Jesus and Mary Chain, Tim Buckley, Red House Painters, Brian Eno, Genesis, Sebadoh, Pink Floyd, the Beach Boys, Low, 4AD, Sub-pop, Palace Brothers, and on and on and on
Sounds Like
rainy days quiet nights of quiet stars mark rothko turned into sound with old goldenthroat carrying on over the top of it all.
The band Darling formed in early 1994, going on to perform all over the U.S. and releasing several albums before calling it quits in early 2001. During these years, Darling served as an early example of a quiet new style of minimalist indie rock which became known as slow-core, sad-core, shoegaze, emo, and various other monikers which sought to somehow describe the emergence of a decidedly unique new genre of indie-pop. Other major artists emerging from this scene include artists such as Low, the American Analog Set, Will Oldham, Rivulets, and Sunny Day Real Estate. Darling shared the stage with many of these bands, helping to contribute to the development and proliferation of modern day shoegazer rock as it spread throughout the nation and eventually the world. Although Darling never reached the level of popularity of some of their contemporaries, their music remains a potent example of the curious mixture of introspective emotionalism and sonic experimentation which characterized the so called "slow-core" sound of the mid to late 90s. In 1996, Darling released the album "Ends in Fantasy" on the Minneapolis based label Guilt Ridden Pop. Slow and minimal yet achingly melodic, the album was recorded by Pat Stolley, a fellow Quad Citian from the Middle Midwest, best known for his work with his bands the Multiple Cat and the Marlboro Chorus, as well as being the chief recording genius behind the daytrotter.com recording sessions. The songs "Graveyard Girl" and "Sever" feature the trademark early Darling sound which first gave them notariety in the undergound midwest music scene. Pat Stolley also recorded Darling's next album, "The Night In Bloom," released in 1998 on Guilt Ridden Pop. By this album, Darling had begun to distinguish themselves as creators of a uniquely evocative form of down-tempo pop. Songs such as "Fireworks" and "Brown Autumn Sunlight" reflect the the band's attempt to invoke auditory landscapes through a heady synaesthesia of the musical and the visual. Darling's last album, "The Floating World," was released in 2000 on the boutique label Accident Factory. This album was recorded in collaboration with Alan Sparhawk of the band Low, a kindred musical spirit and friend of the band. Musically, "The Floating World" showcases Darling at its most fully evolved. Gone are the minimal musings of "Ends in Fantasy," replaced now by the bold strokes of an impressionistic sensibility that sought to move beyond the merely visual to encompass the chaotic terrain of the emotional landscape as well. Unfortunately, Darling broke up in early 2001 to pursue different musical avenues. Fortunately, the members of Darling have continued to forge a legacy of influential and enduring works on the fringes of indie music society. Seth Knappen, Darling's principal songwriter, continues to explore a variety of musical projects best explored by visiting his personal music myspace site and the site of a band in which he plays guitar, Driver of the Year. Doug Miller and Kim Murray went on to form the folk-rock act The Winter Blanket, which has released several albums of its own. Todd Bowser continues to record a number of projects, most notably performing as the Inevitable Minor Fires. In addition, Kim Murray works with the pop-rock group Chrash. Links to each of these groups and artists can be found in the Darling top friends, as well as links for related labels and individuals. Thank you so much for your time and interest. Please contact us with questions and comments. also, we would love to have any pictures, stories, memorabilia forwarded to us for inclusion on the site. Ends in Fantasy and The Night IN Bloom can be purchased at various sites electronically, as well as through Guilt Ridden Pop. The Floating World is available for order through this site. We love you and hold you in our hearts in perpetuity, especially if you read this far. Take care - Seth.
