Dark Dark Dark
Encyclopedia
Dark Dark Dark is an American chamber folk band based out of Minneapolis, Minnesota
. Formed in 2006, the band has toured extensively in the United States and Europe and is known for their blend of New Orleans jazz
, Americana
, Eastern European folk and pop sensibilities.
In 2008 Dark Dark Dark released their debut album The Snow Magic on Supply & Demand Music, which PopMatters
called “a strong debut”. This was followed by an EP
of Snow Magic remixes from Anticon
artists Odd Nosdam
and Dosh
in October 2009, which coincided with a US tour opening for Why? and AU. In March 2010 they released their EP Bright Bright Bright, followed by their full length album Wild Go in October 2010, both to critical acclaim.
Pitchfork Media
writes of the full length, “...perhaps Dark Dark Dark's true accomplishment here is how they mix sounds and influences so effortlessly. They comprise a tight, intuitive unit, especially when the instruments swirl together into an otherworldly eddy of sound”. NPR
notes how “Invie sings with a flexible, penetrating voice, shedding both light and shadow on the meaning of her lyrics” and Paste Magazine describes the “...noteworthy balance that’s struck between beauty, familiarity, and surrealistic imagery...”.
The single “Daydreaming” off of “Wild Go” was feature in Episode 7, Season 7 of Grey’s Anatomy. "Daydreaming" was also used as background music in the February 11, 2011 episode of American Idol
and in the Degrassi: The Next Generation
episode, "Jesus, Etc., Part 2".
The band has also participated other artistic ventures, including acting and scoring bass player Todd Chandler’s film Flood Tide, as well as taking part in “Swimming Cities of the Switchback Sea” a SWOON project, performance art piece which traveled by rafts made of junk down the Hudson river from Troy to Long Island City, Queens. The band not only performed music for the piece, but helped to build the rafts. In May and June 2009 the project ventured to the Adriatic sea where it traveled from Slovenia to Venice for the Venice Biennial. In 2008, the band participated in a site-specific installations at the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art (MASS MoCA) titled "Being here is Better than Wishing We'd Stayed," (after the song "Cloud Story" on The Snow Magic album), In The Netherlands for The VanAbbeMuseum's Heartland Exhibition, where they helped build an interactive installation constructed from salvaged materials. They also performed a free outdoor concert at the museum.
EPs
2009–present
2010
Adam Wozniak
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minneapolis , nicknamed "City of Lakes" and the "Mill City," is the county seat of Hennepin County, the largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota, and the 48th largest in the United States...
. Formed in 2006, the band has toured extensively in the United States and Europe and is known for their blend of New Orleans jazz
New Orleans Jazz
New Orleans Jazz may refer to:*Dixieland, a style of jazz music*New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park*Utah Jazz, a professional National Basketball Association franchise that was previously based in New Orleans and known as the New Orleans Jazz, in recognition of the jazz music of New Orleans*A...
, Americana
Americana (music)
Americana is an amalgam of roots musics formed by the confluence of the shared and varied traditions that make up the American musical ethos; specifically those sounds that are merged from folk, country, blues, rhythm and blues, rock and roll and other external influential styles...
, Eastern European folk and pop sensibilities.
In 2008 Dark Dark Dark released their debut album The Snow Magic on Supply & Demand Music, which PopMatters
PopMatters
PopMatters is an international webzine of cultural criticism that covers many aspects of popular culture. PopMatters publishes reviews, interviews, and detailed essays on most cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television, films, books, video games, comics, sports, theater,...
called “a strong debut”. This was followed by an EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
of Snow Magic remixes from Anticon
Anticon
Anticon is an Oakland based independent record label founded in 1997. It is collectively owned among six founding artists and one manager...
artists Odd Nosdam
Odd Nosdam
Odd Nosdam is a musician, DJ, artist, and co-founder and ex-art director of record label/collective Anticon.Nosdam was first noticed for the drone and warped pop of his former group cLOUDDEAD ; he has worked closely with Mike Patton on his Peeping Tom project and remixed tracks by a variety of...
and Dosh
Dosh
Martin Luther King Chavez Dosh , known in music as Dosh, is a musician and multi-instrumentalist based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. As an artist, Dosh is a percussionist uses various electronics, often with a Fender Rhodes...
in October 2009, which coincided with a US tour opening for Why? and AU. In March 2010 they released their EP Bright Bright Bright, followed by their full length album Wild Go in October 2010, both to critical acclaim.
Pitchfork Media
Pitchfork Media
Pitchfork Media, usually known simply as Pitchfork or P4k, is a Chicago-based daily Internet publication established in 1995 that is devoted to music criticism and commentary, music news, and artist interviews. Its focus is on underground and independent music, especially indie rock...
writes of the full length, “...perhaps Dark Dark Dark's true accomplishment here is how they mix sounds and influences so effortlessly. They comprise a tight, intuitive unit, especially when the instruments swirl together into an otherworldly eddy of sound”. NPR
NPR
NPR, formerly National Public Radio, is a privately and publicly funded non-profit membership media organization that serves as a national syndicator to a network of 900 public radio stations in the United States. NPR was created in 1970, following congressional passage of the Public Broadcasting...
notes how “Invie sings with a flexible, penetrating voice, shedding both light and shadow on the meaning of her lyrics” and Paste Magazine describes the “...noteworthy balance that’s struck between beauty, familiarity, and surrealistic imagery...”.
The single “Daydreaming” off of “Wild Go” was feature in Episode 7, Season 7 of Grey’s Anatomy. "Daydreaming" was also used as background music in the February 11, 2011 episode of American Idol
American Idol
American Idol, titled American Idol: The Search for a Superstar for the first season, is a reality television singing competition created by Simon Fuller and produced by FremantleMedia North America and 19 Entertainment...
and in the Degrassi: The Next Generation
Degrassi: The Next Generation
Degrassi: The Next Generation is a Canadian teen drama television series set in the Degrassi universe, which was created by Linda Schuyler and Kit Hood in 1979. Degrassi is the fourth fictional series in the Degrassi franchise, and follows The Kids of Degrassi Street, Degrassi Junior High, and...
episode, "Jesus, Etc., Part 2".
The band has also participated other artistic ventures, including acting and scoring bass player Todd Chandler’s film Flood Tide, as well as taking part in “Swimming Cities of the Switchback Sea” a SWOON project, performance art piece which traveled by rafts made of junk down the Hudson river from Troy to Long Island City, Queens. The band not only performed music for the piece, but helped to build the rafts. In May and June 2009 the project ventured to the Adriatic sea where it traveled from Slovenia to Venice for the Venice Biennial. In 2008, the band participated in a site-specific installations at the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art (MASS MoCA) titled "Being here is Better than Wishing We'd Stayed," (after the song "Cloud Story" on The Snow Magic album), In The Netherlands for The VanAbbeMuseum's Heartland Exhibition, where they helped build an interactive installation constructed from salvaged materials. They also performed a free outdoor concert at the museum.
Discography
Albums- The Snow Magic - 2008 (Supply & Demand Music)
- Wild Go - 2010 (Supply & Demand Music)
EPs
- Love You, Bye - 2008 (What a Mess! Records/Blood Onion Record)
- Remixes EP - 2009 (Supply & Demand Music)
- Bright Bright Bright - 2010 (Supply & Demand Music)
Personnel
2006–present- Nona Marie Invie - vocals, piano, accordion
- Marshall LaCount - banjo, clarinet, vocals
- Todd Chandler - upright bass, backing vocals
- Jonathan Kaiser - cello, guitar, backing vocals
2009–present
- Walt McClements - piano, accordion, trumpet, backing vocals
- Brett Bullion - drums, percussion
2010
- Mark Trecka - touring drummer
Adam Wozniak