Author: Emma Pierce
Nashville based singer-songwriter Liza Anne will be gracing the stage at the Sunset Tavern this Friday in support of the release of her recent LP Fine But Dying off Arts & Crafts productions.
From the internal warfare of “Paranoia” to the subtle devastation of “Closest to Me,” Liza Anne’s third full-length album Fine But Dying is a practice in vulnerability and duality. Liza Anne touches on mental illness, heartbreak, and the general turbulence of the human mind, breaking out of the minimal folk sound of her previous two albums, and bravely traversing the boundaries of genre.
I hadn’t really heard of Liza Anne before last summer when I saw her open for Margaret Glaspy, and I was shook—especially when she played a new song called “Paranoia” (which would later be the first single off Fine But Dying). Luckily I was (and still am) a novice at using a camera and managed to snag a photo that ca
ptured exactly how I felt listening to the song (see below). All in all, I’m looking forward to seeing how Liza Anne has grown over the last several months and I’m curious about how this album will translate live.
Opening for Liza Anne is Valley Queen, a band hailing from Los Angeles, fronted by singer Natalie Carol. Last year I had the opportunity to see Valley Queen open for Laura Marling at the Showbox, and dang! They are a force to be reckoned with! Carol’s voice reminded me of Joni Mitchel with the grit of Patti Smith and the fluttery high octaves of Florence Welch. Valley Queen’s Americana/Laurel Canyon sound will be a great opening set for Liza Anne’s famous melancholia.
To see what I mean, check out this Tiny Desk Concert with Valley Queen from 2016:
Just added to the bill earlier this week is Seattle’s own Caitlin Sherman, formerly of Evening Bell and Slow Skate. Sherman is on the edge of releasing a solo EP, some of which you can hear on her new Soundcloud page.
Interested in seeing Liza Anne’s famous melancholia in person? You’re in luck! Liza Anne, Valley Queen, and Caitlin Sherman will be playing at the Sunset Tavern on Friday, March 30th. Doors open at 8:30 PM and the music begins at 9:00 PM. This event is ages 21+. Tickets and more information can be found here.
EMMA PIERCE | This is a catalogue of all my worst bits | KXSU Senior Digital Editor