New York, NY (Top40 Charts/ Shore Fire Media) - "A last-ditch plea to an estranged lover? An out-of-body experience? You tell me. I get the feeling I'll be playing this record a lot come 2011" " My Old Kentucky Blog. The
Poison Tree's self-titled debut, out March 15 on embarque, could easily have been found on some old reels of 1/2" tape buried under a mattress in the Chelsea Hotel. Led by former King of France frontman Steve Salett, 'The
Poison Tree' (a nod to
William Blake's "Songs of
Innocence and Experience") was recorded on tape and tracked mostly as a live ensemble at Sear Sound and Salett's own Saltlands Studio in Brooklyn. Seductive with a ragged elegance, the music slyly courts listeners with unhurried tones and excellent songwriting.
Stereogum recently premiered the track "My Only Friend":
https://bit.ly/9xLSP6
Artful and thoughtful, 'The Poison Tree' is centered on Salett's nylon-stringed guitar and builds outward with keyboards, horn and harmony. Salett's burnished baritone easily draws comparisons with Leonard Cohen, Lee Hazelwood and Serge Gainsbourg, but he is also culturally connected with these artists. Like Hazelwood and Gainsbourg, Salett is a committed producer and collaborator, nourishing a vibrant musical community in Brooklyn. The Poison Tree features a rotating cast of some of Brooklyn's finest musicians including Thomas Bartlett (Doveman), Dawn Landes and Jeff Hill (Rufus Wainwright).
At Saltlands Studios in DUMBO, Salett, the founder, has maintained an impressive enclave of musicians, creating a tight-knit independent recording facility and collective. Artists who have recorded there recently include: Sondre Lerche, The Soft Pack, Josh Ritter, Doveman, Sam Amidon and The National. More info: https://saltlands.com/
https://shorefire.com/clients/poisontree/
https://www.myspace.com/thepoisontreeband