Sarah Wallis

The New England Music Awards are presented every year to the musicians who call New England their home and whose dedication, spirit, and achievements over the last year have without a doubt established themselves as a contributing force to the most robust and diverse music scene in the country. The NEMA nominating committee consists of journalists from music publications, radio personalities, Talent Buyers, and record label execs collectively representing all six New England states.

The goal of NEMA is to celebrate and recognize some of the area's best musical achievements. Every year NEMA will nominate over 100 artists and/or bands spanning a number of categories and genre's of popular music in New England, including the coveted individual state awards which will select one band/act from each of the six states as its "Best In State." - New England Music Awards

Artist On The Rise – Sarah Wallis
By Michael Lauf, on October 11th, 2011 | Features

Sarah playing Oktoberfest with her brother, Peter, on guitar, and Ben Bushman on the violin.

The other week, I had a chance to catch up with one of my favorite new acts to come out of the awesome state of Vermont – Sarah Wallis. I have been following her progress since the beginning of the year so I jumped at the opportunity to ask her a few questions after her recent gig in Harvard Square for their Oktoberfest celebrations.

First, how was Oktoberfest? Were you able to check out any of the other artists playing?

Great time in Cambridge at Oktoberfest. There was so much great music going on, I didn’t get see it all! It was a great time, lots of fun people.

You’ve had a killer year so far on Sonicbids, having booked 18 gigs already. What’s the method behind the gigs you submit to or try book?

Well, first and most importantly, I think it’s important to have great music and really want to get out there and play! Otherwise, there’s no point in putting your name in for anything.

I really check out the gig. I look for places that I might like to play, and are a good fit for my style, within reasonable driving time. Then, I check out the rest of the story: I check out the venue or sponsor, other people who’ve played there, and I read the comments. I even go to their websites and keep in touch with promoters.

Another thing I do is to use my EPK! Not just for Sonicbids gigs, but all the time. When I want to connect with a venue, it is SO easy to drop an email with my EPK that has it all. I also try to keep my EPK up to date – best advice – have your EPK looking great because you never know who has searched your name and music!

I know you’re gearing up to play Indie Week in Toronto next week, and then have a showcase at NACA’s Northeast Conference in November. Are there any other festivals or events you’d like to book in the coming year and do you have any tips for other artists trying to book similar gigs?

Yeah, it was so cool to get an email that I was in the final round for the Planetary Group concert in China. I would absolutely love to rock a festival like that. While I didn’t get the China gig, I did get my CD translated into Chinese to be distributed there. I’m really looking forward to showcasing NACA and booking colleges this fall—such great venues, high energy, and it’s about the music!

I’ve read comments from people who doubt the credibility of Sonicbids – it’s been so very good to me. If you put together a kick-ass EPK, an honest agenda, and a good sound, you’ll get picked up on Sonicbids. It’s not a scam, you’ll get the gigs if you’ve got the goods, ya know?

Oh, and it’s okay NOT to get selected, there is a lot of talent out there, but at least you got heard and seen, and there will be a next time!

Congrats on your first CD release this past February! Your self-titled album has gotten great write-ups in Seven Days and Verbicide. Is it too soon to ask if you have any new recordings or projects in the works?

I totally do. I’m getting back to the grassroots of Vermont! More boot stomping, upbeat kind of songs, ya know? I’ve been working in the studio and hope to have some tracks for you very soon. I’m scheduled to get back in the studio as soon as I get back from Toronto.

As a fellow Vermonter (at least by association as I went to the University of Vermont), I gotta ask: favorite local venue, artist, and while we’re at it, local Vermont brew?

The Skunk Hollow Tavern in Hartland, VT is very special. It’s a super old Inn as well as tavern. I also really look forward to Art in the Park in Rutland, super close to my hometown. It’s an outdoor art show that I’ve successfully rocked 2 years in a row now!

It’s hard to pinpoint one local artist that I hold above the others. There are so many talented people around and I think we’ve all influenced each other. I respect every musician I cross paths with, and I think that’s what keeps Vermont music so alive and real.

Vermont brew is the prime brew! I’m always talking about The Alchemist. And of course, Long Trail and the Trapp Family Lodge – those would be my top three. In order.

Be sure to look at Sarah’s EPK and view her calendar dates here so you can check out a live show. You can also follow her on Facebook.

It’s also worth noting that The Alchemist is the only brewery in Vermont I’ve gone as far as to buy a T-shirt. If you’re ever in Stowe, VT, they’re definitely worth the visit. - Copyright © 2011 Sonicbids Corporation.

Sarah was shown in a short segment about the 50th Art in the Park, August 2011 - WCAX-TV (Burlington, VT)

All Indie Magazine: "Favorites" - The Great Unknowns Presents 2.0, Ep 120
www.allindiemagazine.net - All Indie Magazine

Blond Ambition ~
Sarah Wallis just can’t help herself. To hear her tell it, she was “born this way.” The Vermont-based singer-songwriter further claims music is simply in her bones and that she’s “been jamming for a thousand years.” We kinda doubt that last one. But given her uniquely expressive voice and obvious talent for heartfelt, hook-laden acoustic pop, it’s clear she comes by her considerable gifts honestly. See for yourself when she drops by the Bee’s Knees in Morrisville this Tuesday, January 25.
- © SEVEN DAYS 1995-2011 | PO Box 1164, Burlington, VT

Sarah Wallis’s self-titled album is a mix of soft harmonies, breathy vocals, and simple melodies. They melt together into a predictable, yet pleasant composition. The sweet and thoughtful atmosphere created is matched well with the acoustic sound, void of manipulation. This singer/songwriter relishes in her love of music, oftentimes referring to it as life.

The album plays like a diary. Confessions of broken hearts, sentiments of longing, and declarations of independence and newfound strength swirl through out its entirety. With lyrics like, “My bones keep rattling for your sound,” and, “Oh the time’s got my days/falling down/they’re falling down,” Wallis uses her music as a way of accepting and moving forward. Tracks such as “Cold Heat” and “Kettle” utilize catchy melodies and Wallis’s preference for hazy vocalism.

Wallis has done an impressive job of creating an album with a pure sound. There is no reverb, no heavy reliance on synthesis; most tracks contain only her voice and a few gently plucked guitar chords. The album does have a tendency to sound like most others in its genre — acoustic guitar chords, breathy and gritty vocals, and, at times, cliché retorts on romance and love — but Wallis’s love for her craft and ability to bear her soul in a less obvious way than many of her peers is admirable. - © 2011 Verbicide Magazine

Sarah Wallis has achieved (6) Platinum Auddy Awards for her music. - Uplaya

Thursday, 09 June 2011

Singer/Songwriter Sarah Wallis creates music as versatile as the Vermont seasons. Having grown up in a very musical and creative environment, she sprouted her garden of music at a very young age. Cultivating and loving tones and sounds - it was very fertile ground - and she has been making noise ever since. Her CD (released 02/2011) is a collection of original songs and is a beautiful debut of her talent and her bright musical spirit. - The Indie Ezine

(Self-released, CD)

I know I’ve mentioned this before, so pardon me if I sound like a broken record here. But Vermont is blessed with a startling number of elite, young female songwriters and performers. From the obvious names such as Grace Potter and Anaïs Mitchell to on-the-cusp chanteuses such as Myra Flynn, Maryse Smith and Tiffany Pfeiffer to a growing number of lesser-known singers making waves in the coffeehouse scene, the contributions of women to Vermont music are remarkable and growing. On her self-titled debut album, Vermont’s Sarah Wallis [1] adds to the embarrassment of riches and proves she belongs at the forefront of any conversation about rising young local talents.

“Cold Heat” introduces Wallis as a vocal force. Her thin, vulnerable delivery immediately recalls that of Mitchell, a fellow Vermont-born songwriter. Like Mitchell, Wallis wields her unique timbre with cunning, squeezing every ounce of emotive juice from her reedy pipes. Unlike Mitchell, however, Wallis favors a far more overtly pop-centric aesthetic. She hasn’t yet reached the same level of artistic ingenuity as our favorite Righteous Babe, but Wallis displays an innate understanding of pop constructs. In particular here, she clearly nods to Stevie Nicks’ classic “Landslide.” Wallis isn’t breaking any molds, but with a voice like hers, she hardly has to.

That’s not to say she isn’t capable of significant artistic ventures. While her debut lands mostly on the radio-ready end of the pop spectrum, in certain moments she reveals loftier ambitions. “Kettle” features a subtly dynamic arrangement that bends to Wallis’ gripping delivery. “Little Boat” is an album highlight, a lilting waltz buoyed by the songwriter’s tasteful Rhodes strokes and rippling acoustic guitar. The following cut, “Sea Side,” is an intimate, lo-fi charmer, sounding as though it were recorded in some late-night session with plentiful whiskey and cigarettes.

“Salt” is a stunner and perhaps best signals Wallis’ potential. A grainy accordion wheezes above fleeting, atmospheric Rhodes swells, fleshing out an otherwise stark arrangement. Wallis challenges the song’s minimalist mood with a craftily nuanced vocal performance, her fractured croon seemingly on the edge of a collapse that never comes. It is tense, compelling and satisfying, and suggests we should expect more good things from Sarah Wallis in years to come.

Wallis appears at the Bee’s Knees in Morrisville on Wednesday, March 2. Her self-titled debut is available at sarahwallismusic.com [1].

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Links:
http://www.sarahwallismusic.com/ - © SEVEN DAYS 1995-2011 | PO Box 1164, Burlington, VT 05402-1164