Sugar Hill Records is very excited about their next major release, Song Up In Her Head, from 17 year old Texan Sarah Jarosz.

Produced by Gary Paczosa, who also brought Sarah to Sugar Hill, the sound is airy and ethereal, combining elements of old time and modern acoustic string band music with the surprisingly mature and very appealing voice of this new artist. 11 of the 13 tracks are her originals, 2 of those instrumentals featuring Jarosz on mandolin and clawhammer banjo.

Not many high school seniors celebrate their graduation with a much-heralded album on a major independent label, but then, not many are such confident singers, songwriters and multi-instrumentalists. Fewer still managed to capture the attention of top artists in a highly-competitive corner of the music business before most high schoolers had learned to drive.

Sarah’s songs are carefully crafted and light in subject matter, while still offering compelling lyrical content. The sound is very easy on the ear, owing as much to contemporary folk music as to the mountain sound of traditional fiddle music.

Think equal parts Joni Mitchell, Tim O’Brien, and Gillian Welch.

Sugar Hill has agreed to let us preview a few tracks from the new CD in advance of its June 12 street date. All three trackswere written by Jarosz.

The arrangements throughout are note perfect – sparse for the most part, using a variety of stringed instruments and subtle percussion. Backing musicians include Stuart Duncan on fiddle, Jerry Douglas on slide guitar, Chris Thile on mandolin and Chris Eldridge on guitar. Harmony vocals are provided by Tim O’Brien, Aoife O’Donovan, Sarah Siskind and Darrell Scott.

Promos for Song Up In Her Head will soon ship to radio, and you can expect this album to get a good bit of airplay on Americana and folk shows leading up to the 6/12 release date.