Month: April 2017

How does one start again? When is the end really the end, and when is the end a seed to the next beginning? Austin, Tex. band Carry Illinois found itself grappling with those questions in March 2016, when a founding member of the band died tragically. Bandleader Lizzy Lehman found herself unable to write for months, as the remaining members decided whether or not to keep making music together. By November of that year, they had decided to keep working. Lizzie wrote a collection of songs processing her grief, the band selected a new bassist, and musician and recording engineer John Vanderslice offered to produce the tracks that emerged that winter. The result is Garage Sale, to be released May 12th. These six songs are heartbreaking, but not devastating. This is music from a band that stared death in the face and chose to live. Lehman’s voice is strong even when it wavers. The album’s standout is “Little Shell,” all sharp lyrical edges and raw, searching lyrics about facing a world of uncertainty. But it’s album closer “Goodnight” that best captures the tone of the album, wading into the dark to get through to the light. “Why is it so hard to restart?” Lehman asks, and then, an answer to herself: “I look at all my friends, my dearest family, wishing happiness to call and take the place of agony.” There is no solving the problem of grief, but there is always the possibility of new happiness alongside it. Garage Sale makes ample and deeply moving room for both.

Look for previews from Garage Sale later this month. In the meantime, here’s the band’s latest video, “Electric Charm,” from a 7-inch released last fall.

When Carry Illinois’ bassist John Winsor took his life in 2016, the remaining members were numbed by their loss. They channeled their emotions the best way musicians know how: the release of a new album “Garage Sale”. The emotional 6-track tackles their loss not with sadness and helplessness, but with hope for their future.

by John Vanderslice, the album focuses on the importance of singer Lizzy Lehman’s lyrics and is a stripped-down wonder. Electric Charm is an upbeat bouncy track that comes from a 2-song release called “Electric Charm/Sea Inside”.The video’s colorful animation by Yukai Du is a unique representation of the music through color and morphing from one shape to the next. The result is the best dang thing I have seen in a long time!

Lizzy states that the song “Electric Charm” began as a way for her to express and work through the pain that she experienced being bullied in high school.  “The only place I truly felt safe and at home was on stage and in the choir room. It wasn’t until college that I was able to make friends that I could relate to and be myself around.  I could finally express my true self without the fear of being ridiculed or laughed at. It is only in the last couple years that I have found the strength to reflect on those early years with the confidence of knowing that I have risen above the hurtful words of my youth and find myself living happily.”

Lizzy chose to have a video made for this song to express the growth in her personal confidence. She also wanted to have a beautiful piece of art that featured the musical talents of their former bass player John Winsor, who tragically took his own life in March 2016. This video is for him.

When working with Yukai Du of Bliink Studios (Brighton, England) the collaboration came about very naturally. They provided her with the lyrics, the themes of the song, the color palette they preferred, and then gave her free-reign to work her magic.

“I like to give creative folks as much freedom as possible when starting a project and then ask for certain elements to be modified, provide criticism, and express my thoughts as the process happens. The imagery of a solitary person in space, the electric elements of earth, and the colorful abstract shifting shapes tie together the intimate themes of the song while creating a universal feel that people can relate to.”

The video for “Electric Charm” is an exciting creative step for the band and Lizzy looks forward to diving deeper into more collaborative artistic efforts with future songs.

This tribute to her friend and band mate is simply touching and beautifully done. It is an honor to listen to these lyrics and support this release. We suggest you check out Carry Illinois’s upcoming release “Garage Sale” which comes out May 12th. It is jam packed with songs that will instantly give you goose bumps.

Myra Ivy

As Austin-based indie pop collective Carry Illinois – comprised of Lizzy Lehman, Andrew Pressman, Rudy Villarreal, Darwin Smith, and Derek Morris – prepares for the release of their new album Garage Sale on May 12th, they’ve got a little surprise for us. We’re hosting the exclusive premiere of the music video for “Electric Charm”, and we’re totally smitten.

It’s never easy to reach back into your past and revisit the painful parts of growing up. In high school I was surrounded by kids who were solely concerned with societal norms, materialism, and looking, dressing, and acting like everyone else. There was little room for being the weirdo or girl who wasn’t a size 2,4,6 etc. “Electric Charm” is about not fitting in, not being the popular kid, and finally finding my place in the world once I moved away from home and began to shape my true self and find real friends who accepted me for me. In spite of vast self-esteem issues over the years, music has always been comforting and I am proud to share it with the world.

Du has created unique profiles with an interesting color palette, almost creating a fuzzy texture in her illustrations. She plays with the idea of being completely alone in a room full of people, and the subject matter of the song itself absolutely shines through.

Keep an eye out for Garage Sale here.