The Gothic Archies – We are the Gothic Archies
The Gothic Archies was first introduced to me via NPR. They are basically a side project of the Magnetic Fields and a book writer, based out of New York. I was pleasantly surprise to find out that the writer, Daniel Handler, aka Lemony Snicket, is the author of the series book, “A Series of Unfortunate Events”, which was made into a motion picture in 2004
The album they were promoting was their new one, “A Tragic Treasury: Songs from A Series of Unfortunate Events”, released in October. The album was meant to be listened as a soundtrack to the “Series of Unfortunate Events” books.
I am including two songs: their live version of “Scream and Run Away”, which is a lot funner (and funnier) than the studio version, and “We are the Gothic Archies” (which I think represent their style of songs). Be warned: you may be slightly discomforted at the sounds of the deep, deep vocals of Stephin Merritt. I am still not entirely used to his singing style.
DISCOGRAPHY
- Looming in the Gloom (1996)
- The New Despair EP (1997)
- The Tragic Treasury: Songs from A Series of Unfortunate Events (2006)
| W. B. Mook wrote A Series of Unfortunate Songs:
Apr 11, 2007 at 12:45 AM
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I noticed the mention of Daniel Handler by those crazy kids over at We (I Still Don’t Know Where The Heart Character Is) Music and, wait for it, felt I had to chime in with something from my own collection. One Ring Zero’s As Smart As We Are is a collaboration between One Ring Zero and various authors, including Margaret Atwood, Neil Gaiman, and, of course, Daniel Handler. This is his ditty off the album. I highly recommend picking it up…
I can’t say that without you thinking I’m trying to sound like Ferris Bueller, can I?
Anyway, I wish I had more One Ring Zero, for they appear to rock.
| frippy wrote:
Apr 12, 2007 at 11:03 AM
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[this is good] I have The New Despair, which is quite silly though cute — the thematic inspiration from Lemony Snicket’s series makes Tragic Treasury much better. Stephinn Merritt does sound rather spooky — I think the Gothic Archies was a side project that highlights the mild irony that Merritt sounds like he should be fronting a gloomy goth band when his one true love is bittersweet bubblegum pop.