Paula Frazer

Paula Frazer is an American singer-songwriter. She grew up in Georgia and Arkansas and moved to San Francisco in 1981. Her music is frequently described as melancholic alternative country, but with an eclectic mix of folk, blues and pop, among other genres. She first came to notice by fronting the band Tarnation in the 1990s and has appeared on recordings and in concert with many bands and solo artists including Cornershop, Sean Lennon, Frightwig, Tindersticks, the Czars, and Handsome Boy Modeling School. She currently records for Birdman Records.

Before forming Tarnation, Frazer played with numerous SF bands, such as Cloiter, Virginia Dare, Frightwig, Trial, and Pleasant Day. Tarnation MK1 featured Brandan Kearney, owner of the SF NufSed label. Kearney didn't stay in the band for long, but he gave Frazer the chance to release Tarnation's debut. That first Tarnation record was called I'll Give You Something To Cry About, and initially appeared in an edition of only 1,000 copies. In 1995, 4AD released Gentle Creatures, an album featuring several songs off the previous album. Warn Defever (His Name Is Alive) helped in the production. Mirador appeared in 1997. One year later, Frazer dropped the Tarnation name and continued as a solo artist. In 2006 Frazer revived the Tarnation name and released her seventh record, Now It's Time in March 2007 under the name of Paula Frazer and Tarnation.

She currently performs in the San Francisco based folk/rock trio Skystone, composed of her, guitarist/vocalist Brock Galland, and drummer Royce Seader.

Frazer is also a professional weaver. She was one of the temporary vocalist of Faith No More sometime in between 1983 and 1984. At the time the band only played shows, and often asked new people to step in. The band's bassist, Billy Gould, states to have recorded material of all shows played in the era.

Discography

As Paula Frazer

• Indoor Universe (2001; Birdman Records)
• A Place Where I Know (2003; Birdman Records)
• Leave the Sad Things Behind (2005; Birdman Records)

As Tarnation

• Gentle Creatures (1995; 4AD Records)
• Mirador (1997; Reprise/Warner Bros. Records)

As Paula Frazer and Tarnation

• Now It's Time (2007; Birdman Records)

References

• Richardson, Derk (August 19, 2005). "Paula Frazer weaves an intricate tapestry of musical styles and eras on her new CD". SF Gate. Retrieved 2006-10-12. 
• Armstrong, Gene (October 6, 2005). "Singer-songwriter Paula Frazer weaves gorgeous alt-country from ashes of Tarnation". Tucson Weekly. Retrieved 2006-10-12. 
• Lanham, Tom (October 20, 2005). "Frazer weaves beyond music Paula Frazer weaves spell beyond". Oakland Tribune. Retrieved 2006-10-19. 
• Raaggett, Ned. "Paula Frazer, Biography". Allmusic. 
• Iannelli, E. J. "Tarnation: What's with the who in Tarnation". The Daily Copper. Retrieved 2007-03-09. 

Skystone:Heavy Heights |url= http://www.signalandnoise.com/2011/03/skystone/

External links

• Review of Indoor Universe at Dusted Magazine
• Paula Frazer Myspace page
• Paula Frazer page on Birdman Records
• Skystone Myspace page