Kristin Cofer
Listen to Emma Ruth Rundle’s new album
Marked for Death
streaming now on The Independent
“The waves of cascading reverb-drenched electric guitar provide a shimmering, dark foundation for the sweetly haunting melody of Rundle’s fragile vocals, surely her most exposed and finest vocal delivery to date. ” The Independent
“…Rundle’s voice is magnetic, possessing not only a tingling electricity, but also a compelling tenderness.” – Consequence of Sound
“…a sort of old-souled wisdom, conjuring the vastness of a sea.” – Pitchfork
“… a sophomore effort of Cat Power-like tenderness and PJ Harvey-level intensity.” – Fader
Emma Ruth Rundle will release her second solo album, Marked for Death on 30th September, on Sargent House. Ahead of its release, The Independent is streamingMarked for Death in its entirety – describing her music as “transgressive, heart-breaking and exhilirating, as if the sonic soundscape created were carrying Rundle through her melancholy.”
The album mines feelings of loss, defeat, heartache and self-destructiveness and emerges as Emma Ruth Rundle‘s most honest and compelling accomplishment to date. The record finds Rundle emerging as a performer of naked intensity; she shapes vast, evocative landscapes of sound, combining them with lyrics of devastating candor. Transforming pain into works of great beauty makes her the compelling artist she is. A more adventurous production than her solo debut Some Heavy Ocean (2014, Sargent House), the eight compositions on Marked for Death, helmed by engineer/co-producer Sonny DiPerri, emphasize dynamics and vocal melodies, variable tuning, and a dense layering and texturing of guitars. Nevertheless, fear and self-doubt linger in the shadows of Rundle’s mind, providing an incessant counterpoint to her ambitious talent and sultry, albeit de-emphasized, allure.
Exemplified by the candid, unglamorous cover portrait, Marked For Death takes a persuasive argument for its creator’s utter helplessness in the shadow of defeat. And through a potent dose of dark, hypnotic rock every bit as satisfying as her work withMarriages and Red Sparowes, Marked for Death’s most resonant element is Emma Ruth Rundle herself, settling in to her role as singer/songwriter. Her rich voice, alternately jostled and cradled by the sounds conjured from her guitar, feels more present, perhaps even more deliberate, than ever before.
Watch the video to “Real Big Sky” HERE
Emma Ruth Rundle is on tour in Europe with Wovenhand through October 18th; Marked For Death is available for pre-order now through iTunes and HelloMerch.
EMMA RUTH RUNDLE – ON TOUR WITH WOVENHAND:
Sep 21 Munich, DE – Ampere
Sep 22 Leipzig, DE – UT Connewitz
Sep 23 Berlin, DE – Heimathafen
Sep 26 Arhus, DK – Train
Sep 29 Helsinki, FI – Tavastia
Sep 30 Stockholm, SE – Nalen
Oct 01 Lund, SE – Mejeriet
Oct 02 Copenhagen, DK – Vega Jr.
Oct 04 Eindhoven, NL – Effenaar
Oct 05 Amsterdam, NL – Melkweg
Oct 06 Leuven, BE – Het Depot
Oct 07 Ghent, BE – Handelsbeurs
Oct 08 Charleroi, BE – L’Eden
Oct 10 Lille, FR – L’Aéronef
Oct 11 Paris, FR – La Maroquinerie
Oct 13 Orleans, FR – L’Astrolabe
Oct 14 Grenoble, FR – La Belle Electrique
Oct 15 Feyzin, FR – L’Epicerie Moderne
Oct 16 Toulouse, FR – La Rex
Oct 18 London, UK – The Dome
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