MP3: Maren Parusel – “Dear Love”
Maren Parusel may have named her debut album Artificial Gardens, but there’s nothing phony about her music. From the opening plea of “Please Don’t Take Your Eyes Away” to the naked desire of “Kiss You,” Gardens drips with vulnerability and sincerity.
It’s hard to believe such tenderness comes from the former singer of a punk band. Shortly after moving to San Diego from her native Germany, Parusel sang in the all-girl Wild Weekend, which began as a The Zeros cover band before segueing to original material. That group eventually parted ways, with members Kelly Alvarez and Cara Bowman later forming the sweetly scrappy Jungle Fever.
Parusel would go on to follow her own muse: pop music. Thanks to her canny knack for melody and heartfelt lyrics, she’s built a solid following in San Diego and beyond. She’s played NBC’s SoundDiego Sessions, opened for local legends The Black Heart Procession, and last March she hit the road for an eventful excursion to South By Southwest.
But all of that has only been the lead-in to Parusel’s debut album, the afore-mentioned Artificial Gardens. Thanks to some assured production by The Black Heart Procession’s Pall Jenkins, every nuance of Parusel’s songwriting has been lovingly committed to tape.
You can pick up a copy of all 13 irresistible tracks on June 23 at Bar Pink during the Artificial Gardens CD-release party. Parusel and her band will be playing, along with Buffalo Daughter and Touche. Tickets for the event can be purchased here.
After that, it’s back to the road for Maren and Co. as they embark on a cross-country tour that will take them to just about every major city you can think of, and is sure to win them a slew of well-deserved fans.
Maren Parusel tour dates
6/23/11 SAN DIEGO CA BAR PINK (CD RELEASE SHOW)
6/30/11 LOS ANGELES CA Silverlake Lounge
7/5/11 TUCSON AZ Eclipse
7/6/11 TEMPE AZ Yucca Tap Room
7/7/11 EL PASO TX LowBrow Palace
7/8/11 DENTON TX Rubber Gloves
7/9/11 SAN ANTONIO TX Salute
7/10/11 AUSTIN TX Emo’s Lounge
7/12/11 HOUSTON TX Rudyards
7/13/11 NEW ORLEANS The Allways Lounge
7/14/11 ATLANTA GA 529 Venue
7/15/11 JACKSONVILLE, FL Jack Rabbit Club
7/16/11 WILMINGTON SC Hollister 47
7/17/11 DURHAM NC Motorco Music Hall
7/19/11 BALTIMORE MD Golden West Cafe
7/20/11 BROOKLYN NY Knitting Factory
7/21/11 NEW HAVEN CT Cafe Nine
7/22/11 NEW YORK NY Pianos NYC- Main Room
7/23/11 PHILADELPHIA PA The Fire
7/24/11 WASHINGTON DC Restaurant Judy
7/26/11 NEWPORT KY The Southgate House
7/27/11 CLEVELAND OH Now That’s Class
7/28/11 PITTSBURGH PA Brillbox
7/29/11 COLUMBUS OH Carabar
7/30/11 ST LOUIS MO Firebird
8/2/11 KANSAS CITY MO Record Bar
8/3/11 DENVER CO Larimar Lounge
8/4/11 SALT LAKE CITY Burt’s Tiki Lounge
8/5/11 RENO NV TBA
8/6/11 LAS VEGAS NV Artifice
8/7/11 SAN DIEGO, CA The Casbah
8/11/11 SOLANA BEACH, CA Concerts at The Cove