Freakwater!

[honkyjonk]

Anybody heard of this band?

Oh my God. Just heard a song called Jack the Knife, went and checked out stuff on itunes. I'm totally gonna buy all their albums. Tell me about them if you know, you country fools.

One of the chicks sort of sounds like Lucinda Williams, but then she does some inflections that have an almost Will Oldham flavor. I'm in love.

Just thought I'd share. Good Good Good,GREAT songs.

[centurymantra]

Yeah, Freakwater is a great band. I have several of their albums and they are all excellent. It's interesting that you bring this up, cuz I just dug out a couple of their discs for mixing inspiration, as I recorded a band recently who consider themselves a modern bluegrass band, though they branch off into territory that's pretty close to a Neko Case/Freakwater vibe. Freakwater definitely have a strong bluegrass flavor and influence, but they definitely manage to use this as a stepping stone create their own sound. I've seen them live and they are very, very cool indeed on stage. Some of their tunes have a more traditional sound, but the majority of their music gets into a more modern roots/americana/alt-country vibe...kinda timeless really. Great songs all around....totally sincere and not at all forced. You can't go wrong with any of their discs. I think their most recent disc even features Califone members, though I haven't heard this one yet. I've got an old 7" of theirs where they do an amazing rendition of 'War Pigs' - Freakwater style. Beating Cake to the punch by miles, I might add...

On a side note, I really LOVE this solo disc that Janet Bean (one of the FW songwriter/vocalists) put out under the name (I think) of Janet Bean & the Concertina Wire. It's called, if I remember right, 'Dragging Wonder Lake' or something like that. Check it out...seriously. Great stuff.[/b]

[djimbe]

the most recent Freakwater record that I know of is Thinking of You, and it was done in 2005 in our studio by my chief engineer, Graeme Gibson. Califone is the backing band, along with a few of Catherine and Janet's old friends. Both of those women are great people, and Catherine especially (the Lucinda Williams sorta sounding one...) has this sense of humor and facility with words that just makes you want to sit quietly and listen whenever she speaks.

There was one point during tracking that the band came in to listen to a take and Tim Rutili asked Catherine if all the songs on the record were going to be about drinking. She looked kinda hurt or put aback and said "no...". Then she brightened up and said "this one's about pills..."

Most of the stuff on Thinking was tracked with the band live in the big room and the women playing their guitars together in the iso booth. Solid performers all around, and the basics went to tape quick. Great session to be around, though I was working a 6pm-6am shift at the time, so didn't get to be around as much as I wanted...

[Phiz]

I just stumbled onto this band a few weeks ago too. I've only heard a few songs thus far, but I'm looking forward to hunting down some more.

[vvv]

I have always loved Janet Bean's music, especially as the drummer/vocalist in 11th Dream Day.

Nice lady, too.