The
release of their third album, Demolition Day, finds 22 Brides in a new
and comfortable space. Sisters, Carrie and Libby Johnson have gracefully
manifested their growth into a mature, beautiful, song-driven album. "We
really looked inward to what was going on in each of our lives while we
wrote for this album," Carrie says. For example, "Jane" describes the sometimes
painful process of a move away from everything you've ever known. "We recorded
that song live in one take -- it could not have been more real," Carrie
notes.
22 Brides' first release (22 Brides) in 1994
was critically acclaimed for its pop melodies and ballads, rich with the
intense harmonies the sisters have become known for. The follow-up recording
of Beaker had more of a raw, lo-fi edge, and was done with a full band
-- "We were very experimental on our last album," says Libby, "but we felt
this latest material would work best in a more stripped down, intimate
setting -- the personal nature of the songs reflect the past two years
of major changes in both of our lives, and we wanted to keep the recording
about the songs and our voices."
During the two previous
years of touring, Carrie had elected to move from New York to the southwest.
"Since Libby's in New York and I'm in Arizona, so many people told us that
we were finished, that there was no way we could continue being a band,"
noted Carrie. "We each wrote songs for the album separately, then got together
and found we loved each song the other wrote. This brought us renewed faith
-- that our connection as a songwriting team remained intact as so many
other things around each of us changed."
Working again with producer
Daniel Wise ( Wu-Tang, Fahrenheit 451), the approach was simple and
direct-- Libby on bass and piano, Carrie on guitars -- recording as much
of the album live as possible, including vocals. "With the exception of
drums and a few instrumental touches, we played everything ourselves,"
Libby explained.The result is a stunning and beautifully inspired album.
Demolition Day's cast
of characters features those in transition -- the title track "Demolition
Day," its lyrics declaring "Tear it down, tear it down - getting out of
here is the hard part now" - depicts a twisted romance and a man's admitted
inability to control the circumstances. "So It Goes" is a moving tribute
from a woman to her mother. "Purified" is a tongue-in-cheek look at betrayal.
When 22 Brides
tear it down, make it real and purify it, the outcome is unmistakably genuine
and honest - proving that the truth, like their music, is timeless.
more features coming soon...
Carrie Now Lives in The Simsbury Area
She has just released a new solo CD
EMail Her At
ttbrides@hotmail.com