Prior to his solo carrer, singer/songwriter Anders Parker recorded as the critically acclaimed Varnaline and played in the experimental band Space Needle. Varnaline’s Songs in a Northern Key, released in 2001, was lauded far and wide. His album Tell It to the Dust followed in 2004. In addition to a collaboration with Jay Farrar called Gob Iron, Parker released his self-titled album in 2006, Anders Parker.
“Anders Parker… (has) a poignant, articulate voice…superb, emotional” – Magnet
“Country-rock dipped in LSD? Anders Parker is a tough one to pin down. His songs weave somewhere around the Beatles, Neil Young, Husker Du and the Minutemen, to name a few…” – Harp
”(Parker’s) music could be categorized as ‘alt-classic.’... he distinguishes himself with his songwriting, through a combination of craft, conviction and open ended wonder.” – No Depression
“Like Eddie Vedder, Varnaline songwriter Anders Parker seems to idolize Neil Young for his twangy introspection; unlike Pearl Jam, he doesn’t weigh down his melanchology with exhibitionistic melodrama.” – Entertainment Weekly
“Anders Parker is as good or better than any of the big name legends out there. His tunes are laced with wonderful sincerity and the man possesses a true passion for writing unforgettable melodies.” – Baby Sue
“Anders Parker, the singer-songwriter formerly known as Varnaline, has crafted a resolute set of songs that moves fluidly from rugged country-indie to scorched-earth rockers to frosted cabin-in-the-woods-style ballads.” – Rolling Stone
“Like the soft-spoken friend who astounds you once you finally train your ears to pay attention, (Anders Parker) is full of insight and true-life observation. The songs turn down flashy for something much more welcome and rare: enduring.” – Pop Matters
“The smooth surfaces and excellent craft of Anders Parker makes for a strange and subtle contrast with the somber lyrical mood of songs… the album makes the most of the ironies, and both the songs and Parker’s delivery rank with his best work on record. Imagine an Asylum Records-approved Mellow Mafia guy who traded in his smugness for a lingering introspective depression and you get an idea of what the album Anders Parker is about, and it’s no small praise to say Parker was not only able to visualize such a concept, but make it work on tape with a commendable degree of heart and soul.” – All Music Guide
“Tell It to the Dust is Parker’s obvious bid for recognition – and proof that he should get it.” – Rolling Stone
“Songs In A Northern Key, dancing drunkenly in the crevices between The Who Sell Out and the White Album while the ghosts of Nick Drake and Townes Van Zandt nod approvingly. A dense, arresting masterpiece equally steeped in alt-country, post modern phychedelia and shot-in-the-heart classic folk.”20 BEST ALBUMS OF 2001 – Magnet