Larkin Grimm (born September 18, 1981) is an American singer-songwriter and musician based in New York City. She was born in

Memphis, Tennessee Memphis is a city in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is the seat of Shelby County in the southwest part of the state; it is situated along the Mississippi River. With a population of 633,104 at the 2020 U.S. census, Memphis is the second-mos ...

Early life and career

At age 20 Grimm dropped out of

Yale University Yale University is a private research university in New Haven, Connecticut. Established in 1701 as the Collegiate School, it is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and among the most prestigious in the wo ...

and moved to

Alaska Alaska ( ; russian: Аляска, Alyaska; ale, Alax̂sxax̂; ; ems, Alas'kaaq; Yup'ik: ''Alaskaq''; tli, Anáaski) is a state located in the Western United States on the northwest extremity of North America. A semi-exclave of the U.S., ...

, where she hiked and began to experiment with singing. Several months later she was convinced by a friend to return to Yale and graduate with her degree in Studio Art. Before leaving Yale, She began recording her first album ''

Harpoon A harpoon is a long spear-like instrument and tool used in fishing, whaling, seal hunting, sealing, and other marine hunting to catch and injure large fish or marine mammals such as seals and whales. It accomplishes this task by impaling the t ...

'', which was partly influenced by Grimm's experiences performing with the

Dirty Projectors Dirty Projectors is an American indie rock band from Brooklyn, New York, formed in 2002. The band is the project of singer-songwriter David Longstreth, who has served as the band's sole constant member throughout numerous line-up changes. The b ...

. Grimm then moved to

Providence, Rhode Island Providence is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Rhode Island. One of the oldest cities in New England, it was founded in 1636 by Roger Williams, a Reformed Baptist theologian and religious exile from the Massachusetts Bay ...

, where she has since produced another album called '' The Last Tree''. Larkin's third album ''

Parplar ''Parplar'' is the third studio album by folk artist Larkin Grimm. It was released in 2008, the first album on Young God Records Young God Records is an independent record label formed by Michael Gira in 1990 that specializes in experimental, ...

'' was released October 2008 by

Young God Records Young God Records is an independent record label formed by Michael Gira in 1990 that specializes in experimental, avant-garde and often non genre-specific releases. The label was named after an EP released by Gira's band Swans called '' Young God ...

. In 2017 Grimm released her album ''Chasing an Illusion'' on

Northern Spy Records Northern Spy Records is a record label in Brooklyn, New York that specializes in avant-garde music, noise rock, and experimental jazz. The label was founded by Tom Abbs and Adam Downey in 2010 after working for ESP-Disk. History Northern Spy is a ...

. ''Chasing an Illusion'' was recorded in a natural cave featuring raw vocals and working from live recordings layered on the same mixing board used for

David Bowie David Robert Jones (8 January 194710 January 2016), known professionally as David Bowie ( ), was an English singer-songwriter and actor. A leading figure in the music industry, he is regarded as one of the most influential musicians of the ...

’s ''

Young Americans ''Young Americans'' is the ninth studio album by English musician David Bowie, released on 7March 1975 through RCA Records. The album marked a departure from the glam rock style of Bowie's previous albums, showcasing his interest in soul and ...

''. Sasha Geffen's review on

Pitchfork A pitchfork (also a hay fork) is an agricultural tool with a long handle and two to five tines used to lift and pitch or throw loose material, such as hay, straw, manure, or leaves. The term is also applied colloquially, but inaccurately, to th ...

states, "These paradoxical moments of sorrowful lyrics against spirited playing make up the crux of the magic Grimm weaves on ''Chasing an Illusion''. Pain can be paralyzing, but it can also level the ground for something new to grow. Pain and the healing that follows it can turn us loose."

Discography

*''

'' (Secret Eye, 2005) *'' The Last Tree'' (Secret Eye, 2006) *''

'' (Young God Records, 2008) *'' Larkin Grimm / Extra Life 12" (split single with

Extra Life In video games, a life is a play-turn that a player character has, defined as the period between start and end of play. Lives refer to a finite number of tries before the game ends with a game over. It is sometimes called a chance, a try, rest ...

) (2011) *''

Soul Retrieval Robert Allan Monroe (October 30, 1915 – March 17, 1995) was a radio broadcasting executive who became known for his research into altered consciousness and for founding The Monroe Institute. His 1971 book ''Journeys Out of the Body'' is credi ...

'' (Bad Bitch Records, 2012) *''Chasing an Illusion'' (Northern Spy Records, 2017)

Guest vocals

*''Hungry Ghosts: These Songs Are Doors'' (2007) by Mudboy *''

We Are Him ''We Are Him'' is the fifth and final studio album by American experimental rock band Angels of Light. It was released on September 11, 2007, via Young God Records. The album features extensive contributions from various musicians, including th ...

'' (2007) by

Angels of Light Angels of Light were an American folk band that was formed circa 1998 by singer-songwriter and musician Michael Gira after he disbanded Swans, the group he had founded in 1982. The band has marked a distinctly different style for Gira since he ...

*''

Technicolor Health ''Technicolor Health'' is the first and only full-length album from indie band Harlem Shakes Harlem Shakes were an American indie rock band from New York, formed in 2006 and signed to Gigantic Music Gigantic Music is an independent record labe ...

'' (2009) by

Harlem Shakes Harlem Shakes were an American indie rock band from New York, formed in 2006 and signed to Gigantic Music. Prior to their signing, they released the 2007 EP ''Burning Birthdays''. The band disbanded in September 2009 after a hiatus following th ...

*'' Boy from Black Mountain'' (2009) by

Beat Circus Beat Circus is a band from Boston, Massachusetts, US, fronted by the multi-instrumentalist / singer-songwriter Brian Carpenter, who has been its only constant member since its inception. Musical style The band's songs are characterized by lush ...

*''

Made Flesh Made Flesh is the second album by the experimental rock band Extra Life. According to Rock-A-Rolla magazine, the album is "darker, harder and bleaker" than its predecessor, ''Secular Works''. Writing in The Quietus, Noel Gardner described it as " ...

'' (2010) by

*''No Más'' (2010) by Javelin

References

External links

* 1981 births Living people Songwriters from Tennessee Psychedelic folk musicians New Weird America Young God Records artists Yale University alumni Singers from Tennessee 21st-century American singers 21st-century American women singers People from Dahlonega, Georgia {{Singer-songwriter-stub