A Fine Frenzy

Alison Sudol (born December 23, 1984), known professionally as A Fine Frenzy (formerly Alison Monro), is an American alternative singer and songwriter and pianist. Her debut album, One Cell in the Sea, was released on July 17, 2007, and peaked at number 91 on the Billboard 200 chart. She has been in the charts in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Poland, and France, among other countries. Her music has been featured on television shows, and on the soundtrack of the film Sleepwalking.

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Biography

Early life

Born in Seattle, Washington to two dramatic arts teachers, Sudol and her mother moved to Los Angeles after her parents divorced when she was five years old. She didn't see her father - John Sudol - often while she was growing up. She grew up listening to a wide range of music, including Aretha Franklin, Ella Fitzgerald, and swing.

She graduated from high school at the age of 16, and considered herself "nerdy and quiet." Sudol did not "drink or smoke or do anything like that." She stated in an interview, "I was so nervous about going into college like that and super young. I figured I would take two years and try to find out what I was doing with music. And when I was 18, I was just so deep into it that I didn't want to stop." At age 18, Sudol started her first band, Monro.

Sudol had a passion for literature, and immersed herself in the works of C. S. Lewis, E. B. White, Lewis Carroll, Anthony Trollope, and Charles Dickens. Her artist name, "A Fine Frenzy", is taken from a verse in William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream (Theseus, Act 5, Scene 1: "The poet's eye, in a fine frenzy rolling, doth glance from heaven to earth, from earth to heaven"). After teaching herself to play the piano, she began putting her creative energy into writing songs.

The short demo she sent out received attention from EMI's Jason Flom, who signed her after visiting her house and "listening to her play."

Music career

In March 2007, Sudol appeared at the South by Southwest (SXSW) conference, opening for The Stooges. Shortly after, her debut album, One Cell in the Sea, was released to generally positive reviews. The first single, "Almost Lover", peaked at number 25 on Billboard's Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks chart. In mid-2007, she secured another opening spot, this time for Rufus Wainwright on his tour. In March and April 2008, Sudol headlined her own tour in the US and Canada, and in April she toured France, Belgium, Germany and Switzerland. In September 2008, she was the star act on the opening night of the 'New Pop Festival' organized by the German broadcaster SWR3. She returned to Germany, Austria, and Switzerland on a headline tour in November 2008 and played in the 'Super Bock em Stock' festival in Portugal in December 2008.

Her song "You Picked Me" was featured on iTunes as the "Free Single of the Week" for August 14, 2007, and VH1 featured her as one of their "You Oughta Know" artists. Additionally, in October 2008, "You Picked Me" was chosen as network theme by SIC, a Portuguese television network.

One Cell in the Sea has sold 300,000 copies. In 2008 it was released in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Poland. In each of those countries, the album peaked within the top 30, with the first single, "Almost Lover," reaching number eight in Germany, number ten on the Swiss Charts and number five in Austria.

Sudol's second album, Bomb in a Birdcage, was released September 8, 2009. The first single, "Blow Away", was released on July 17, 2009, followed by two more singles, "Happier" and "Electric Twist".

Sudol announced on her official Twitter that she's excited to start work on her third record, but a date and title have not been confirmed, though slated for a 2011 release.

Television appearances

On February 6, 2008, Sudol performed "Come On, Come Out" on The Late Show with David Letterman. On February 23, she sang "Almost Lover" and "Come On, Come Out" on CBS' Saturday Early Show. She guest starred in the fourth season premiere of CSI: NY, playing the character Nova Kent. During her October 15, 2009, appearance on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, she sang "Blow Away" on the television series House. The song "Whisper" was heard during the episode "Joy to the World", and the song "Hope for the Hopeless" has been in three episodes: "Act Your Age", "Human Error", and "Airborne". "Hope for the Hopeless" was also featured in the series premiere of Defying Gravity. The song "Near to You" was played in the episode "Friendship/Passion" of the tv series Wildfire (TV series). The song "Lifesize" was played during the episode "Doppelgangers" of How I Met Your Mother. Also, the song "The Beacon" was used during the episode "Hot and Bothered" of the Canadian police drama Rookie Blue. "Ashes and Wine" was used in the Vampire Diaries episode "Bad Moon Rising". Her music has also been used on the series The Hills.

Her track 'What I Wouldn't Do' was used by the UK fashion chain Matalan on their Christmas 2010 television advert campaign.

Literature and writing

Sudol has often referred to the literary influences on her music. More recently she has disclosed that she is also pursuing a secondary career as a writer. In an interview, she said she was writing a children's story in the "Narnia" tradition, a fantasy featuring animals. In an interview with Ladygunn Magazine, she revealed the title of her fantasy adventure book to be "Three Sails and the Family Moss."

Discography

Albums

One Cell in the Sea (2007), Virgin, Austria, Switzerland, Germany, Poland, US
Bomb in a Birdcage (2009), Virgin
TBA Virgin

EPs

Demo - EP (2006): "Rangers", "Almost Lover", "The Well"
Live Session (iTunes Exclusive) - EP (2007): "Almost Lover", "The Minnow & the Trout", "Borrowed Time", "Last of Days"
Come On, Come Out (2008), Germany: "Come On, Come Out" + Nachtwandler Protone Mix, "Love Sick", "Devil's Trade"
Oh Blue Christmas (2009), (iTunes/Target exclusive): "Blue Christmas", "Winter Wonderland", "Winter White", "Christmas Time is Here", "Wish You Well", "Red Ribbon Foxes"

Singles

"Almost Lover" (2007), Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Slovenia, Poland, Lithuania
"Rangers" (2007)
"Come On, Come Out" (2008), Poland
"Blow Away" (2009), International
"Happier" (2009), International
"Electric Twist" (2010), International

Soundtracks

Dan in Real Life (2007): "Fever"
Sleepwalking (2008): "Come On, Come Out"
The Vampire Diaries (2010): "Ashes and Wine," "Stood Up," "All You Wanted" (with Sounds Under Radio)
Monte Carlo (2011): "Blow Away"