Keeping with our theme of new rock releases, I’d like to introduce you all to a local artist named Michele Ari. Her latest EP, mal a’ propos, was recorded here in Nashville and released in November 2009.
Her first EP, 85th & Nowhere, received a lot of critical acclaim in the UK, and at that time Ari thought of moving there. After putting a lot of effort into making that move – only to see it not happen – she needed a new place to go. She bounced around Chicago and Atlanta, and someone told her to come to Nashville. She was skeptical at first, thinking of Music City as a hub for mostly country music. But she came anyway, to see what the scene was like.
Her first goal was to just start playing live music again, and she did. She knew that she still had fans elsewhere, though, and doesn’t play Nashville shows all the time. The value in playing here, she says, is finding and meeting other musicians. She eventually found some good players to work with, and they recorded mal a’ propros.
The new EP, and Ari’s style in general, has been compared to early 80s rock/punk, with specific references to Nick Lowe and Blondie. Her official bio describes the sound as “favoring the quirks, sharp edges and left-of-center mentality of old school punk, new wave, power pop and college rock.”
She likes to tour, sometimes with her full band and sometimes with just her guitarist. Recent tours have taken her to Chicago and Cincinnati, and she’s planning to hit New York this spring. She does have one local date on February 17th, at Loudhouse Coffee. Instead of cultivating fans in just one city, though, she likes to get her music out to people all over.
Michele Ari is currently filling up her gig calendar for spring and summer, and is seeking the next set of road-ready players. Check out her music here, and drop her a line (micheleinquiries@gmail.com) if you think you could be a good fit with her style.
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