Member Since: 10/30/2005
Band Website: rachelries.com
Band Members: Other than Miss Ries, it often involves one Ms. Ariel Bolles (of royal blood and in line to inherit a castle in England) on upright bass & harmonies. In Chicago & on records, it's a revolving cast including Kevin O'Donnell on drums (Andrew Bird's Bowl of Fire, Jon Rauhouse, Neko Case), Nathaniel Braddock on rip-roaring guitar (Occidental Brothers Dance Band International, Edith Frost, The Zincs, The Ancient Greeks), Casey Meehan on keys (himself, Love Story in Blood Red, The Means), Joel Paterson on guitar & pedal steel (Devil in a Woodpile, Kelly Hogan, the Western Elstons), Alison Chesley on cello (Verbow, Poi Dog Pondering), and Maria McCullough on violin.
Scattered across our fine land, the band also involves the awesomness which is Alisa Rose & Adam "Roscoe" Roszkiewicz on violin & mandolin/guitar (respectively), Neil Cleary on drums, keys & sweetness, Andru Bemis on banjo & guitar, Mike Reeb on drums, Mr. Jesse Graber on fiddle, guitar & mandolin, Drew Lindsay on keys, Dan Salyers on drums, Chris Merrill on upright bass, Anais Mitchell as herself, Robert Blake and Louis Ledford .
Influences: The Mennonite Hymnal, Tom Waits, Chopin, Nina Simone, M Ward, John Prine, Fats Waller, Sarah Harmer, Townes Van Zandt, The Carpenters, Sandy Denny, Fruit Bats, Neil Young, Anais Mitchell, John Hartford, A.L. Kennedy and the highlands of Scotland, Billie Holiday, Superwolf, Robert Blake, Lambchop, boys, Robert Anton Wilson, The Louvin Brothers, scotch, Matt Fockler, Blind Melon (yes), Faure's Requiem!, Veda Hille, Iron & Wine, Vic Chestnutt, Fairfield, IA, Mr. Cameron McGill, Golden Hits from the 20's & 30's, Goldfrapp's Felt Mountain, Elliott Smith, Jeanette Winterson, Philip Glass, I Monster, Gillian Welch & David Rawlings, Andrew Calhoun, Pink Floyd, Alasdair Roberts, Philip Glass, Leonard Cohen, Low, Paul Cross, Myshkin's Ruby Warblers, Louis Ledford, Dostoevsky, Kris Kristofferson, Jason Eklund, Devon Sproule, Gram Parsons, Spoon, Umberto Eco, Patsy Cline, red right ankle, REM, Sparklehorse, Ana Egge, Johnny Staccato / Jeremy Messersmith, Cast King, The Handsome Family, my mom & dad and the prairie. Also, and very much so, when the sun is out.
Sounds Like: Here's what some say:
If Rachel's voice were a tree branch, a ripe russet apple would hang at its end: a gift, there to take... (cont.) - saidthegramophone
This record is like taking a luxurious bath in an Art Deco tub on the rooftop of a lived-in brownstone on a starry night... (cont.) - Seven Days, Vermont
I've been listening to it for weeks, but continue to hear new things in Rachel's classically trained voice, in the beautiful analog recording, and in the sparse yet perfectly aligned backing band. It's hard to sum up any great songwriter in just one or two sentences, but for me Rachel's songs are such a marvel of simplicity and restraint... (cont.) - Songs:Illinois
From the first cascading melody line of “Lonely Spires,†Rachel Ries ensnares the listener in a gorgeous web of silvery vocals, homey fingerpicking and strumming, and literary lyrics wrapped in mercurial, yet soothing tunes... (cont.) - Acoustic Guitar
Without a Bird is, without a doubt, a modern classic. Thoroughly engaging music from an individual who is doing everything right... (cont.) - babysue.com
Without a Bird (2007) SoDak Records
Limited Edition 180 gram Vinyl (includes full CD) / $19 Without a Bird (2007) SoDak Records - CD / $14 For You Only (2005) Waterbug Records - CD / $14 (a secure PayPal shopping cart)
it also sounds kind of like this:
Record Label: SoDak Records
Type of Label: Indie