Krystle Warren
& The Faculty

New album
Love Songs: A Time You May Embrace
Out Now

Krystle Warren is a true original. Now comes this brave, personal set that extends her musical range even further. It’s a mostly cheerful album, with her deep, breathy voice easing between soulful balladry and scat jazz, with echoes of ragtime, gospel and country. Her assurance is as remarkable as her range, from the swinging Tuesday Morning to the grand I Worry Less, or (best of all) her string-backed setting to a William Blake poem, The Clod and the Pebble, treated as an elegant fusion of soulful hymnal and swing. The Guardian ****

The astonishing Ms Warren advances on the impressive gameplan of acclaimed predecessor Circles with a self-produced lovefest that was recorded in 13 days. It brims with soulful riches and consummate musicality while the songs are sensuous platforms for her honeyed contralto, jazzy elegance and effortless flair. Mirror ****

For her latest album, American ingenue Krystle Warren assembled a team of 28 musicians in a Brooklyn studio and laid down new songs live. Aptly, the twelve that made it onto Love Songs capture her crooning effortlessly over timeless jazz, folk and blues layered with horns, strings, piano and choirs. Smouldering stuff. Diva Magazine

…singer-songwriter Krystle Warren remains a cult concern. A gorgeous new album, Love Songs, should help her cause … Evening Standard

“… An utterly indispensable modern classic.” Morning Star

Krystle Warren – a Missouri native who has spent time performing on the streets of Paris and New York – made a name for herself with her 2009 debut, Circles. She draws obvious comparisons to Tracy Chapman, but perhaps it’s only due to the depth of her alto vocal range. Despite comparisons to Chapman and Nina Simone, Warren is a decidedly different brand of singer-songwriter, managing to hit multiple styles, often within a single song, so that each carries with it a new and refreshing sense of promise and surprise. musicOMH

Just having a voice isn’t enough – you have to have a reason to sing, something that tells your audience “this is what I was made for”. With this collection, Krystle Warren has got there. music-news.co.uk ****

Live:
Tuesday 22nd May
Dingwalls
Camden Lock,
London NW1 8AF
+ support from Dead Flamingoes (Kami Thompson + James Walbourne)
£15 from www.wegottickets.co.uk / www.ticketweb.co.uk / www.seetickets.com
Doors 7pm
+
Brighton Festival
Thursday 24th May
All Saints’ Church,
The Drive,
Hove,
BN3 3QE
£12.50 from www.brightonfestival.org (Sold Out)
Doors 8pm
+
Krystle will be touring the world in 2012 with Rufus Wainwright as guitarist/backing vocalist and support act.

In February Krystle completed the Floating Palaces tour alongside KT Tunstall, Robyn Hitchcock, Martin & Eliza Carthy and Howe Gelb (and Led Zep’s John Paul Jones below).

‘Love Songs: A Time You May Embrace’ is the next episode in the musical life of the remarkable Krystle Warren following the much admired ‘Circles’ release: “… Warren’s talents are extraordinary. She has an octave-hopping voice that glides between languid and urgent, and music that hovers between funk, folk and jazz, between Jeff Buckley and Nina Simone ….. she’s the real deal.” The Observer

“… Warren’s thrilling debut album fully lives up to expectations….It’s all uncontrived and near faultless, really.” Uncut

“There’s something alluringly familiar about Krystle Warren. She instantly sounds classic … we are certainly in the presence of a mighty talent.” BBC Online

“Love Songs: A Time You May Embrace” is the fruit of an exhilarating 13 day recording session in Brooklyn during which 25* tunes were laid down, live (the way her heroes and sheroes did it) by a total of 28 musicians including Krystle’s regular crew, The Faculty, alongside choirs, horn and string sections. Krystle wrote the songs, fired up the players and produced the whole jambalaya. She integrates ragtime and waltz time; evokes Dusty and Krystle-ises William Blake; rubs up against Broadway musical stylings as well as leaving lots of space for songs featuring only her glorious voice alongside acoustic guitar. In a perfect world “Love Songs…” would have come to you on double vinyl with a gatefold sleeve big enough for you to lose yourself in.

The journey from Krystle’s parlour to your table has been an eventful and exciting one. She set up her own record label as well as sharing stages around the world with the likes of Rufus Wainwright, Norah Jones, Joan As Police Woman, Nick Cave and Kylie.

Krystle is addicted to life on the musical high wire; always landing on the balls of her feet perfectly poised for the next adventure. On “Love Songs: A Time You May Embrace” the overwhelming sound is one of Krystle collecting the baton from her musical forebears – but it’s mostly about the weightless, giddy, moreishness of new love brought to you by the mind, body and soul of a huge and mature talent.
Two degrees in bebop, a PhD in swing.
She’s a master of rhythm, she’s a rock ‘n’ roll Queen.

Love Songs: A Time To Keep EP – Parlour Door Music. Out Now
* Part two: “Love Songs: A Time To Refrain From Embracing” will be along in good time.

For more info please contact gerry lyseight: 020 7095 8146 / gerry@glpr.co.uk / www.gerrylyseight.co.uk

www.krystlewarren.com