"For a woman who frequently performs
solo and whose compositions are more quiet than clanging, Chris Pureka
is making a lot of noise." -Billboard Magazine
"Introspective and deep, the landscape is akin to Neil Young's Harvest"
-The AllMusic Guide
Chris Pureka is a breath of fresh air in an age of fleeting success
and temporary notions. She is an artist of substance, armed with a
sharp eye for oft-missed details and an emotional intelligence that
can switch from withering to compelling with a subtle inflection.
On her third release, How I Learned To See In The Dark set to hit
via Sad Rabbit Music /ADA on April 13, Pureka expands on her distinct
and beautiful melodies exploring broader musical soundscapes all the
while maintaining the stunning vocals and distinct guitar work she
is known for.
With her 2004 debut LP, Driving North, Pureka started a career as
a touring troubadour and began building an impressive fan base from
the ground up: a cult following that started in her native New England
and steadily grew to a national level. Fans and critics alike were
drawn to the signature voice that somehow makes heartbreak sound desirable
and her acute attention to lyrical detail, while others lauded her
aptitude for crafting guitar parts that speak for themselves. The
Boston Globe raved that "[she] is such a gifted guitar player and
singer that you have to listen to each song twice, once for her guitar
playing and again for her passionate lyrics about love, loss and hope."
With her 2006 follow-up, Dryland, Pureka further expanded on the emotional
topography she charted earlier in her career by continuing to tour
extensively playing 200+ shows a year and gathering supporters city
by city, show by show and fan by fan. This year Chris will take touring
to the next level by adding a full backing band to her incredible
live show.
While maintaining the unique alchemy of longing, loss and hope this
virtuoso sets to music, there is a sonic adventurism on How I Learned
to See in the Dark that marks a new stage in Pureka's musical evolution.
This is aided by Pureka's choice of co-producer and longtime friend,
Merrill Garbus (4Ad's tUnE-YaRds). In addition to enjoying the comfort
that comes with working with someone you've known since middle school,
Garbus brought to the table her signature quirky recording techniques
and alternative instrumentation, helping Pureka shift her sound into
as-yet uncharted territory. This record boasts a newfound edginess,
coupled with a more abstract sound and a musical depth and complexity
that shines through each track, all the while maintaining the space
and creative instrumentation Pureka is known for.
"A New England folkie with a parched,
wounded voice and a mean way with an acoustic guitar, Pureka makes
romantic depression seem, somehow, invigorating."-LA Daily News
"An interviewer asked Chris Pureka
to sum up her music as a haiku. I will: Folky sorrowful songs of loneliness
and hurt, longing to reunite. Her tunes have the grave Appalachian
flavor of Neil Young and Gillian Welch; her guitar playing is subdued
but quietly virtuosic. And her voice can be a desolate whisper or
a bitter accusation. There's no comfort, for her, in the clarity of
her observations." - John Pareles, THE NEW YORK TIMES
