Walking in to Turn, Turn, Turn — a cozy dive bar and music venue located in Portland’s Alberta Arts District — one could sense the anticipation emanating from every fan in the room. Dear Nora (Marmoset artist and Original Music Producer, Katy Davidson) was about to play her first Portland show in years, celebrating the re-release of her 2004 album, Mountain Rock. The show was sold out, causing strangers and friends alike to huddle together on this chilly winter night, making the venue all the more intimate.
As the band took their places and Katy broke into her first song, “The Lonesome Border, Pt. 1,” you could hear members of the crowd singing along word-for-word, hints of a smile in their voices. Although Mountain Rock was released nearly 13 years ago, the album’s earnest and vulnerable lyricism seems more relative and comforting than ever in today’s uncertain socio-political landscape, causing a new burst of well-deserved praise from music publications like Pitchfork and Fader.
Dear Nora’s recent revival has also brought attention to the influence she has had — and continues to have — on younger indie artists, even being regarded as an “underrated anti-folk classic.” While musicians such as Girlpool and Joyce Manor have overtly credited Davidson as inspiration for their art, stream-of-consciousness indie-pop acts such as Frankie Cosmos seem to also follow in the fearless free-form footsteps tread by Dear Nora.
In addition to continuing to serve as a compass for young indie musicians, Dear Nora’s revival has sparked a light of comfort in admirers old and new, giving them a tangible form of empathy in times of uncertainty. Wishing her the best on her current West Coast tour, we’re honored to call Dear Nora part of the Marmoset family.
Listen to (or license) her music here and see upcoming tour dates below:
1/21 – Las Vegas, NV @ 11th Street Records ^
1/22 – Flagstaff, AZ @ Firecreek Coffee ^
1/23 – Phoenix, AZ @ Trunk Space ^
1/24 – Tucson, AZ @ Pomoro ^
1/25 – San Diego, CA @ Soda Bar ^
1/26 – Tijuana, MX @ Mous Tache ^
1/28 – San Francisco, CA @ Makeout Room ^