound with heavy guitar rifts, which were in stark contrast to the softer and more introspective tunes.
For more information on tickets, contact (02) 563-0595
By Song Woong-ki
(kws@heraldm.com)
[출처 : 코리아헤럴드]
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