Boston dream-folk artist, Marissa Nadler takes off independently with the release of her fifth full-length album and the first to be released on her very own label Box of Cedar Records. Produced by Brian McTear, the self-titled LP is set for a June 14th release. Marissa proclaims, 'It's the most honest, natural record I've ever written."

Making music for nearly a decade and creating art for a lifetime her ethereal songwriting remains rich with imagery and beautiful textures. "I'm no longer hiding," She admits. "The mystery still exists in the music as an aesthetic tool, but the songs cut harder because of the vocal mix, with more varied colors than my other records."

Before moving out on her own label, Marissa released her last two critically-acclaimed efforts, Songs III: Bird on the Water (2007) and Little Hells (2009) with Kemado Records. The former led to two nominations for the 2008 PLUG awards for "best female artist of the year" and "best Americana record of the year."

Her influential songwriting was also responsible for the name of up-start Brooklyn-based vinyl label, Mexican Summer which put out her third release on vinyl, Songs III: Bird on the Water, as well as albums for Ariel Pink, Kurt Vile, and Little Girls.

Boston-based singer/songwirter Marissa Nadler has recently released her fourth studio album, Little Hells.

I had the opporuntiy to speak with Marissa, here's how our conversation went:

T.O. Snob: Thanks for doing this. You're coming to Toronto on April 21st, what can people expact from your show?

Marissa Nadler: I thin a gentle, mellow, ethereal sound.

T.O. Snob: I think Little Hells is probably your best album yet. Do you consciously set out to try to surpass what you've done before?

MN: That's always the intention. As an artist you're always trying to grow and metamorphisis. I think it's often a matter of taste in what people like. Althoiugh I definitely hope that my best work is still ahead of me.

T.O. Snob: Do you ever feel pressure to grow or evolve?

MN: I think I have with this record and I hope to do so. But I don't feel pressure from other people. I did put some pressure on myself with this record to see what I was capable of doing.

T.O. Snob: Do you prefer writing and recording or performing in front of a live audience?

MN: Both actually. I'm really looking forward to going on tour this time around.

T.O. Snob: Your sound really pulls in a lot of eclectic influences, how did you develop it?

MN: A lot of it is from things I grew up listening to. I think I was listening to a lot of stuff like Joni Mitchell and Neil Young but also Mazzy Star. So its just a combination of what I grew up listening to.

T.O. Snob: Well you'll win points here in Canada by saying Joni Mitchell and Neil Young.

MN: Oh, and Leonard Cohen. The whole holy Canadian trinity of songwriting.

T.O. Snob: What inspires your lyrics? MN: My lyrics are pretty much directly a response to my life. They are very truthful lyrics.

T.O. Snob: Your songs have always come across as very literary and very literate. So that begs the question, have you read any good books lately?

MN: The last good book that I read was called The Secret Life of the Lonley Doll. It's a non-fiction book from a children's book writer Dare Wright. It's just a really good book.

T.O. Snob: If you could work with any artist in the world who would i t be?

MN: Living I would say I would love to write a soundtrack for David Lynch. I hope that he reads this.

T.O. Snob: If somebody were to come into your apartment and look at your CD collection is there anything there that would surprise them?

MN: Probably my heavy grunge rock stuff. The Hole CDs. I guess it's just the generation I grew up in.

T.O. Snob: Thanks again for doing this.