gina barrington
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States | INDIE
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Milwaukee, WI has a large pool of ultra talented and diverse artists and musicans. It's not all Packers & Cheeseheads. I've posted a lot of great Hip-Hop created here but the music scene goes much deeper. Milwaukee Native Gina Barrington is proof. Her new self released 7", which will be released on December 13, has two gems that will make you a believer and melt with anticipation for what she might be up to next. You can purchase the 7" here and preview the other wildly addictive track, Cupid, here.
- Marma for Yes Yes Y'all
After the success of Unlooped Versus Dilla, we proud to announce the next show in the ‘Versus’ series. On Saturday March 3, 2012, Unlooped will take on the work of Eau Claire’s Justin Vernon (Bon Iver, Gayngs, Volcano Choir, Kanye West). “Unlooped Versus Justin Vernon” assembled a stellar cast to deconstruct, re-interpret the musical catalog of Justin Vernon.
The lineup features Gina Barrington, Brendan Benham (Group of The Altos), Haz Solo, Allen Cote, Dave Olson (Plight of a Parasite, Figureheads), and Alida LaCosse. More information on this event will be coming in late December and January. Come back to Unlooped’s website for more details in the coming weeks.
- Unlooped Milwaukee- Tarik Moody
Think of the perfect psychedelic and mod spy thriller with just enough class, sass and a smokin’ leading lady and you begin to get this mini-soundtrack from Gina Barrington. Musically and vocally it has a similar vibe to that other spy girl, Lana Del Rey who loves her video games. Gina’s music is imbued with mystery; as you don’t know who will come through the door next. The style is of the laid back spy genre with just enough intrigue and suspense to keep us waiting patiently for the inevitable full album release.
- ~ by castleqwayr on November 19, 2011.
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VIDEOS
Gina Barrington stopped by the Tap Milwaukee studio to perform.
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Local singer Gina Barrington's new single, "Cupid" with "Don't Pull My Trigger," is decidedly dark, and it should be. Barrington's emotional connection with her music almost made her quit songwriting for good.
Six years ago, she was performing with her then-husband in the band the Heirs, when the marriage went bad.
"I was going through a divorce, and I was in a band with my husband," Barrington said. "I kind of got lost, and I couldn't do it anymore."
Reeling from her breakup, music was the last thing on her mind. "I went away for four years, and I couldn't write," she said.
Then in early 2010, Barrington got a call from Milwaukee rapper Aaron "MC Oneself" Smith to collaborate on a few songs for his new album. Barrington saw it as a chance to renew her passion for music, or at the very least to get back in the studio again. The result was the song "What Do We Know," which garnered positive buzz for Smith locally.
"All of a sudden I would be driving the car, and it was on the radio," she said.
Shortly after Smith released the album featuring "What Do We Know," he was offered a deal from an independent label in California for the two to form a group. But Barrington was uneasy about the proposition.
"At that time, it seemed really premature to me for somebody to already be interested," she said. "We were already having conversations with people in London about branding and marketing."
While the duo never materialized, Barrington's connection with Smith led her to Daniel Zelonky, engineer and owner of National Recording, a Milwaukee studio. The two hit it off right away. Barrington recalled that Zelonky also was in a bit of a "dark place," so the sinister mood of "Cupid" and "Don't Pull My Trigger," the two songs she initially presented to Zelonky, immediately appealed to him.
After he finished mixing the tracks last fall, the two released a 7-inch vinyl single in December.
"We decided to put those two songs together and put something out there that was truly me," she said.
Finally feeling that she's gotten her groove back, Barrington said she's in a comfortable space musically, even it is a little dark and moody.
Describe your style: Slightly old-school and unorthodox, and sweetly dark.
People say you sound like: It really varies. I get a lot of comparisons lately to old Nancy Sinatra or women of that era, and the more recent, controversial Lana Del Ray. Also, Mazzy Star and Bat for Lashes.
Motto you live by: If you spend your life doing something you wouldn't be doing if the world wasn't looking right at you, then you're doing the wrong thing.
Biggest achievement: I never planned on setting goals for myself as a musician. I still marvel at the fact that anyone can listen to my songs because they're part of the world now.
Memorable moment: "Made in Milwaukee" a few years ago was a big memory. There were so many people, and I was in the middle of organizing my fashion show lineup and got literally yanked up on stage to sing with MC Oneself on one of the tracks I did for him. It was so completely unexpected, and I wanted to throw up, but it was fun to go from zero to 100 in no time at all.
Influences: I find I'm drawn to classical and baroque styles, and things that were created between the more recent years of 1955 to 1975. Always to artists with a really interesting creative process. I tend to be influenced more by their life stories and struggles than by the music itself at times. I just find the reasons people created what they did so fascinating, and how certain styles of music emerge in response to what was happening in the world at the time, and how people are so affected by it and they often don't know why.
Why do you do this?: It's never felt like a choice. I've always felt compelled to make music on some level. It's something I do that just balances me out or helps me process life.
Next gig: 10 p.m. March 3 at Stonefly Brewing Company, 735 E. Center St., as part of "Unlooped vs. Justin Vernon": interpretations of his music (Bon Iver, Gayngs, Volcano Choir, etc.) performed by local musicians, - - Geraud Blanks, Special to Journal Sentinel
A Milwaukee chanteuse with a throwback sound and an airy, enchanting voice, Gina Barrington this week released her first 7-inch single, "Cupid"/"Don't Pull My Trigger," two exercises in James-Bond-theme sheik. This is a suddenly timely sound, thanks to the rise of Internet hot button Lana Del Rey, but unlike that singer, Barrington is more human being than walking meme. She'll celebrate the songs, which are streaming on Spotify and available for purchase on iTunes, with a release party and video premiere Saturday night at Blackbird. - By Evan Rytlewski Express Milwaukee
“Don’t Pull My Trigger,” Gina Barrington’s second song on her album, is a song about falling in love with the wrong person. It’s great in the beginning until the person betrays you and breaks your heart. Throughout the song Barrington’s voice sounds like someone who was hurt and is recovering and trying to teach the guy a lesson. The lyrics are clever and catchy even though it’s a revenge song.
According to Barrington’s biography on her website, she started writing lyrics like most people write in a journal, thinking that she would only share her writing with her closest friends. That is until a friend gave Gina a mixing board, she started experimenting and those words became lyrics.
Barrington’s sound as a whole reminds me of the band She & Him with Zooey Deschanel and M. Ward. Barrington’s soulful, deep voice reminds me of Zooey Deschanel’s quirky voice. The background music featuring Daniel Zelonky (aka Low Res) is chill and accompanies Barrington’s voice beautifully.
I cannot wait to see what comes of Gina Barrington next. Her music and lyrics are meaningful and catchy and I think we’ll see a lot from her in the future!
- Erin Sullivan for Indie Music Reviewer
Don't Sleep On | Milwaukee's Gina Barrington
Tagged: Mazzy Star, Lana Del Rey, Hope Sandoval, Gina Barrington, Cat Power
Filed: Don't Sleep On
Tarik Moody | Nov 22 2011 - 3:22pm |
While the world is tripping over intenet sensation Lana Del Rey (including me), there is a little hidden treasure here in Milwaukee, that won't be hidden for long. Her name is Gina Barrington. Think of a cross between Cat Power and Hope Sandoval from Mazzy Star with a dash of film noir mixed in and you get singer/songwriter of Gina Barrington. The name might sound familar to local music fans because she was featured on a couple of songs on an album from Milwaukee's Oneself. 88Nine currently has been playing the song "What Do We Know" in rotation, which features Gina Barrington.
Now Gina Barrington has step out her own to release probably one of the best Milwaukee songs of 2011. On December 13, Gina Barrington along with her producer Daniel Zelonky will release a 7" featuring the songs "Cupid" and "Don't Pull My Trigger." I debut these songs a few weeks back on Rhythm Lab Radio, and I was simply blown away, not to mention the comments I received from listeners. You can take a listen to both songs below via Soundcloud.
- Radio Milwaukee 88.9
Discography
Cupid EP- released Dec 2011
IN THIS RELEASE:
“Cupid” is shadowy and mysterious, with a sound reminiscent of the bossa nova created by a coterie of young sophisticates from Rio in the late 1950’s, like "The Girl From Ipanema." However, Gina Barrington’s style is uniquely her own, and, like Cupid’s straight arrow, her lyrical voice shoots the listener with piercing accuracy. Zelonky’s mondo-soundtrack guitars cut jaggedly between the lines.
“Don’t Pull My Trigger,” a salty and alluring side of Gina’s cool, melodic styling and crystalline tone, retells the universal story of falling deeply for the wrong lover. Like an exotic drink that hides its ferocious bite beneath apparent sweetness, “Don’t Pull My Trigger” delivers a potent theme of betrayal with sensitive, complex lyrics.
This release introduces music lovers to a compelling new voice in Gina Barrington as both fresh genre innovator and retro revisionist. Gina’s songs catch listeners off guard with her silky, sultry voice and lyrics that are edgy, original, and expressively provocative.
Photos
Bio
Like most notable journeys, Gina Barrington’s developed from an unassuming beginning, a beginning that had absolutely no vision of her current destination. Gina writes lyrics like some people write in a diary, but she never dared to imagine her lyrical diary set to music, or to share with anyone but the most exceptional of friends. Then a few years ago, one such friend presented Gina with an old eight-track mixing board, rarely used anymore in this digital age. Add an inexpensive keyboard and guitar, and she began privately to experiment. Experimentation led to writing music and lyrics simultaneously, which eventually led to sharing new creations, which she hesitated to call songs, with close friends, which, in turn, led to her developing a reputation as a gifted lyricist and musician. As Gina’s reputation generated more interest, so did requests and even insistence from others that she participate in musical projects, as if each request and insistence were literally pulling the music out of her, and reluctantly so.
One such project brought her to the attention of composer/producer Daniel Zelonky (aka Low Res, Crank, Suite Crude Revue) who invited Gina to work on some material at his National Recording studio in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. This debut release marks the end of one journey for Gina and the beginning of a new one, this time with a clear vision of her next destination.
Most recently, Gina has delicately constructed a band to accompany her, and set to focus on writing the full length release due out in mid 2013. Her enigmatic ensemble for her live show consists of the incredible talents of seasoned guitarist Allen Cote, who has played with many bands such as The Championship, and Wolfgang Schaefer, Kavi Laud (drums) and Jeff Brueggerman (bass) of The New Red Moons, and The Bad Verse, and the enchanting electric violinist Allen Russell, formerly of Fresh Cut Collective.
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