Sharon Van Etten

Sharon Van Etten
Background information
Birth name	Sharon Van Etten
Born	February 26, 1981[1] Clinton, New Jersey, United States
Origin	Brooklyn, New York, United States
Genres	Indie rock, folk, folk rock
Occupation(s)	Singer-songwriter
Instruments	Vocal, guitar, piano, percussion, omnichord, harmonium
Years active	2007 – present
Labels	Jagjaguwar, Ba Da Bing, Language Of Stone
Associated acts	The Antlers, Shilpa Ray, The National, Beirut, The Walkmen, Wye Oak, Julianna Barwick, Shearwater
Website	sharonvanetten.com

Sharon Van Etten (born February 26, 1981) is an American singer-songwriter^[2][3] from New Jersey.^[4][5][6][7]

Early life

Sharon Van Etten was born in Clinton, New Jersey.^[8] In 1999, she moved to Tennessee to attend Middle Tennessee State University and studied recording, but dropped out of college after a year. Van Etten ended up working at the Red Rose, a coffee and record shop and music venue in Murfreesboro, for about five years. In 2004, she moved back to New Jersey, where she worked at Perryville Wine and Spirits. Van Etten moved to New York in 2005.

Career

Van Etten self-released handmade CDs until 2009, when her debut studio recording was released.^[9][10] Before her studio debut, she worked at Astor Wines and as a publicist at Ba Da Bing Records.^[11]

Because I Was in Love

Van Etten's debut, Because I Was in Love, was released on May 26, 2009, on Language of Stone, and was manufactured and distributed by Drag City. Because I Was in Love was produced by Greg Weeks at Hexham Head studio in Philadelphia.^[9]

epic

On September 21, 2010, Van Etten released her second album epic on Ba Da Bing Records. With no set band at the time, Van Etten called on friends Jeffrey Kish, Dave Hartley, Jessica Larrabee and Andy LaPlant of She Keeps Bees, Cat Martino, Meg Baird, Jim Callan, and Brian Christinzio. The album was produced by Brian McTear at Miner Street Recordings in Philadelphia. NPR described it as possessing "a fuller sound compared to the super-spare arrangements on her first two self-produced albums, but epic still feels incredibly intimate, with lots of room to breathe and unfold."^[12]

Tramp

Sharon Van Etten (January 6, 2013)

Van Etten's third studio album, Tramp, was released on February 7, 2012, on Jagjaguwar. Tramp was produced by The National's Aaron Dessner, and recorded in his home studio in Brooklyn, NY.^[13] The album features musicians Doug Keith, Thomas Bartlett, Bryan Devendorf, Bryce Dessner, Matt Barrick, Rob Moose, Julianna Barwick, Peter Silberman, Logan Coale, Clarice Jensen, Ben Lanz, Zach Condon, and Jenn Wasner.^[14]

Are We There

May 2014 brought about the release of Van Etten's fourth record, Are We There on Jagjaguwar.^[15] Van Etten self-produced the record with Stewart Lerman, with the guidance of bandmate and manager Zeke Hutchins. Most of the recording was done at Hobo Sound Studios in Weehawken, New Jersey, with piano tracks being recorded at Electric Lady Studios in New York City.^[16] The record features musicians Zeke Hutchins, Doug Keith, Heather Woods Broderick, Dave Hartley, Adam Granduciel, Marisa Anderson, Stuart D. Bogie, Mickey Free, Mary Lattimore, Little Isidor, Jacob Morris, Torres' Mackenzie Scott, Shearwater's Jonathan Meiburg, Lower Dens' Jana Hunter and Efterklang affiliate Peter Broderick.

I Don't Want to Let You Down EP

In 2015, the EP I Don't Want to Let You Down was released on Jagjaguwar. It is composed of the songs that did not make it onto Are We There.

Musical style

Van Etten's music is characterized by a heavy use of harmonies.^[2] Van Etten's songs were described by the music website Pitchfork Media as having "echoes of folk tradition."^[9] NPR Music asserts: "Her songs are heartfelt without being overly earnest; her poetry is plainspoken but not overt, and her elegant voice is wrapped in enough rasp and sorrow to keep from sounding too pure or confident."^[12]

Personal life

Van Etten lives in Brooklyn, New York.^[7]

Discography

Albums

• Because I Was in Love (2009)
• epic (2010)
• Tramp (2012)
• Are We There (2014)
• I Don't Want to Let You Down - EP (2015)

Singles

• 2007: "Much More Than That" / "Over Your Shoulder" by Sharon Van Etten (7") - Abaton Book Company, Lost Lathe Series (limited edition: 30 hand-numbered copies)^[17]
• September 10, 2010: "I'm Giving Up on You" / "You Didn't Really Do That" by Sharon Van Etten (7") - Polyvinyl Record Company – PRC-206 (limited edition: 500 copies on black vinyl)^[18]
• April 2013: "Stop Draggin' My Heart Around" / "A Wake for the Minotaur" (7") by Shearon Van Ettenwater (Subpop) - a collaboration between Van Etten and Shearwater for Record Store Day 2013 (limited edition: 1,000 copies)^[19][20][21]
• January 2015: "I Don't Want to Let You Down" by Sharon Van Etten (Digital) - Jagjaguwar ^[22]

Other contributions

• April 2009: "Coming Home" written by Jeremy Joyce for the feature film Woman's Prison (vocals and guitar)
• August 2009: "Kettering," "Thirteen," "Two" and "Shiva" on Hospice by The Antlers (vocals) ^[23]
• March 2011: "Think You Can Wait" by The National from the soundtrack to the film Win Win (backing vocals)^[11]
• April 2012: "Serpents" was featured in the season 2 finale of Lost Girl, "Flesh and Blood"
• December 2012: A cover of Irving Berlin's "What'll I Do" was recorded with Vince Giordano and the Nighthawks for the season 3 finale of Boardwalk Empire, "Margate Sands"^[24]
• December 2012: "Prisoners" with J Mascis on The Music Is You: A Tribute to John Denver^[25][26]
• January 2013: Van Etten performed at John Cale's tribute to Nico, [ A Life Along the Borderline], at the Brooklyn Academy of Music^[27]
• July 2013: "Serpents" was featured in the season 4 trailer for The Walking Dead at Comic-Con^[28]
• August 2013: Van Etten designed a limited edition charity T-shirt which was being sold through the Yellow Bird Project to raise money for Women In Need (WIN), a charity that provides safe housing for homeless women and their children in New York City^[29]
• November 2014: "Every Time the Sun Comes Up" was used in the Season 3 Elementary Episode "The Five Orange Pipz"^[30]
• April 2015: Featured on the song "Sunshine On My Back" by The National, from the Trouble Will Find Me recording sessions^[31]
• May 2016: Appeared on the Grateful Dead tribute album Day of the Dead (2016 album) singing "To Lay Me Down" credited to Perfume Genius, Sharon Van Etten & Friends.
• June 2016: "Every Time The Sun Comes Up" is used for the 'Wedding' Volvo XC90 automobile television advertisement.^[32]

References

1. Davison, Jeffrey (February 11, 2012). "Live Session with Sharon Van Etten and Heather Woods Broderick" (in-studio). WFMU: Shrunken Planet with Jeffrey Davison: Playlist from February 11, 2012]. Retrieved February 21, 2014.
2. Ferguson, Wm. (February 2, 2012). "The Rough Harmonies of Sharon Van Etten". New York Times. Retrieved February 21, 2014.
3. Leahey, Andrew. "Sharon Van Etten: Biography". AllMusic. All Media Network, LLC. Retrieved February 21, 2014.
4. Dollar, Steve (February 3, 2012). "She's Gonna Make It After All". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved February 21, 2014.
5. Chiu, David. "Sharon Van Etten Is Not Hiding Anymore". Microphone Memory Emotion. Retrieved February 22, 2014. September 25, 2009
6. Amaya, Jessica (January 10, 2011). "Sharon Van Etten headlined Bowery Ballroom (pics, video, live recording, setlist), touring through April (dates)". Brooklyn Vegan. Spin Music, a division of SpinMedia. Retrieved February 22, 2014.
7. Bonney, Grace (May 2012). "At Home: with Sharon Van Etten". Design Sponge. Retrieved February 22, 2014.
8. "Sharon Van Etten". NPR. Retrieved February 21, 2014.
9. Murphy, Matthew (June 22, 2009). "Sharon Van Etten: Because I Was in Love". Pitchfork. Pitchfork Media Inc. Retrieved February 21, 2014.
10. Cian Traynor (March 20, 2012). "Blindsided By Love: Sharon Van Etten Interviewed". The Quietus. Retrieved February 22, 2014.
11. Mertes, Micah (March 31, 2011). "Sharon Van Etten, a voice to be reckoned with". Lincoln Journal Star. Retrieved April 25, 2011.
12. Hilton, Robin (September 15, 2010). "First Listen: Sharon Van Etten, 'Epic'". NPR. Retrieved February 21, 2014.
13. Blau, Max (March 9, 2012). "Sharon Van Etten: Tramps Like Us". American Songwriter. Retrieved April 12, 2012.
14. Guendelsberger, Emily (November 9, 2011). "Sharon Van Etten announces new album, tour dates, eerie resemblance to Carrie-Ann Moss". AV Club (Philadelphia). Onion Inc. Archived from the original on April 16, 2012. Retrieved February 21, 2014.
15. "Up to Date Preview of Are We There?". F Yeah! Sharon Van Ettan: Fan Blog for Sharon Van Etten. October 22, 2013. Retrieved February 21, 2014.
16. Roffmanon, Michael (February 20, 2014). "Sharon Van Etten announces new album Are We There". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved February 21, 2014.
17. "Sharon Van Etten – Much More Than That". Discogs. Retrieved February 22, 2014.
18. "Sharon Van Etten – I'm Giving Up on You". Discogs. Retrieved February 22, 2014.
19. "Record Store Day Essential // Shearon Van Ettenwater Split 7". Jagjaguwar. March 26, 2013. Retrieved February 21, 2014.
20. Pelly, Jenn (March 21, 2013). "Sharon Van Etten and Shearwater Releasing Collaborative Sub Pop 7" Single for Record Store Day". Pitchfork. Pitchfork Media Inc. Retrieved February 21, 2014.
21. Modell, Josh (March 13, 2012). "Sharon Van Etten and Shearwater cover "Stop Draggin' My Heart Around" (A.V. Undercover Season 3)" (video). AV Club. Onion Inc. Retrieved February 21, 2014.
22. "Sharon Van Etten – I Don't Want To Let You Down". Discogs. Retrieved March 27, 2014.
23. Kaloudis, Evan (December 21, 2009). "Interview: Peter Silberman of The Antlers". Beats Per Minute. Banquet Media. Retrieved July 19, 2015.
24. "Music from Episode 36 of Boardwalk Empire on HBO". HBO. Retrieved May 22, 2014.
25. ""The Music Is You: A Tribute to John Denver" Out Now!". ATO Records. December 12, 2012. Retrieved February 22, 2014.
26. Roffman, Michael (March 6, 2013). "Listen to J Mascis and Sharon Van Etten cover John Denver's "Prisoners"". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved February 22, 2014.
27. "Life Along the Borderline: A Tribute to Nico", BAM. Accessed August 4, 2014.
28. "Comic-Con Trailer: The Walking Dead Season 4". AMC Networks. Retrieved February 21, 2014.
29. Van Etten, Sharon (August 12, 2013). "New SVE T-shirt is now Live – Proceeds to Charity". Sharon Van Etten. Archived from the original on November 4, 2013. Retrieved February 21, 2014.
30. McNutt, Myles (November 6, 2014). "Elementary: "The Five Orange Pipz"". AV Club. Retrieved December 31, 2014.
31. Powers, Ann (April 2, 2015). "The National, 'Sunshine On My Back' - The 'Trouble Will Find Me' Session Recording Features Sharon Van Etten". NPR. Retrieved May 24, 2015.
32. https://www.ispot.tv/ad/ASxb/2016-volvo-xc90-wedding-song-by-sharon-van-etten

External links

• Official website
• Sharon Van Etten at the Internet Movie Database
• Sharon Van Etten: Tiny Desk Concert on All Songs Considered, NPR Music (15:40)