[{"id":399999205614,"handle":"flying-nun-records","updated_at":"2024-11-04T08:40:05+11:00","published_at":"2022-02-08T16:04:47+11:00","sort_order":"manual","template_suffix":"","published_scope":"web","title":"Flying Nun Records","body_html":"","image":{"created_at":"2022-02-08T16:04:46+11:00","alt":null,"width":300,"height":300,"src":"\/\/flyingnunaustralia.com\/cdn\/shop\/collections\/L-20365-1498236818-5866.jpg?v=1644296686"}},{"id":399997534446,"handle":"vera-ellen","updated_at":"2024-06-26T15:15:11+10:00","published_at":"2022-02-08T15:30:41+11:00","sort_order":"best-selling","template_suffix":"","published_scope":"web","title":"Vera Ellen","body_html":"\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cb data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eVera\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eEllen\u003c\/b\u003e is a Wellington\/Los Angeles based multi-instrumentalist and wildly prolific songwriter, who some may recognise from Los Angeles-band\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eGirl\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eFriday\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e(Hardly Art), or grungy New Zealand 4-piece\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eMaple\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eSyrup\u003c\/b\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eVera Ellen’s\u003c\/strong\u003e debut album\u003cb data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ci data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e, It’s Your Birthday\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e, was written over the space of a few years. Crafting post-punk and noise elements into something slightly sweeter, the album chronicles the highs and lows of Vera’s early twenties. Each song hits an unforgettable, yet relatable, touch stone in Vera’s life.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eVera Ellen\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eis an expert when it comes to concise songwriting; every note and beat is exactly the required dose.\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eIt’s Your Birthday\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003eis full of hooked-to-the-brim melodies, and guided by Vera’s clear, confident, and relaxed vocal presence. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p4\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eVera\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003ehad about 12 demos which she sent to her friends Dad,\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eMark\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eAustin\u003c\/b\u003e. In January of 2020, Vera and Mark recorded it over a couple of days with the help of some friends at\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003ePyramid\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eClub\u003c\/b\u003e. Vera went back to America in February and that was sort of meant to be the end of it, but fortunately for the rest of us and due to the global pandemic, Vera ended up coming back to New Zealand and was able to add songs and extra instrumentation to the album throughout the year. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p4\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ci data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e“If you can imagine, you're twenty years old and you write about some dreadful personal turmoil, and now you're twenty five and you think, let me just share that with everyone I know and a few strangers while we are at it. If I am honest, I'm a little terrified about having this record out in the world. It feels very exposing. At this point I may as well become a nudist.” \u003c\/i\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p4\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ci data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eIt's Your Birthday\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eis\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eVera’s\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003egift to the world, but\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eVera\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003ewants to be the kind of uncle that\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003ealways\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eshows up with a gift on your birthday, so it shan't be the last.\u003c\/p\u003e","image":{"created_at":"2022-02-10T14:06:32+11:00","alt":null,"width":1365,"height":1364,"src":"\/\/flyingnunaustralia.com\/cdn\/shop\/collections\/Vera_Ellen.jpg?v=1644462392"}},{"id":400792649966,"handle":"vinyl","updated_at":"2024-08-27T12:25:16+10:00","published_at":"2022-02-21T19:43:05+11:00","sort_order":"manual","template_suffix":"","published_scope":"web","title":"Vinyl","body_html":""}]
Flying Nun Records are absolutely stoked to announce their latest signing, VeraEllen — a Wellington/Los Angeles based multi-instrumentalist and wildly prolific songwriter, who you may recognise from LA band GirlFriday (Hardly Art), or grungy NZ 4-piece MapleSyrup.
VeraEllen’sFlyingNun debut, It’s Your Birthday, was written over the space of a few years. It chronicles the highs and lows of Vera’s early twenties, and is integral to the artist’s growing process. Each song hits some kind of unforgettable, yet relatable, touch stone in Vera’s life:
“I feel pulled back to those moments whenever I play the songs. Some of it was written when I was broke living behind a sheet in a lounge in Hollywood, some inspired by the characters both beautiful and dark (mostly both) I met in Los Angeles, some when I felt rejection in the lowest pits of my stomach and also when I felt so much elation I thought it couldn't be possible to be any higher, some when l was so homesick I wanted to puke, some in the throws of love and other heartbreak. The stuff of life.”
“If you listen through it tells a story of where I was to where I am. Not that anything is ever truly resolved or figured out. It makes me happy having this body of work to give some meaning to some really dark places I have been in the last few years. Places that otherwise felt like a string of random unconnected feelings and events. If all my diaries burn, at least I will have this album.”
Vera had about 12 demos which she sent to her friends Dad, MarkAustin. In January of 2020, Vera and Mark recorded it over a couple of days with the help of some friends at PyramidClub. Vera went back to America in February and that was sort of meant to be the end of it, but fortunately for the rest of us and due to the global pandemic, Vera ended up coming back to New Zealand and was able to add songs and extra instrumentation to the album throughout the year.
“If you can imagine, you're twenty years old and you write about some dreadful personal turmoil, and now you're twenty five and you think, let me just share that with everyone I know and a few strangers while we are at it. If I am honest, I'm a little terrified about having this record out in the world. It feels very exposing. At this point I may as well become a nudist.”
It's Your Birthday is Vera’s gift to the world, but Vera wants to be the kind of uncle that always shows up with a gift on your birthday, so it shan't be the last.
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