
Photo by Bryan Bruchman
cd sampler
received 9.06
alinasimone.com
myspace.com/alinasimone
self released
Don't miss
Church of Girl's interview with Alina!
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The Beauty of Living
Alina was born in the Ukraine and came to America at the age of two as a political refugee after her father was blacklisted by the KGB. She grew
up in suburbia and later attended the School of the Museum of Fine Arts Boston where she studied photography. One day she saw Mary Lou Lord
playing in the Boston subway and had an epiphany that she should try public performance. This was a big deal because Alina suffered from
glossophobia or "stage fright". With the newfound inspiration she was able to overcome her fears and began street performing after moving to
Austin Texas -- a triumphant start to a promising musical career.
The past year was a rich in experience for Alina. She toured Europe with her side project The Artificial Sea and contributed a new track to the
"Folk Music for the End of the World" compilation. The Durham NC Arts Council awarded her a grant to pursue a cover album in tribute to the
Russian punk-folk singer Yanka Dyagileva. Simone's previous work, Prettier in the Dark, received critical acclaim from The New Yorker, Magnet and Pitchfork. In most recent news, Alina signed with 54-50 or Fight! who will release her long awaited full length album, Placelessness, due out in June 2007.
Joined by Gerhart Fuchs (drums), Jon Petrow (bass,guitar,violin), Chris Barrey (farfisa organ,guitar,piano), and Bryan Bruchman (guitar), Alina's
voice is haunting and intoxicating and full of sullen playfulness like Bjork, Scout Nibblett or Cat Power. The songs on Placelessness are
introspective, melody-driven tales of tragedy and hope executed through an extraordinary emotive vocal presence and minimalist
instrumentation. We think it’s a perfect soundtrack for an introspective rainy day or those last miles before journeys end.
With a number of
accomplishments in the past year, it is certain that Alina's poetic and captivating songs will continue to accelerate her presence in the indie
world one listener at a time.
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By Em Brownlowe + Church of Girl
Published 08. April. 2007
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