Search - KaiserCartel :: March Forth

Lured in and glad to be here

Will Bueche | Boulder, CO | 08/11/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I was lured in by Courtney Kaiser's voice on "Oh No" (as well as by the wonderful detuning on that track, and, special credit to Courtney's cleft chin in the wonderful video for that same tune), and I am now nicely trapped as a fan of both KaiserCartel and Courtney Kaiser.



KaiserCartel could perhaps be called folk, if by folk you mean folks like Deb Talan, The Weepies, Meg Hutchinson, etc. If folk could be said to veer into country or veer into city, I'd say there's a bit of a city edge, though it not overt like it is with their excellent label-mate Swati ("Small Gods").



The sound quality of this album is fantastic. While the vocals and most of the wide variety of acoustic instruments are intimate, there's also a deep drum under some tracks that adds an absolutely immense space around you - it's like being at a private, up-close performance in the center of an abandoned warehouse. Fantastic.



If I had the slightest criticism about KaiserCartel, it would be that I want them to try it faster and harder sometime! They've got the restrained tempo down pat like experts, but it feels like they want to break out with a couple hard rocking numbers and I wish they would.



Be sure to get KaiserCartel's first CD "Double Standard" -- still available from cd baby -- while you can. And get Courtney Kaiser's under-noticed solo album here on Amazon (where it goes for as little as a cent!). Lastly, you can try tracking down her "H21" album she recorded under the unusual name Eeqwa, but honestly that will be a tough one to find. I got mine, so it is possible. I also believe there's one non-album track on the single for "Okay".



Courtney Kaiser also appears as supporting vocals on some other albums but they just don't have the brilliance of her solo and KaiserCartel work.



I haven't yet tried the Kartel half of the duo yet, but I may.



These artists have obviously tried being in a lot of different bands over the years. But this is it. This is the band to buy. There's more than the promise of talent here, it is the promise delivered."

Awesome

A. Shah | Amhert, MA USA | 10/22/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I seen them live a few times and love their earlier EPs, all of which are less "produced" than this CD. I'm happy to say that either their "raw" sound or this slightly more produced sound is awesome. Very warm."