Why am I only discovering these guys now? Formed in 1995, disbanded in 2003 and the worst part of it is that I've only been able to track down a handful of songs. All have gone on to other projects (Band of Horses included - can hardly complain about that one!) but I'd love to know how they'd sound were they still around now. Those strings! Those melodies! All that melancholy introspection. This is gorgeous, melting, aching stuff. Blankets Stare (Live) - Carissa's Wierd [...]
So I got sent one of those facebook memes (25 things, 10 favorite albums, etc.) today, but this time I'm actually Patient One because (at least in this iteration) the particular subject originated with my friend. This one is 25 songs from your iPod on shuffle, with comments either about (or inspired by) each one. Being the person that I am, I was intrigued and couldn't help but undertake the task myself. Since this is (on occasion) a blog about music, I figured I might as well post the results here, too. BTW, there [...]
It's been a long time since I've felt such an instantaneous connection to a song. I'm not talking about the big goofy grin that I get when hearing a fun uptempo number for the first time, or the familiar frission I feel when an old favourite comes on, but the immediate sense of ownership that comes when a song nestles in my chest and refuses to budge. I knew ten seconds in that this was a song bound to become one of my dearest favourites. Those opening notes conjured up such a feeling of yearning, the kind of [...]
Download (Right-Click Save As): MP3: Putumayo - The Drunken Piper MP3: Carissa's Wierd - Drunk With the Only Saints I Know MP3: Drive-By Truckers - Dead, Drunk, And Naked MP3: Califone - 2 Sisters Drunk On Each Other MP3: Uncle Tupelo - I Got Drunk MP3: The Handsome Family - Drunk By Noon [Live @ Schubas] MP3: The Wedding Present - Don't Take Me Home Until I'm Drunk MP3: [...]
Need I tell you that this is one fantastic song? Surely not. It's from the late and great Carissa's Wierd (sic), whose albums I'd love to own physically (let me know if you know where...) Carissa's Wierd You Should be at Home Here All Apologies and Smiles, Yours Truly, Ugly Valentine
Argh, I was hoping that this would be a temporary thing - which is why I've been postponing posting the playlist this week - but it looks like the archive of Monday's show is MIA. I'm still crossing my fingers that it will show up, but in the meantime you're going to have to make do with a playlist and a bunch of mp3s. Monday's guest was Steve Haruch, the music editor of the Nashville Scene , and it's a damn shame that you can't listen to the show in its [...]
You Should Know Carissa's Wierd (Weird being deliberately mispelled) was a Seattle band formed back in 1995 that disbanded in 2003. I had heard of the band quite some time ago but have only recently begun to delve into their material. Admittedly what propelled me to seek out some of the band's albums was their connection to Band Of Horses, which was started by Mat Brooke And Ben Bridwell, both of whom were one-time members of Carissa's Wierd. Brooke has since departed from Band Of Horses to form [...]
The city of Seattle has long been a hotbed of music and culture. And it's easy to see why. During my brief 3 day visit last summer, I completely fell in love with the city and its many vibrant neighborhoods. But this was skewed picture. The weather, usually overcast ...
It remains one of the most frustrating things about music-writing that no matter how much you love some bands there's only so much you can do, and sometimes they never make it big. For me the preeminent example is Carissa's Wierd, potentially my favorite band since The Beatles broke up. Seriously. I wasn't around for the very beginning, back in those heady days when pretty much every issue of The Stranger had a review insisting that you simply had to hear this band. The breathlessness with which the usually [...]
Blessed Arms That Hold You Tight, Freezing Cold and Alone - Carissa's Wierd I know this is theoretically a music blog, but if you've been around here for any length of time you know it's also where I talk about other things I find interesting. In particular, as I've mentioned a few times , one of my leisure-time activities for the last year has been watching the whole series of Buffy the Vampire Slayer . I finally slogged my way to the end of season 7, so wanted [...]
From NME : A film based on fans' relationship with their hero Morrissey is set to be released. 'Passions Just Like Mine' takes a look at various fans who have been influenced by the former Smiths singer. According to a statement on Urbancowgirlproductions.com "the film will be a feature length documentary that tells the story of how fan culture can manifest itself. "The stories will be told through the eyes of the fans themselves. Audiences will be able to see first hand how obsessed these fans really are and how they [...]
I know I said I was going to burn through the big albums I've been putting off, but I'm sick and tired and just not in the mood, so Cloud Cult will have to wait another day. For now, let me just point you toward two old songs that I have been absolutely loving recently. It's the Same Old Song - The Four Tops I'm sure everyone is familiar with this song, but give it another listen. It's got that great driving Motown beat, some beautiful harmonies, and everything else you'd [...]
This party is for the Vernal Equinox. Pop a top and celebrate seventeen songs for spring!!! Jolie Holland ~ Springtime Can Kill You Tom Waits ~ You Can Never Hold Back Spring Sasha Dobson ~ Spring Is Just Around The Corner Joni Mitchell ~ Little Green Greg Brown ~ Spring & All Grant Lee Phillips ~ Spring Released Cheryl Wheeler [...]
Yes, I know it's a corporate invention designed primarily to make lonely people feel even worse about being lonely, but still...it's a holiday to celebrate love, which is something I strongly approve of. And it's worth being reappropriated, I think. Plus, it's the most beautiful day of this year, thanks to the snow which has been falling heavily all day, with no signs of stopping soon. There are few things prettier than a small New England town blanketed by snow. One of them is this song, which I've posted [...]
photo credit: www.chriszasche.com Sera Cahoone is a singer/songwriter out of Seattle but her voice and picking would fit in just as well in the deep south. Sera has a rich musical past as a former member of the seattle band Carissas Wierd as well as contributing to the Band of Horses debut album last year on drums. If this debut disc is any indication though, you may not see her spending much time behind the kit from here on out. She has been compared to many of the best females in the alt-country game [...]
* Carissa's Wierd : Figure It Out (6.0 mb) | Asleep (Smiths) (4.0 mb) | Gauze (Red Red Meat) (5.0 mb) | Heather Rhodes (remix) (7.0 mb) From Scrapbook It's been a weird couple of weeks recently. It's strange to learn about the things that affect you, that really shake you up. The problem is that they can be the littlest thing in the world, in areas of your life you thought you had already dealt with, but for whatever reason they sneak [...]
It All Started With Carbon Monoxide
Heartache with Hard Work
Rollo & Grady
angmoh!
out the other...
Captain Obvious
Mike Went West
Rock Sellout
The Late Greats
EachNoteSecure
the of mirror eye
J-Ax Meglio Live Tour 2012: la scaletta della data zero a Rovereto con l'omaggio ai Beastie Boys
Childish Gambino – Black Faces (Ft. Nipsey Hussle) : Sick New Rap Single
Sound of Summer (v. 3.1)
The National - The Rains Of Castamere [Game of Thrones Soundtrack]
