Fri 4/12, Sat 4/13 & Sun 4/14
For many folk-based artists, there comes a point — normally early in their career — when the pure form of the genre leads to stylistic limitations. Specifically, the concern is tied directly to a fear of songwriting redundancy.
It’s at that moment where the singer-songwriter must decide whether to step out of their comfort zone and into uncertainty. To some extent, that’s where Akron-based Gretchen Pleuss found herself before the release of her previous project, 2016’s From Birth, to Breath, to Bone.
“It was really my first effort to deliver an album as a whole, like something you’re supposed to listen to from front to back,” Pleuss said. “I printed it on vinyl for that reason as well, so people will have to sit there and listen to the whole thing. We definitely experimented with different soundscapes. That kind of led into this album.”
While Daughter of the Broader Skies, which is her third release due out April 12 on Sun Pedal Recordings, possesses more structural integrity, Pleuss said she once again explored different and interesting soundscapes.
Notable tracks include the jazzy “Open Door” and the pop-rock “Borders.” The latter combines a rock piano with heavy drums.
“I also have pretty true-to-form folk songs on there like ‘One for All,’ and definitely the single ‘Everybody’s Pretty,’ which is very reminiscent of the folk music that I was inspired by from my parent’s generation from the ’60s and ’70s,” Pleuss said.
That list of artists includes Joni Mitchell, Paul Simon, Nick Drake and Ani Difranco. Pleuss will be paying the new tracks during her upcoming CD release shows booked for April 12 at the Rialto Theatre in Akron, April 13 at Lucky Records in Wooster and April 14 at the Music Box Supper Club in Cleveland.
Originally from Cincinnati before relocating to Northeast Ohio in junior high school, Pleuss spent her youth writing poetry and performing in coffee shops and community center. While she later she graduated to regular venues, it wasn’t until a few years ago that the singer started to take her career seriously.
Since then, Pleuss opened up for the likes of Lisa Loeb, Loudon Wainwright III, Chely Wright, Damien Jurado, Glen Phillips (Toad the Wet Sprocket) and Bill Payne (Little Feat, Doobie Brothers). She’s also toured regionally, including regular jaunts to the East Coast and the South, as well as internationally (Canada, U.K., Ireland).
“I’m definitely touring the new album right off the bat,” Pleuss said. “I’ll be playing regionally following the album release and later this summer I’m booking some tours around the south and east.”
It’s that life experience of seeing America and further exploring her writing, which includes poetry, that Pleuss said has made all of the difference in her music.
“Really, it’s just life experience,” Pleuss said. “The older I get the easier it is to write. The easier it is to know my artistry and know myself, so it comes off as more authentic. I definitely forced myself in the last couple of years to really break out my shell.
“It’s just knowing yourself well enough to say, this is what I’m doing now. That’s why I’m very happy with this new album. I feel like it’s in the direction I’m going. Things will always transform and change as an artist, but this particular album right now in my life suits me. It fits.”
[Written by John Benson]
Akron, OH 44314
Cleveland, OH 44113
One Response to “Northeast Ohio Folk-Rocker Gretchen Pleuss Returns with New Album “Daughter of the Broader Skies””
Carol Pierson
Great review