Cornmeal Records is proud to announce the August 18th, 2008 release of "Number 4", the new CD by Darien Brahms. Brahms, one of the most popular performers on the vibrant Portland Maine music scene, is releasing her second CD on Cornmeal and her first since 2003’s acclaimed “Green Valentine”. Drawing on the wide variety of influences and styles that have made her a local legend in New England, Brahms returns after a 5 year hiatus with her most powerful work to date. From the swampy rock opener of "Cream Machine" to the plaintive album-closer "Donna", Brahms, who recorded and produced the album in her Portland home with only the assistance of long time collaborator Paul Chamberlain, has never sounded better.
A six-time winner of the “Best Female Vocalist and Best Performer” award in her hometown of Portland, Brahms’ distinctive style combined with her high energy live performances have landed her opening slots for the likes of The Violent Femmes, Townes Van Zandt, Daniel Lanois and Ben Harper. She released her first full length solo CD “Hello, Hello To The People” in 1992 and her second, “Little Bundle Of Sugar” (which featured the guitar of Marc Ribot), was released in 2000. In between, she fronted two rock bands and was the principle songwriter and front woman for the hugely successful Latin-jazz lounge quartet, The Munjoy Hill Society, who released their own CD in 2000 to critical acclaim. More recently she has contributed three tracks to the “Greetings From Area Code 207” benefit CD series, a track to the national compilation, “Calling All Kings And Queens” (on Mr. Lady Records) and also recorded with her honky-tonk alter ego, Darien Brahms and Her Calico Chaps, featuring members of Diesel Doug and The Long Haul Truckers and The Coming Grass.
“Number 4” will be available at all Bull Moose stores, bullmoose.com, Borders Books and Music in South Portland, ITunes and at cdbaby.com
CD Release Party is September 6, 2008 at Space Gallery, Portland ME
What the critics are saying about Darien Brahms
“Green Valentine….is, in a word, breathtaking.”
-Ben Monaghan/Portland Press Herald
“It was chilling when Darien Brahms got up there solo. Everybody in the place was talking, but by the end of her set the place was hanging on every single note.”
-Sam Pfeifle/The Portland Phoenix
“Teenage kicks are always great, but so are fully grown subversive rock and rollers and Darien Brahms is one of those…her sound is an odd but grabbing mix of sophistication and raw edges. Her voice is deep and soulful, her melodies are skillfully crafted”
-Brett Milano/Boston Phoenix
“Darien Brahms is in many ways Portland’s perfect pop poster child. She is one of the area’s most charismatic, hardest working and versatile performers”
–Pete Hodgin/The Portland Phoenix
“Her songs combine the melodic temperament of Jackie DeShannon and the guitar hooks of Steve Cropper”
-Jessamin Swearingen/New York’s Insider
Brahms is a definitive rock and roller who’s flattered by the comparison in style and swagger to Joe Strummer”
-Andrew Strickman/The Boston Tab
We've posted some tunes from our 5/23/09 gig on our
Facebook profile. We're even letting you download it for nothing for
the next couple of days. Why don't you check it out and become a fan of
the band if you're on the Facebook (and who isn't really?)
Here's a listen to what you might hear (the link is a player NOT a spam site.)
Come on kids Just two clicks once a day and you could get me an audition for "The Big Gay Sketch Show" It's easier then taking your birth control and a lot more fun. If you could just cut and paste the link or try Clicking
I've got to tell you---holy sh*t. I don't think I articulated my awe through the lord's day-deck infused libations. Although I know the set list was most likely dedicated to john adams---I'm comforted to know your cat wears a picture of her back on her belly--luring me in....please keep serving it up beautiful girl...it's so good for the collective soul.
Do you ever remember the musicals at PHS? For some reason images of us back stage at some show (Anything Goes maybe?) keep popping into my head... waiting in the wings for our respective entrances and being super nervous. lol! Anyway, that was fun a million years ago. :-)
What happens next is I text you on myspace because I am homesick and I miss my bed even if all your damned guests and cats sleep there. I am egocentric, therefore it is MY bed. Shitballs. Wish I was on yer porch.
