Alela Diane

AMG AllMusic Guide: Pop Artists:

Alela Diane

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Genres: Folk

Biography

Part of the nouveau psych-folk movement that took shape as the first decade of the 21st century drew to a close, the American-born singer/songwriter Alela Diane got her start thanks to a well-received self-released recording (2003's Forest Parade) and a helping hand from established scenester Joanna Newsom. After a short stint with the group Black Bear and a European vacation, Diane returned to the States and began work on her next album, which saw the light of day as The Pirate's Gospel in 2004. It caught the attention of small label Holocene Music, which reissued the album in 2006 with new artwork and a revised track listing.

The Pirate's Gospel was critically well received, and over the next year and a half, Alela Diane's star was on the ascent. A 10" vinyl five-song EP, Songs Whistled Through White Teeth, was released in the U.K. in 2006, and Diane toured extensively in both the United States and the British Isles during the following year. In 2008, she toured Europe once again and found time to record an album with Headless Heroes, a side project whose debut album, The Silence of Love, was a collection of cover songs. Her next solo LP, To Be Still, marked her debut for Rough Trade in 2009. Although it was universally well received by critics, Diane ditched the album's hushed, intimate appeal in favor of a beefier sound, which was unveiled on 2011's Alela Diane & Wild Divine. ~ Chris True, Rovi

Alela Diane

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Alela Diane

Background information
Birth name	Alela Diane Menig
Born	(1983-04-20) April 20, 1983 (age 29) Nevada City, California, USA
Genres	Folk, Americana, psych folk
Occupations	singer, songwriter
Instruments	vocals, guitar
Years active	2003-present
Labels	Rough Trade Holocene Music Names Records
Associated acts	Blitzen Trapper
Website	http://www.aleladiane.com/

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Alela Diane

Alela Diane Menig (born April 20, 1983, Nevada City, California, USA) is an American singer and songwriter living in Portland, Oregon.

Contents

1 Life and career
2 Discography
3 References
4 External links

Life and career

Alela Diane Menig, grew up singing with her musician parents and performing in the school choir. She taught herself guitar, and began writing songs which blend tense, trance-like arpeggios with warm vocals and meditative lyrics about family and nature. Her first recordings were self-released in 2003 as Forest Parade. Her first solo public appearances were at the invitation of fellow Nevada City native Joanna Newsom. She also did a stint in the Nevada City slow grass band Black Bear before continuing with her solo pursuits.

The songs for her album, 'The Pirate’s Gospel', were written on a trip to Europe. They were recorded in her father’s studio and were initially self-released in 2004, in paper and lace sleeves with hand lettering. The album was issued in revised form by Holocene Music^[1] in October 2006, and received widespread critical acclaim.^[2]^[3]^[4]^[5]^[6]

A new song, "Dry Grass and Shadows", was issued on a compilation of Nevada City artists,^[7] and five more new songs were issued on a limited-edition 10" vinyl pressing, Songs Whistled Through White Teeth, released in the UK in October 2006. The Pirate's Gospel was released in the UK on Names Records^[8] in April 2007, garnering favorable reviews in The Times^[9] and NME.^[10]

Alela Diane has toured in the USA both solo and with Tom Brosseau. She had opened for Iron & Wine, Akron/Family, The Decemberists, and Vashti Bunyan. She performed in the UK in April and August 2007. While in the UK in August 2007 she performed at the Green Man Festival in Wales. She also toured extensively in Europe (UK, Ireland, France, Switzerland, Netherlands, Belgium, Germany) in March, April and May 2008.^[11]

She lent her voice to an album of cover versions, The Silence of Love by Headless Heroes, released in November 2008, recorded by Eddie Bezalel and Hugo Nicholson with musicians Josh Klinghoffer, Joey Waronker, Gus Seyffert, Leo Abrahams and Woody Jackson.^[12]

Her second album, To Be Still, was released in February 2009.^[13]^[14]^[15] In early 2009 she toured the USA opening for Blitzen Trapper, and spent the better part of that year touring Europe.

Her third album, Alela Diane & Wild Divine was released in early April 2011. Since the release, she and her band, Wild Divine, which includes her father, Tom Menig, and husband, Tom Bevitori have done tours of both the USA and Europe. In July 2011, they opened for the Fleet Foxes on a string of USA dates. In the fall of the same year she also accompanied them as opening act in Europe.

She now lives in Portland, Oregon, with her husband and cat.

Discography

Main studio albums

The Pirate's Gospel, Holocene Music, 2006 (revised track listing)
To Be Still, Rough Trade, 2009
Alela Diane & Wild Divine, Rough Trade, 2011, UK chart peak: #158^[16]

Self-released albums

Forest Parade, self-released, 2003
The Pirate's Gospel, self-released, 2004

Compilation contributions and other

Dry Grass and Shadows, track on Family Album compilation, Grass Roots Records, 2006
Songs Whistled Through White Teeth, Names Records (UK), 2006 (10” vinyl)
The Pirate's Gospel, Names Records (UK rerelease w/ different artwork), April 2007
The Silence Of Love, Headless Heroes (vocals), Names Records, November 2008
Alela & Alina, Family/Names Records, October 2009 (10” vinyl)
"Leaves of Life", Various Artists, Borne!/Darla Records, 2009

References

External links

Persondata
Name	Diane, Alela
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	April 20, 1983
Place of birth	Nevada City, California, USA
Date of death
Place of death

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