Carling Berkhout, is an accomplished clawhammer banjo player who released Apartment Recordings in March. She recorded the EP in an apartment in New York City. It took her roughly a month and a half to write and complete the six-track EP. She claims, “the songs were all written on the backs of receipts and they're filled with city white noise.”
Upon first listen you can hear a slight lack of polish which is most likely due to the hurry up way it was written and recorded. The missteps don’t detract from her emotive bewitchery and even add to its appeal. A banjo player with a slow rolling voice and playing style reminds me of Sharon Van Etten or the lingering vocals of Laura Marling. Hailing from Vermont, she spent some time in NYC. She writes and sings about urban commonalities of delusion, city blues and rooftop gardens. Berkhout says the songs were designed to "capture the authenticity of emotion.” She does emote on this EP. A country girl living in the city and seems conflicted as to whether she should like this nascent change. “Nightmares” wafts on a wave of melancholia. The array of diverse tones and textues gives this track an ethereal feel to the track. She plays her banjo to great effect on “North Country” evoking a sense of place. It brought to mind a grassy meadow on a breezy late spring afternoon. The one song I wasn't entirely crazy about was "Funny Business.” The track felt as if it was missing an element and was far too slow even for her slow rolling style. The lack of crispness in the vocals made it difficult to comprehend the lyrics. She has a charming social media presence often posting videos of her practicing on her banjo which she clearly revels in playing. She seems to have a curious sense of humor as a playful photo is of her with a banjo stuffed in her shirt, her face shielded by the body. She referred to her style as “influenced by a German actress and singer songwriter, Sibylle Baier,” whom I've never heard of until now. I researched her and it turns out she wrote and recorded several songs in the ‘70s but the LP was only released in 2016. Baier proves an interesting and introspective choice of influence for this multi-talented young lady. Berkhout performs with regularity around the New England area in case you want to catch her live. She also writes and has her work published in Fretboard. She has received a few awards that showcase her abilities including Best Music Video, 2013-2015. Apartment Recordings is an impressive release by Carling Berkhout and I am anxiously awaiting her next move.
1 Comment
Mary
5/30/2018 04:14:17 pm
One of the most inspiring and humble people I’ve ever met.
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