Dear Nora is an indie pop band formed in Portland, Oregon in 1999 by songwriter, vocalist, and guitarist Katy Davidson, drummer and vocalist Marianna Ritchey, and bassist Ryan Wise.[1] Ritchey and Wise were previously members of Wolf Colonel.[1] They named their new band after Lewis & Clark College music professor Nora Beck.[2] Dear Nora's first album, We'll Have a Time, was produced by Amy Linton of The Aislers Set and released on the Portland label Magic Marker Records in 2001.[1]
| Dear Nora | |
|---|---|
 Katy Davidson performing with Dear Nora in 2018. | |
| Background information | |
| Origin | Portland, Oregon |
| Genres | Rock, indie pop |
| Years active | 1997–2008, 2017– |
| Labels | Magic Marker, States Rights Records, Valve Records |
| Members | Katy Davidson |
| Past members | Gretchen Hildebran Jaime Knight Jake Longstreth Marianna Ritchey Nora Roman Antonio Roman-Alcalá Ryan Wise |
| Website | Katy Davidson and Friends |
After moving to San Francisco, Davidson continued to record under the name Dear Nora with a rotating cast of band members. The band released two more main albums, Mountain Rock (2004) and There Is No Home (2006), as well as several 7" singles and EPs.[1] From 2004 to 2007, they performed locally in San Francisco and toured with musicians such as The Blow, Mirah, and YACHT.[3][4]
After a tour of Florida with Casiotone for the Painfully Alone in 2008, Davidson retired the name Dear Nora, though they continue to record music.[2] In 2006, Davidson moved to Los Angeles, where they and Ritchey recorded Just as God Made Us under the name Lloyd & Michael on States Rights Records.[5] Davidson now resides in Portland and performs under the name "Key Losers."
In 2017, after a vinyl reissue of 'Mountain Rock', Katy Davidson reached out to several fellow musicians, Zach Burba, Gregory Campanile, and Stephen Steinbrink to play with them under the Dear Nora moniker, for the first time since 2008, on tour across the United States.[6]
In May, 2018, Dear Nora released their fourth album Skulls Example on Orindal Records.[7]
In October, 2022, Dear Nora released human futures on Orindal Records.[8]
Discography edit
- 2000 - Make You Smile (7"), Magic Marker Records
- 2000 - Dreaming Out Loud (7"), Magic Marker Records
- 2001 - We'll Have a Time, Magic Marker Records
- 2002 - The New Year, Magic Marker Records[9]
- 2003 - split w/ Mates of State (7"), Polyvinyl Records
- 2004 - Mountain Rock, Magic Marker Records[10]
- 2005 - split w/ What the Kids Want (7"), Shake Got the Beets Records
- 2006 - There is No Home, Magic Marker Records
- 2008 - Three States: Rarities 1997-2007, Magic Marker Records
- 2018 - Skulls Example, Orindal Records
- 2022 - human futures, Orindal Records
References edit
- ^ a b c d Thomas, Bryan. "Dear Nora". Allmusic. Retrieved 2008-04-03.
- ^ a b Gnade, Adam (2006-10-12). "Up & Coming (concert listings)". Willamette Week. Retrieved 2007-04-03.
- ^ Dear Nora at MySpace
- ^ Heller, Jason (2005-11-17). "Dear Nora". Denver Westword. Archived from the original on 2011-06-08. Retrieved 2008-04-03.
- ^ Dear Nora, States Rights Records
- ^ Lomberg, Corey (22 February 2017). "12 Years Later, Dear Nora Looks Back on the Beauty and Terror of 'Mountain Rock'". noisey.vice.com. Retrieved 2017-09-21.
- ^ Rettig, James. "Katy Davidson On Skulls Example, The First Dear Nora Album In 12 Years". Stereogum, April 11 2018. Retrieved April 7 2019
- ^ "Dear Nora: human futures". HUMP DAY NEWS. Retrieved 2022-11-14.
- ^ Cramer, Stephen. "The New Year [EP] - Dear Nora". Allmusic. Retrieved 26 November 2011.
- ^ Heaton, Dave (1 December 2004). "Dear Nora: Mountain Rock". PopMatters. Retrieved 26 November 2011.
External links edit
- Dear Nora at Allmusic
- Magic Marker Records
- Katy Davidson's official website
- Review[permanent dead link] at SF Weekly
- Review at PopMatters
- Dear Nora: Sunset on Humanity
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