This intriguing Pittsburgh band's lineup includes two keyboardists (one doubling on guitar, the other on violin) and a saxophone player, in addition to a singer/guitarist, bassist and drummer. The ability to arrange their music in a number of directions makes Carsickness a complex force; only Joe Sopa's dramatic vocals maintain any stylistic consistency from track to track. Without being identifiably derivative, Carsickness draws bits from modern jazz, new romanticism, rock-funk and other sources, using flexible rhythmic intensities and thoughtful lyrics to drive the songs. Troublesome, yet impressive and invigorating.[Ira Robbins]
From Trouser Press
FANTASTIC US electronic goes hardcore goes punk goes artsy kinda stuff.Released in the TMI label in 1981. Reminding Screamers,Mars,some DNA stuff. Get their extensive biography at their homepage.
get it here
Excellent, urgent music. Especially "Liverdye", "Animals".
ReplyDeleteTheir "Police Dog" EP is good also. Their second album is a lot different: more like typical 80s new wave
Download them all from their website.
Saw these guys back in the day in a small dive called Cedars in Youngstown Ohio...great place, great band! Thanks
ReplyDeleteHaving seen Carsickness in Athens, Ohio back in the day, I can attest to the puzzling mixture of impressive musicianship coupled with a seemingly complete lack of direction.
ReplyDeleteAn excellent live band, so long as you were up for a shaken-not-stirred cocktail of new wave/punk/reggae/prog-jazz/roots rock.
Bonus: One of the guitarists wielded a really cool, gold metalflake vintage Fender 12-string, for what it's worth.
Thanks for the flashback, Mutant!
Could you post the compilation "Where To Now? Volume 1" with Xex, Ike Yard, Au Pairs etc.? I'm sure you can :) Would be great! Thanks, Wolfgang
ReplyDeletegreat name, great music, great band! thanks for the tip! hooked on this one!
ReplyDeletehttp://yinzer.net/
ReplyDeleteClick on the Carsickness folder. Includes all releases and many unreleased works in mp3 form.
Also many other Pittsburgh artists are included, all over the map musically.
I can't believe I found this! I'm engaged to the keyboard player as we speak!
ReplyDeleteSaw these guys play many times in the the 'Burgh back in the early 80's. Carsickness was the backbone of the contemporary music scene at the time. I still have the the first two albums on vinyl.
ReplyDeleteOh my, Carsickness... the wild times on the South Side, Oakland, the Decade. Wish I could remember it all better!
ReplyDeletereb in the leopardskin
I saw carsickness in Erie, PA in 1981. We opened for them at MJ's and I just posted the after party film shot on super 8 on youtube. No audio on super 8 so I added some music, but I do not have any Carsickness or I would have used it.
ReplyDelete