Essentially the solo project of singer-songwriter Paula Frazer (b. Georgia, USA), who was originally joined in 1992 by Lincoln Allen (guitar), Matt Sullivan (guitar) and Michelle Cernuto (drums). Frazer was expelled from school at the age of 13 for smoking cannabis, and felt strangled by the reactionary, small-town environment in which she grew up. Her early musical apprenticeship came in Presbyterian choirs, but a dalliance with drugs eventually led to her father's dismissal from his job, leading to her family being forced to relocate. She went to San Francisco when she was 18, playing with a variety of outfits including feminist activists Savina and punksters Frightwig. However, when that band split up she found herself returning to the folk music of her roots. Her emphatic renditions of songs as brooding and atmospheric as "Big O Motel", delivered in a southern country twang, readily identified a keen songwriting talent. It secured her a recording contract with 4AD Records and extensive critical praise. Reprise Records signed Tarnation after they left 4AD in 1996. Mirador contained the surprisingly upbeat "Little Black Egg" alongside their usual moody, soundtrack-friendly songs. Following its release, Frazer branched out into collaborations with Mark Eitzel and Cornershop, before releasing her solo debut, Indoor Universe, in 2001.

Listen to Tarnation at Finetune.

• (2005)  Mirador

• Leaving on a Jet Plane
• Your Thoughts And Mine
• A Place Where I Know
• Little Black Egg
• The Well Sequel (Hidden Track)

• Wilco
• The Smiths
• Tanya Donelly
• Dead Can Dance
• Radiohead
• Feist
• The Pixies
• Red House Painters
• Throwing Muses
• Chantal Kreviazuk
• Cocteau Twins
• Belle And Sebastian
• Neil Young
• Avril Lavigne
• Nelly Furtado
• Britney Spears
• Dido
• Green Day
• JAYHAWKS
• Neko Case