Category Archives: Alela Diane

Alela covers an old favourite…

Posted in Alela Diane on February 9, 2010

Alela’s hometown record label Grassroots are releasing a tribute version of the Graham Nash classic album ‘Songs For Beginners’
featuring Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy, Robin Pecknold, Brendan Benson, Vetiver and Mariee Sioux as well as Alela the release is 25th May and a limited edition vinyl is available to pre-order here

“Songs for Beginners” is an emerald in my record collection. I’ve loved this album for years – It’s timeless, honest & beautiful…It is an honor to be a part of this modern day rendition of something so sacred.” – Alela Diane.sidebar-1_500x290.shkl

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Alela & Alina: released this week!

Posted in Alela Diane on October 13, 2009

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Right on the back of a mammoth European tour that included almost every summer festival an appearance on BBC’s Later with Jools Holland and then an Uncut ‘Album Of The Year’ Nomination.. we are proud to release the companion EP to ‘To Be Still’ …

‘Alela & Alina’ is released today digitally on iTunes and Amazon and will be available on a limited edition 10″ vinyl in two weeks. You can pre-order the vinyl here.

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Family presents: Alela & Alina – Alela Diane and Alina Hardin.

Posted in Alela Diane on September 2, 2009

Released on October 5th on Limited edition numbered 10″ vinyl with lyrics insert, and digital download.

Side One: 1.Amidst the Movement 2.Bowling Green 3.Crying Wolf
Side Two: 1.Matty Groves 2.I Have Returned 3.Rake

Names Records are proud to announce the birth of Family. This new imprint will concentrate purely on limited edition releases in limited edition formats. It might be a 10”, it might be a CD single, it might be digital only, we’re keeping our options open at the moment.

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The very first release on a label is always special – and the very first record on Family is doubly so as it features two beautiful singers and songwriters – both with new recordings and versions of songs they’ve always loved, all recorded in two days earlier this summer in Portland, Oregon.

Alela Diane you’ll probably know. The most startlingly wonderful new folk voice to arrive in the last five years, Alela has toured and charmed the insides out of most of the parts of the world comfortable enough in their own skin to allow themselves to be moved by a person singing about the life they live and the life they might have lived. Here Alela sings two new songs, Amidst the Movement and I Have Returned, while also sharing with Alina versions of the traditional songs, Bowling Green and Matty Groves.

Alina Hardin has been touring with Alela for a while, she also sang harmony vocals on Alela’s To Be Still album. Alina grew up in Nevada City, singing along with her mother and sister to Alan Lomax’s book of American Folk Songs. She bought her first guitar at 18 and her songs are full of stories and poetry and memories. She sings a new song, Crying Wolf, as well as sharing a version of Townes Van Zandt’s Rake – taken from his classic 1971 album, Delta Momma Blues – with Alela.

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Alela kicks off US tour with Blitzen Trapper

Posted in Alela Diane on February 21, 2009

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Alela Diane 'To Be Still': The goodness……

Posted in Alela Diane on February 20, 2009

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**** THE GUARDIAN
**** THE OBSERVER
**** THE OBSERVER MUSIC MONTHLY
**** THE TIMES
**** UNCUT
**** MOJO
**** TIME-OUT
***** METRO

‘ You would truly be hard pressed to find a more delicate, unassuming, original, and comforting voice active in folk music today’- Other Music NYC

‘ Alela’s ‘pirates gospel’ was our album of the year for 2007, and it seems that she has surpassed even that with this amazing album’ – Rough Trade Shops

‘ This is a timeless-sounding record and whether you’re a fan or a stranger drawn in by the hype, this is certainly worth a purchase’ – Music Magazine

‘ It’s her purposeful knack of combining melody with her own effortless ability to cultivate a delicious vocal harmony which makes To Be Still so remarkable’-Fact Magazine (8/10)

‘ Alela Diane is a name that should, and no doubt will, be perched high on top of the pack for a long time to come’-Clash Magazine (8/10)

‘ This release is stellar stuff’ -Music Week

‘ Honestly I could probably gush about every song on this album, but for the sake of brevity I’ll just say that it is pretty much all fantastic’- Culture Bully

‘There’s a lot of female singer/songwriters about at the moment, but Alela Diane stands head and shoulders above them all’ – Music OHM

‘She’s a musically literate Scout Niblett, a fledgling Nina Nastasia, a lone rival to Anni Rossi for release of the month. She’s really rather good’ – Subba Cultcha

‘ Alela Diane’s ‘To Be Still’ is a lyrical masterpiece, a body of work that is as restless as the sea’- Pamplemoose

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Alela Diane "White As Diamonds" Free Download.

Posted in Alela Diane on February 5, 2009

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‘White as Diamonds’ is taken from the forthcoming album ‘To Be Still’ (16th Feb), the follow-up to Alela Diane’s critically-acclaimed 2006 debut ‘The Pirates Gospel’ which brought the Nevada City, CA-reared musician a passionate following across the Globe. Download “White As Diamonds” for free here.

Alela Diane UK live dates:
25th March – The Sage, Gateshead
26th March – ABC2, Glasgow
27th March – The Deaf Institue, Manchester
29th March – Howard Assembly Room, Leeds
30th March – St Giles Church, London (SOLD OUT)
17th September – Shepherds Bush Empire, London

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Alela Diane "White As Diamonds"

Posted in Alela Diane on January 23, 2009

“White As Diamonds” is taken from the forthcoming album “To Be Still” (16th Feb), the follow-up to Alela Dianes critically-acclaimed 2006 debut The Pirates Gospel which brought the Nevada City, CA-reared musician a passionate following across the Globe especially in europe where Alela has a huge fan base..

Recorded in Nevada City and Portland, Ore., it’s a gorgeous sonic expansion of her sparse debut, featuring pedal steel, violin and rustic percussion, with lyrics tangled up in brambles and foxtails and wind-whipped sea cliffs. From the woozy folk flourishes of opener “Dry Grass & Shadows,” to the heart-shattering final track, “Lady Divine”

“It began in Portland, OR and was finished in scatters between tours at my dad’s home studio in Nevada City, CA,” Alela says. “I wanted to record this collection of songs using arrangements which would represent them in their finest form. These songs requested more instrumental filigree than those on The Pirate’s Gospel. It was challenging to delicately yet purposefully incorporate instrumentation into songs that I was so used to singing by myself. I was determined to make it work, because I wanted percussion! I wanted to hear the lonesome bow of the violin! I heard many harmonies in my head, and so I set out to capture them.”

This fantastic new album comes hot on the heels of the Headless Heroes album The Silence of Love which Alela contributed vocals for and has gained much critical acclaim and thousands of new fans!!

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