Petracovich
Country of origin:
U.S.
Type of music generally:
Edgy ethereal indie ectronica/pop
Status:
Most recent release, "August Time" (single, 2016); most recent full-length release, Crepusculo (2009)
See also:
Petracovich's site
Comparisons:
A electronic Juliana Hatfield perhaps?
Covers/own material:
Own, occasional cowriting
General comments:
Jessica Peters has a surprisingly delicate voice and yet her music feels strong. Sonically, it's carefully constructed and full of detail. The mood can be playful or melancholy but it's always lilting. (Neile)
Comments about live performance:
Saw her (it's a her, not a them) tonight. You missed out, Portland ectovians. She is really good. She played solo on her twin keyboards and iBook with foot controls, and sang for about an hour. Her name references her grandfather's home town in Russia; she's 1/8 Russian and lives in San Francisco. I especially like her experimental stuff, which is about half her music. (10/04, mp@moonmac.com)
Recommended first album:
blue cotton skin
Recordings:
- blue cotton skin (2002)
- we are wyoming (2005)
- Crepusculo (2009)
- August Time (single, 2016)
blue cotton skin
Release info:
2002—red buttons records
Availability:
Petracovich's site
Ecto priority:
Highly recommended for fans of electronic and indie music
Group members:
Jessica Peters—keyboards, piano, vocals, acoustic guitar (5), kalimba (6)
Guest artists:
Tad Wagner—electric guitars, bass (1), drum machine, hand claps
Bruce Winter—bass (2, 3, 9)
Andrew Giacumakis—drums (1, 3, 5), bass (5), tambourine
Produced by:
Tad Wagner and Jessica Peters
Comments:
Lovely dreamy sometimes delicate electronic pop. One of my favourite albums of the year. Full of intriguing sounds, from the electronic additions to Jessica Peters' vocals. (Neile)One of my favorites of the year. (onealien@mo.himolde.no)
we are wyoming
Release info:
2005—red buttons records
Availability:
See Petracovich's site
Ecto priority:
Highly recommended for fans of electronic and indie music
Group members:
Jessica Peters—vocals, piano, sytho, Wurlitzer, acoustic guitar, kalimba, drum programming, bell-set
Guest artists:
Tad Wagner—electric guitars, bass, mandolin, Wurlitzer, sound effects, piano, bell-set, drum programming, harmonica, backing vocals
Andrew Giacumakis—drums on 5 tracks
Erik Herzog—drums on 1 track
Heather Houseman—cello
Adam Theis—trombone
Produced by:
Tad Wagner and Jessica Peters
Comments:
Interspersed with bits of classical music (how can I not love a woman who loves Debussy and Chopin?) and her own delicate piano-based songs, this album is beautiful, rambling (in a good way), and thoroughly enjoyable. Quieter and more atmospheric and also more consistently excellent than her debut Blue Cotton Skin, which I always found kind of uneven, much as I like it. we are wyoming makes me think of those sugar houses that look so delicate but are perfectly hard when you touch them. (JoAnn Whetsell)I actually like Blue Cotton Skin more than this one—while I quite like we are wyoming, it's subtler, quieter even, and the intriguing noises are a little more hidden. (Neile)
Crepusculo
Release info:
2009—red buttons records
Availability:
Wide
Ecto priority:
Highly recommended
Group members:
Jessica Peters Malmberg—vocals, piano, nord, banjo, harmonium, bell-set, percussion
Guest artists:
Max Diez—drums, percussion
John Askew—bass, guitar (10)
Tad Wagner—guitars
Heather Houseman—cello
Cory Gray—trumpet, euphonium
Produced by:
John Askew and Jessica Peters Malmberg
Comments:
With Crepusculo, Petracovich takes a few steps away from the semi-electronic sound she utilized on her previous two albums, but continues to explore the creation of morsels of artsy piano pop. The sound of the album is a little more live and less "studio clean", allowing the focus to rest not on the production, but on the songs. (paul2k@aol.com)Simply a beautiful album, her best yet. (JoAnn Whetsell)
One of the best albums of the year. (collectedsounds@gmail.com)
Thanks to JoAnn Whetsell for work on this entry.
