Soundboard

Yohuna gets signed to worldwide label

Betty Nikia |

If you haven’t already listened to Revery by Yohuna (aka local songstress Johanne Swanson), do so now at Yohuna.bandcamp.com. When you’re done, mind blown into soft wispy bits by this kind of local talent, consider how much more amazing it is going to be listening to it on vinyl on that turntable you found for cheap at a thrift sale last summer. Because that’s happening. The long-awaited Art Fag Recordings release of Revery has been mastered by Pete Lyman (No Age, Dunes, Colleen Green) with has an April 17 release date, when the final version will be available on vinyl and cassette. Art Fag’s distribution is through Revolver USA, which has worldwide distribution, so it’s kind of a big deal. However, rumor has it that you can get advanced vinyl copies during the Yohuna and Truman Peyote Midwest March 2012 tour – March 16-31. As a bonus, the tour will feature a FARMS reunion show on March 24 in Eau Claire.

I was able to catch up with Yohuna before she took off to play on the road. I asked her about a tweet she threw up on January 3 saying, “After tonight I'm done playing Revery songs. Washing my hands of it!” Yohuna says, “I was being tongue in cheek. ... I will be playing Revery tunes and some new songs, about half new and half old. I definitely wouldn't be able to play these songs anymore if I hadn't had Addie (Adelyn Rose) and Caleb (Truman Peyote) join my set on guitar and bass.”  The three of them played their first live shows together this last winter in Los Angeles at FMLY Fest. “Taking the project from solo to more of a 'band' really challenged me and added new life to those old songs.”

Those old songs led to the recordings through Art Fag as well as burgeoning relationships with Happy Trendy and Foxes in Fiction, who invited Yohuna on a small tour last year. She has played on both coasts, the southwest, and throughout the Midwest. “I just had the thought that it's ironic the title is Revery, because this whole thing HAS been such a dream,” says Yohuna. “It's been over a year since I self-released it, and I never would have thought it'd get picked up like this. Art Fag was my total 'dream label'; I love their roster, and it blows my mind that my name is among those acts.”

That said, I would recommend catching one of these more intimate shows while you still can.