Mountain Man (music group)
Encyclopedia
Mountain Man is an American
singing trio of young women described as indie folk rock
with a traditional Appalachian-type folk sound. They are notable for earning critical acclaim from numerous music critics. They often sing a cappella
, with a "sparse, haunting, hymnal beauty" sometimes accompanied by soft acoustic guitar
, but with their voices "virtually unadorned", according to Guardian
critic Paul Lester. The group has been touring with the vocalist Feist, and New York Times
music reviewer Ben Ratliff described their performance as creating shifting harmonies which worked perfectly to complement Feist's vocal delivery.
in Vermont
and began singing seriously together in 2009. Two come from "singing families" and one got experience singing in a church choir. They were influenced in part by Bulgarian women's choir music, as well as artists such as Celine Dion
. According to one report, they would sit on the porch of a shared house in Bennington and harmonize on songs they had written; when they sung as a trio, they realized it was "something special". Self-released recordings were picked up by influential blogs such as Pitchfork in late 2009, and they got a record deal with the label Partisan and others. They've been compared to the musical group The Roches
. Amelia Randall Meath is the daughter of television producer and professional Santa Claus Jonathan Meath
.
which they named Delores. Their first album is entitled Made the Harbor on the label Partisan Records (North America), Bella Union (Europe), Spunk (Australia), and P-Vine (Japan). They toured with the music group The Decemberists
and with Jonsi
. They toured in Europe
. One of their folk harmony songs was converted into electropop by multi-instrumentalist
Paul Duncan of Warm Ghost
. In addition, Meath and Sarle contribute their vocal talents to the indie music group BOBBY
.
music critic Nate Chinen described their sound as "sparse, bewitching twist on Appalachian music" with a feeling of "willful, collective intuition." Their music sounds as if it's "being sung by ghosts", "spectral and spooky", when they echo "folk songs about the forest" as well as "the bedroom".National Public Radio gave a similar account and described their music as weaving "voices into a stark, reverent and unadorned sound that can be hauntingly beautiful."
Other reactions include:
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
singing trio of young women described as indie folk rock
Folk rock
Folk rock is a musical genre combining elements of folk music and rock music. In its earliest and narrowest sense, the term referred to a genre that arose in the United States and the UK around the mid-1960s...
with a traditional Appalachian-type folk sound. They are notable for earning critical acclaim from numerous music critics. They often sing a cappella
A cappella
A cappella music is specifically solo or group singing without instrumental sound, or a piece intended to be performed in this way. It is the opposite of cantata, which is accompanied singing. A cappella was originally intended to differentiate between Renaissance polyphony and Baroque concertato...
, with a "sparse, haunting, hymnal beauty" sometimes accompanied by soft acoustic guitar
Acoustic guitar
An acoustic guitar is a guitar that uses only an acoustic sound board. The air in this cavity resonates with the vibrational modes of the string and at low frequencies, which depend on the size of the box, the chamber acts like a Helmholtz resonator, increasing or decreasing the volume of the sound...
, but with their voices "virtually unadorned", according to Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
critic Paul Lester. The group has been touring with the vocalist Feist, and New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
music reviewer Ben Ratliff described their performance as creating shifting harmonies which worked perfectly to complement Feist's vocal delivery.
Early years
The three members of the group are Molly Erin Sarle, Alexandra Sauser-Monnig and Amelia Randall Meath. They met as students at Bennington CollegeBennington College
Bennington College is a liberal arts college located in Bennington, Vermont, USA. The college was founded in 1932 as a women's college and became co-educational in 1969.-History:-Early years:...
in Vermont
Vermont
Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
and began singing seriously together in 2009. Two come from "singing families" and one got experience singing in a church choir. They were influenced in part by Bulgarian women's choir music, as well as artists such as Celine Dion
Celine Dion
Céline Marie Claudette Dion, , , is a Canadian singer. Born to a large family from Charlemagne, Quebec, Dion emerged as a teen star in the French-speaking world after her manager and future husband René Angélil mortgaged his home to finance her first record...
. According to one report, they would sit on the porch of a shared house in Bennington and harmonize on songs they had written; when they sung as a trio, they realized it was "something special". Self-released recordings were picked up by influential blogs such as Pitchfork in late 2009, and they got a record deal with the label Partisan and others. They've been compared to the musical group The Roches
The Roches
The Roches are a female vocal group of three songwriting Irish-American sisters from Park Ridge, New Jersey, known for their "unusual" and "rich" harmonies, quirky lyrics, and casually comedic stage performances.The Roches have been active as performers and recording artists since the mid-1970s,...
. Amelia Randall Meath is the daughter of television producer and professional Santa Claus Jonathan Meath
Jonathan Meath
Jonathan Meath is an award–winning American TV producer based in Boston who is notable for earning numerous Emmy nominations and the coveted George Foster Peabody Award in 1993. He is known for his commitment to children's educational television...
.
Touring
While they make decisions as a group, often they divide responsibilities, with Amelia often assuming the "manager role", Molly handling finances, and Alex deciding matters about sound quality in recordings, according to the group in an interview on NPR. They toured the country after graduating from college by riding in a now-defunct carAutomobile
An automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
which they named Delores. Their first album is entitled Made the Harbor on the label Partisan Records (North America), Bella Union (Europe), Spunk (Australia), and P-Vine (Japan). They toured with the music group The Decemberists
The Decemberists
The Decemberists are an indie folk rock band from Portland, Oregon, United States, fronted by singer/songwriter Colin Meloy. The other members of the band are Chris Funk , Jenny Conlee , Nate Query , and John Moen .The band's...
and with Jonsi
Jónsi
Jónsi may refer to:*Jónsi Birgisson, or Jón Þór Birgisson, Icelandic guitarist and member of the bands Sigur Rós and Jónsi & Alex*Jón Jósep Snæbjörnsson, Icelandic singer, member of the band Í Svörtum Fötum...
. They toured in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. One of their folk harmony songs was converted into electropop by multi-instrumentalist
Multi-instrumentalist
A multi-instrumentalist is a musician who plays a number of different instruments.The Bachelor of Music degree usually requires a second instrument to be learned , but people who double on another instrument are not usually seen as multi-instrumentalists.-Classical music:Music written for Symphony...
Paul Duncan of Warm Ghost
Warm Ghost
Warm Ghost is an American alternative music group based on the multi-instrumentalist Paul Duncan who specializes in eclectic sounds from a variety of music genres and who has a background is sound design. Duncan teamed with Oliver Chapoy and records music under the moniker Warm Ghost in 2011...
. In addition, Meath and Sarle contribute their vocal talents to the indie music group BOBBY
BOBBY (band)
BOBBY is a cooperative musical project based on the talents of musicians from Partisan Records and Knitting Factory Records which is notable for achieving an avant garde alternative sound using polyrhythm as well as achieving critical acclaim before releasing their first album entitled Bobby...
.
Reviews
Washington Post music critic David Malitz described their voices as "nectar-sweet" which was almost "jarring in its simplicity" with no distractions from the trio's voices. New York TimesThe New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
music critic Nate Chinen described their sound as "sparse, bewitching twist on Appalachian music" with a feeling of "willful, collective intuition." Their music sounds as if it's "being sung by ghosts", "spectral and spooky", when they echo "folk songs about the forest" as well as "the bedroom".National Public Radio gave a similar account and described their music as weaving "voices into a stark, reverent and unadorned sound that can be hauntingly beautiful."
Other reactions include: