Singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Cristina Black has released a new single, titled “Summer’s Over,” now available on iTunes and other digital outlets. Often compared to Nico for her smoke-and-honey character voice and Joni Mitchell for her classic songwriting, Black maintains a cabaret-like propriety while drawing on the curious looseness of her former home, New Orleans. Her critically acclaimed debut, The Ditty Sessions, was recorded in the Big Easy in 2009 with an all-star backing band that included the late Big Star singer Alex Chilton and marked the rock legend’s final studio recordings. The album’s standout track “Drunk Rich People” was featured on NBC’s prime time hit Parenthood.
Black will celebrate the release at a live performance on August 23 at Hollywood club Room 5 with her Los Angeles-based band, featuring keyboardist Will Canzoneri (Darker My Love, Cass McCombs), drummer Garrett Ray (Fool’s Gold, Cass McCombs) and cellist April Guthrie (Seawolf, Spiritualized). Black will lead the band on harp, piano and baritone ukulele, playing selections from her debut album The Ditty Sessions-featuring Big Star’s Alex Chilton on bass-as well as the new song and as-yet-unreleased material. Attendees will receive a free download of “Summer’s Over” using a promo code to be distributed at the venue.
Produced by Rob Laufer (Fiona Apple, Frank Black) the lush sonic landscape on “Summer’s Over” places Black in a category with melancholy masters like Lana Del Reyand Richard Hawley.
Check out the song and video here:
Listen to “Summer’s Over” on SoundCloud:
https://soundcloud.com/cristinablack/summers-over-hot-mp3 
Purchase “Summer’s Over” on iTunes:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/summers-over-single/id684288076 
Watch live “Summer’s Over” video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_bLfruiJM4 
Buy tickets to see Cristina Black at Room 5, August 23:
http://room5lounge.com/show.cfm?id=115997&cart