emma forever ago emma forever ago debut studio album american indie folk band self released july later saw wide release label february album principally work singer songwriter previously performed band college group moved north_carolina broke fell ill liver infection grew frustrated songwriting life left drove hour northwest hometown wisconsin hoping album recorded father remote hunting cabin late early abandoned old songwriting methods instead focused melodies later set words felt evoked meaning record lyrical subjects include lost love folk infused songs include heavy choral arrangements featuring falsetto horns hunted food spent time isolated intend album received strong friends decided self release emma forever ago july performances online exposure signed later year emma forever ago attracted wide acclaim music critics achieving spot dozens end year lists awards major commercial success independent label certified gold recording_industry_association_of_america riaa sales copies love album best performing single went gold gathered musicians form band tour album touring cycle lasted years ending late visited countries music festivals worldwide background born wisconsin grew pursuing music saw folk duo girls concert middle school proved formative life attended claire played number bands group consisted members contained love broke middle college years remain friends studied music theory time jazz ended degree religious studies musical project graduated college relocated north_carolina august group chose hoping adventure vibrant musical scene course time frustrated songwriting personal life worked local sandwich shop felt took time started health problems contracted pneumonia developed liver infection kept months members band began fight kicked group bands held similar members known pain breaking apart spent time band member contributions feature album night recorded solo extended play distributed self lost money playing online poker viewed problems felt life lost sense purpose half decade prior compromised personal life depression fueled indifference decided away return hometown broke girlfriend tossed recording equipment trunk car drove home eighteen hours night stopped parents home sat couch felt super returned road search silence hoping recording production travels brought father hunting cabin roughly hour northwest hometown outside wisconsin father spent weekends acre rural property area dubbed land growing interview described little alpine style timber frame cabin cabin necessarily father replaced dirt floor installed years roughly weeks sat drinking beer watching seasons television dvd thoughts relationship break struggled hunted food practice learned father killed deer period property lasted entire months according point faced wild bear entered cabin late night father drop days supplying son beer eggs cheese completed tasks stripping wood clearing brush lumber intend stay long viewing excursion opportunity escape trap society pay bills play music live instead stayed months harsh wisconsin winter weeks grew tired self lazy behavior began forming song ideas idea song brought inside musical equipment consisted guitars old model shortly exiting developed song ideas ceased working depression began recording songs vocals atop vocals imitating choir sang falsetto tried previous band gained freedom singing higher register feeling accessed painful melodies previous work manipulated recorded vocals software auto tune soon began developing songs worked hour bursts productivity work hours day start feel little insane later commented work labor intensive merged minimum tracks vocals song likened process teenage years worked track according days began run wake morning sunrise light reflecting snow help repair guitar traded nearby town february winter drawing close emerged cabin songs left feeling physically sick infection feel renewed creative spent additional time recording brass invited friends day play trumpet songs stories cabin repeated viewed way sort odd look magical felt like lonely months cabin rolling_stone later summarized story wild later viewed album victory mental health metaphor taking personal steps improve life characterized growth small internal dialogue microphone album title comes middle confirming central inspiration album felt titular emma evocative statement sentiment closing history went depth later remark emma isn person emma place stuck emma pain composition emma forever ago life events time ranging lost love longing lyrics album tell stories inspired musician song structures unorthodox discarded old method songwriting literally occasion old crashed losing dozens unfinished old songs buried snow later remarking taken good gave new face music came create vocal lines felt process brought forth weird melodies sounds considered method door way fit syllables words expanded process interview listened little music creating album inspired sources listened vienna boys choir recordings months prior inspired incorporate choral arrangements work felt inspired folk singers employed falsetto register inspired use result felt comfortable singing certain complicated phrases express pain joy clearly suggested interview reaction favorite black singers created girlfriend house preceding trip cabin later dubbed catalyst cabin creation song leave love considered reference relationship smith countered entirely accurate time relationship going relationship need help necessarily relationship references gambling problem release completing recordings returned north_carolina play guitar tour toured spring took months thoughts recordings viewed potential demos later record convinced leave commenting record consulted friends listen deciding self release mixed recordings hoping send labels advance record real album cabin written concluding letter french good winter origins lie episode characters greet crisp encouraged project tour asked play small solo set prior performance year south southwest encouraged performances followed new_york wisconsin emma forever ago self distributed myspace june gradually independent hit year old record release party held july marking album debut limited run copies idea interested intended send copies press outlets positive reviews increased weeks music pitchfork appearance new_york increased popularity music began offers release album record labels according major labels desperate sign offering contracts chose deal chose sign independent label late october liked label president opened communication summer midwest roots distribute album europe commercial performance february release emma forever ago sold copies debut week placed album sales charts including number billboard number entry chart sales emma slow building according music publication billboard eventually commercial smash album eventually peaked number billboard issue dated january prior official release album widely available online label offered sales incentives response including free poster pre ordered copies bonus track itunes store edition purchasing copy required store performances album successful triple radio stations including public stations midwest label focused marketing campaign united_kingdom album debuted number albums_chart later certified gold british_phonographic_industry bpi sales copies achieved largest international success ireland debuted number hit album flanders portugal australia denmark australia album eventually certified platinum australian_recording_industry_association aria denoting shipments copies certified gold denoting shipments copies emma forever ago selling title vinyl years format revival sold copies vinyl half 2010s told emma forever ago sell copies vinyl think absolutely insane said managing director overall sales estimated copies united_states according nielsen soundscan june album certified gold recording_industry_association_of_america riaa shipments copies reception emma forever ago received widespread acclaim critics scored review aggregate site metacritic earliest reviews came pitchfork praised soulful performance describing record collection songs natural imagery acoustic sound man left memories guitar rolling_stone christened quiet marvel praising light touch zero interest narrative lyrics guardian praised restraint noting feels characterized quietly startling opining power songs sound lyrics don spell allmusic wrote emma captures sound broken quiet isolation beautiful package delivers door beating bruised heart achievement debut promise greatness future high writing spin suggested folk chords melodies pastoral lyrics prevent album descending self pity uncut deemed record sealed complete satisfying album operates intensely world listen like act stevens described record closure gentle touch sad day writing pain provides warmth definition music new_york_times called record irresistible hand robert_christgau review stated album ultimately little shared comparing writing solitary lose definition faster angel breath january accolades touring toured east_coast supporting late biggest concerts came december band performed ballroom major touring cycle album official release gathered musicians trek including guitar student drummer carey jazz drummer fan album approached performances felt comfortable performing album live personal weird songs told popmatters weird able float find new old pain song fact haven run course old hat year exciting band toured label mates allowed groups attract diverse crowd according billboard summer band played festivals including shows performed support girls favorite groups held memorable morning album main touring cycle complete late track listing songs written composed personnel information section adapted album liner notes charts certifications release history
For Emma, Forever Ago