Carousel

Carousel

Editorial Reviews
About the Artist
Victory at Sea had its rudimentary beginnings in 1994 when Mona Elliott, late of Taang! recording artists Spore, was playing an electric solo set at The Middle East in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Swirlies singer/guitarist Christina Files witnessed the show and afterwards told Mona she'd love to contribute her drumming skills to the songs. She got the nod, following which Mel Lederman, veteran of various Boston bands, was invited to play bass. Initially a part-time endeavor, the three became the full-time working entity Victory at Sea by 1996 and released Snow, their debut single, on Villa Villakula Records. A second single followed on the Magic Eye label. And then in 1997 the 5-song EP Easier Than Living, back on VVR, collected different versions of two of the 7-inch tracks and added three more.

While on a series of tours with Shipping News and June of '44, Victory at Sea crossed paths with the good folks at Slowdime, a subsidiary of Discord Records. Slowdime offered to release their first full-length The Dark is Just the Night, recorded and released in 1999. The reviews were overwhelmingly positive. Victory at Sea was characterized as "a standout new addition in the ever-multiplying fleet of oddly-tuned, slightly math-oriented, serious-minded indie bands with depressive tendencies," while their sound was described as consisting of "an elusive and attention-demanding irony, a startling intimacy, and a reassuring lullaby quality."

A European tour supporting this album found Mona discovering her love for Italian wine, Mel experiencing a certain "je ne sais quoi," and Christina deciding to quit the band. With another tour scheduled only two weeks away, spirited upstart Fin Moore, hailing from the relatively unheralded Cape Cod music scene, got the call to arms. He took over the drum seat, learned all the old songs in record time, and became a valued co-conspirator on some new compositions released a mere two months later. Kimchee Records documented those songs in August 2000 on a split EP shared with Boston friends Helms.

Six months and ten songs later Carousel is born. The new album is inspired by fast drivers, mail-order mermaids, New England storms, and rickety amusement park rides. Engineer Andy Hong's unique recording style insures its place as Victory at Sea's most driving and heartfelt statement yet.

Product Description
Victory at Sea make sound that is as morose as it is beautiful, as stunning as it is depressive. The tools they rely on are simple: an electric guitar, a bass guitar, drums. Mining deep psychic strata, the trio skillfully exposes raw nerve to dim light, knowing when to musically tiptoe into trauma as well as how to break through with ferocity.

Carousel is as succinct a statement as Victory at Sea has ever made. In this music-as-commerce world it can sound almost too real. If you haven't already fallen victim to the twin sirens of derivative song and rock gloss, you may find Carousel utterly seductive, in turn warming and chilling in its depths.

Carousel,Victory at Sea,Kimchee Records,Alternative Pop/Rock,Indie Rock,Intricate, feverish, and powerful emo/math rock.,Pop,Rock,Rock/Pop

Rock Music

Carousel

Popular Music: