INARA GEORGE: All Rise

Inara George

All Rise

© 2005 ©2004 Everloving Inc. (181229000122)

CD IN STOCK. ORDER NOW. Will ship immediately.

SPECIAL: 10% discount if you buy more than one copy of it today!

Solo debut from The Bird and the Bee's Inara George. As confessional as Anne Sexton and as detached from convention as Björk. Produced by Michael Andrews (Donnie Darko, Metric).

notes

Inara George
All Rise

Every once in a while, a record comes along that marks the arrival of an authentic new voice, singing songs with which we can immediately identify. These are the records we wait for, the records that borough their way into our heads. All Rise, the transcendently beautiful debut solo album from Inara George, is one of those records.

Featuring a collection of captivating songs and George's stunning voice, which KCRW DJ Anne Litt describes as "infinitely listenable," the album has already received regular airplay at the world-famous college station.

Raised in Topanga Canyon, in the house that her mother still lives in, Inara was immersed in a wildly creative atmosphere from the start. Her father was the legendary Little Feat slide guitarist and songwriter Lowell George. And though he died when she was just five, she continued to be exposed to the world he'd been a part of. "My mother kept our house open to a lot of creative people," George explains as she recalls a time when the Violent Femmes stayed at her house on their first tour to LA, "and we were always around a lot of live music and art," including the work of her parents' peers, Van Dyke Parks, Jackson Browne, visual artist and musician Terry Allen and many others.

But Inara herself never considered a career in music. Instead, she went to college in Boston to study classical theater acting, having grown up performing Shakespeare at Topanga's outdoor Theatricum Botanicum. ("I know it's nerdy, but I love Shakespeare," says George who admits stealing from the bard lyrically on her upcoming album.)

One summer home from college, George started the band Lode with some friends from her high school, "on a lark." Much to her surprise they were very quickly signed to Geffen and toured for two years. When they broke up, she escaped to New York to figure out what she might do next...

Before long, Inara found herself back in California and in another band, Merrick, her collaboration with Bryony Atkinson. A favorite on KCRW, Merrick was at the center of the burgeoning Silverlake/Echo Park music scene alongside BRMC, Devendra Banhart, Midnight Movies, and Eleni Mandel. The band broke up in 2002.

According to George, All Rise could not have happened if she hadn't met up with producer/guitarist Michael Andrews, who composed the scores to Donnie Darko, Freaks and Geeks ` and co-wrote many of Inara's songs.

"Mike is inspired. He's insanely talented like some crazy mad scientist. I don't think I've ever met anyone like him. And he gathered together all these incredible people to work on the record."

All Rise features a cadre of stellar west coast musicians including keyboardist Greg Kurstin, (Beck, Bobby Hutcherson and Ben Harper), drummer Pete McNeal (Jem and Cake) and Greyboy Allstar bassist Chris Stillwell, who collectively frame George's cherubic voice in dimension.

Andrews speaks of George's music, "What Inara does with music is much like when someone comes into your kitchen, takes what odd items of food might be left in your fridge and makes a delicious and humble meal. Her music is both familiar and original, soothing and challenging, grounded yet elevating. Her lyrics express without explaining and her musical forms feel outside of the predictable, yet somehow it still flows naturally."

To hear the record is to understand. Inara's thoughtful lyrics and optimistic, vulnerable voice offer a wisdom and sense of irony that can't be served by the naïve and ambitious youths who dominate today's airwaves. Her phrasing is unique, yet strangely reminiscent of male singers, like Leonard Cohen or Nick Drake. And how the record sounds seems to defy context, gracefully blending the nostalgic and the contemporary, the organic and the synthesized into an immensely palatable, and wholly consistent, soundscape all it's own.

please visit everloving.com and myspace.com/inarageorge for more info

reviews

Please log in to review this album.

  • author: Jennifer Wells

    A quirky and upbeat album!! I love "Fools in Love"...is there any other kind she says? Isn't that the truth? Love it! Can't wait for another album!

  • author: Olivier

    Lovely voice. reminds me of Emily haines at some point. Wonderful sound. Great folk album. 5 stars all the way.

  • Very moving album
    author: Oli

    I really like this CD, I'm sure glad I bought it! It's moving and powerful in a very special way. I recommend it to anybody who would like to discover something new. Thanks CDBaby !

  • relaxing multilayered ethereal cotton-candy cloudlike dreamy goodness
    author: ettesildraeht

    Found this beautiful music via the TV show Grey's Anatomy-which featured the beautifully haunting and melancholy "FOOLS IN LOVE" during a key episode last fall...now hearing the entire album, its just Fantastic-nothing as unique has come out in Years! Reminiscent of Bjork crossed with Fiona Apple and Blended with a little Beatles, Inara George is competing with Toilet Paper for the "best thing since sliced bread" award. FABULOUS ALBUM.

  • Great Voice!
    author: Erin

    Her voice is amazing and her songs just sorta suck you in. I would recommend this to anyone!

  • absolutley lovely and perfect!
    author: amanda

    This CD is beautiful just as I suspected it would be! It makes me happy.

  • author: Caburn

    This is a simply beautiful album. Beautiful songs, and a wonderful production. The songs and dreamy moods have been running around in my head for weeks now - must stop playing it so I can concentrate on my work!

  • right on!
    author: Dickie Longberg

    this is a sound ive been waiting for without knowing it existed - i dig it very much - phenomenal live show too - if you get a chance trust me and check it out!!!!

  • SMtv
    author: Thomas

    After listening to Inara Georges interview on SMtv, I checked the CD and what a surprise. This CD is great! I love this.

  • good, influential, surprissing
    author: ben wagner

    i like the cd very much, peculiar was that my daughter, as me dutch, only 13 years, after hearing the cd for the first time sang two or three songs along next time i played the cd, so that means that it is a very very good cd, so i bought two of them to give one away, anyway i saw the cd was sold here in holland and that is a good sign

  • One of a Kind
    author: Samantha Murphy

    I see and hear a lot of artists attempting to pull off this lounge style and what's sadly lacking from most of these artists is songs. Inara has songs, not to mention a pitch perfect voice and incredible production. "Fool's Work" is sheer genius. All Rise is a must have. I look forward to more from this artist.

  • Brilliance
    author: Sarah

    The sound is so sweet and pure that it has fleeting moments of making me a wee bit jealous... except that Inara is so much herself there is no manner or purpose for which to really compete and so jealousy doesn't last. This is one of those artists that inspires me. The album is perfect and if I had a top 20 albums of all time to have in one's collection, this one would be in the top 10.

  • Talented and emotional music.
    author: Martin Andrén

    I must say that this CD is one of my favourites in my collection. So talented and emotional. I think this is music that most people can enjoy without calling it boring or mainstream. It's just different, beautiful and too good to miss. Thanks Inara!

  • Talented and emotional music.
    author: Martin Andrén

    I must say that this CD is one of my favourites in my collection. So talented and emotional. I think this is music that most people can enjoy without calling it boring or mainstream. It's just different, beautiful and too good to miss. Thanks Inara!

  • Ih you haven't heard this CD, your missing out !
    author: Joe Wood

    This CD is a tribute to what actual music is about, where a singer relies on her musical ablilty , and it shows. This is a must buy. I cannot stress that enough. A must buy. Then buy three more CD's a give then to your relatives and friends, and then have them do the same and so on... AND soon the world will know how great she really is

  • A genius fool
    author: G.E.M.

    I listened and fell into your voice. Who are you? A genius fool painting the taste of rain with sounds so clear and warm that we may know. I long for more.

  • the ever-maturing I George
    author: Miguel

    there's a reason this record has put inara george on the mainstream/national radar: it's a testament to her evoution and maturity as a songwriter, composer, and performer -- her ability to package totally original and artistic music in a wholely listneable and accessible way. there's something for everyone -- memorable hooks, totally original melodies, you name it. one listen and you'll understand why the lovely ms george, previously lauded within the LA music circuit, but never fully appreciated, is getting such great ink and frequent airplay.

  • good stuff ; very chill
    author: C-dog

    After months of listening to songs off website, i just purchased 2 copies, one for me and one for my girlfriend. She better like it, if she does I will surprise her with tickets to the show on 2/18 in L.A. Couple of "Fools in Love" But the kicker was when I was listening to the radio and I heard 2 songs within 30 minutes on 89.9, a station I never have the radio on and there it was playing. Knew I needed to hurry and get this CD. Good listening to all!!

email

Please log in to email this artist.