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Star Anna

About Me


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"Crooked Path" from CD release party March 8 at The Tractor Tavern

Star Anna "If WishesWere Horses Music Video Directed By Sam Akina"
"MUSIC REVIEW - Star Anna and the Laughing Dogs - The Only Thing That Matters (self-released)
Remember that girl you met at the bowling alley? The one that chews gum, drinks several pitchers of beer, wears painted on jeans and tells you about French philosophy then winks at you as she gets strike after strike? She later on she goes and breaks your heart but you don’t care, you’re just glade to have been there to enjoy the time you had with her. No? Well Star Anna reminds me of that girl.
Well maybe not Star Anna personally but her music. It’s equal parts trashy Americana-laced rock mixed with sophisticated storytelling and charm that raises Anna and her band, The Laughing Dogs, to the a gritty level of greatness. It’s a gazing at the starts from the gutter kind of thing…
All the above qualities are on display in the opener Sleep My Darling. A woman sings to her lover to leave the world behind and to take refuge in her arms. The gentle solo guitar gives way to full band and then all comes head before calm returns and is then is again ditched. With this aural bi-polarism I’m left wondering if the woman’s arms are a sanctuary or a prison, but the song is so good you know you’re going to stay either way.
Through the Winter slinks along with vibrant 70’s Byrds/Stones swagger. Anna’s delivery of personal lyrics make her at once confessional and defiant, vulnerable and brave. Hawks on a Pole booms like a Lone Justice or Melissa Etheridge rollicking rocker and Justin Davis’ guitar especially cooks here. Where I Come From is a lovely, yearning number that takes us back to a more honky-tonk feel that defined much of Anna’s first CD Crooked Path.
In this world of many drinking songs you can now add as one of the best Spinning My Wheels which features the great line “I’m just sitting here spinning my wheels, but I’m not drunk enough to feel like I’m free” Though more rocking like the great Country drinking songs it’s one part pining and three part I don’t give a shit. Burn is a Pretenders style pop-punk gem and For Now and the dark tale of a serial killer Restless Water, show what Anna can do with a slow moving ballad, her singular voice breaks and swells with aching.
Aside from longing and lost love (or at least the opportunity thereof) if there is a theme to be picked up on The Only Thing That Matters it’s leaving. Nowhere is that more apparent on the Running Man. The languidly jazz tempo thrown down by Frank Johnson’s slinky bass and Travis Yost’s syncopated drums slowly builds and erupts into a declaration of dereliction.
The closer Tripping Wire was a 2AM solo guitar cut and Anna really shines on it. This is the voice that cut through all the previous rockers all but standing on it’s own and shining like a dusty, dark jewel.
As heartbreaking as many of the songs are this is not a sad album, and though there is an element of moving on it’s not a chick therapy album. It’s a cathartic jubulation that stands as another exceptional release from a master crafter of songs and her great band." Baron Lane Twang Nation
"Sometimes you come across a debut album and realize that you’re in at the birth of a major new talent. Such an album and such a talent is Star Anna Krogstie, whose “Crooked Path”...All in all, this may well be the best debut album of 2008 (and yes, I do know it’s only March)." Jeremy Searle, Americana UK
"(Comet) A couple weeks ago, Star Anna gave me goose bumps. She was performing an Old 97's cover at the Round, a monthly music and art series at the Fremont Abbey. The song was the embittered "Wish the Worst for You," and her strong, country- tinged voice was laced with the crazy passion of a women scorned. It was even better than the original, and Star Anna's vocals are just as perfectly emotive in her own material. That night she also played a song called "Restless Water," a haunting and sad story about a serial killer and his prey. Her lyrics balanced precariously between being the sacred victim, the spooky-as-f*** criminal, and the sad narrator—her imagery transported you to the foggy, dark, damp scene of the crime. I can't recall ever being so scared by a song." Megan Seling, The Stranger (Seattle, WA)

My Interests

Music:

Member Since: 9/13/2006
Band Website: http://www.starannamusic.com/
Band Members: mySpace band page Customizing Tutorials by Eileen (Top Left Profile Info)

!-START block to Place Custom Banner under navigationBar Custom Banner Under Menu MySpace Band or Standard Page Author:Eileen !-END block to Place Custom Banner under navigationBar -!Star Anna - Vocals, guitar, wildcard

FrankJohnson - Bass, back-up vocals, muscle

Travis Yost - Drums and percussion, brains

Justin Davis - Guitar, back-up vocals, looks

Booking Inquiries: [email protected]
Influences: Tom Petty, Steve Earle, Roy Orbison, Iggy Pop, the Velvet Underground, Nico, Mark Lanegan, The Shins, Townes Van Zandt,Mark Lanegan, Leonard Cohen, Tom Waits, Cat Power, Uncle Tupelo, Neko Case, Beck, Radiohead, Lucinda Williams, Johnny Cash, Neil Young, Oh Suzanna, Mark Dillingham, Otis Redding, Chris Isaak Elliot Smith, Jesse Sykes, Indigo Girls, David Bowie, Elvis Costello, The Pretenders, Mark Pickerel
Sounds Like: Truth, heartache, pain, hope, redemption, loss, gain, lust, sorrow, and love.!!! Start Code To Apply Top Banner !!!! Custom top banner code by Eileen

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Record Label: Big Bubba Dog Records
Type of Label: Indie

My Blog

On the road again

 Three days into our short Washington/Oregon tour and we've  landed in Raymond. Travis is searching the fridge as Dave drives the coach. Frank and Travis are cruising the van ahead of us. So far the t...
Posted by on Fri, 24 Apr 2009 16:48:00 GMT

Twang Nation Review of "The Only Thing That Matters"

Regarding our new album "The Only Thing That Matters""Its equal parts trashy Americana-laced rock mixed with sophisticated storytelling and charm that raises Anna and her band, The Laughing Dogs, to ...
Posted by on Thu, 16 Apr 2009 13:47:00 GMT

KEXP plays a few songs off "The Only Thing That Matters"

From Swingin Doors on KEXP, a show by our good friend Don Slack.Streaming Audio Player...listen in about 45 seconds..CLICK HERE
Posted by on Thu, 26 Mar 2009 23:57:00 GMT

Star Anna on CMT.com!

Here's a nice blog about us from our friend Craig Shelburne on CMT.com.
Posted by on Wed, 25 Mar 2009 11:27:00 GMT

Hear samples of all the new songs "The Only Thing That Matters" at starannamusic.com

StarAnnaMusic.com
Posted by on Wed, 18 Mar 2009 18:37:00 GMT

Mix Master

Another week in the studio! This time its all about mixing. Luckily we've got the mix master himself, Brad Zeffren, on the control board. I've mostly been in the studio lounge watching crime shows and...
Posted by on Wed, 04 Feb 2009 20:28:00 GMT

Star Anna performing at... ~Sweet Dreams~The Music of Patsy Cline

Hosted By:DebraWhen:Thursday, March 05, 2009Where:Columbia City Theater4916 Rainier AvenueSeattle98118Description:The Music of Patsy Cline performed by Rachel Flotard, Kim Virant, Star Anna, Kristen W...
Posted by on Tue, 03 Feb 2009 18:42:00 GMT

sunny day in seattle

Hey ya'll, We're back in the studio this weekend laying down overdubs! Franks in the singing booth right now, cutting his back-up vocals and they are coming along splendidly! We played Jules Maes last...
Posted by on Sun, 18 Jan 2009 12:55:00 GMT

On the cover of Seattle Sound Magazine "The Next Big Thing"

Great article with Zoe Muth, Sera Cahoone, Shelly Short, Laura Gibson, Brandi Carlile and Star Anna .Check it out here!CLICK! and a supplement to this article by Kristen Blush (Blush Photography)CLICK...
Posted by on Fri, 09 Jan 2009 10:46:00 GMT

Crooked Path 1 on Tupelo Honey’s Best of 2008

See it here...Tupelo Honey Eugene OR Thanks Shotgun!
Posted by on Tue, 06 Jan 2009 10:18:00 GMT