Avery Friedman is a Brooklyn-based artist (via Cleveland, Ohio) who released her debut album, ‘New Thing‘ via Audio Antihero on April 18th.
Playing her first show in July 2023, she committed herself to playing monthly around New York, going on to record her debut album with collaborators James Chrisman (Sister., h pruz), and Felix Walworth (Told Slant, Florist).
The result was ‘New Thing,’ a sonically deep and layered debut that saw Friedman explore her trauma and queerness with a raw, open-heartedness inspired by artists like Adrianne Lenker, Squirrel Flower, and Babehoven. The album was launched with a sold-out release show at Union Pool, and found support and acclaim from NPR Music (All Songs Considered), The Line of Best Fit, KEXP, BBC, Under the Radar Magazine, No Depression, KLOF Mag, Post-Trash, The Alternative, Atwood Magazine, and many others.
Since the release of ‘New Thing’, Friedman has been recording radio sessions for WNYU and WVKR, and sharing stages with Mt. Joy, Speedy Ortiz, Hibou, Hudson Freeman, and Sean Solomon at events promoted by the likes of WFUV and Defector Media.
Avery Friedman Images:
Photo Credits: Keegan Burckhard (1-5) / Mamie Heldman (6)
Avery Friedman Press:
“If you’re into intense, dreamy, subtly imaginative singer-songwriter-ly pop, people like Squirrel Flower or maybe the softer moments of Big Thief, don’t miss the debut album by the Brooklyn singer Avery Friedman. Her songs are a cocktail of anxiety and uneasy beauty with chiming, ringing arrangements that really get under your skin.” – NPR MUSIC (All Songs Considered)
“Her full-length debut, New Thing, is a work of raw singer/songwriter confessionalism, evoking the knotted melodies, homespun arrangements, and searing edges of musicians like Squirrel Flower, Babehoven, or Adrienne Lenker.“ – UNDER THE RADAR MAGAZINE
“The promise you are left with as a listener, that there is a beauty in uncertainty and becoming, that flowers that die will surely grow again.” – THE LINE OF BEST FIT
“Damn, I adored this record. I loved the writing. So image-rich and vivid, each song feels like its own universe. This is to say nothing of the diversity of soundscape – truly felt like a Writers Album.” – HANIF ABDURRAQIB
“New Thing, the scarily accomplished debut album from Avery Friedman, is all about change and growth…Friedman inhabits a complex emotional realm where nervousness can coexist with (and inform) ideas of sexiness, sadness, tenderness. Her world is fragile but appears to have arrived fully-formed.” – KLOF MAG
“New Thing is as much about community as it is Friedman’s individual journey. The album will thrill those who yearn for the days of sad indie bands in Williamsburg clubs. While Friedman and her band might be further along on the L train, they’ve moved past the detached melancholy of that cohort and instead utilize the same musical strains to confront and move beyond the pain that holds them back.” – NO DEPRESSION
“Its sophistication is simple: circling emotion without trying to pin it down, finding meaning in what’s left unsaid. The sort of record that doesn’t insist on being heard, but ends up being remembered.” – GOD IS IN THE TV
“Friedman captures the uncontainable mess of being alive – the beautiful, brutal blur of becoming.” – ATWOOD MAGAZINE
“Avery Friedman steps into the spotlight with New Thing, a debut album that crackles with the light and dark of new experiences, passions and self-discovery.” – JOYZINE
“Crisp and serene, self-assured and steady…that sense of reclaimed power is palpable in New Thing’s subtle, gentle sway.” – THE ALTERNATIVE
“If you’re looking to fill your musical roster with one of our favorite up and coming indie pop artists, look no further than Avery Friedman!” – THE HONEY POP
“Hidden gems occasionally shine brighter than polished diamonds. Enter Avery Friedman, who’s debut LP New Thing presents itself as a labor of love. Plenty of stakes present themselves in debut efforts, but Friedman stands before audiences fearless – 5/5” – NEW NOISE MAGAZINE
“Hard to describe, hard to predict, and it definitely feels fresh. New Thing was something I didn’t see coming. But it’s not PR spin when I tell you that’ll be a contender for a spot on my AOTY list.” – ON REPEAT RECORDS
“New Thing is going to be one of our albums of the year.” – ANALOGUETRASH
“Having frequented bills with artists such as Sister. and Dead Gowns for the past year, Avery Friedman has consistently left an impression on those that have caught her sets, oftentimes performing solo, creating a space in which her vivid imagery and tender melodies greet new ears with welcome and understanding. Produced by James Chrisman (Sister.) and with contributions from Felix Walworth (Told Slant, Florist), “Flowers Fell” plays to the in-between moments as Friedman defines new beginnings.” – THE UGLY HUG
“The influence of artists like Adrianne Lenker, Squirrel Flower, and Babehoven can be felt, but Friedman’s voice doesn’t mimic—it emerges from the same headspace, full of static, heat, and careful tension.” – IDIOTEQ
“Stunning debut album…Impossible to fathom that Friedman is a new artist. She speaks from such a deep, resonant place that transcends the here and now….New Thing arrives as a stack of Polaroids, a cluster of memories and ideas that stick to the brain like pins to a corkboard. Avery Friedman lets the songs rise and fall, as she bares her soul in crisp detail, and as the listener breathes them in, we slip into those lived-in experiences along with her. It’s hard to imagine where she’ll go next, but what is most evident is that she’s a thrilling, astute artist with plenty more to say.” – RAINBOW RODEO
“How these frustrations are navigated is what comes to mark the record. A combination of patience and burgeoning trust. Be that in the very ability of a person to come back to life, or else in the humble loves that make such a goal worthwhile.” – VARIOUS SMALL FLAMES
“It’s rare that a debut presents us with an artist operating at this level and making something so fully realized. When we get a record like this one, it’s worth cherishing…” – SWIM INTO THE SOUND
“So powerful…New Thing is an album that wants to scratch under the surface, to look at and feel the sensations of the unknown whether it hurts or not.” – POST-TRASH
Avery Friedman Links:
Linktree / Spotify / Bandcamp / Instagram / Twitter / TikTok / Bluesky / Threads / Facebook / Hype Machine
Avery Friedman Home Video:
Avery Friedman Line-Up:
Guitar & Vocals – Avery Friedman (she/her) / Guitar & Engineering – James Chrisman (he/him) / Drums – Felix Walworth (they/them) / Bass – Ryan Cox (he/him)
Avery Friedman Interviews & Features:
2025: The Line of Best Fit / The Ugly Hug / Rockerilla / CJAM / WNYU (Session / Interview) / Atwood Magazine / Out Front Magazine / Beats Per Minute (Track-by-Track) / Rainbow Rodeo / AnalogueTrash / Spare Notes Podcast / Music N Gear / If It Be Your Will / Brainrot Radio / Love Music; Love Life / OMSB Podcast / Master/Muse Podcast / Get Music / Abominations
Audio Antihero 