Sharon Van Etten

Mistletone presents captivating Brooklyn songwriter Sharon Van Etten, touring Australia with her stunning band - Heather Woods Broderick, Doug Keith & Zeke Hutchins - all of whom are incredible musicians in their own right.

Sharon Van Etten comes to Australia for the first time after an amazing three year journey. Sharon surprised the music world with a touching embrace when she released epic (Ba Da Bing; 2010). Having established herself in New York with her spartan first effort, Because I Was In Love (Language of Stone; 2009), epic was an extraordinary collection of songs connected by an expanded sound and her unmistakable voice. Fans quickly picked favorites, discovered their choices changing, then changing yet again. That is the magic of epic; the intricate, understated record covers so much ground within its 33 minutes. Following epic's release, Sharon played Pitchfork Music Festival, The Hollywood Bowl (with Neko Case), Radio City Music Hall (with The Antlers), sung on records for Beirut and Drag City artist Ed Askew, and collaborated with Bon Iver's Justin Vernon.

Aaron Dessner from The National heard Sharon early on, and performed a cover of her song Love More in collaboration with Justin Vernon at a festival in Cincinnati. This led to Aaron offering Sharon a recording location and the opinions of a wise producer. The shimmering sound of Tramp, Sharon's debut for Jagjaguwar (released locally by Inertia Music) both defies and illuminates the unsteadiness of a life in flux. Throughout the 14 months of scattered recording sessions, Sharon was without a home -- crashing with friends and storing her possessions between varied locations. The only constant in her life during this time was spent in Aaron's garage studio.

Tramp showcases an artist in full control of her powers, with as much striking rock (the precise venom of Serpents, the overwhelming power of Ask), as pious, minimal beauty (the earnest solemnity of All I Can, the breathtaking Kevins, and Joke or a Lie); as emotionally combative (Give Out) as it's sultry (Magic Chords). Contributions from Matt Barrick (Walkmen), Thomas Bartlett (Doveman), Zach Condon (Beirut), Jenn Wasner (Wye Oak), Julianna Barwick, and Aaron Dessner add a glowing sheen to the already substantial offering.

Sharon Van Etten has travelled far, and if her displacement took an emotional toll, she offset those setbacks with a powerfully articulated vision. And so, once again, each listener will discover their own moments along the way, and the debates as to the best song start anew.