Christina Carter is best known for her work with ex-husband Tom Carter in the legendary Charalambides. She also boasts an impressive body of solo work on labels such as Kranky and Eclipse. Gown hails from Nanaimo, BC. Early in 2005, the two begin a month-long trek from Gown's home in British Columbia to their current place of residence in Western Mass. Changes are good.
D uring their journey, the duo played live on KDVS radio in California. We've is culled from that sprawling session. Carter's playing has always been about creating open spaces that live and breathe on their own. We've is no different, but Gown manages to find his way into those spaces and destroy them. There is a constantly shifting dichotomy at play here, and the results are fantastic. Gown and Carter have loads of chemistry and We've is the perfect of example.
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Praise for "We've":
Strange how many vocal-oriented releases there have been lately. Grouper, Inca Ore, Lichens. And now we have the most recent release from Christina Carter of Charalambides and her partner / group Gown. This half hour track recorded live on the radio is really fucking creepy. Simple minimal guitar beneath swooping, soaring almost operatic vocals. Okay. And Carter's voice is as lovely as ever, but the other voice accompanying her is SO DEMENTED. And loud! Going from an atonal Jandekian howl, to a near painful Keiji Haino like wail, and proceeding to hoot and shout and swoop in wildly, squealing and groaning and careening wildly all over the place. Really crazily out there. Pushes this from being free psych folk to some sort of experimental vocal music. Sort of beautiful sure, but mostly way way WAY damaged and demented. - Aquarius