After fronting her LA-based rock band for two and a half years, Coles Whalen knew it was time to jump start a solo career. She released an EP, bought a truck and camper, and never looked back. In the next 12 months, she played over 150 venues across 10 states in the western U.S.
“Her voice has more than enough power to carry a rock anthem, but she prefers to use that power to sustain her gentler, more pensive moments. Her pitch and articulation - vocal and instrumental - are flawless” wrote Malcolm McCollum of Steppin’ Out Magazine, a local Denver newspaper. Coles Whalen sold well over 2,000 copies of her first CD right out of the back of that truck.
Parking the camper, Whalen recorded a full-length album, Gee Baby, in February of 2005. But the camper didn’t stay parked for long. In the next year and a half, Coles Whalen played over 450 shows throughout the entire United States and sold more than 7,000 CDs. She has performed both solo, with her new band, and has shared the stage with Reckless Kelley, Gran Bell Fisher, and Tyler Hilton among others. Ricardo Baca, Pop Music Critic for The Denver Post said of Whalen’s live performance “Whalen delivers an absolutely great show, she left a lasting impression on me.”
Whalen is releasing her third album, “Nothing is Too Much” in March of 2007 on Iconic Records (Indie.) A national tour to support this release will definitely be coming to a venue near you.
Alone on stage, accompanying herself on guitar and piano, Coles Whalen’s “enchanting voice is soulful, powerful and straight from the heart” -Monica Younge, Indie Music Reviews. Her fans know. Now you know.
Watch for the truck.
www.coleswhalen.com
www.myspace.com/coleswhalen
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Plenty of independent singer/songwriters have albums for sale on CD Baby, but few can boast the impressive 5-star Editor’s Choice review given to Gee Baby, the 2005 studio release from Colorado native Coles Whalen.
Described in said review as an album created by “that artist who grabs you by the shirt collar” who “could easily be the next Norah Jones,” Gee Baby has achieved sales of over 7,000 copies since its release, primarily due to Coles’ constant touring across the United States in a camper she has called home since 04. Her popular live shows are laid-back enough for he coffeehouses and Borders bookstores she frequents (in fact, Gee Baby was chosen as a Coffee House Tour Pick in April 2006), but easily energetic enough to take on Madison Square Garden. The shows are always well-received, with many fans returning multiple times.
Aside from her admirable dedication to her music and to her fans, critics and fans praise her quietly intense vocal style, her intricate and percussive guitar playing, and her uniquely sophisticated lyrics. Listen, for instance, to “Pretty Kids,” a haunting and hard-hitting take on those who don’t “fit in,” or to one of her poetic love ballads like “The Hand That Gives The Rose” or “Turn Away.” Then, grab a hint of her more playful side on the jazz-bar-ready “Honeyed Out,” or the heated folk-rocker “How Do You Do That To Me.” The latter song earned national attention when Coles performed it live as a contestant on NBC’s Star Tomorrow in summer 2006. Soon after, she became a featured artist on MySpace, and industry interest pushed her Sonicbids EPK to the Top 10 Most Viewed list.
If you haven’t heard Coles Whalen before, this is a better time than ever to listen up—she has an exquisite live EP for sale on her official MySpace profile as a tantalizing prequel to her forthcoming studio album, Nothing is Too Much, which will be released on April 7, 2007. If you live in the Denver, CO area, you can join Coles for a special CD release party at Rockwood Music Hall on April 20th—but if not, keep an eye on her list of tour dates to see when she comes to your town. This month’s You Gotta Know delivers a show you won’t want to miss!
-Written by Ashley Wool (guest spot) |
