New York, NY (Top40 Charts) Today, Albany-based singer-songwriter Gavin Preller announces his debut LP, There Is Wonder, out May 21st on Kramer's Shimmy-Disc label and Joyful Noise Recordings. Preller shares the music video for "Wonder." Variance premiered the video, declaring that "it's hard not to hear flares of the likes of Sufjan
Stevens and Jeff Buckley, proof of just how much Preller's vocals are truly captivating."
There Is Wonder, which represents the debut-album of 21-year-old Gavin Preller, was written and recorded between October 2020 and February 2021 in Albany, NY. Preller wrote, arranged, and performed every song from a basic basement setup in his parent's home - except for drums on two tracks, which were recorded by Leor Manelis. The first six songs on the record were conceived quickly - written, recorded, and mixed within one week. Upon sending those tracks to iconic producer Kramer for mastering, Preller was unexpectedly signed to the Shimmy-Disc label and encouraged to expand the six songs into a full record. Preller spent the following months completing the album while living at home and working part-time. Preller is already at work on the next project and will be moving to New Paltz, NY, in July 2021.
Gavin Preller's music has been compared to Will Oldham, Sufjan Stevens, Nick Drake, and JeffBuckley. A native of Albany, NY, Preller began studying classical piano at the age of 3, later picking up guitar at ten years old. In 2019 he attended Berklee College of
Music before dropping out after one year to live in an agricultural community in Southern France.
Back in the States in February, 2020, Preller took his backpack and acoustic guitar on a cross-country train to Portland, OR. He was living by himself in a used van, without a job, using a nearby Planet Fitness for showers, when Covid hit. That March, he sold the van and returned to his parents' home in upstate, NY, to wait out the pandemic. Determined to make the most of it, Preller set up a primitive home recording studio in a basement bedroom and sang into a microphone for the first time in his life.
While working part-time for a small, family-owned food company, Preller wrote and recorded songs. His focus was on minimalist, primarily acoustic recordings, relying on strong lyrical and harmonic sensibilities.
In early November, Preller sent 6 tracks for mastering to Kramer, an acclaimed indie producer (Galaxie 500, Low, Palace Music) and founder of New York's groundbreaking Shimmy-Disc label. To Gavin's surprise, Kramer replied one day later: "We need to talk." The following day, Gavin was signed to the newly revived Shimmy-Disc label.
There Is Wonder - a subtle, contemplative, and courageous debut - marks the beginning of Preller's promising music career.
