Bio
In the three years since Carol Bui released her second record Everyone Wore White, the Tacoma, Washington resident developed two very intense hobbies: drums and Middle Eastern dance. Both of these new pursuits play a role on Bui’s upcoming third record Red Ship available 3/8/11 on Bui’s own Ex Oh Records. Led by the single “Mira: You’re Free With Me” to be released on November 16th, the material on Red Ship is a festive, fiery blend of celebratory Middle Eastern and North African percussion coupled with progressive pop melodic tendencies.
The single brims with the musicality that caused Pitchfork to call Bui’s previous album “...a punk-bred record where the guitar is loud but the tunes prevail” and My Old Kentucky Blog to proclaim it the completion of the rock trifecta that also includes Liz Phair’s Exile In Guyille and PJ Harvey’s Rid of Me. Bui sings, plays drums, guitar, an out-of-tune doumbek, and cabasa on the track. Her longtime collaborator, TJ Lipple of Aloha plays bass and Jason Merriman claps his hands zealously.
Where Lipple played most of the drums previously (in addition to his production contributions), Bui exercises her new habit on the singe and album, laying down the exotic back beat herself and conjuring a festive and joyful noise, written for movement and very much inspired by the seemingly disparate elements of Middle Eastern dance and post hardcore and punk rock.
The provocative content, lush production (once again by Lipple at Inner Ear Studios in Arlington, VA), and unique arrangements demonstrate what Bui chooses to term “the primitive means of expressing joy.” She explains by asking, “What did people do to make music and express happiness back when there weren’t sophisticated instruments around? They hit things! And sang! And danced! This record is to invoke that spirit.”
Carol Bui has shared stages with Aloha, Joan As Policewoman, St. Vincent, The Rosebuds, Headlights, Monotonix, Maserati, Pattern Is Movement and many others. It is yet unknown what hobbies Bui might take up to influence her next album, but one thing is certain: no matter what, her listeners will reap the benefits of her muse.
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Abbreviated Press
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“...soaring melodic hard rock with engrossing sincerity -- as Bob Mould has proven, you can’t B.S. a cello.” – Chris Dahlen, Pitchfork (Rating: 7.8)
“...culturally unique and universal, beautiful and harrowing, frequently within a single song... Thank you for taking the time to craft an entire album, one in which I find something new to like each time I play.” – Luftmensch, My Old Kentucky Blog
“...the sort of album one takes in slowly, over the course of a few close listens, rather than absorbing all at once. Those willing to take the time will be amply rewarded.” – Stewart Mason, All Music Guide
“...heavy, charging rock numbers, delivering track after track with hurricane-like force.” – Copper Press
“...an impressive torrent of crunchy guitar distortion...” – Pop Matters
“...visceral, blues-driven and post-punk-inflected rock music, anchored by a schizophrenic voice that’s sweetly seraphic at one moment and all righteous fury the next...” – Delusions of Adequacy
“Washington’s Carol Bui plays guitar like a girl -- a pithy, no-B.S., hard-rocking girl...” – Baltimore City Paper