Backworld
Backworld is an American folk band whose only constant line-up is singer and guitarist Joseph Budenholzer . The group was founded in New York City , where it is now based again after spending several years in Glasgow , Scotland .
Style and musical development
Budenholzer comes from Nebraska , where he gained experience with music and theater at an early age. Even after moving to NY, he initially worked in theater and film, where he contributed experimental soundscapes to various projects. In addition to performance artists such as Brian Moran (Blood Boy), he worked v. a. with musicians like Lydia Lunch and JG Thirlwell (Foetus) and underground filmmakers like Richard Kern , Beth B. and Tessa Hughs-Freeland .
Backworld was founded in 1993, the first album "Holy Fire" was released in 1996 through the English distributor World Serpent . However, the band founded their own label called Harbinger House (today Discalcula), on which only Backworld releases appear. Budenholzer's interest in Christian themes and traditional English music is reflected in the songs as much as the influence of current apocalyptic folk bands. The latter coined v. a. the sound of the early releases, which was strongly dominated by acoustic guitars, subtle keyboard background music and recitative vocals. On the following two albums, "Isles of the Blest" and "Anthems from the Pleasure Park", the electronic accompanying music was increasingly replaced by other traditional or classical instruments such as violin, cello, clarinet, bodhrán, etc. “Of Silver Sleep” (2001) and a few smaller publications that followed also mark a change towards the style of American folk music of the 1960s. In terms of content, the initially clear position of religious doubt shifted more and more in favor of a Christian tendency. In 2007, after a long break, the band's fifth album, Good Infection, was released, which continues the development.
Many well-known guest musicians have so far participated in Backworld, including underground greats such as David Tibet and Michael Cashmore (including Current 93 ), Jarboe (ex- The Swans ), Drew McDowall ( Coil ) or Julia Kent (ex- Rasputina ) and the famous singer Isobel Campbell (ex- Belle and Sebastian and The Gentle Waves ). Maya Hardinge is also part of the current line-up . Budenholzer, for his part, takes part in publications by artist friends, Jarboe and Current 93, Lydia Lunch's Spoken Words album “Matrikamantra”, Little Annie's “Songs from the Coalmine Canary” and others. v. a.
Discography
- Holy Fire (1996)
- Isles of the Blest (1998)
- Anthems from the Pleasure Park (1999)
- The Orchids (2000)
- Of Silver Sleep (2001)
- The Fourth Wall (2001)
- Seeds of Love (2003)
- All That Remains (2004)
- Good Infection (2007)
- Come The Bells (2011)