Fri 1/24 @ 8PM
Listening to Emma Shepard’s debut album Public Displays of Affection, it’s hard to believe the Akron-based singer/songwriter/keyboardplayer is still a teenager. You won’t hear any sunny, wide-eyed girlie vocals a la Colby Caillet or Sarah Bareilles here.
Instead her nimble, scampering voice, supported by her emphatic keyboard playing, are more likely to remind you of Tori Amos, Kate Bush or Regina Spektor with their sly, knowing phrasing and a dark undertone even when they’re at their airiest. She shifts from light, offhand mode to forcefully confrontational smoothly, using the latter mode sparingly.
Of course, Shepard was probably born to play music.
Her mother, Tracey Thomas Shepard, was Akron’s hottest new wave babe in the ’80s, fronting the popular Unit 5, and she’s continued to record and perform as a solo act since the ’90s. Her father Scott Shepard owns Akron indie record store Time Traveler Records. She claims to have started writing songs while she was still in grade school — how could she help it? So it’s no wonder her songs are so well crafted and sophisticated.
Although the album’s been available for listening for a while, Shepard is celebrating its official release at Musica this week. She’ll play with a full band that includes her producer Benjamin Payne.
She’s got a pair of Akron’s other outstanding youthful talents on the bill: acoustic singer/songwriter Zach Freidhof, who released his own debut album at age 16 back in 1999, and ShiSho, a wry & tilted sister duo who play accordion and guitar and write witty, memorable songs rife with clever pop culture references extraordinary for girls who are 13 and 17.
Admission is $10.
Akron, OH 44308
One Response to “Emma Shepard Releases Debut Album @AkronMusica”
Rob Rabb
Thanks for supporting local music!!!