Artist description Mudville’s chilling and foxy post-rock mélange evokes a marriage of Portishead and Charles Mingus presided over by Dan the Automator. Their stirring and soulful sonic brew mixes old school-inspired grooves, powerful songwriting, and an impious jazz sensibility. Multi-instrumentalist/producer Benjamin Rubin builds Mudville’s musical universe with crafted beats, found sounds and live instruments that spotlight songwriter/vocalist Marilyn Carino’s incisive prose and strange, fearless voice. Genre-defying, hip music with a deep vibe.

Music Style Down Tempo, Trip-hop soul

Musical Influences Latin Playboys, Dan the Automator, Curtis Mayfield, Al Green, Duke Ellington, Headhunters, Jeff Buckley, Pink Floyd, PJ Harvey, Charles Mingus

Similar Artists Portishead, Massive Attack, Lamb, Morcheeba, PJ Harvey, Bjork, Jeff Buckley, Pink Floyd

Artist History Homegrown New Yorkers Carino and Rubin met during a years-long stint in San Francisco. Rubin was a bassist in that city's vibrant jazz scene and has toured the U.S. and Canada with Chris Brown & Kate Fenner, on bills with the Tragically Hip, Crash Test Dummies and Sarah Harmer. Carino was a sweet crooner and guitarist in traditional bluegrass and alt-country bands and on many record projects, most notably with Billy Talbot of Neil Young and Crazy Horse (who co-produced a song on their 2001 EP) and Matt Piucci of Rain Parade. In 1995 the duo formed Long Island Lulu, a deviant soul-rock band whose eponymous CD was released to critical praise and inspired an epidemic of Hammond B3-driven bands. After regrouping in New York, Long Island Lulu evolved into Mudville, with Rubin producing their self-titled four-song EP (Slurry Records, 2002). Mudville has now developed into a powerful live band combining samplers and sequencers with a roster of some of New York’s most respected players.

Group Members Marilyn Carino - Songs, Vocals, Guitar Benjamin Rubin - Production, Upright and Electric Basses, Wurlitzer Electronic Piano

Albums Mudville (EP), 2002

Press Reviews “Mudville blends a mean mix of drum-n-bass, soul, be-bop and deconstruction…lifted by the mysterious siren voice of Marilyn Carino.” - Mish Mash “Advancing electronic beyond any simplistic notions that people may have… Mudville’s muddy rhythms are topped with lush bass lines that provide a thick, syrupy backdrop for Marilyn Carino's seductive vocals. Marilyn Carino and Benjamin Rubin make intelligent electronic that ranges from chilling and eerie to lamentful and moving. Their four song EP is a great introduction to the pair that leaves you wanting more. Lyrically, Carino is far ahead of the curve.” - Urban Ambiance Journal “Dreamy-tough words and cool breakbeats. A sultry combo of bob-and-weave beats and jazzmatazz - downright sexy. The songs of personal longing and private spirit leave you with visions of the attractive loner in a candy-striper smoke room. Marilyn Carino and Benjamin Rubin put together poetics and smoothly jarring electronics that are both challenging and soulful. Carino jumpstarts the brain with lyrical majestics that boggle – impressively – imparting a dimension sorely missing in recent music. Chilling phrases like “A blaze of women’s tears into your open mouth like a waterbird” are much of the highlights – lushly escorted by Rubin’s bluesy bass, Wurlitzer and clever beat manipulations.” - AllMusic Guide

Location Brooklyn, New York - USA

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