I have never used the word in a real life conversation, but I can honestly say I am ‘stoked’ to hear that my all time favourite New Weird Americans, Charalambides are set to release a new album tomorrow on Kranky Records.
Exile comes four years since their last (Likeness) and marks twenty years of Tom and Christina Carter’s musical collaboration which has survived longer than their marriage.
Such is my enthusiasm that I’m even thnking of taking the unprecedented step of buying the 2LP vinyl version which contains two extra tracks.
According to Fluid Radio the album “drips authentically” and the Kranky blurb, promises “a tapestry of suppliant invocations directed at the heart of the unseen spiritual forces surrounding us”.
I’m not sure if I’ve ever experienced a ‘suppliant invocation’ when listening to their music but I am a huge fan of everything the Carters have put out either under the group name, as solo artists or in the numerous albums they have collaborated on.
I even set up a Last:fm group to see how many felt the same way. The answer is not many, judging by the low membership of, as I write 56, but this is in keeping with their cult status.
Related links:
Exile reviewed at ‘Wears The Trousers
Exile album info on Brainwashed
If you are looking for an album that illustrates why the music of the New Weird America continues to be fresh and relevant you won’t do better than the new album by Tom Carter and Christian Kiefer. it’s called ‘From The Great American Songbook’ and it’s out now on 
Christina Carter was born in Houston, Texas in 1968, and in 1991 became the co-founder of the renowned free-folk group Charalambides. More recently she has pursued a fascinating parallel career as a solo artist and collaborator using voice, guitar (both electric and acoustic) and piano.
