Valerie June releasing debut LP (stream a track), touring
by Andrew Sacher
Memphis singer/songwriter Valerie June doesn’t sound like Stevie Nicks, but that was the first person who came to mind when I heard just how unique and powerful she sings. Her debut album, Pushin’ Against A Stone (due out 8/13 via Concord), was co-produced by The Black Keys’ Dan Auerbach (with Kevin Augunas), and the pairing is more than appropriate on a track like “You Can’t Be Told” (stream on NPR), which isn’t too far off from Auerbach’s own band. But on another, “Twined and Twisted,” Valerie is backed only by gentle acoustic guitar, and a song like this makes her far more than just “another Black Keys band.” It rings of Song to a Seagull-era Joni Mitchell, and despite its old soul, sounds entirely in the now. That track makes its premiere in this post, and you can stream it below.
Valerie had toured with Jake Bugg earlier this year (maybe you caught their Bowery Ballroom show), and this August she’ll head back out on the road for a headlining US tour. That tour includes a return to NYC, where she’ll play an album release show on August 14 at City Winery with Tall Tall Trees. Tickets for that show are on sale now.
All dates are listed, along with the song stream, below…
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Valerie June – “Twined and Twisted”
Valerie June — 2013 Tour Dates
Jul 13 Hyde Park London, United Kingdom
Jul 14 North Sea Jazz Rotterdam, Netherlands
Jul 15 Montreux Jazz Festival Montreux, Switzerland
Jul 19 Gent Jazz Festival Gent, Belgium
Jul 21 Latitude Henham Park, United Kingdom
Jul 25 THEATRES ROMAINS DE FOURVIERE Lyon, France
Jul 27 New Music Supper Club London, United Kingdom
Jul 28 Cambridge Folk Festival Cambridge, United Kingdom
Aug 01 Zomerparkfeest Venlo, Netherlands
Aug 02 Esperanzah Festival Floreffe, Belgium
Aug 03 Camp Bestival Dorset, United Kingdom
Aug 10 Cedar Cultural Center Minneapolis, MN
Aug 14 City Winery New York, NY
Aug 15 Tin Angel Philadelphia, PA
Aug 17 Chenango Blues Festival Norwich, NY
Aug 18 IOTA Club & Cafe Arlington, VA RSVP
Aug 24 Rock En Seine Paris, France
Aug 25 Cabaret Verts Charleville-Mézières, France
Aug 30 Zurich Open Air Zurich, Switzerland
Aug 31 Electric Picnic County Laois, Ireland
Sep 01 End of the Road Festival Gardenstown, United Kingdom
Sep 06 Into the Great Wide Open Vlieland, Netherlands
Sep 08 Bestival Isle Of Wight, United Kingdom
Nov 09 La Cigale Paris, France
Nov 10 Stereolux Nantes, France
Nov 12 Bikini Toulouse, France
Nov 13 Le 106 Rouen, France
Nov 19 Moods Zurich, Switzerland
Nov 22 Tivoli Utrecht, Netherlands
Nov 25 Thekla Bristol, United Kingdom
Nov 26 Islington Assembly Hall London, United Kingdom
