Tristen, Charlatans At The Garden Gate

by:  Thomas Zinder

I stumbled on Tristen at a small club in Santa Fe and later learned how long and hard she worked on these 11 songs. There are songs here that will stick with you a long time because of their clever lyrics, deceptive vocals, beautiful hooks, and alluring harmonies. This is a terrific record, not someone's toss-off, but a combination of talent, insight, and experience, put together by some folks who clearly live to make good music. 


A native of Chicago, Tristen left the confines of the windy city after graduating from college.She set out for Nashville where she sought out a more granular, organic music scene.There she grafted influences from music and people she found in the city's grittier establishments.
She soon began recording with the help of friends, and based on the strength of a 5 song hand packaged EP sold at her many self booked tour dates and home town gigs, Tristen began to draw attention from local press and national taste-makers.

Paste named her a 'Best of What s Next' and American Songwriter praised her music, noting that Tristen's 'strength seems to reside in her ability to be musically versatile. Utilizing various orchestrations, Tristen weaves a glistening web of thoughtful and extremely mature melodies that tremble with undeniable power.'

For there part, the Nashville Scene has described Tristen's sound as encompassing 'the sweepingly delicate Kate Bush to the 50s pop of Sylvia Robinson of Mickey & Sylvia fame.'

Now signed to the indie label American Myth Recordings, Tristen is touring in support of a 7 inch for the single 'Eager For Your Love' which was released on February 1st.