In 2020 Hannah Georgas released her Aaron Dessner-produced LP All That Emotion. Though a longtime favorite in her native Canada with a devoted international audience, the album was the most critically-acclaimed release of her career to date, earning a wave of positive attention from outlets like The Guardian, Pitchfork, NPR, The New York Times, FADER, Stereogum, New York Magazine, Consequence of Sound and Paste among many others. In 2021 she released an EP of alternate versions of tracks from the album, featuring contributions from friends and collaborators like Bartees Strange, Owen Pallett, The National’s Matt Berninger and Kate Stables, but today Georgas is sharing her first new music in three years with new single, “This Too Shall Pass”. The single is being released to mark the announce of her signing to Lucy Rose’s Real Kind Records, and is being released alongside a Joe Connor directed video, shot in London.
Where Hannah’s last record, 2020’s All That Emotion, was produced alongside Aaron Dessner, her next body of work finds Georgas behind the glass. Joining her are partner Sean Sroka (of Ten Kills The Pack) in a co-production capacity, keenly aided by James McAlister on drums (one of Sufjan Steven’s regular confidantes), Graham Walsh (whose synth and bass regularly peppers records by the likes of Holy Fuck and Metz), and Gabe Wax (Soccer Mommy’s go-to collaborator, but has also worked with War on Drugs, Kurt Vile, and Spoon) whose studio know-how and multi-instrumentalist acumen was a welcome addition to the process.
Ultimately though, Georgas sought to take the reins herself, taking back control of her own destiny, and cutting out too much outside influence. Recorded in Toronto with a treasure trove of analogue equipment and a work ethic that left no idea unturned, “This Too Shall Pass” signals a line in the sand, and the beginning of a new chapter.
Hannah Georgas on “This Too Shall Pass”: “I have a lot of internal pep talks, as a way to quiet my own doubts and insecurities. This song is a reflection of that, and a reminder to go a little bit easier on myself.”
“This Too Shall Pass” is the first introduction to a larger body of work by Hannah Georgas. Further details are to be announced later this Spring.
On September 4th Hannah Georgas who, over the years has been an active touring member of The National and Kathleen Edward’s backing band, will release her new LP All That Emotion on Brasslandand Arts & Crafts. Produced by Aaron Dessner, founding member of The National and producer of Taylor Swift’s latest LP folklore, the album has already attracted an enthusiastic critical response with the mesmeric lead single “Dreams,” the calmly enveloping “Just A Phase” and pre-announce singles “That Emotion” and “Same Mistakes,” earning praise from outlets like FADER, Stereogum, The Guardian, Uproxx, The Line of Best Fit, Clash, American Songwriter, BrooklynVegan, Exclaim, Earmilk, World Cafe and Consequence of Sound who dubbed Georgas “a new generation’s Feist.”LISTEN: to Hannah Georgas’ All That Emotion LP Private Stream [download available on request]
Today, Georgas is sharing her final single from the LP, a slow-burning synth pop gem entitled “Easy.” Introduced by pulsing arpeggiators and a subtle blend of electronic drums and organic percussion, the track builds towards a glittering crescendo, with Georgas’ weaving in and out of harmonized vocal parts as she chronicles a search for closure at the end of a relationship.
WATCH: Hannah Georgas’ “Easy” lyric video on YouTube
“I was going through a break up around the time that I wrote this song and I felt like I kept searching for some sort of closure or definitive ending to the relationship,” says Georgas. “I found myself feeling frustrated that I couldn’t communicate well with this person and whenever I tried to reach out I was left feeling more alone in the end. I was going through this hard time and it felt like they found it easy to let it go.”
——
Hannah Georgas began creating the album All That Emotion about a year after the release of her celebrated 2016 album For Evelyn —starting with an intensive process of writing and demoing songs in her Toronto apartment, and finishing with a month long retreat in Los Angeles. She began the record making process in the middle of 2018 when she traveled to Long Pond, the upstate New York studio & home of producer Aaron Dessner of The National.
“Before each session, I would make the long drive from Toronto to Hudson Valley in Upstate New York.” Says Hannah. “It was really special getting the opportunity to work in such a remote space with Aaron and Jon and I was always itching to get back whenever we had breaks. At the same time, I appreciated the space in between and coming back with fresh ears.” Hannah continues, “Aaron and I agreed the production needed to bring out the truth in my voice. During these sessions we musically found a new depth and, vocally, a delivery that was more raw and expressive, allowing the emotional texture of each song to shine through.”
The writing of the album found Hannah creating her most personal album to date. “All That Emotion’s album cover is an old family photo,” says Hannah. “I love the image because it captures this calm confidence. It looks like people are watching a performance and it seems like he’s diving in without a second thought. Similarly, I find that it parallels the approach needed within art. The calm confidence of expressing yourself without the thought of consequence, regardless of anyone watching.”
On the album, you’ll hear about bad habits and prayerful families—right and wrong love—mistakes and moving on—casual cruelty and most of all, change. Plotting the boundaries of where to place this music it’s emotionally fraught but warm & fuzzy. “An indie-minded avant-pop artist” was the Boston Globe’s formulation for her charms. Think of Fleetwood Mac meets The National; Kate Bush-sized passion with the earthiness of Cat Power or Aimee Mann. The album grows inside you and sticks to your insides. The songs are big tent anthems, rough at the edges but relatable.
Hannah continues: “I still have long conversations with my friends over the phone, talking about love and relationships, pain and heartbreak, our upbringings and the hardships that come along with that.” In an era of social media quips and hollow memes, maybe it’s this kind of one-on-one contact a form of communication worth getting back to?
“In this way, I get a lot of lyrical inspiration through the individuals I interact with in my everyday life,” she says. “Then music becomes the forum where I work out these feelings, embrace and express pain and love, joy and anger, frustration and fear and hope. It’s where I can be uncensored, not hold back, and say what I want to say. In that way, making music is a cathartic and cleansing process. It’s always the best feeling when someone tells me my music has helped them out in some way. That keeps me going.”
All That Emotion will be released September 4, 2020 on Arts & Crafts/Brassland. It is available for preorder here.
Keep your mind open.
[Ease on over to the subscription box while you’re here.]
Last month, Toronto’s Hannah Georgas announced her new LP All That Emotion (out September 4th on Brassland and Arts & Crafts) with the mesmeric lead single “Dreams.” Produced by The National’s Aaron Dessner, the album has already attracted an enthusiastic critical response with “Dreams” — along with a pair of pre-announce singles “That Emotion” and “Same Mistakes,” — earning praise from outlets like FADER, Stereogum, The Line of Best Fit, Clash, American Songwriter, BrooklynVegan, Exclaim, Earmilk, World Cafe and Consequence of Sound who dubbed her “a new generation’s Feist.”
Today, Georgas is sharing a new offering from the LP, a track called “Just A Phase,” a warm, enveloping track that seamlessly melds propulsive electronics with Georgas’ measured tones. With lyrics that focus on change, resiliency and anxiety the song finds an encompassing calm while presenting a buzzing hive of sonic ideas.
The accompanying video shares an insider’s view of the album’s recording sessions and what came after. Primarily, it’s a tour of Dessner’s iconic Long Pond studio—which is recognizable from its portrayal on the cover art of The National’s Best Alternative Grammy winning album Sleep Well Beast, but also features footage from the year Georgas spent on the road singing in The National’s touring band around the release of their 2019 LP I Am Easy To Find.
“We recorded All That Emotion in concentrated periods of time with breaks in between,” says Georgas. “I had never made an album this way before. It was also the first time making an album outside of Canada which was a really unique experience. It was nice to make solo road trips to Upstate NY from Toronto knowing that the stretch of time recording will solely be dedicated to being as creative and as open as possible. Then last year, I had the opportunity to join The National on the road singing back ups for them and opening up in a few cities in Europe and North America.”
The video acts as a travelogue and journal of those before times, including footage of her long drives across the Canadian border — glimpses of tour life with the band — and ending with her listening to a test pressing of the forthcoming album.
Hannah Georgas began creating the album All That Emotion about a year after the release of her celebrated 2016 album For Evelyn —starting with an intensive process of writing and demoing songs in her Toronto apartment, and finishing with a month long retreat in Los Angeles. She began the record making process in the middle of 2018 when she traveled to Long Pond, the upstate New York studio & home of producer Aaron Dessner of The National.
“Before each session, I would make the long drive from Toronto to Hudson Valley in Upstate New York.” Says Hannah. “It was really special getting the opportunity to work in such a remote space with Aaron and Jon and I was always itching to get back whenever we had breaks. At the same time, I appreciated the space in between and coming back with fresh ears.” Hannah continues, “Aaron and I agreed the production needed to bring out the truth in my voice. During these sessions we musically found a new depth and, vocally, a delivery that was more raw and expressive, allowing the emotional texture of each song to shine through.”
The writing of the album found Hannah creating her most personal album to date. “All That Emotion’s album cover is an old family photo,” says Hannah. “I love the image because it captures this calm confidence. It looks like people are watching a performance and it seems like he’s diving in without a second thought. Similarly, I find that it parallels the approach needed within art. The calm confidence of expressing yourself without the thought of consequence, regardless of anyone watching.”
On the album, you’ll hear about bad habits and prayerful families—right and wrong love—mistakes and moving on—casual cruelty and most of all, change. Plotting the boundaries of where to place this music it’s emotionally fraught but warm & fuzzy. “An indie-minded avant-pop artist” was the Boston Globe’s formulation for her charms. Think of Fleetwood Mac meets The National; Kate Bush-sized passion with the earthiness of Cat Power or Aimee Mann. The album grows inside you and sticks to your insides. The songs are big tent anthems, rough at the edges but relatable.
Hannah continues: “I still have long conversations with my friends over the phone, talking about love and relationships, pain and heartbreak, our upbringings and the hardships that come along with that.” In an era of social media quips and hollow memes, maybe it’s this kind of one-on-one contact a form of communication worth getting back to?
“In this way, I get a lot of lyrical inspiration through the individuals I interact with in my everyday life,” she says. “Then music becomes the forum where I work out these feelings, embrace and express pain and love, joy and anger, frustration and fear and hope. It’s where I can be uncensored, not hold back, and say what I want to say. In that way, making music is a cathartic and cleansing process. It’s always the best feeling when someone tells me my music has helped them out in some way. That keeps me going.”
All That Emotion will be released September 4, 2020 on Arts & Crafts/Brassland. It is available for preorder here.
Earlier this year Toronto’s Hannah Georgas shared a pair of singles “That Emotion” and “Same Mistakes,” — the first released in early March just before the scale of our pandemic crises had become clear, the second a month ago at the height of quarantine. The first sampling of a forthcoming collaboration with producer Aaron Dessner of The National, the singles received a rapturous response from outlets like The FADER, Stereogum, The Line of Best Fit, Clash, American Songwriter, BrooklynVegan, Exclaim, World Cafe and Consequence of Sound who dubbed her “a new generation’s Feist.”
Today, Georgas is announcing of her new album All That Emotion, a full length collaboration with Dessner that is due out September 4th on Brassland & Arts & Crafts. and sharing her new single “Dreams.” LISTEN to “Dreams” here“I have been thinking about what this album represents to me and it is resilience,” says Hannah. “It’s about finding hope and a way out the other side of tough situations. The hardships we go through make us grow into stronger people. The album is about healing, self reflection and getting up again at the end of the day.”
Of newly released single “Dreams” she writes: “In my past, I have let my insecurities play into relationships and have pushed people away because I have felt like I’m not deserving of love. This song explores the idea of breaking down those barriers of insecurity and being more open.”——Hannah Georgas began creating the album ALL THAT EMOTION about a year after the release of her celebrated 2016 album FOR EVELYN—starting with an intensive process of writing and demoing songs in her Toronto apartment, and finishing with a month long retreat in Los Angeles. She began the record making process in the middle of 2018 when she traveled to Long Pond, the upstate New York studio & home of producer Aaron Dessner of The National.
“Before each session, I would make the long drive from Toronto to Hudson Valley in Upstate New York.” Says Hannah. “It was really special getting the opportunity to work in such a remote space with Aaron and Jon and I was always itching to get back whenever we had breaks. At the same time, I appreciated the space in between and coming back with fresh ears.” Hannah continues, “Aaron and I agreed the production needed to bring out the truth in my voice. During these sessions we musically found a new depth and, vocally, a delivery that was more raw and expressive, allowing the emotional texture of each song to shine through.”
The writing of the album found Hannah creating her most personal album to date. “ALL THAT EMOTION’s album cover is an old family photo,” says Hannah. “I love the image because it captures this calm confidence. It looks like people are watching a performance and it seems like he’s diving in without a second thought. Similarly, I find that it parallels the approach needed within art. The calm confidence of expressing yourself without the thought of consequence, regardless of anyone watching.”
On the album, you’ll hear about bad habits and prayerful families—right and wrong love—mistakes and moving on—casual cruelty and most of all, change. Plotting the boundaries of where to place this music it’s emotionally fraught but warm & fuzzy. “An indie-minded avant-pop artist” was the Boston Globe’s formulation for her charms. Think of Fleetwood Mac meets The National; Kate Bush-sized passion with the earthiness of Cat Power or Aimee Mann. The album grows inside you and sticks to your insides. The songs are big tent anthems, rough at the edges but relatable.
Hannah continues: “I still have long conversations with my friends over the phone, talking about love and relationships, pain and heartbreak, our upbringings and the hardships that come along with that.” In an era of social media quips and hollow memes, maybe it’s this kind of one-on-one contact a form of communication worth getting back to?
“In this way, I get a lot of lyrical inspiration through the individuals I interact with in my everyday life,” she says. “Then music becomes the forum where I work out these feelings, embrace and express pain and love, joy and anger, frustration and fear and hope. It’s where I can be uncensored, not hold back, and say what I want to say. In that way, making music is a cathartic and cleansing process. It’s always the best feeling when someone tells me my music has helped them out in some way. That keeps me going.”All That Emotion will be released September 4, 2020 on Arts & Crafts/Brassland. It is available for preorder here.
Track List 1. That Emotion – video 2. Easy 3. Dreams – video 4. Pray It Away 5. Someone I Don’t Know 6. Punching Bag 7. Same Mistakes – video 8. Just A Phase 9. Habits 10. Change 11. Cruel
