Karen Dahlstrom | Idalyn Music

I’m happy to (finally) say that I’ve lined up some shows out West. It’s a great excuse to see some old friends, while trying to get “out there,” so to speak. Next week, I head out to Salt Lake, then Boise and Portland and ending up in San Francisco.

At the end of May, I’ll be heading South with my friends Hilary Hawke and Brian Geltner (Dubl-Handi). Very exciting!

Tour dates are posted on the schedule page. I just may coming to your town. If I do, please stop by, say hello and support live music!

Our Americana-lovin’ friends from across the pond gave Gem State a lovely review and an 8/10 score. I can’t wait to get over there and smooch every last one of them.

‘Gem State’ provides a gorgeous introduction to the work of New York based songwriter Karen Dahlstrom. Throughout the EP, Dahlstrom sings wonderfully dark Americana songs of love, loss and regret, all based around her home state of Idaho.

Each track on ‘Gem State’ displays a different layer of Dahlstrom’s talent. The sinister opener ‘The Miner’s Bride’, draws the listener in to hear her sad tale about a bride who has lost her true love to war, whilst the beautiful melody of ‘Galena’ masks the forlorn story of life in a nineteenth century mining camp (“We broke our backs to charm her / Gave her our blood and our bones / Until we won her gracious favour / In a bed among the stones”).

Although the lyrical content of ‘Gem State’ never broaches anywhere above the level of miserable, each track still has a disarming beauty to it. This may have a great deal to do with Dahlstrom’s own voice, an instrument which carries an edgy haunting quality, highlighted most spectacularly in the a cappella song ‘Streets Of Pocatello’. At only five tracks, the record is a quick listen. Dahlstrom certainly leaves her listeners eagerly awaiting the release of a full-length album.

Folk-DJ posted their charts for February, and I was both shocked and delighted to see my EP there. Thanks so much to all the DJs who are giving Gem State a spin. This is unbelievably awesome for me.

TOP ALBUMS
#18 – Gem State (EP)

TOP SONGS
#2 – “The Miner’s Bride”
#18 – “The Streets of Pocatello”

TOP ARTISTS
#23 – Karen Dahlstrom

You can check out the charts at FolkRadio.org.

Come on down to Jalopy on Valentine’s Day for a fabulous show, hosted by the lovely birthday girl, Jan Bell! All of us will be singing songs from our latest projects. I love Jan. I love Jalopy. I think you will, too!

THE LINEUP
8:30 – Karen Dahlstrom
9:00 – Alex Battles
10:00 – Jan Bell and the Maybelles (Megan Palmer & Tim Lüntzel), with special guests Jolie Holland and Will Scott

ONLY $10!!! Seriously, what’s not to love?

Jalopy Theater
315 Columbia St. (bet. Hamilton & Woodhull)
Brooklyn, NY

Tonight, I make the trip up to Bridgeport, CT to visit Jim Motavalli‘s show on WKPN. I’m told he asks “unusual” questions, so I’ll be loading up on the caffeine to keep sharp! I go on around 10pm Eastern, and you can listen live at WPKN.org.

New York Music Daily has released their Best 50 Albums of 2011, and I’m surprised and delighted to find that my EP project has been included!

13. Karen Dahlstrom – Gem State. The Bobtown multi-instrumentalist and songwriter, an Idaho native, reached back for a haunting, intense late-1800s western Americana vibe on these evocative original songs.

It’s an honor to be included with some of my favorites from the Brooklyn scene, like The Roulette Sisters and Frankenpine. A pretty great way to end the year!

The fine folks at Brooklyn Country sure have some nice things to say about “Gem State”. Thanks, Chet!

In honor of the world’s loudest band, The Do-Overs are taking it one louder tonight at Freddy’s! As you can see, snacks will be provided. Rock on, Nige!

I’m pleased as punch to announce that my solo EP, “Gem State” is now out in the world! Playing with old time and bluegrass musicians, I noticed a dearth of traditional songs from the West, particularly from my home state of Idaho. As an exercise, I decided to write some Idaho-inspired folk songs about mining camps (Idaho is known as “The Gem State”, due to its history of gemstone, ore and other mineral mining), railroad towns and other things that remind me of home. Go to the Music page to stream the EP.

The album was recorded in August 2011 at Old Soul Studios in Catskill, NY, and was engineered/mixed/co-produced by Kenny Siegal. Kenny also added his considerable talents in playing percussion, organ and steel guitar, as well as helping craft “One More Time”. (He’s pretty darn amazing.) Kenny’s lovely wife (and Johnny Society bandmate), Gwen, was kind enough to add the gorgeous accordion on “Galena”. Richard Morris (of M. Shanghai String Band) mastered the album. The stunning cover art was created by Becky Munich, who is a rock star in my book.

You can buy “Gem State” on iTunes, CD Baby, eMusic and Amazon MP3, and at my live solo shows in the NYC area. Please check the Schedule for upcoming gigs.