C/D Charalambides

Scorces (Christina and Heather from Ch.) are great too, anyone else heard 'em?

psssssst...hstencil, thats you!

how is market square? do you have that harmony of spheres, drunken fish box, it's pretty great!

Did you know that they've signed to Kranky?

(and ddb, are you going to see Coptic Light tonight?)

i can supply a copy of Union - pref. in trade for a copy of S/T, Slate Branches, Home, or Carter's 'Monument.' contact offline.

-ddb

any other shows of note coming up?

Not anything else I know of this weekend, but next week there's the Panthers/Debut Battles show on Thursday (the latter is Ian Williams from Don Cab's new band), then Arthur Lee/Love on Friday. I think Test is playing the Sunday before Xmas too, I'll probably go to that. I feel like I'm forgetting something...

Your pals Black Dice at ze Swiss-beats Institut (fur Motoriken)?

How about giving novices a li'l guide as to which $60 OOP Chalarmbides disc we wanna buy off eBay?

Can't stop the Poodles.

Like the early records best, _Market Square_, _Historic 6th Ward_ or _Our Bed Is Green_, before they found their now signature sound.

i fear that i'm going to spend too much money ordering things from eclipse tonight if i get more drunk (doesn't this belong in another thread??) ooooh lord. but i have mp3s of nearly everything, or i can get them.. so i can hold off on getting vinyl copies of things, but there's always the problem of the vinyl copies disappeaaring.

Ian I was at that show, too. Didn't think Scorces were as good as times I'd seen 'em previously, but if was your first time seein' 'em, they weren't so bad (Jackie-O made me leave).

Destroy the earlier stuff - Ash Castles, s/t CDr, etc - though 'destroy' is harsh - I LOVED them at the time, but they've come so far since then. Plus there's a really embarrassing pop song on on eof those that rips the Godz's "Ruby Red" note for note

Destroy Ash Castles on the Ghost Coast, for the most part. Zzzzzzzzz...

How much are Mike Gunn records going for these days?

Hey, you're mean.

Not out until May. Has it leaked or have you heard it?

All of the reviews I've read allude to screaming vocals from Christina, which could be either really good or really bad. Does it sound cheesy or contrived, as sometimes these things do?

(still haven't listened to it.)

otherwise, eclipse it is. rahr

'Market Square is great, probably my favorite thing by them so far (although it's not the current line-up)'

so how has the line up changed?

Ian, I like the A side of that eclipse LP.

It reminds me of when, back in the day, my teenage bandmate, who was obsessed with Kurdt's PCpunker / kill-the-jocks / feminist / homo love rhetoric, explained that he loved The Breeders, qualifying his love for them by saying that he didn't CARE what anyone else said, Kim Deal was HOT in his book.

i heard that heather is now living with david keenan and they're musicking together.

Dominique, I hope you've recovered from your bleeding.

If you're totally comitted to getting one of those, I'd go for L'or et L'argent. I don't know what that means, as I do not speak the french. Do you?

They close it out with a collaborative track, called "Orion 2." A sequel to the track "Orion" on BF/BS's Forcefields & Constellations.

Will report back when I've listened to the whole thing, but I encourage anyone who's on the fence about getting to get it... great packaging from TimeLag, too.

For a band that didn't used to tour or play out much at all, Charalambides certainly has been all over the shop this year. Christina and Tom are now apparently divorced? Her wikipedia entry redirects to "Christina Madonia".

They sound like psychedelic drone music with a rock pedigree. Some folk elements, but they're secondary. Electric guitars, dreamy female vocals and organs - other sounds for color, almost no percussion or groove. It's simple music: spare, haunting and nocturnal, but with a rough-hewn, hands-on quality that prevents it from ever getting too "pretty". They go for long, amorphous, drifting whooshes more than discrete songs, and sometimes get quite spooky, even downright creepy, in acid-by-candlelight kinda way. (That's true of most of the catalog, anyway, the new one is def folkier and prettier.)

Of the stuff I've heard, I'm most fond of IN CR EA SE.

their merch table is beginning to rival AMT's. where'd all these early (Tom-Christina-Jason-era) compilations come from?!

still tingling all over from the Zaïmph set. that was a hard act to follow. utterly unreal what Marcia can do with a table full of junk, her voice, and a guitar. she's a force of nature. would have been a hard act for anyone to follow - even the mighty Charalambides.

/drunktalk

Latest update from Tom C:

wholly other will soon be pulling up stakes and leaving california. i've had a blast being here but it's time to move on. i'll be hitting the road for a while and don't know where i'll settle yet, but label operations will continue as usual, via our friends at twilight flight sound in austin TX. i will post a new wholly other address here and on wholly-other.com as soon as plans are finalized.

on that note, there will be a big charalambides US tour in november. a couple of surprises are in the works for this one that will be disclosed in the next update. after that, we're looking at another charalambides european tour in the spring of 08... again, a lot more is pending that will become clear as everything finalizes. stay tuned.

also, from an interview i did with Tom & Christina, about a month ago

Christina Carter: "We have a new album finished and in production. It's called _Likeness_ , and will be out on Kranky on October 29th of this year. It's based around the idea of protest songs and songs of outsiders and folk songs. I took lyrics from songbooks, traditional and public domain stuff, and rearranged and edited the words and put them to the music that Tom and I had recorded. It was all done pretty quickly. The music was recorded in about 5 days and the vocals were overdubbed in one long session. It sounds maybe more on the order of earlier Charalambides with more of a four-track recorder kind of
feel...But the whole point is that it's traditional/folk material that
doesn't sound like we're making a folk album. There's no reverence, trying to recapture a time or a style. We're very much into being in the present...The next album after that, all i can say is it's going to be our 'modern' album; present tense in every way."

I've been listening to Likeness a lot today, it's fucking gorgeous. Anyone else dig?

??????

:-(

i kinda like it... not as much as A Vintage Burden. It is definitely darker than their previous effort, it actually reminds me of the second espers album at times.

it feels a lot like a winter album. my favorites as of now are figs and oranges, saddle up my pony, and what you do for money.

I very much dig.

they've played providence 3 times in the past 2 years and I've missed them every time. including the time above when I said "oh yeah I'm going."

nice, the new LP Rose/Thorn is really good. More focused on drone rather than songs/psych guitar

sweet

yeah I picked that up also! Supposedly from the INCREASE sessions, I think.

also:

somebody could do the world a fucking favor and reissue market square and union already. and i don't mean fucking useless time-lag.

i'm pretty sure i read that the masters were lost for the Siltbreeze records. but by god are they amazing.

ysi Union, ian?

they should master that shit from clean vinyl and release it as cheap CDRs on Wholly Other. I would buy one!

my vinyl is pretty clean on union.
maybe sometime when i have energy i will rip it and YSI for ya; i am notoriously slow about this though.

christina carter has a pretty good website. it mentions new solo (on kranky), bastard wing and scorces records, recording, loads of cd-rs and a book. no touring, for a while.

there was some interview a while ago, pre likeness, where she was talking about the next (after likeness) charalambides record, as being totally modern, as opposed to the last one being steeped in traditional stuff. so that sounds pretty interesting.

oh, how embarrassing, posting vague recollections of an interview quoted upthread.

i want to hear that new scorces. i only have the first one, but it's soooo good.

man, i still haven't heard scorces. i was all ready for the tour until they cancelled.

did anyone hear masque femine? one of a deluge of christina cd-rs, almost all solo voice, songs, old standards, really beautiful. it was an edition of eighty so is ridiculously sold out now.

i'm pretty sure i read that the masters were lost for the Siltbreeze records.

;_;

My copy of the Scorces LP on eclipse has a big scratch in it from being really drunk once a few years ago. Bugs me all the time. I can only listen to one side of it. New one should be great, I can't wait to hear it either.

I was really into the C Carter/Pocahaunted split on Not Not Fun. And the recent "Electrice" LP on Wholly Other that she did.

been really obsessed lately, more than usual. I think this was spurred by Christina's excellent solo run (Masque Femine, Texas Working Blues, split on NNF). Got the split on NNF and my Pocahaunted side was absolutely fucked with gunk, I tried to clean it but all I did was spread it around and turn the whole record into a crackly mess as opposed to a rhythmic swoosh every 2 seconds. I need to rent a record cleaner from someone.

also picked up Glowing Raw and Emerald Message. even though I read somewhere else on ILM that someone was less than pleased with the latest CDR batch I think they're fab. Emerald Message in particular holds up better than I expected given the Carter's "one of our wiggiest" description. I could listen to Tom's guitar tone all day long.

I just got the new Scorces double LP in the mail from NNF...really great. Still never heard anything else by them (Scorces that is. I have a bunch of Charalambides), but I really want to. This is so quiet and beautiful.

Tom's new solo CD on Important Records is fantastic. It has a companion LP, haven't heard it yet.

I've only heard the LP! Its really good. Recommended, definitely.

Nice, I'll have to check it out soon.

Electrice by CC = awwwwwesome.

I never buy CDrs. I should, for a band like Charalambides I guess.

Her new one on Kranky = roxor

Wait, like new new one? I don't see anything on the kranky website!

I'm pretty sure he means Electrice...

Uh, no...the new new one. Original Darkness is the name.

Ned, when does it come out?!?!

yow!!!

Seems like places are saying late October? This news just made my night!

the Carters are nothing if not prolific.

My review's already up on the AMG

does anyone know where i can buy the new christina cd-r, a blossom fell? online/nyc.

http://www.manybreaths.com/discog.php

also Volcanic Tongue

original darkness sounds beautiful, really cold organ sounds throughout. and capable of murder.
released 10/13 in the uk according to southern? any further nyc purchase assistance would be appreciated. i missed a blossom fell from volcanic tongue.

check fusetronsound.com

2009 Many Breaths Subscription Series

119 dollars 4 many breaths cdrs, a handwritten/drawn illuminated message/letter with each cdr, and a one of a kind 21 + min cdr w/ hand made cover of improvised guitar and/or voice music recorded specifically for the recipient - there are a maximum of 18 of these subscriptions available (13 subscriptions left)

229 dollars 4 many breaths cdrs, a handwritten/drawn illuminated message/letter with each cdr, a one of a kind 42 + min cdr w/ hand made cover of improvised guitar and/or voice music recorded specifically for the recipient, and a handwritten lyric sheet and/or song notes with each cdr - there are a maximum of 9 of these subscriptions available (8 subscriptions left)

339 dollars 4 many breaths cdrs, a handwritten/drawn illuminated message/letter with each cdr, and a one of a kind 63 + min cdr w/ hand made cover of improvised guitar and/or voice music recorded specifically for the recipient, a handwritten lyric sheet and/or song notes with each cdr, an interview document created specifically for the subscription series, gathered ephemera from daily life and something in which to contain it all - there are a maximum of 9 of these subscriptions available (8 subscriptions left)

please purchase the subscription by december 31st, 2008... the subscription is considered complete only with payment... the cdrs in the subscription series will be sent throughout the year of 2009, and will be the first four releases of the year... the one of a kind cdr will be sent as the last installment of the subscription... there is no hard and fast calendar for many breaths releases, and the length of time between receiving cdrs could vary... some could be released close together, others farther apart... the 4 many breaths cdrs will be available for individual purchase, however availability is limited by edition size... postage is included in the subscription price... a certificate will be mailed out upon subscription... thank you

I like their music, but hmmmmm... very skeptical about all that.

how big are the handwritten/drawn illuminated message/letters

GET THAT MONEY, CHARALAMBIDEEZ

hey, if anyone is willing to pay, they deserve it.

however weird the above charalambides investment reward scheme is, some of the many breaths cds are awesome, a capella and extended ones especially.

i fear that i'm going to spend too much money ordering things from eclipse tonight if i get more drunk

Ah, welcome to my life.

There are many, many days where I truly believe in my heart that Charalambides are the greatest band in the world.

Truly incredible, yes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aju1d8Hofh4

just saw them live last night. wow.

About right. Christina's solo set yesterday was also grand.

As photographed by yours truly:

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4154/4965695510_0d29d74797_z.jpghttp://farm5.static.flickr.com/4144/4965096257_751dd858ff_z.jpg

WANT

<object width="640" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/GGfeFV612jg&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xd0d0d0&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&fs=1";></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/GGfeFV612jg&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xd0d0d0&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&fs=1"; type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" width="640" height="385"></embed></object>

god damn it

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GGfeFV612jg&feature=player_embedded

http://tagadavao.files.wordpress.com/2008/07/applause.gif

from the wholly other mailing list... early front-runner for album of the year without hearing a note, for me

New Charalambides record

kranky will release Exile, a new Charalambides 10-track double LP and
8-track CD, sometime in April. Exile was recorded 2006-2010 in
various locations in New Hampshire, western Massachusetts and NYC,
mixed at Black Dirt Studios, and mastered at Sand with Paul Gold. The
group this time around is the T/C duo with contributions on one track
by the string section of Helena Espvall and Margarida Garcia. we're
super excited about this record, as it's been in the works for 5 years
at this point. I don't like to proselytize too much about our music
but we both feel that this is our heaviest work for years, possibly
ever. more details as they emerge.

wheeee. i'd been wondering what they were up to.

oh man that is great news

word

think i was going to bump a thread recently re: christina's latest subscription series, but i can't wait for the charalambides record. i was so bummed that the last two weren't on wax, also, so that's an added bonus.

excellent.

lovely atonalities they remind me of art bears

kranky will release Exile, a new Charalambides 10-track double LP and
8-track CD, sometime in April

that this has not materialised yet is a source of daily psychic pain & disappointment to me

haha just yesterday I was thinking about how much I want a new Charalambides record. I had actually forgotten that this was supposed to come out! So at least I have some hope.

october, apparently

^^ think this is happening, btw; there are blurbs up on some other sites.

root strata are also gonna continue their sterling work in reissuing MASQUE FEMINE by christina on wax. i found it kinda impossible to keep up with all of her self-released stuff, back when there were several a year coming out, but it was a ridiculously limited, mainly a capella cd of really closely-recorded, breathy, slow, sometimes accompanied standards, 'standards' in terms of that being where the lyrics came from. so beautiful & so great that it's coming out. her records can really connect if you are in the right place.

yeah Masque Femine! My favorite of all her solo stuff except maybe Texas Working Blues.

the 2LP is now available for pre-order from Eclipse fwiw.

ah i never really heard 'texas working blues', pretty sure that it graduated from cassette to vinyl too?, right? i should check it out. she seems to have an interesting process with using other people's lyrics.

meanwhile damn:

http://static.boomkat.com/images/467303/333.jpg

nice cover art! can't wait to hear this.

the text/art combo looks a bit like an ad for a trip around australian youth hostels to me, but we'll see. totally psyched to hear it anyhow.

yeah, I don't like that cover AT ALL. looks like a friends dvd or something.

obv really excited to her it tho.

yikes, ugly cover for sure.. but will buy, of course, provided it's released on vinyl. otherwise will wait for someone to sell their promo CD to the store.

vinyl w/extra tracks comin' ian, neatly. i'm still bummed a vintage burden is cd only.

weird, that cover reminds me of the Migrantes album. strange that there's no Christina art. didn't know the vinyl had extra tracks either!

since Likeness is probably my record of the decade I am obv super psyched for this.

ha, that's innaresting, i'm sorta - maybe i should spend more time with likeness because i think i was thrown by it not being totally what i wanted. so i got it & loved figs & oranges, b/c it seemed cut from the same cloth as the previous record, and it was only after a while that like a good life started ringing out, in spite of how different it all was. maybe i need more time with it. man what a heavy record.

i think they originally talked of likeness as being an exploration of like the musical 'past' & the envisaged next-one being a v modern record, in terms of its palette, but that might've fallen by the wayside on account of how far down the road we are now.

(& pedantically/out of curiosity - i don't think that the last two covers are christina's pictures?, afaik - seem to remember the same artist having a credit on both sleeves).

would rep for AVB v v high up my best-of-decade, fwiw. & will kick out the jams at my funeral by taking twelve minutes of mourning time & playing out two birds.

Yer right, it is Natacha Robinson w/the killer art, I guess it looks similar to some of the handmades to me.

I probably like "Spring" more than any single track off Likeness but imo that album is just so strong, it never lets up.

also on Likeness my jams are "Saddle Up My Pony" and "What Do You Do For Money" but like I said the whole thing is very formidable.

aw my cd is a million miles away, you're making me wish i had it. making a mental note to go back to it. the original blurb about exile was all, we think this is our heaviest record yet. so it's probably gonna be brutal.

two extra tracks on the lp btw.

The emotional intensity of Charalambides is more than I can handle oftentimes.

yes, definitely. but i think i like them best when that's blunted by the playing. it can be so direct sometimes that it's overwhelming, but i think there's a sense of remove in my favourite stuff that filters it somewhat. like it's remorse rather than pain, grief rather than loss or w/e through a vintage burden.

there are samples of this on the junk website (link to the first one), & after casually and maybe sacrilegiously thinking i'd have a breeze through, i can't bring myself to after the first one - it sounds so good i know i'd be trampling over hearing it properly. but so good!

oops, juno website

i've heard some bits of this on mp3 blogs, &c, and it sounds great, btw.
also this thing, on pitchfork-- http://pitchfork.com/features/the-out-door/8670-history-in-the-remaking/

on first listen i love this.

Song on the Dusted review is incredible. I want the album.

waiting for this to show up.. hopefully today or tomorrow?

CAN'T WAIT SO EXCITED

i got it (idk the appropriate emoticon for being really psyched to listen to a charalambides record), it came in the mail a little early. first of all it's (as an object) so lovely, i take back my trash-talk about the sleeve, etc.

& i have only heard it once through, & played a couple of songs a bunch of times. TOTALLY GET THE VINYL if you're dithering, because the extras are as good as the rest of the record -- there's this kinda almost bobb-trimble 70s folk-y jam at the end that's really surprising and sweet. the album generally is in turns heavy & then freakishly sparse.

going to wait until you've all heard to kick around some of the specifics, i like though.

said it before, will say it again: this album is fucking incredible.

good recommendations!

This album is making me want to buy all the Charalambides I can find. Think I finally "get it."
The only Charalambides vinyl I have is their side from Harmony of the Spheres.
Listening to the track "Into the Earth" right now. Sweet guitars.

Oh wait, on second thought I DO have that Christina Carter solo lp Bastard Wing.
Gonna give that a listen tonight.

A Vintage Burden is sounding very good right now.

Just ordered Exile and A Vintage Burden, hope they come soon. Really feeling this today.

market square is all-time

great band imo. market square, union, historic 6th ward, vintage burden all lovely. joy shapes is a bit far gone, even for me, and increase maybe too minimal for that same rush of sheer beauty but u know. bastard wing is NOT representative of christina's solo work at all, though it's a nice album in its own right.

Thanks for the recs. I think Joy Shapes is where I tried to check in with them and it kinda freaked me out. INCREASE, too.
Listening to Likeness now and digging it. Our Bed is Green is sounding great this morning, as well.

Just bought Exile, very excited. This is their best album (a title previously held by Market Square), though I heard Joy Shapes, Likeness and A Vintage Burden all at once and don't remember which is which. One has one of the fiercest, Neil-esque guitar solos Tom ever put to tape - which one was this?

out of those three i think Vintage Burden had the fiercest solos.

My fav, pending further listens to Exile, is Joy Shapes. that was the first one i heard by them, and i still dont think i've ever heard music with so much space and silence that still somehow sounds dense/.

i've seen them live twice (both times in Houston) and it was fantastic both times, once at a Quaker church with an open roof.

Album of the year material here IMO.

OK this thread REALLY making me want to track down the vinyl this weekend.

haven't kept up with any charalambides related releases since a vintage burden, so looking forward to checking the new one out. big fan of unknown spin and in cr ea se, austere and monumental stuff. also quite like the pip proud album with tom carter backing him up, though it's maybe not to everyone's taste.

don't think i've heard that one but tom had a great run of lps with like christian kiefer & someone else whose name i am blanking on, doing that great-american-songbook kinda stuff

Jesus, the middle of this album is astounding. The "Immovable" - "Into The Earth" - "Pity Pity Me" run is a serious contender for the best half hour of music I've heard in 2011.

just gave this one a half-attentive listen today as i was pricing country records--really into it. that's no surpriss, i guess.

i think i got just about every tom & christina-related vinyl thing on earth at the store and i didn't even know that half of them were tom & christina-related. guess i should listen to some. i played some one-sided etched vinyl thing with absolutely no info on it and even that turned out to be some wholly other thing. um, Wholly Other thing.

i really only know the 90's/siltbreeze kinda stuff. should probably check some of it out. i could have a marathon. do i need to hear zaika and inca ore and scorces and sarin smoke? maybe i do...

Yes but hear this new album first. And iirc Inca Ore isn't Charalambides related.

oh i thought tom played with inca ore or did a split or something.

dude, uh, assholes, i wish you could have been with me to see burnt hills last night. fuuuuuk, that was great. really glad i went. never seen them live before.

ilx's own tarfumes the escape goat was likewise awesome last night. and following the 10-headed behemoth that is burnt hills is no easy task.

okay the one-sided record i was playing was sarin smoke's *it chars our lips yet still we drink*. i dug it.

scott just listen to A Vintage Burden and Likeness about 20 times each for your marathon, yeah they are CDs but you should get Kranky to send you promos or something.

also, looks like I will not have this record in my hands for about a week, so everybody please feel free to talk about it and rave in detail.

mm, there was that pitchfork thing where either the interview or amongst themselves they were talking about christina's investment in just repeating musical phrases, playing the same thing again and again, & wanted to talk is just like sweet proof of the pay-off there.

Scott - Have you ever heard Jack's (Burnt Hills / Flipped Out) previous band, Ziamaluch? Weird stuff. One album is him just sawing at a cello in the office of his record store for a whole LP.

i haven't. i will investigate. those guys are all so nice. i really love what eric hardiman has been doing. century plants rules. his solo stuff is cool. his tape drift label is cool. i definitely recommend the stuff he puts out to anyone on this thread.

http://www.tapedrift.com/

what is up, exactly, with the song about vocational counseling and getting a GED?

That's my favorite one

i nearly mentioned that in my first post but benevolently preserved the surprise of those lines for you all. it's kinda like the john howard number on her solo record on kranky.

but yeah it is effective & i like it

Scott, there was indeed a split Tom Carter/Inca Ore CDr

oh look this is on spotify, guess I'll listen to the CD version

1st inpression: not as good as the last two, too much piano.

gotta get this new one

"pity pity me" sounds like a haunting

yeah that one grabbed me... I mean this is still better than almost anything else I've heard this year.

I like the tracks with piano.
She wants a COOKIE

Tom also released a duo album of instrumental guitar music with Marc Orleans this year under the name Eleven Twenty-Nine. It's really good and definitely slept on. There are some clips here:

http://northern-spy.com/eleven-twenty-nine/

and i read
and i read
poems
about death

she's so good

Wow, "Into the Earth" is killing me right now. So much packed into such a simple song.

^My early favorite from Exile, for sure. I love it.

Man, really really good, comes at a great/perfect point in the record as well.

Also really digging on "Desecrated", love when Tom doubles the vocal on lead guitar. Heavy moment.

"Into The Earth" thirded, that sounded so good to me yesterday.

Can someone promptly recommend a Charalambides song that is as good (or better) than "Into the Earth". I have heard stuff on comps and checked out songs when I had a radio show, but have never really owned a record or had a chance to dig in too deeply. Seems like now is the time.

"Into the Earth" is indeed a huge standout on the new one but I would say generally, over their whole discography, they're more of an "album experience" band.

I picked up A Vintage Burden at the same time as Exile. I find both to be excellent.

Cool, I will go exploring and see what I can dig up. I have been meaning to do so for a long time, just circumstances and a long list of other stuff delayed the inevitable. Seems to be cheating to go to Spotify for this kinda thing for some reason, but A Vintage Burden is there so I'm gonna check it out.

Thanks for the recs.

A Vintage Burden is really, really good. Second that. Did you read the piece mentioned up thread in The Out Door? They do a pretty good roundup of the band's whole discography and give a good idea of what each record/era sounds like:

http://pitchfork.com/features/the-out-door/8670-history-in-the-remaking/3/

"black bed blues" off of a vintage burden has a similar melodic, jammy vibe. it's a stunner. great album too.

hah, xpost.

Don't think I did read that piece, though I do like The Out Door generally. Glad the Marc Masters gets some consistent space somewhere.

Glenn Jones and Charalambides, cool! Thanks again.

Funny, "Into the Earth" is somehow the first thing that has totally floored me since going on my Led Zeppelin binge for the LZ tracks poll. Was wondering when I would be able to stop saying "that's alright, but I think I just wanna listen to some more Zeppelin ..."

i went back to AVB recently, it is for real one of my fav records ever. & i think there's something about the plaintive, spent note in CC's voice, & the late, charged nature of the guitars that does it for me more than anything else they (could) do. two birds is prob the thing you are looking for if you are vibing off into the earth

Two Birds is so dope.

Not there yet, but looking forward to it. Got to finish some work stuff first ...

I think my favorite thing on A Vintage Burden is "Spring", just some super-pretty guitar playing on it. Love all the behind the bridge stuff (or whatever it is Tom does at the beginning). "Two Birds" is pretty great as well, but "Spring" into "Dormant Love" is hard to beat. Kinda wish they had givend "Spring" the extended treatment actually, seems like the ending could have gone on for a while ....

wow

got the vinyl today, the bonus track "Rider" is everything I ever wanted from this band. instantly my favorite track of the record - although another vinyl-only one is coming up later.

^First track I played on my radio show from Exile was Rider.

oh man that was so great, up to the very last second.

ok "Down In The Valley" is almost as good, I guess I can see why these got left off the already-full CD in favor of the epics but I like them even more.

Wow, the record is already so good. I may have to buy the vinyl if the extras are that great as well.

Also, anyone digging this record as much as some of us here are, make sure you find the live version of "Into the Earth" posted earlier in the thread by sleeve (right above the "Applause" gif). It is a great version.

Thanks, missed that. I saw Charalambides at Terrastock 5, when Heather Leigh Murray was in the lineup. It was transportive.

yeah hearing this now, it's great, they're both just the best at doing that

Really feeling the clarity of the duo records right now, though I imagine that the trio (with Heather) might have been a pretty cool live prospect. Unfortunately I have never seen Charalambides.

FWIW I'd never really "got" their records til now and I'm 100 percent behind the duo guitar shred.

I think you and I are having some kinda Charalambides mind-meld in regards to "getting" them in the same way. I might have started earlier if I had seen them live I think, but now I am gonna try to make sure I catch them if they come near my neck of the woods.

i wrote about this >>> link

on first listen to exile, the thing that stuck out most for me was the distinct carla bleyish quality of some the vocals. going to need to give it a lot more plays before i take it in fully, i think.

Yikes

https://twitter.com/cspenceryeh/status/208298580681826304

C. Spencer Yeh ‏
@cspenceryeh

RT @DeStijlRecords: Tom Carter is in hospital with heart problems. @heywasistdas Please post some assuring news here soon ?!

Shit man, hope it is just a bump in the road. Gonna send some good thoughts his way.

damn. Get well soon. I was just listening to The Mike Gunn yesterday.

man.

man. i saw them a couple of weeks ago, intense, incredible stuff, draining and brilliant. be well, tom.

They were meant to be playing here in Glasgow tonight, so we heard this news a few hours ago when the gig was cancelled.

Very sorry to hear that Tom Carter is unwell and I wish him all the best.

Yeesh, man. Let us know if you hear anything else at all.

fingers-crossed it's just a weird blip

thinking of tom!

pneumonia according to volcanic tongue twitter account.

The post in question...

https://twitter.com/volcanictongue/status/208310827017715712

Thanks!

Well, that should be better news I hope, though pneumonia is no joke either. Will play some guitar to try to appease the rock gods ...

poor tom. rooting for him. i said hey at the show last week or so, it was such a treat to see him play.

get well soon Tom!

Keep sending good thoughts folks!

https://www.facebook.com/marc.masters/posts/10151776065845707

can't see anything there, ned ..?

If you're not on FB:

via Paul LaBrecque: "I just got off the phone with Christina Carter. Tom is not well and will be in the hospital for "weeks". His mother is coming tomorrow.
I'm going to set off for Berlin as soon as possible to do what I can. The both of them are going to need a lot of help and prayers. Please, send whatever magic powers you can to them."

Rooting for Tom and hope he gets back out of there as soon as can be.

Not sure what the position is regarding paying for his treatment, hoping the medical care will be free under the NHS but does anyone have a better understanding of that side of things? Also hope folks can crowdsource somewhere for his people to stay.

he's in berlin, right? should be ok there

he'd be fucked if he was back home i assume

Oh, I thought they were in Scotland somewhere oops

Ah ok, looks like the dates went Leipzig 29/5, Berlin 30/5, Glasgow 31/5. Let's hope there are some good people in Germany to look after them.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjolHwVXvu8

Tom with the dudes in Barn Owl live in LA a couple of years back:

http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4017/4655370424_00a329a2a4_b.jpg

good shit ian! i have never heard this before. i have a real blank on their earlier stuff, i think because i have different ears for drone-y stuff.

i caught a bus to see these guys recently, it was so good. i don't really like going to shows anymore but they are so special, & they are a better bet for yielding intense concert experiences than other groups. seeing tom play, & hearing their guitars get all tangled up, hearing christina really scream (really, scream), was so good. there's a new tom cd i didn't get. but it just sent me back to exile, really, because they finished with into the earth. they played a bunch of things i didn't know. there was a song i wondered if anyone could ID, it was something about spirit guide.

Three Lobed with a quick fundraising note:

https://twitter.com/3lobed/status/208615786338721792

Heard about at least one other fundraising effort, probably more to come.

Keep us posted, would always be happy to help

Exile, and "Into the Earth" in particular, resonated with me more than an album had in a really long time. Kinda right record at the right time to a degree, but I had a lot going on in my life and that record was like a super-heavy beacon of righteousness plunked right down into the middle of it. Think I listened to "Into the Earth" for about 3 hours straight one day, just kept restarting it over and over again. Tom just elevates that song to the most amazing place, truly a joyous sonic space.

I'm listening to that song right now, jeez get well Tom, sending good energy.

An email from Christina Carter's boyfriend Spencer is circulating, confirming that Tom has pneumonia and has been hospitalized, that Christina is in good hands for the time being, and that there is no immediate further information. Spencer concludes, "Above all, we must keep Tom Carter in our thoughts and attune our minds to the restoration of his health," and I can't add much more to that.

We should definitely post news about any fundraising type things as they come up. Here's one:

http://wasistdas.co.uk/news/2012/06/in-support-of-tom-carter/

An update:

Just want to let you all know that although there are still a lot of unknowns as to the course, length, and location of recovery for Tom, there are finally, at present, signs that are looking positive.

He is still at the hospital in Berlin being treated for pneumonia with complications, and his family is there with him (as they have been for the past week now). I’m totally confident that he is receiving the best care possible from the doctors and staff there, which made it less difficult (but still hard) to return to Texas this past Wednesday than it would have been otherwise.

Tom still can’t receive visitors, phone calls, or gifts/cards because the hospital is not equipped to accommodate them right now, but I’ll try to let everyone know as soon as possible if that changes.

This week I’m getting together a destination for donations to help defray medical and other expenses for Tom and his family, and will also let everyone know when that is finalized.

Thank you so much and best,
Christina

update from volcanic tongue: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=461383120556962&set=a.142634719098472.25031.141631625865448&type=1&theater

TOM CARTER UPDATE & APPEAL:
http://www.volcanictongue.com/tomcarterappeal

17 June 2012: While on a tour of Europe with Charalambides, Tom Carter was hospitalized in Berlin, Germany and has been in intensive care for over two weeks. He is currently being treated for serious complications of pneumonia. At this time, there remain many uncertainties regarding his condition, which continues to be variable and evolving. Hospitalization and a projected recovery could last at a minimum many weeks and possibly months.

The consideration and support that has already been expressed, during this time, is of great comfort to Tom’s family.

Many concerned individuals have asked about sending cards and flowers, all of which is greatly appreciated. However, the intensive care unit is not equipped to accommodate gifts. We will be sure to let everyone know if and when the hospital is able to do so. Additionally, Tom is currently unable to receive phone calls or visitors. Many individuals have also inquired as to what other assistance they can provide. Due to the severity of Tom’s illness, his hospitalization away from home, and the projection of a possible prolonged recovery, Tom and his family will certainly incur a more than significant financial burden. There will be medical bills as well as possible travel and housing expenses. It is thought that a considerable portion, if not all, of Tom’s recovery must take place in Berlin.

A fund is being established to receive donations to offset these costs. Information on how to contribute will follow as soon as it is available. Tom Carter’s generosity and modesty as a musician and friend, coupled with his dedication to a vision of spiritual music as transformative force, provides us all with a rare example of creative and personal possibilities intertwined. Let us keep Tom, whom we cherish, in our thoughts and attune our minds to his full recovery.

Please forward this notice to anyone who may be concerned. We will post updates here as more information becomes available.

Volcanic Tongue is donating all proceeds from sales of Charalambides and Tom Carter and Christina Carter releases to Tom Carter and his family. Blackest Rainbow Recordings have also very generously offered all their available releases to VT with all proceeds going direct to Tom’s fund. Click the links below to browse all the releases that are part of the appeal.

http://www.volcanictongue.com/artists/show/114

http://www.volcanictongue.com/artists/show/116

http://www.volcanictongue.com/artists/show/399

http://www.volcanictongue.com/labels/show/793

Thanks for that!

Yeah thanks! Will add that all the records I've heard that are on Blackest Rainbow are top notch and the packaging is always gorgeous, so wade in and fill your boots with that stuff. Good prices too.

Spread the word! A formal fundraising page is now up!

http://helptomcarter.org/

Also, a further email from Christina Carter:

First, some concrete plans are forming as to hospital and rehabilitation times for Tom – at least while in Germany. The doctors are speaking now about approximately two more weeks in intensive care and then approximately one month in a rehabilitation facility somewhere in another German city or town.

Then, Tom would have further follow up evaluation, medical care, and rehabilitation when back in the US. This portion of treatment and recuperation still remains completely unknown as far as its nature and timetable.

Second, I just want to clarify that the Jump Arts helptomcarter.org website was set up by the label owners at Northern Spy who put out the first record of Tom and Marc’s project 1129. In their enthusiasm to help Tom, they didn’t give me a chance to respond to their ideas, and just went ahead before I could explain to them the plan that I have been working on.

I have been working with Cory Rayborn, from three lobed, who is a close friend of Tom’s and also a lawyer, on putting together a legal repository for funds for Tom that will have clear but flexible guidelines and structures as to permitted use of those funds. It will take into account many important factors, e.g. tax and asset issues. This takes time to make sure everything is correct. It looks like it will be ready on this coming Tuesday.

The Jump Arts helptomcarter.org site is now dovetailing with Cory's and my efforts, so that there will be less confusion regarding these matters.

Thanks Ned. At least another six weeks in hospital? Poor Tom...

benefit for tom tonight in brooklyn @ zebulon, featuring pigeons, k. salvatore with d. charles speer, orleans/gunn duo and zaimph.

western mass showing the love

Friday, July 6, 2012.

8:00pm.
.

Our friend, guitarist Tom Carter, was recently hospitalized due to complications from pneumonia while on tour in Germany. Due to the nature and length of his recovery, the hospital bills will be quite extensive. We are organizing this event to help defray his costs.

Music from:
Body/Head
Hush Arbors
Sunburned Hand of the Man
Magik Markers
Six Organs of Admittance
Dredd Foole

With readings by:
Byron Coley
Elaine Kahn
Matt Krefting

$10 admission

at the flywheel in easthampton

benefit in SF July 16th at the Hemlock. Common Eider King Eider, John Porras, Meridians, and Bill Orcutt.

6pm show

Just in from Christina Carter within the past hour:

--

Doctors are going forward with the plan to keep Tom in intensive care for an additional two weeks, and then transfer him to a medical rehabilitation facility in another town in Germany through the end of July. If all progresses well with recuperation at that facility, he will be sent back to the US to continue evaluation, treatment and recovery.

Tom’s health continues to improve, and the doctors have been able to continue to reduce medications and other treatments. He is finally breathing entirely on his own and beginning to receive physical therapy. At this time the prognosis is good, although there is some question as to whether or not there has been some type of long-lasting heart complications due to the pneumonia. Evaluation and any treatment or therapy to address this question will most likely take place in the US. The doctors in Germany are also recommending that Tom not return to work and, I assume, pre-illness activity levels until January 2012.

I still have not spoken directly with Tom, but through his mom, he wanted you all to know how much he appreciates all of the benefits that have been and are being organized (everyone who puts together, plays at, and/or attends); he also wanted you all to know how much he appreciates the messages of concern and friendship. The outpouring of love and support is, I believe, directly connected with his recovery and he seems to be in relatively good spirits, despite this ordeal, largely because of this love and support. He is already looking forward to coming back to the US, and hopefully NY, in August.

The PayPal account for The Robert Thomas Carter Irrevocable Trust is finally up and running. Anyone can contribute to it by going to:

https://www.paypal.com/

The email address to donate to is:

tomcartertrust (at) gmail (dot) com

If anyone has questions specifically about donating, please write the above email address.

David Daniell is helping to develop the updated helptomcarter.org website, and when that is completed there will be a convenient donation button there. Donations can continue to be made through Jump Arts until that process is complete.

Volcanic Tongue will continue to post updates as well.

Thank you all so much,
Christina Carter

And, as always, please forward to anyone that is interested and concerned.

ty for posting, glad the paypal's finally hooked up. poor tom <3

thanks ned, sounds like promising if not 'good' news. really lovely to see how many people care and want to offer what they can to help tom.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KcE-JVEVnIU

Thank you Ned, hang in there Tom Carter

But in brief, Tom is continuing to improve and thanks everyone for their help and efforts.

And! He just now started posting again on Twitter:

https://twitter.com/OmtayArtercay

Okay here's that public message:

One week ago, Tom, accompanied by his mother, was transferred to a medical rehabilitation facility in Germany, near the Baltic Sea. Tom will receive medical care, monitoring and physical rehabilitation at the facility until the end of July.

It is still unknown whether Tom will be able to return to New York immediately after the rehabilitation, or if it will be necessary for him to, instead, reside elsewhere with his family for a time. Although his condition continues to improve, Tom is still weak and his condition must come closer to what his normal baseline health will be, in order for doctors to assess what type of further treatment he will need in the US. It does seem to be certain that Tom will require follow up care once back in the States.

Tom and I were able to have a few short conversations on the phone in the last week. He stressed, again, to let everyone know how much everyone’s caring and support has meant and continues to mean to him. He appreciates all of the benefits that have been organized and all of the messages wishing for his recovery. He is able to receive email messages at the facility, however computer access is limited there, and so he may not be able to reply for some time.

All of the help that everyone is providing will most definitely make a huge difference in Tom’s ability to get back on his feet when the time comes, and has also made a huge difference in Tom and his family’s peace of mind (especially with the projected length of recovery time and additional medical care needed.)

https://twitter.com/OmtayArtercay/status/235119705709481984 !

Ahh, fuck yeah. Could be a special night, wish I could go.

I saw them a couple of months back & it slayed anyway, this should be really nice. w/tim hecker, too.

love charalambides, dig massdist, couldn't give half a flying fuck abt oneohtrix.never; early set and ducking out sounds about right...

Does "massdist" just mean Colin Langenus in some form? I know that is his label/email/twitter whatever, but dude is in like 5 bands. Which one is playing?

i think it's the Colin L Orchestra.

Col L. Orchestra is my favorite of his current bands, good deal.

Will be onstage tonight at 8:30.

someone post how it was if attending.

i really want to go to this but i have to do my radio show :(

i initially thought the show was friday -- friday was just the first night of the two day event

So there are at least two fundraising comps for Tom now kicking around:

http://featheredcoyoterecords.bandcamp.com/album/lunar-jams-for-tom-carter

http://musicfortomcarter.bandcamp.com/

And on top of those earlier ones! United Bible Studies have just released a massive tribute benefit comp:

http://desertedvillage.bandcamp.com/album/for-tom-carter

Ninety-nine performers. Go nuts.

wow, I will buy that as soon as I get home, thanks Ned

whoah. that line-up gives me excellent terrastock flashbacks

tom's new one numinal entry is lovely

Man Tom has been on a crazy roll this year. I cannot wait to hear that new solo LP.

This Tom Carter + Helena Espvall collaboration is so, so good.

Tom Carter totally opening up a universe of sound both solo + in a trio with Chris Corsano (!!!) and Carter Thornton here:

http://www.nyctaper.com/2015/12/tom-carter-chris-corsano-carter-thornton-december-5-2015-trans-pecos-solo-and-trio-sets/

I mean Tom's new record on Three Lobed is heavy as hell and just gorgeous, but live he is just knocking it out of the park these days.

Man, Tom's solo set is so good. Damn:

https://soundcloud.com/acidjacknyc/sets/tom-carter-live-at-trans-pecos-2015

picked up two vinyl reissues of 2007 cd-rs of 90s material at the (mind boggling) show last night--glowing raw and strangle the wretched heavens, on drawing room records. very attractive, sound great so far.

those are both great, I have the CDr versions. Emerald Message is v good as well imo.

is there a tour or was this a one-off show?

just a one off for now looks like. tom playing a couple dates soon, another in nyc and one in MA

Hope someone recorded that Charalambides show, would love to hear it.

looks like they're playing at the Empty Bottle in Chicago and with The Renderers in LA later this summer! too far away but jeez.

Seen this on Twitter a couple of times recently - new Bandcamp page https://charalambides.bandcamp.com/releases

huh all I see there at the moment is one album? would love to hear the earlier batch of CDRs, I don't know some of them

Aye. Assume they'll gradually populate it? Hope so.

The Charalambides page only went online two days ago or so; Tom has been gradually populating his own Bandcamp page for a while now, so yes, there'll be more.

excellent news

four more albums up now, just in time for the Bandcamp sale!

oh hey cool, vinyl versions of some CDRs - I really liked these two in particular

https://drawingroomrecords.bandcamp.com/album/strangle-glowing-raw-2-album-set

Tom Carter has launched a yearly subscription

https://tomcarterguitar.bandcamp.com/subscribe

oh my god

https://charalambides.bandcamp.com/album/charalambides-tom-and-christina-carter

What you do for money, what you do for rent _ take a look inside, are you all that’s spent

xpost Marvelous album, already gave it an ear.

tom carter subscription is a good time (though not the sheer onslaught of music that is the kevin drumm subscription)

Cor! And they're playing Cafe Oto in November...

Oh man I hope I get to catch a date on this tour. Playing with Loren Connors in NYC, but unfortunately do not think I am gonna get to that one.

aw man, no West coast dates at all.

Tom Carter subscription essential for anyone that bookmarks this thread. The recent track with Susan Alcorn is great.

yes! i would listen to a quadruple lp of that vibe

Burner of a solo show from Tom last night at Union Pool in Brooklyn. There's an instagram video at https://www.instagram.com/p/BnEODCnFNSQ/

Tom is operating on a very high level solo right now. I can't even really tell how he does it, just masterful tone wrangling.

yeah it's the tone, I agree but can't explain it any better than you.

I really need that double LP from a few years back

It is a wonderful record. I just jammed it a couple of weeks ago.

Just discovered them live at their gig last night, truly remarkable music. got their last record, Exile, Tom seems like a real nice dude.

They used to be three?

They've just been a duo for a while now, since A Vintage Burden or even earlier. Exile is amazing, enjoy.

probably my favorite band of the 2000s

Their new album is in the mail to me right now, can't wait. I just got the Bandcamp download today, so I get to listen tonight.

missed the nyc show last weekend but am ready for the new record. i sprung for the bonus cassette too

looks like the cassette is not included in the download, fwiw. listening for the first time now, about to get on the living room couch and give it my full attention.

This is wonderfully mellow so far.

agreed except i just listened to side B at 78rpm accidentally and i thought dang this is wild

great new release from a new band with Christina!

https://unifactor.bandcamp.com/album/maltha

Ah, I missed that in the mail today -- will keep that in mind!