Tuesday, February 10, 2009


VIOLET FEMMES ARTIST, SARAH NEBEL RELEASES HER SECOND FULL-LENGTH ALBUM:
"Great White" proves to be an oasis of warmth in a winter wonderland


Singer-songwriter Sarah Nebel released her second full-length album "Great White" on February 4th. The album’s producer is Vidar Lunden with Park Grammofon and features such artists as Kjetil Steensnæs, Torstein Lofthus, Palle Wagnberg, Kjetil Dalland, Torjus Vierli, Roar Vangen and more. The songs vary from slow roots ballads to alternative pop/rock songs with a definitive twist.
"Great White" is a sublime follow up to her first full-length album, "Time to Fly", as it exemplifies Nebel's unique and ever-evolving approach to song-writing. The intense and often provocative lyrics are coupled with thoughtful and exquisite musical arrangements that at times defy gravity.

This is Sarah Nebel at her best: penning her own songs and spinning personal stories that are both a dedication to her art and a tribute to her own internal strength. "I can't remember a single day when my heart and mind hasn't been busy writing music or feeling music." In "Great White" Sarah Nebel has discovered a sense of renewal so profound that it may very well set the stage for a future of appetizing prospects for both the artist and dedicated fans. Within the same breath she leaves the door wide open for new listeners to fall under the spell of her provocative magnetism.

Sarah Nebel released a double-single from the new album earlier this year, which included the songs "Blindfolded Star" and "Maybe A Song". Both songs feature a duet with one of Sarah Nebel's favorite Norwegian singers, Trond Granlund . Her radio single "Time" was featured for an impressive 11 weeks on national radio (NRK P1) between December and February 2007. Sarah Nebel’s first solo album "Time to Fly" was released in Norway on her own music label MyStory Productions in 2004. In 2005, She signed a recording deal with the Norwegian label Park Grammofon.

"Jasmin" was written for a young lady who dared to stand out as "different" at a very you ng age. "I was smitten by her soul, her courage." The music video for "Jasmin" was created by Sarah Nebel with the help of Paula Legault - and features notable American actress Jill Bennett and Jamie Blake, who is part of the rock group Vixtrola. Sarah Nebel transformed her inspiration for this mature, young advocate into a song that is a dedication to her muse's determination. The haunting piano arrangement that opens "Jasmin" mystically escalates through peaks of guitar riffs and atmospheric touches that blend into a cacophony of pure rapture. The video is set to be released soon.

If "Jasmin" establishes itself firmly as a rapturous tribute on Great White, "Blindfolded Star" is its melodic, organic counterpart. Here Sarah Nebel peels back another layer of herself with a ballad that is as eccentric as the Johan Hastard book it was based on: Buzz Aldrin, what happened to you in all the confusion?. The song devoted to Ennen tenderly unfolds as the percussion compliments both Nebel's and the book's emotional directness. The addition of Trond Granlund's charismatic vocals exude a tangible familiarity that blends seamlessly with Sarah Nebel's lush tones. Sarah Nebel's storytelling talent is breathtaking in its simplicity with "Blindfolded Star".

With a recording process done in live sessions in the studio with a band that was presented with only Sarah Nebel's homemade demos, Great White was given shape and form. The additional attention of producer Vidar Lunden - who expertly captured it all and gave it an intricate touch when working with the recordings before mixing it adds to the album's essence. Great White is a sophomore album of subtle touches, capturing achingly emotional flourishes, entwined with dreamy and memorable vocals. It's the type of musical offering that reminds us of endless winter dreamscapes, yet transports us into such a warm and comforting place that we can't possibly protest its chilled poise.

By day, Sarah Nebel runs her own creative design agency, and is also displaying her art at local exhibitions. By night, she works tirelessly on the music that has been her lifelong companion. Sarah Nebel lives withdrawn in the Norwegian countryside with her husband, where she enjoys the close proximity to nature, outdoor activities, and spending quality time with her family and friends. In addition to releasing her second studio album, Nebel is performing live in a trio format with Roar Vangen and Øivind R. Nilsen.
She also sings and co-writes with the band "Zoo Lounge". The duality of Sarah Nebel's nature is the element that births music that makes repeated listening an endlessly revivifying delight. It ascertains that Sarah Nebel's musical journey has yet to come full circle, but remains in a continuous cycle of artistic reinvention and restores belief in the influence of song and the lone vigilance of the songwriter.

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