Caithlin De Marrais (formerly bassist/singer from Rainer Maria) totally shredded her vocal cords recording "Hot Day," an homage to Patti Smith's Horses and 1970s era crime films. Caithlin says, "Tears were streaming down my face during tracking. There was a feeling of desperation in the lyrics and I was reckless in a way I hadn't been since the early days of Rainer Maria when I would regularly lose my voice on tour." I love the scorching fuzz bass and her all-out belting.
Check out "Hot Day" on MTV Hive.
Hear the entire album streaming at Magnet's website.
"The primal yell in there is about running away from responsibility," Caithlin continues, "'Horses' was destined to be in my record collection. I loved Mapplethorpe, Blondie, Talking Heads and hanging out in the Village as a teenager. Now I relate to 'Horses' totally differently. It sounds old and wise to me, like a force of nature that won't be silenced."
Simultaneously "Hot Day" was influenced by soundtracks to 1970s era crime dramas "The French Connection," "Taxi Driver," and "Dirty Harry." Caithlin's Wurlitzer and Ray Saperstein's cornet pay homage to those moody, dark masterpieces.
New Yorkers: Caithlin is playing tonight at Union Hall at 10pm. Please let me know if you'd like to be on the guest list.
Advance praise for the new album:
"The former Rainer Maria frontwoman has a new solo album coming next month, Red Coats, and it reduces her old band’s emo-rock blare to a quieter roar, surrounding De Marrais’ uncommonly expressive singing with tense little clicks and buzzes, slyly destabilizing where Rainer Maria once aimed to knock off socks." -- The Village Voice
"Beguiling." – The New Yorker
Showing posts with label patti smith. Show all posts
Showing posts with label patti smith. Show all posts
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
'RED COATS' IS COMING: BROOKLYNITE CAITHLIN DE MARRAIS DRAWS INSPIRATION FROM FILM HISTORY, FASHION, FOOD AND FAMILY ON STELLAR NEW ALBUM
The inspiration behind Caithlin De Marrais' new album reaches deep into the distant and not-so-distant past. (De Marrais is the former vocalist/bassist for Rainer Maria.) Here’s a rundown of the fuel for her creative fire on ‘Red Coats,’ out November 8 on End Up Records, which has been compared to Mirah and Beth Orton:
* Album opener “Lovers Light” is dedicated to the memory of Don Hill and one of the bright spots in the club scene, Don Hill’s nightclub. De Marrais says, "I'm drawn to places where people gather to dance. I hear this song as a dance song, slowed way down. The opening hits that super soft spot I have for analog fuzz-scapes. I composed this song on Garage Band and was sonically inspired as much by The National’s ‘High Violet’ as the soundtrack to the John Hughes’ film, ‘Pretty in Pink.’”
* Caithlin first heard the xx around the time that she wrote “Rose Wallpaper.” “I was really inspired by their brilliant vocals and arrangements." Lyrics recall an overnight stay as a youth in a 19th century abandoned house.
* “Hot Day” is an homage to Patti Smith’s ‘Horses’ album and also includes Ray Saperstein’s cornet a la Caithlin's favorite film genre, 1970s-era American crime films.
* The instrumental “Fizzy Wawa,” a term Caithlin’s son uses for carbonated water, includes his work on the Juno.
* “City Girl” is dedicated to her mother. Caithlin says, “My mom grew up in Jersey, a stone's throw from New York City. We're a Bruce Springsteen family and I was haunted by the lonely silhouette of Asbury Park when I wrote this song on the piano. I remember hearing the album ‘Tunnel of Love’ for the first time as a young girl and I was very moved by the sadness in those songs.”
* She dedicates “Sorry” to the memory of the late fashion designer Alexander McQueen, who possessed a tendency to juxtapose strength with fragility in his designs. Says Caithlin, "I had to catch my breath when I saw his work. It was mind-blowing. I am humbled by his legacy."
* The title track and album closer finds her comparing the Revolutionary War, of which a battle was fought in her childhood town of Fairfield, CT, to her modern day romance with British-born photographer, Spencer Heyfron. “This song is not exactly a metaphor for falling in love, but more the willingness to surrender to any of love’s invasions,” she says.
Check out her music video for “Birds” posted on Brooklyn Vegan.
* Album opener “Lovers Light” is dedicated to the memory of Don Hill and one of the bright spots in the club scene, Don Hill’s nightclub. De Marrais says, "I'm drawn to places where people gather to dance. I hear this song as a dance song, slowed way down. The opening hits that super soft spot I have for analog fuzz-scapes. I composed this song on Garage Band and was sonically inspired as much by The National’s ‘High Violet’ as the soundtrack to the John Hughes’ film, ‘Pretty in Pink.’”
* Caithlin first heard the xx around the time that she wrote “Rose Wallpaper.” “I was really inspired by their brilliant vocals and arrangements." Lyrics recall an overnight stay as a youth in a 19th century abandoned house.
* “Hot Day” is an homage to Patti Smith’s ‘Horses’ album and also includes Ray Saperstein’s cornet a la Caithlin's favorite film genre, 1970s-era American crime films.
* The instrumental “Fizzy Wawa,” a term Caithlin’s son uses for carbonated water, includes his work on the Juno.
* “City Girl” is dedicated to her mother. Caithlin says, “My mom grew up in Jersey, a stone's throw from New York City. We're a Bruce Springsteen family and I was haunted by the lonely silhouette of Asbury Park when I wrote this song on the piano. I remember hearing the album ‘Tunnel of Love’ for the first time as a young girl and I was very moved by the sadness in those songs.”
* She dedicates “Sorry” to the memory of the late fashion designer Alexander McQueen, who possessed a tendency to juxtapose strength with fragility in his designs. Says Caithlin, "I had to catch my breath when I saw his work. It was mind-blowing. I am humbled by his legacy."
* The title track and album closer finds her comparing the Revolutionary War, of which a battle was fought in her childhood town of Fairfield, CT, to her modern day romance with British-born photographer, Spencer Heyfron. “This song is not exactly a metaphor for falling in love, but more the willingness to surrender to any of love’s invasions,” she says.
Check out her music video for “Birds” posted on Brooklyn Vegan.
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