Caroline Smith & The Good Night Sleeps to release second album: ‘Little Wind’
aaamusic | On 21, Aug 2011
LITTLE WIND
BY CAROLINE SMITH & THE GOOD NIGHT SLEEPS TO BE RELEASED ON SEPTEMBER 20 VIA UNITED INTERESTS
“Calliope” Just Premiered on PopMatters.com
BAND TOURING THE U.S. THROUGHOUT THE FALL
Little Wind is the sophomore release from Minneapolis’ Caroline Smith & the Good Night Sleeps. The album expands upon the band’s debut LP Backyard Tent Set’s storytelling whimsy, but shifts its foundation from the simplicities of gentle folk instrumentation to greater nuances of musical arrangement and soundscape rooted in modern indie rock. Loyal to the heart of the band’s sound, however, their songs continue to be characterized by unforgettable and endearing pop melodies. Most recognizable throughout their music, and the defining quality to their success, is Caroline Smith’s alto timbre, quivering through vibrato, classic, and controlled with the presence of Billie Holiday, Leslie Feist, and Joanna Newsom.
Caroline Smith & the Good Night Sleeps began with just Caroline Smith as an 18-year-old songwriter in 2006, who earned her place in the Midwest music community. She began her career with a residency at Minneapolis’ 400 Bar, a venue pivotal in shaping the careers of Elliott Smith, Conor Oberst, and local hero, Mason Jennings, who less than a decade before began his own career with the same residency. A year later, Caroline befriended drummer Arlen Peiffer (Cloud Cult), bassist Jesse Schuster, and multi-instrumentalist David Earl and the boys joined forces to support Caroline’s folk tunes as “the Good Night Sleeps.” The release of their debut LP Backyard Tent Set, seven national tours, and constant circuit through the Midwest has garnered a committed following of audiences around the US.
The newest LP, set to be released on September 20th via United Interests, tested the Good Night Sleeps’ boundaries and the developed intricacies of each song and the album as a whole shine in each of the ten tracks.
“This record took a lot out of us as a band. We were in a huge transitional period when we were writing these songs and still not completely comfortable with any of them when we finally went into the studio. But because we were so unsettled with everything, the songs and the band, the record means so much more to us now because we got to see it all come together in front of our eyes and turn in to something we are all so proud of,” says Caroline Smith.
Little Wind was recorded at the Terrarium in Minneapolis with Jason Orris (Polara, Happy Apple, Haley Bonar) and was mixed by Tom Herbers (Low, Dark Dark Dark, Andrew Bird. The band will be heading on a national tour in celebration of the album, including a CD release show at First Avenue in Minneapolis on September 16th.
TRACK LISTING FOR LITTLE WIND:
2. ;;;
3. Strong Shoulders
4. Strong Shoulders Reprise
6. Eagle’s Nest
7. Scholarships
8. Hannah’s Song
9. Denim Boy
10. Birch Trees & Broken Barns
Caroline Smith – Calliope – NORTH SHORE SESSIONS from North Shore Sessions on Vimeo.
Tour Dates
9.16 Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue *
9.17 Northfield, MN @ The Cave
9.18 Omaha, NE @ O’Leavers
9.19 Fort Collins, CO @ The Hangar
9.20 Denver, CO @ Hi-Dive ^
9.22 St. Louis, MN @ Off Broadway
9.23 Ames, IA @ The Space for Ames
9.24 Iowa City, IA @ The Mill
9.25 Lawrence, KA @ Replay Lounge
9.26 Tulsa, OK @ Soundpony
9.27 Little Rock, AR @ White Water Tavern
9.28 Indianapolis, IN @ Earth House Collective
9.29 Chicago, IL @ Schuba’s #
9.30 Milwaukee, WI @ Club Girabaldi #
10.01 Madison, WI @ The Terrace #
10.04 Columbus, OH @ Woodlands Tavern
10.10 Boston, MA @ The Middle East
10.11 Brooklyn, NY @ The Rock Shop
10.12 New York, NY @ Cake Shop
10.13 Brooklyn, NY @ Union Pool
10.21 Providence, RI @ AS220
* w/ Dark Dark Dark, Dead Man Winter, and Daredevil Christoper Wright
^ w/ Ivan & Alyosha
# w/ Dead Man WInter
