Sharon Van Etten

Although she grew up in New Jersey, it wasn't until Sharon Van Etten went to Murfreesboro, Tennessee, that she became exposed to the music that inspired her to write her own songs. Getting an early boost of encouragement from TV on the Radio's Kyp Malone, Van Etten started writing the...

By Tom Murphy

March 20, 2012

Audio By Carbonatix

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Although she grew up in New Jersey, it wasn't until Sharon Van Etten went to Murfreesboro, Tennessee, that she became exposed to the music that inspired her to write her own songs. Getting an early boost of encouragement from TV on the Radio's Kyp Malone, Van Etten started writing the material that would become her 2009 debut, Because I Was in Love. Her ability to pair emotionally resonant lyrics with an equally raw but melodic delivery drew immediate comparisons to Edith Piaf. But it's Van Etten's talent for crafting music that reflects her songs' psychic headspace that has made her work so compelling. Touring in support of her latest record, 2012's Tramp, Van Etten is now pushing her own boundaries of folky pop with icy yet vibrant soundscapes.

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Tom Murphy is a writer, visual artist and musician from Aurora, Colorado. He was a prolific music writer for Westword and a documenter of the Denver music scene.

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