The Carnivaleros
Lost In the Graveyard
© 2006 Gary Mackender Music (635961056720)
CD IN STOCK. ORDER NOW. Will ship immediately.
Eastern European motifs melded with American Roots and a World feel with lively accordion and swampy guitar work
tracks
try this
albums you will love
genres you will love
By Location
Recommended if you like ...
notes
Lost In the Graveyard is the second CD from this brazen ensemble. With this new work, bandleader Gary Mackender has created an album true to his roots, delving into his midwestern heritage while absorbing the atmosphere of the southwest where he's lived for the last fifteen years. Mackender has penned nine new songs here along with his original take of two covers and a Mitzi Cowell original.
Along with Mackender on accordion, drums, vocals, vibes and mandolin "Lost In the Graveyard" features Mitzi Cowell on guitar, banjo and vocals, Marx Loeb on drums, Carla Brownlee on sax and Chris Giambelluca on bass. Special guests include Catherine Zavala on mandolin, vocals and mandowrinch and Tony Rosano on sousaphone. The recording took place at Tucson's infamous Wavelab studio known for recording the likes of Calexico, Luca, Neko Case, John Doe and Richard Buckner.
Here's what Mark S. Tucker of the Folk & Acoustic Music Exchange had to say earlier this year:
"Starting off with a coolly creepy Waits-esque ramble on mid-West oddities and homeliness, Gary Mackender and crew initiate a very interesting collective of accordion-centered instrumentals and lyrically intriguing tunes. The Carnivaleros occupy that ghostly twilight niche manned by lurking gatherings of really good musicians who keep a tight lock on neighborhood familiarity and loose professionality by capturing a Saturday Night vibe and keeping it firmly stoked. Every track seems cut straight from dives, socials, backroom jams, and jes'-plain-folks get-togethers. Elsewhere in this corner of the musical universe, there's a great longstanding (30+ years) bluesrock band, the Nighthawks, that has the trip down cold, not to mention a righteous hybrid TexMex rock-swing band, the Juke Jumpers, equally friendly. Anyone familiar with those ensembles should well know whereof I speak. The indies are probably the sole resort for such things, but they're not often enough host to this high a degree of warmth, inventiveness, and strangely attractive mutations".
reviews
Please log in to review this album.
seductive, hypnotic and toe-tapping! Very inspired!
author: Marty OlsonThe haunting vocals from the very beginning drew me in... then delicately woven with the nimble and esoteric blendings of accordion, guitar and lilting rhythms... I was mesmerized and totally seduced! A versatile and witty collection like one would never expect! Excellent for time-travel and dancing, equally!
This CD wears out my "repeat" and "shuffle" buttons...in a good way!!
author: Jessie JeanSuch wonderful music to dance to, even for a clumsy novice like me. The music works for professional, or those of us that just "wiggle." Also, wonderful for passing the time while driving or lounging about the flat!
Listen, Dance, Sing, Drive, Whistle, Laugh, Tango, Play it again!
author: Joyce J. KellyThis CD knocked my socks off the first, fifth and fiftieth time I listened to it. I'm not alone. Husband, daughter and a variety of siblings, niecphews, cousins agree. Variety without end, passionate solos and soaring rhythms. I love this CD. Even folks who don't like to dance love this CD. One question: how does he get his voice to sound like that?