Music
The best kept secret in music
Press
This band has no press
Discography
Charlemagne s/t CD (2004 Winterlander/Killdeer)
Charlemagne Detour Allure CD/LP (2005 SideCho/2006 Science of Sound)
My Sweet Pony Vol. 1 CD-Single (2005 WI Pop Explosion)
My Sweet Pony Vol. 2 CD-Single (2005 WI Pop Explosion)
My Sweet Pony Vol. 3 CD-Single (2005 WI Pop Explosion)
Photos
Feeling a bit camera shy
Bio
http://www.beholdcharlemagne.com/about.html
Charlemagne is the brainchild of Carl Johns, brought to life with help
from many friends. Charlemagne was born in a basement in Wisconsin in
the middle of winter.
After a busy year of touring and recording with his alt-country band
Noahjohn, Johns holed up at home studio Science of Sound to work on
songs for a new side-project of a decidedly more pop nature. Recorded
in early 2003, the self-titled debut album was a true solo project,
with Johns playing all of the instruments.
A few months after the album was finished however, a six-piece live
band assembled including two lady backup singers who knitted on stage.
Over the next three years, variations of this band toured throughout
the U.S. and England, and recorded the Detour Allure album. There were
many scarves made as well.
Both albums were critically well received:
"…bursting at the seams with glowing harmonies and spry pop" -Pitchfork
"…minor but immensely appealing pop confections, Detour Allure arrives
awash in fizzy swirls of oohs and ahhs, handclaps and boy/girl vocals. The
result couldn't be more likable." –Paste
"...airy voice and tender lyrics carefully pull you in." - Magnet
"(Four Stars) Imagine The Vaselines doing The Mamas And The Papas." -Uncut
"focused, polished, and well-rounded batch of pop tunes. Charlemagne songs
are soft and direct…" –Baby Sue
"Catchy, yet unassuming, this album is beautifully crafted, mid-tempo
bliss with bouncy pop hooks and folk reassurances." –Harmonium Music
More at : http://www.beholdcharlemagne.com/press.html
The song "Prisoner Of" was featured on NPR's All Songs Considered and
on a walk-in playslist for a Bruce Springsteen tour.
Charlemagne released the My Sweet Pony Trilogy of CD-Singles and
participated in a number of events as part of the WI Pop Explosion
collective circa 2005-06.
In support of Detour Allure, Johns spent most of 2006 touring North
America and Europe with a rotating cast of backing players. The
majority of the shows were as a duo or trio. The rest ranged from a
handful of solo performances, to one with 15 players on stage.
On tour, Charlemagne has shared the stage with Grandaddy, Tilly and
the Wall, Oakley Hall, The Constantines, Damien Jurado, Okkervil
River, The Mountain Goats, Manishevitz, Shearwater, Denison Witmer,
Tapes-n-Tapes, Danielson, The Sadies, Drums and Tuba, and Neva Dinova.
Johns currently lives in Brooklyn, NY and is working on new
Charlemagne album with a projected Fall 2007 release on SideCho
Records.
Links
