Freakwater

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Catherine Irwin and Janet Bean of Freakwater 2006

Freakwater are an American alternative country band from Louisville , Kentucky . Today both musicians live in Chicago .

Band history

In the early 80s , friends Catherine Irwin and Janet Bean, who had previously played in punk bands , began to be interested in and play early country music . In 1989 they recorded their first album and became one of the most renowned bands of the emerging alternative country wave.

From the beginning, the musicians were supported by other changing band members. The most loyal companion is bassist David Wayne Gay, who is part of the band's permanent line-up . You 've been under contract with the Chicago label Thrill Jockey since the mid-1990s . They turned down offers from a major label from Nashville, as well as a planned collaboration with the musician Steve Earle's E-Squad label , because in both cases they felt too influenced in their musical integrity.

style

Freakwater draw on the early, original roots of US country and folk music and interpret them idiosyncratically and weirdly, mostly with acoustic guitars and harmony chants , with Bean taking on the soprano part and Irwin the alto part. They refer to the Carter Family , the Louvin Brothers and also Hank Williams , Bill Monroe and Woody Guthrie . In music and texts they combine the dark with beauty: "At the same time sinister and beautiful" was the verdict of Wolfgang Doebeling from Rolling Stone . They mostly sing about things that affect them personally, tell stories and occasionally comment on the political and social situation from a critical perspective.

Other Projects

Janet Bean also plays in the rock band Eleventh Dream Day and has a side project called "Janet and Jeff".

Discography

Albums

  • Self-titled (Amoeba Records, 1989)
  • Dancing Underwater (Thrill Jockey, 1991, re-released 1997)
  • Feels Like the Third Time (Thrill Jockey, 1994)
  • Old Paint (Thrill Jockey, 1995, re-released 2003)
  • Springtime lp / cd Thrill Jockey, 1998
  • Endtime lp / cd Thrill Jockey, 1999
  • Thinking of You ... (Thrill Jockey, 2005)
  • Scheherazade ( Bloodshot Records , 2016)

Singles

  • "My Old Drunk Friend" / "Kentucky" (Thrill Jockey, 1994)
  • "South of Cincinnati" (Thrill Jockey, 1995)
  • "Hellbound" / "Lorraine" (Thrill Jockey, 1999)

Catherine Irwin solo

  • Cut Yourself a Switch (Thrill Jockey, 2003)
  • Little Heater (Thrill Jockey, 2012)

Janet Bean solo

  • Dragging Wonder Lake (Thrill Jockey, 2004)

Web links