Mal Blum
Mal Blum | |
---|---|
Background information | |
Genres | Folk, Anti-folk, Rock, Punk Folk punk |
Occupation(s) | Musician, singer-songwriter |
Instrument(s) | Vocals, guitar |
Labels | Don Giovanni Records |
Website | malblum |
Mal Blum (born July 7, 1988)[citation needed] is an American songwriter, musician, writer and performer from New York. Blum has released six full-length albums, most recently Pity Boy in 2019.[1]
Career
They[a] spent their early career promoting self-booked DIY solo tours[3] and also self-released their early albums before signing to a record label[4]
In 2014, they signed to Don Giovanni records and announced they would be working on a new album produced by Marissa Paternoster of the band Screaming Females.[5] After the Don Giovanni release of You Look a Lot Like Me in 2015, Blum began touring nationally as a band with a bassist and drummer, contributing to what critics called a "more developed but still gritty, punk" sound.[6] Describing the process of making You Look a Lot Like Me, Blum says:
When I wrote all the songs on the album I was so depressed at that time that I actually didn’t have a concept that I was writing songs. But when I started feeling better everything started to come into place: Don Giovanni wanted me to put out the album, then they put me in touch with Marissa to produce it.[7]
Blum was a recurring musical and non-musical guest on The Chris Gethard Show.[8][9] and has had their music featured on Logo TV's The Click List: Top 10 Videos and NewNowNext Music[10] They also have appeared as a musical guest on the Welcome to Night Vale (WTNV) podcast and toured extensively with WTNV live shows in 2018.[11][12]. In February 2019 Blum released a new single, "Things Still Left To Say,"[13] and in March 2019 they toured with Lucy Dacus.[14] That year they released the album Pity Boy.[1]
They have contributed non-musical written work to Autostraddle,[15] Huffington Post,[16] and The Fader.[17]
Personal life
Blum is openly transgender and queer.[1] They attended State University of New York at Purchase.[18] They are Jewish. Of their songwriting style, a recent reviewer writes:
Although their songs’ subject matters often touch on heavier subjects, Blum’s dry approach to otherwise difficult topics typifies Jewish humor.[19]
Discography
- The Malblum Album (2007) (out of print)
- Pretty Cute
- Christmas Eve
- Timebomb
- This Is Not A Date
- Vegan Song
- Westchester County
- Worst of All
- I Forgot You Were a Feline
- Westchester County (feat. Chelsea)
- Brand New Pivot
- When It's New
- Goodnight Sugarpop (2008)
- Cut it off
- Dysmorphic
- Country Song
- Hypocrite
- My Name is Earthworm
- Waiting In Line
- The Suburban Summer Polka
- Tumbleweed
- Ode to Kulele * video reached number 10 on LOGO's Video of Year for 2009
- You Should Be Here
- The Jugular
- I have been listening
- For Making Art: The EP (2009) (out of print)
- Baltimore
- New Year's Eve
- For Making Art
- Wagon Wheel (Live At the Sidewalk Cafe, Nyc)
- Tumbleweed (Live At the Sidewalk Cafe, Nyc)
- I Could Tell You
- Every Time You Go Somewhere (2010)
- San Cristóbal
- Watercolors
- Baltimore
- New Year's Eve
- Fine!
- Wait Forever, Baby
- Circus Heart Pt. 1
- Circus Heart Pt. 2
- I Got Drunk
- Weary
- Tempest In A Teacup (2013)
- Overseas Now
- Side I'm On
- Altitude (This Party Sucks)
- The Bodies, The Zombies!
- Counting My Breaths
- Brooklyn
- With Samson In Washington State
- The Difference
- Valentine's Day
- You Look A Lot Like Me (2015)
- Archive
- Better Go
- Robert Frost
- Cool Party
- Split, Splitting
- Reality TV
- Iowa
- Better Than I Was
- New Orleans
- The Shrink Thinks
- Pity Boy (2019)
- Things Still Left To Say
- Not My Job
- See Me
- Odds
- Splinter
- Black Coffee
- Did You Get What You Wanted
- I Don't Want To
- Salt Flats
- Well, Fuck
- Gotta Go
- Maybe I'll Wait[20]
See also
Notes
- ^ Blum is non-binary and uses they/them pronouns.[2]
References
- ^ a b c Wolper, Caitlin. "Mal Blum Explores Self-Destructive Habits On 'Pity Boy'". Nylon. Retrieved May 4, 2020.
- ^ Keller, Jessica. "Hanging Out With Mal Blum". Her Campus.
- ^ "Mal Blum". Mal Blum. Retrieved December 5, 2013.
- ^ Fleishman, Hannah. "Mal Blum's Music Was Made For Queer Jews".
- ^ "Mal Blum joins Don Giovanni Records". Mal Blum. Retrieved March 19, 2019.
- ^ "REVIEW: Allison Weiss, Mal Blum, Winter, Kid in the Attic, Dump Him at Cuisine En Locale (11/4) - Allston Pudding". November 10, 2015.
- ^ "About". Mal Blum. Retrieved March 19, 2019.
- ^ "Shows". Mal Blum. Retrieved March 19, 2019.
- ^ "I think we can all agree that Mal Blum has been a... | The Chris Gethard Show". Thechrisgethardshow.tumblr.com. Retrieved December 5, 2013.
- ^ St.Brooklyn, The Acheron 57 Waterbury; NY; is 21, 11206 Doors 8:00 PM This event; over. "Emilyn Brodsky, Mal Blum, Hailey Wojcik, Kid In The Attick - Tickets - The Acheron - Brooklyn, NY - December 4th, 2014". Ticketfly. Retrieved March 19, 2019.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ Merka Nelson, Kelly (November 24, 2017). "Welcome to Night Vale Brings Eldritch Weather to San Antonio". San Antonio Current. Retrieved September 27, 2018.
- ^ Biese, Alex (September 10, 2018). "Mal Blum on tour with Welcome to Night Vale for A Spy in the Desert". app. USA Today. Retrieved September 27, 2018.
- ^ "Watch: Mal Blum Returns With 'Things Still Left To Say'". NPR.org. Retrieved March 19, 2019.
- ^ "Shows". Mal Blum. Retrieved March 19, 2019.
- ^ "Mal Blum". Autostraddle.
- ^ "Mal Blum - HuffPost". www.huffingtonpost.com.
- ^ "10 NYC DIY Venues That Closed This Year And Why We'll Miss Them". The FADER.
- ^ "Josh Gondelman and People He Admires". www.unionhallny.com. Retrieved March 19, 2019.
- ^ Fleishman, Hannah. "Mal Blum's Music Was Made For Queer Jews".
- ^ "Albums". Mal Blum. Retrieved March 19, 2019.