Music
The best kept secret in music
Press
“There are just too many young indie-weaned performers playing gentle countryish songs. Sera Cahoone appears to be one of ‘em yet there is a depth and command to her voice that warrants attention. A close listen pays off in spades.”
- Jay Ruttenberg
"Cat Power's exquisitely hazy voice goes southern gothic on Sera Cahoone's stunning self-titled debut, complete with lap-steel, banjo and brushed drums. It's the kind of album that steals the air from your lungs with every listen."
- Aidin Vaziri
“This former drummer for Seattle’s Carissa’s Wierd also happens to be a mighty fine songwriter, as evidenced by her solo debut album. It’s a gorgeous, low-key outing of atmospheric country-folk featuring a healthy amount of rootsy instrumentation and her own haunting vocals.” - Don Yates- KEXP 90.3fm
“Cahoone has a truly gorgeous voice, a dusty country style delivery...(her) music gives me the chills...slow, warm, simply beautiful.” - Jennifer Maerz
“Upon hearing her sing, it’s clear she belongs in front of microphone, no matter how good a drummer she is.” - Tom Scanlon
“Consensus is that (Sera’s) much better in from of the kit. Like Jesse Sykes, she explores the textured nuances of country... her self-titled debut record came out in late January, and it may finally bridge Capitol Hill Hipsters and hard-core devotees of the Tractor Tavern.” - Tizzy Asher
“(Sera) shines as a singer-songwriter—one of the few with something to say and the elegant means to convey it.” - Seattle Weekly
“ ...the music of Sera Cahoone conjures up a vibe that’s a little bit The Grapes of Wrath, a little bit The Treasure of the Sierra Madre. Her arrangements and vocal performances display astute economy, throwing her lyrics and melodies into sharp, almost exaggerated relief, like long afternoon shadows.” - Kurt B. Reighley
“Fantastic record. One of my favorite records of the year–local or not.” - John Richards (John in the morning)
Discography
Sera Cahoone- Self-titled
Single- Couch Song
Photos
Feeling a bit camera shy
Bio
Sera Cahoone is a twenty-nine year-old singer songwriter based in Seattle, by way of Colorado. Armed with her favorite Martin guitar, Sera’s music reflects her love of both old country-western and modern lo-fi. Her unique sound bridges the gap between the two genres, like a musical love child of Buck Owens and Cat Power. The Stranger’s music editor, Jennifer Maerz, states “Cahoone has a truly gorgeous voice, a dusty country style delivery...(her) music gives me the chills...slow, warm, simply beautiful.”
Sera has spent the past year working on her first full-length album. It was recently completed with help from musician friends: Jay Kardong, Jeff Fielder, Eric Himes, and Sarah Standard and Mat Brooke from Carissa’s Weird. The ten songs on her album feature a wide array of sounds including pedal steel, banjo, dobro, violin, and harmonica. Her album tells the quiet story of simple truths–heartbreak, longing, and self-discovery.
Sera began writing songs on the guitar in high school, but actually got her musical start at the age of eleven, when her mother finally gave in to her daughter’s prodding and bought Sera her first drum set. To the tune of her family’s exasperation, she taught herself the drums by playing along to the radio in her bedroom. By thirteen, Sera’s mother was driving her to Rocky Mountain-town bars to play open blues jams with musicians thirty years her senior.
In recent years, Sera was the drummer for indie favorites Carissa’s Wierd, touring with Iron and Wine and The Long Winters. She has also played with Panda and Angel, Lisa Orth, and L.A. musician Patrick Park, completing two U.S. tours with Patrick in support of Liz Phair, Rachel Yamagata, and The Thrills. Sera also played drums on the upcoming release from Sub Pop’s Band Of Horses.
Sera’s experience as a drummer has heavily-influenced her song-writing. She has a sharp sense of rhythm and tempo, and has been described as a particularly percussive guitar-player, producing songs that are rich and memorable. Named by The Seattle Times as one of the Northwest’s top ten new artists of 2005, Tom Scanlon writes “Upon hearing her sing, it’s clear she belongs in front of a microphone, no matter how good a drummer she is.”
For now, Sera has set her drum sticks aside as she is quite busy, playing top venues with her band in the Seattle area. She was also a recently-featured guest on KEXP’s John Richard’s popular morning show and she has some great shows scheduled for the near future. Her self-titled album is now in stores.
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