Outlaster
Encyclopedia
Outlaster is the fifth studio album
recorded by American
singer-songwriter
Nina Nastasia
. It was released on June 7, 2010 internationally and June 22, 2010 in the United States by Fat Cat Records
(see 2010 in music
).
The album was once again recorded by long-time collaborator Steve Albini
at Electrical Audio Studios in Chicago. Los Angeles-based arranger Paul Bryan conducted score for a small orchestra, while Nina and Kennan Gudjonsson assembled string and woodwind
quartets. Jay Bellerose, who appeared on previous albums The Blackened Air
and On Leaving
, makes his returns on drums while Tortoise
member Jeff Parker
performs guitar.
A single, "Cry, Cry Baby," was released in advance of the record on May 10 internationally and May 18 in the U.S. and Canada. "You Can Take Your Time" was released as the second single from the album on December 6, 2010.
Nina Nastasia's long-time companion Kennan Gudjonsson has been confirmed as being a "de facto
" producer for the record. On his short recording log of the sessions, conductor Paul Bryan stated that Kennan is "a musician missing an instrument; he has ultra-musical instincts and was a great set of ears in the control room. It was an intense four days and really fun."
Although no studio version of album opener and lead single "Cry, Cry, Baby" is known to have been recorded prior to its inclusion on Outlaster, the track had been performed live numerous times since the Run To Ruin
-era, most notably as part of her third Peel Session
in December 2002 under the title "Cry Baby." The track was performed alongside "Party Favour," which would later be re-titled "Your Red Nose" and released as the b-side to the non-album single What She Doesn't Know
in 2008.
was promoted by a ten-date tour of the United Kingdom beginning May 22, 2010. These shows were said to be in advance of a more intensive touring programme set to be announced for the early Autumn. While performing in Manchester on May 25, Nastasia, accompanied by touring violinist Matt Szemela, recorded an acoustic session for BBC6 Music
's Marc Riley
program, performing three tracks — "Wakes," "Outlaster" and "This Familiar Way" — from the album, as well as conducting a brief interview.
On May 4, 2010, Clash Music
launched an exclusive competition in which the winner would receive a screen-print
of the album artwork, a tote bag and a "luxerious" vinyl copy of the album. On the same date, album track "What's Out There" was officially premiered on Stereogum's website, who described the track as being "dramatic [and] ambitious... the piece is gleefully exploding at the seems." A limited run of 250 screen-prints and tote bags were later sold at Nastasia's official web-store.
The album was made available for pre-order at iTunes on May 19. Notably, the pre-order listed an 11th track that, up until that point, had not been advertised or mentioned in any press release or article. The delicate acoustic track has the unusual title of "I'monamotherfuckingboat" (sic
).
On September 28, an acoustic session recorded for Rockfeedback
was released on their website. The four tracks — "Outlaster," "Cry, Cry, Baby," "What's Out There" and "I Go With Him" — were once again performed with Matt Szemela and were accompanied by an interview. The second leg of the Outlaster tour was announced via the Nastasia mailing list. Running from October 1 until November 26, Nastasia once again performed throughout Europe with Szemela accompanying on violin. The third leg of the tour — and the first to feature a full band — was due to begin in Cardiff on November 29, 2010. However, this twelve-date U.K. and Ireland tour was cancelled, citing unspecified "health concerns." Rescheduled dates are due to be announced in the future.
. An intimate demo
recorded at the beginning of March 2010 by Nastasia in her own bathroom, "Our Gang" is expected to be remade in the future with a "broader arrangement." Prior to the album's release, "Cry, Cry, Baby" was added to Nastasia's MySpace profile, while a music video for the track — her only music video to date — was released on April 13, 2010 as an exclusive stream on Pitchfork.tv. Directed by photographer Theo Stanley, the video consists of one single, unedited panoramic
shot of the song being performed live in Nastasia's Chelsea, Manhattan
apartment on March 15, 2010.
' annual sampler. This compilation was initially released in a limited capacity as a promotional CD, while a more public release followed when it was later made available as a free download to anyone who signed up to the Fat Cat Records mailing list. Prior to this, the track was frequently performed live during Nastasia's European tour of 2008. "You Can Take Your Time" was released as the second single from the album on December 6, 2010, and was backed by another exclusive b-side, "One Turned In."
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
recorded by American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
Nina Nastasia
Nina Nastasia
Nina Nastasia is a New York City-based singer-songwriter born in Hollywood, California.-Biography:She began writing songs in 1993, and released her first album, Dogs, in 2000. Only 1,500 copies of the album were initially pressed, with Nastasia putting together the album packaging herself in her...
. It was released on June 7, 2010 internationally and June 22, 2010 in the United States by Fat Cat Records
Fat Cat Records
Fat Cat Records is an independent label based in Brighton on England’s South Coast. Their output includes electronica, post rock, indie, downtempo, minimal techno, noise and punk-pop...
(see 2010 in music
2010 in music
2010 in music may refer to:*2010 in American music*2010 in Australian music*2010 in British music*2010 in Canadian music*2010 in European music *2010 in Irish music*2010 in Japanese music*2010 in New Zealand music...
).
The album was once again recorded by long-time collaborator Steve Albini
Steve Albini
Steven Frank Albini is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist, audio engineer and music journalist. He was a member of Big Black, Rapeman, and Flour, and is currently a member of Shellac...
at Electrical Audio Studios in Chicago. Los Angeles-based arranger Paul Bryan conducted score for a small orchestra, while Nina and Kennan Gudjonsson assembled string and woodwind
Woodwind instrument
A woodwind instrument is a musical instrument which produces sound when the player blows air against a sharp edge or through a reed, causing the air within its resonator to vibrate...
quartets. Jay Bellerose, who appeared on previous albums The Blackened Air
The Blackened Air
The Blackened Air is the second album by American singer-songwriter Nina Nastasia. The final track, That's All There Is, was held over from sessions for her debut, Dogs...
and On Leaving
On Leaving
On Leaving is the fourth album by American singer-songwriter Nina Nastasia. It was released on September 11, 2006 on Fat Cat Records. It was recorded by Steve Albini and produced by Nastasia, Kennan Gudjonsson, and Albini...
, makes his returns on drums while Tortoise
Tortoise (band)
Tortoise is an American post-rock band formed in Chicago, Illinois, in 1990.-Music:Tortoise's almost entirely instrumental music defies easy categorization, and the group gained significant attention from their early career. The members have roots in Chicago's fertile music scene, playing in...
member Jeff Parker
Jeff Parker (musician)
Jeff Parker is an American jazz and rock guitarist based in Chicago. Parker is best known as an experimental musician, working with avant-garde electronic, rock, and improvisational groups....
performs guitar.
A single, "Cry, Cry Baby," was released in advance of the record on May 10 internationally and May 18 in the U.S. and Canada. "You Can Take Your Time" was released as the second single from the album on December 6, 2010.
Recording and background
Recording sessions for the album took place over the course of four days at Electrical Audio Studios in Chicago from March 9–12, 2009. The album was tracked by the full band during the first three days, with conductor Paul Bryan admitting that "[...] things got off to an alarmingly slow start, but we eventually fell into a groove; I would rehearse the strings while Nina, Jay and Jeff would fool around with ideas. Once I felt we were ready to track, I would grab a bass and hope that we could pull off something usable while the tape was still rolling." Piano, woodwind and horn sections were overdubbed at the beginning of the fourth day of recording, with Steve Albini completing the mixing of the record by the end of that same night.Nina Nastasia's long-time companion Kennan Gudjonsson has been confirmed as being a "de facto
De facto
De facto is a Latin expression that means "concerning fact." In law, it often means "in practice but not necessarily ordained by law" or "in practice or actuality, but not officially established." It is commonly used in contrast to de jure when referring to matters of law, governance, or...
" producer for the record. On his short recording log of the sessions, conductor Paul Bryan stated that Kennan is "a musician missing an instrument; he has ultra-musical instincts and was a great set of ears in the control room. It was an intense four days and really fun."
Although no studio version of album opener and lead single "Cry, Cry, Baby" is known to have been recorded prior to its inclusion on Outlaster, the track had been performed live numerous times since the Run To Ruin
Run to Ruin
Run to Ruin is the third album by American singer-songwriter Nina Nastasia. It was recorded by Steve Albini at Black Box studio in Noyant-la-Gravoyère, France and at Looking Glass studio in New York...
-era, most notably as part of her third Peel Session
John Peel
John Robert Parker Ravenscroft, OBE , known professionally as John Peel, was an English disc jockey, radio presenter, record producer and journalist. He was the longest-serving of the original BBC Radio 1 DJs, broadcasting regularly from 1967 until his death in 2004...
in December 2002 under the title "Cry Baby." The track was performed alongside "Party Favour," which would later be re-titled "Your Red Nose" and released as the b-side to the non-album single What She Doesn't Know
What She Doesn't Know
"What She Doesn't Know" is a 7" single by American singer-songwriter Nina Nastasia, released on February 25, 2008 by Fat Cat Records.The two songs on "What She Doesn't Know" were recorded by Steve Albini in Chicago during the sessions for Nastasia's 2006 album On Leaving...
in 2008.
Release and promotion
The release of the album in EuropeEurope
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
was promoted by a ten-date tour of the United Kingdom beginning May 22, 2010. These shows were said to be in advance of a more intensive touring programme set to be announced for the early Autumn. While performing in Manchester on May 25, Nastasia, accompanied by touring violinist Matt Szemela, recorded an acoustic session for BBC6 Music
BBC 6 Music
BBC 6 Music is one of the BBC's digital radio stations, was launched on 11 March 2002 and originally codenamed Network Y. It was the first national music radio station to be launched by the BBC in 32 years....
's Marc Riley
Marc Riley
Marc Riley is a British musician, alternative rock critic and radio DJ on BBC 6 Music. Formerly a member of The Fall, he had his own record label, In-Tape, and also worked as a record plugger...
program, performing three tracks — "Wakes," "Outlaster" and "This Familiar Way" — from the album, as well as conducting a brief interview.
On May 4, 2010, Clash Music
Clash (magazine)
Clash is a popular music and fashion magazine based in the United Kingdom. Its magazine title is published 12 times a year. It has a circulation of around 40,000....
launched an exclusive competition in which the winner would receive a screen-print
Poster
A poster is any piece of printed paper designed to be attached to a wall or vertical surface. Typically posters include both textual and graphic elements, although a poster may be either wholly graphical or wholly text. Posters are designed to be both eye-catching and informative. Posters may be...
of the album artwork, a tote bag and a "luxerious" vinyl copy of the album. On the same date, album track "What's Out There" was officially premiered on Stereogum's website, who described the track as being "dramatic [and] ambitious... the piece is gleefully exploding at the seems." A limited run of 250 screen-prints and tote bags were later sold at Nastasia's official web-store.
The album was made available for pre-order at iTunes on May 19. Notably, the pre-order listed an 11th track that, up until that point, had not been advertised or mentioned in any press release or article. The delicate acoustic track has the unusual title of "I'monamotherfuckingboat" (sic
Sic
Sic—generally inside square brackets, [sic], and occasionally parentheses, —when added just after a quote or reprinted text, indicates the passage appears exactly as in the original source...
).
On September 28, an acoustic session recorded for Rockfeedback
Rockfeedback
Rockfeedback.com is a London-based music website that has been online since 2000. It reviews alternative and indie music, global gigs, interviews, videos, mp3s and competitions. It was designed and maintained by Transgressive Records co-founder Toby L, who founded the site at the age of 15...
was released on their website. The four tracks — "Outlaster," "Cry, Cry, Baby," "What's Out There" and "I Go With Him" — were once again performed with Matt Szemela and were accompanied by an interview. The second leg of the Outlaster tour was announced via the Nastasia mailing list. Running from October 1 until November 26, Nastasia once again performed throughout Europe with Szemela accompanying on violin. The third leg of the tour — and the first to feature a full band — was due to begin in Cardiff on November 29, 2010. However, this twelve-date U.K. and Ireland tour was cancelled, citing unspecified "health concerns." Rescheduled dates are due to be announced in the future.
"Cry, Cry, Baby"
Outlaster was supported by the release of two singles, the first album tracks of Nastasia's career to be selected for release as stand-alone singles. The first single, "Cry, Cry, Baby", was released solely as a digital download on May 10, 2010 internationally and later on May 18 in the United States and Canada. It was backed by the previously unreleased "Our Gang" as its b-sideA-side and B-side
A-side and B-side originally referred to the two sides of gramophone records on which singles were released beginning in the 1950s. The terms have come to refer to the types of song conventionally placed on each side of the record, with the A-side being the featured song , while the B-side, or...
. An intimate demo
Home recording
Home recording is the practice of recording in a private home, rather than in a professional recording studio. A studio set up for home recording is called a "project studio" or "home studio". Home recording is practiced by indie bands, singer-songwriters, hobbyists, podcasters, documentarians,...
recorded at the beginning of March 2010 by Nastasia in her own bathroom, "Our Gang" is expected to be remade in the future with a "broader arrangement." Prior to the album's release, "Cry, Cry, Baby" was added to Nastasia's MySpace profile, while a music video for the track — her only music video to date — was released on April 13, 2010 as an exclusive stream on Pitchfork.tv. Directed by photographer Theo Stanley, the video consists of one single, unedited panoramic
Panoramic photography
Panoramic photography is a technique of photography, using specialized equipment or software, that captures images with elongated fields of view. It is sometimes known as wide format photography. The term has also been applied to a photograph that is cropped to a relatively wide aspect ratio...
shot of the song being performed live in Nastasia's Chelsea, Manhattan
Chelsea, Manhattan
Chelsea is a neighborhood on the West Side of the borough of Manhattan in New York City. The district's boundaries are roughly 14th Street to the south, 30th Street to the north, the western boundary of the Ladies' Mile Historic District – which lies between the Avenue of the Americas and...
apartment on March 15, 2010.
"You Can Take Your Time"
The album's second single was first released on August 10, 2009, when it appeared on the 2009 edition of Fat Cat RecordsFat Cat Records
Fat Cat Records is an independent label based in Brighton on England’s South Coast. Their output includes electronica, post rock, indie, downtempo, minimal techno, noise and punk-pop...
' annual sampler. This compilation was initially released in a limited capacity as a promotional CD, while a more public release followed when it was later made available as a free download to anyone who signed up to the Fat Cat Records mailing list. Prior to this, the track was frequently performed live during Nastasia's European tour of 2008. "You Can Take Your Time" was released as the second single from the album on December 6, 2010, and was backed by another exclusive b-side, "One Turned In."
Track listing
All songs written and composed by Nina Nastasia.Release history
| Region | Date | Label | Format | Catalog # |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ireland Ireland Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth... |
June 4, 2010 | Fat Cat Records | CD Compact Disc The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,... , LP LP record The LP, or long-playing microgroove record, is a format for phonograph records, an analog sound storage medium. Introduced by Columbia Records in 1948, it was soon adopted as a new standard by the entire record industry... , DI Music download A music download is the transferral of music from an Internet-facing computer or website to a user's local computer. This term encompasses both legal downloads and downloads of copyright material without permission or payment... |
FATCD/LP82 |
| United Kingdom United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages... |
June 7, 2010 | Fat Cat Records | CD, LP, DI | FATCD/LP82 |
| Japan Japan Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south... |
June 16, 2010 | P-Vine Records P-Vine Records P-Vine Records is a record label started by Blues Interactions, Inc., a firm in Tokyo, Japan established in 1975 by Yasufumi Higurashi and Akira Kochi... |
CD, DI | — |
| United States United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... |
June 22, 2010 | Fat Cat Records | CD, LP, DI | FATCD/LP82 |
Personnel
- Nina Nastasia — vocals, acoustic guitar
- Steve Albini — recording, mixing
- Jay Bellerose — drums
- Paul Bryan — electric bass, piano, orchestral arrangements and conducting
- Oto Carrillo — french horn
- Stephen Day — cello
- James Falzone — clarinet
- Kennan Gudjonsson — artwork, musical direction
- June Matayoshi — oboe, english horn
- Jeff Parker — electric guitar
- Jason Stein — bass clarinet
- Matt Szemela — violin
- Amie Weiss — violin
- Dylan Willemsa — arrangement on "What's Out There" (with Paul Bryan)
- Lev 'Ljova' ZhurbinLev ZhurbinLev 'Ljova' Zhurbin is a composer, violist, and arranger. Ljova is the author of over 70 original compositions for classical, jazz, and folk music ensembles. He has also contributed musical scores to numerous short and feature films.Ljova immigrated to the United States in 1990 and currently...
— viola