Album Notes

“Acoustic pop fans take note—Kurdian’s From Where You Are is the real deal, poised to grab you wherever you are." – Performing Songwriter


She’s an Armenian born and raised in Wichita, Kansas, who earned a degree in French, loves all things Japanese, lived in New York City, now resides in Los Angeles and is loved in Sweden where she’s done two tours. She’s also done well in the states, performing in New York City at The Bitter End and CBGB’s Gallery, as well as noted venues in other parts of the country. Go around the world with her well-crafted songs and land in some of the usual singer-songwriter territory of love lost and gained but with a poetic flair that doesn’t make you think you’ve wandered into some boring tourist destination. Her debut recording, From Where You Are, will remind you of a young Shawn Colvin or a sultry Janis Ian, with rhythmic guitar phrasing and soulful vocals.

Melineh couldn’t play with the neighborhood kids until she practiced an hour of piano. From the age of six, she performed in countless classical recitals and competitions. In middle school she switched to cello and while she loved its rich sound, practicing it was closer to torture than rapture. It wasn’t until she discovered an old guitar under her mother’s bed that she realized her true calling. At first, it was an E chord she figured out herself. Fueled by her father’s jazz collection, classic rock radio, and girls with guitars, she taught herself more until she was writing her own tunes.

Like so many other hopefuls, she packed her bags after college and moved to the Big Apple. In 2005, after establishing herself there, she landed in Los Angeles where she regularly appears at premier listening venues like Hotel Café and Genghis Cohen. In 2007 she toured the midwest and east coast with two other singer-songwriters, Liz Clark and Julie Loyd, as Girl Parts.

“As Good As You” is a love song based on a hooky acoustic guitar and vocals so intimate that you want to lean a little closer to the speakers. There’s a weary but tender sound in “World,” while in “Sending Boxes” she makes a wry observation:

I could draw a straight line on a folded map
You could draw some crooked lines and write me back

She can’t wait to go back into the studio within the next year. More extensive touring, as a solo and with Girl Parts, is also in the works.

The New York Times calls her music “soulful and amusing” which might feel like a contradiction but after seeing her live, you’ll know what they mean. There’s an expressive and poignant quality to her voice but in between songs she’ll tell stories that could include an impromptu country song or animal impressions. Maybe some of that dust from under her mother’s bed affected her but at any rate, you’ll enjoy her personable stage presence. It’s a great ride, sometimes exhilarating, sometimes contemplative, all over Melineh’s world. Join her.


“… a voice with a measure of Patty Griffin's ability to wrench the heart.” -- Jon Sobel, Blogcritics.org

www.melinehkurdian.com
www.sonicbids.com/melinehkurdian