Innovation meets indie folk
Band and singer with Berkshire roots to play Mission
By Emily Flynn
Special to The Eagle
PITTSFIELD - "We've got a cool mix of instruments that allows us to push boundaries," said Auyon Mukharji. " We'll put some mandolin and sixstringed cello-violin duets all in the middle of a hard- hitting rock song. There's lot of flexibility, and we're using it to push how we're looking at music."
Darlingside is a string- rock quintet based out of Northampton. Caitlin Canty is a Vermont- raised singer- songwriter who has found new roots in New York City. Together, the joint tour-de-force will be playing at Mission Bar and Tapas in Pittsfield on Thursday, April 8.
"There's so many different types of songs and so much collaboration. Our shows are cool because you get good variety; singer-songwriter performances and a string rock show, with a ton of collaboration between," said Canty.
She has been compared to artists Patty Griffin and Norah Jones and says that her sound is mellow, singer-songwriter folk with acoustic guitar. Others have called her voice "maple sugar on snow," a nod to her Northeast roots and sweet, pure vocals.
"They've brought so much to my music," says Canty, praising Darlingside's incorporation of non-traditional instruments and upbeat rock influence.
Darlingside and Canty have been collaborating in concerts since November of 2009. "Darlingside [has] some of the best voices I've ever heard and gorgeous songs. Their electric cello and string-driven sound is full of life and energy. They are brilliant," she said.
Darlingside is made up of five multi- talented 20- somethings: Auyon Mukharji, Don Mitchell, Sam Kapala, David Senft, and Harris Paseltiner. Their indie rock sound, they say, is "characterized by elegantly crafted cello-violin duets, soaring harmonies, catchy hooks and compelling beats." Each band member comes from a background that impacts his music, from Mitchell's training as a classical vocalist to Kapala's experience with celtic and jazz. Between them, the members of Darlingside play the violin, guitar, mandolin, cello, keys, drums, bass, and the saz, a type of Turkish lute that Mukharji picked up last year when he was living in Istanbul.
The band met as undergraduates at Williams College while enrolled in local folk singer-songwriter Bernice Lewis's winter study course, "Contemporary American Singer-Songwriter." Lewis called them "a powerhouse of vocal, instrumental, songwriting, and performing talent."
Canty also studied with Lewis while at Williams. She has a wide range of influences, from the bluesy Keb Mo' and Ray LaMontagne to more folkminded Allison Krauss and Lyle Lovett, with Led Zeppelin thrown in. She took a headfirst plunge into music when she quit her day job in May of 2009. She had worked behind-the-scenes in music production and background vocals before moving into sustainability consulting, all the while keeping her own music on the side.
"It made me miserable, not playing music. So I felt, 'it's all or nothing.' I'll make the leap," she said.
She has been well-received ever since and recently, with Darlingside, performed at the Paramount Theater in her hometown of Rutland, Vt., to raise money for the Haiti effort. Like Canty, Darlingside also made the executive decision to focus on music. They converted their basement to a studio, Oxbow Records, and use professional recording equipment to record and produce songs. There they also recorded and produced Canty's latest album, "Neon Streets," which will be available May 6. Canty's previous album, "Green," was released independently in 2007 and is available on iTunes.
Darlingside views being in the band as a full-time commitment.
"It's like running a startup," said Mukharji. "We all have our own jobs besides the music." In addition to writing and recording their own music, the band handles the production, booking, show promotion, and even merchandising to help cater to all current and future fans.
"There's always music in the house," said cellist Harris Paseltiner. "There will be people downstairs playing around, upstairs harmonizing, or outside sitting and playing banjo by the banks of the river. It's like a songwriters' retreat."
Like many as-of-yet unsigned artists, Darlingside and Canty utilize new media, like Myspace and Facebook, to build a grassroots fan-base. Darlingside has one song available for download on their website, the track "Surround." They plan on releasing live tracks that were recorded live at their Paramount Theater performance in Rutland through their Oxbow records in the coming months.
"It's a party, that's for sure. Living with a bunch of best friends, doing what we love to do," Paseltiner said. "And it's absolute treat to be working with Caitlin."
Great article. We listened to the songs, excellent. Hope they do well, sounds like they are on their way!!!!
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