Mara Carlyle

Mara Carlyle

English singer-songwriter Mara Carlyle at the Union Chapel in London, February 2012
Background information
Born 1974/1975 (age 41–42)
Origin Shropshire, UK
Genres Singer-songwriter
Instruments Vocals, musical saw, ukulele
Years active 1997–present
Labels Ancient & Modern, Accidental
Associated acts Plaid
Website www.maracarlyle.com

Mara Carlyle (born 1974 or 1975)[1] is an English singer-songwriter and arranger who also plays the musical saw and the ukulele. She was raised in Shropshire,[2] England and now lives in London.

Career

Carlyle's first recorded appearance was on the Plaid album Not For Threes (Warp Records, 1997). She subsequently sang on Plaid's next two albums, Rest Proof Clockwork (1999) and Double Figure (2001). Having sung on Matthew Herbert's big band album Goodbye Swingtime (2003), Carlyle signed to Herbert's label, Accidental Records. Her debut album The Lovely was released in July 2004. It consisted mostly of original compositions, as well as a few reworkings of pieces of classical music, recorded at Carlyle's home.[3]I Blame You Not is an English-language version of Schumann's Ich grolle nicht. Another track, Pianni, was featured in the IKEA "Happy Inside" television commercial in which 100 cats are let loose in the retailer's Wembley store.

In May 2005 Carlyle released an EP, I Blame Dido, containing I Blame You Not and a version of Henry Purcell's Dido's Lament.[3]

After receiving critical acclaim[4][5] for The Lovely, Carlyle signed to EMI in 2007. She recorded her second album in London with producer Dan Carey (who has worked with The Kills and with Kylie Minogue). The album was scheduled for release in June 2008, but was shelved during the restructuring that affected EMI after the label was bought by private equity firm, Terra Firma. Carlyle described this as a period of limbo, in which the album "continues to languish pointlessly, like a pirated ship off the coast of Somalia".[6]

December 2008 saw the release of Classist, a collaboration with composer Max de Wardener under the name "Max de Mara". Carlyle contributed four tracks adapted from Handel, Purcell, Walford Davies and Jacques Offenbach. The album was a limited edition of 333 copies available through Stanley Donwood's Six Inch Records.[6]

After protracted legal negotiations with EMI, Carlyle regained the rights to the album. Originally called Nuzzle, she changed the title to Floreat, meaning "Let it Flourish". It was released in August 2011 to critical acclaim.[7] The Independent on Sunday declared it "a classic".[8]

In 2013 she provided the vocals for the song "She Burns" by the co-founder of Hot Chip, Joe Goddard.

In 2014 she joined the presenting team of the BBC Radio 3 programme Late Junction.[9]

Also in late 2014, Mara supported Goldfrapp at their 18th November concert at the Royal Albert Hall, London, England.

In May 2015, Mara played her first headline concert for over 2 years at RichMix, Shoreditch, London, and delivered a 2-hour set of 17 songs, including covers of 'He Makes My Day, originally by Robert Palmer, 'It don't bother me' by Bert Jansch and 'Ex Factor', originally by Lauryn Hill. She also showcased a new song, currently entitled 'Murderous Me' from her upcoming, as yet untitled, 3rd album. The band consisted of Mara Carlyle on vocals, ukulele and musical saw, Tom Herbert on double bass, Dan Teper on accordion, Liam Byrne on viola da gamba and James McVinnie on piano. Support artist was cellist Laura Moody.

Discography

References

  1. ↑ Jacques, Adam (10 April 2011). "How We Met: Jon Snow & Mara Carlyle". The Independent on Sunday.
  2. ↑ Hodgkinson, Will (20 May 2005). "Natural woman". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 10 November 2012.
  3. 1 2 "Mara Carlyle: Biography". Accidental Records. Retrieved 10 November 2012.
  4. ↑ Peschek, David (23 July 2004). "Mara Carlyle, The Lovely". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 10 November 2012.
  5. ↑ Muggs, Jo (19 July 2004). "Pop CDs of the Week". The Telegraph. London. Retrieved 10 November 2012.
  6. 1 2 Pedder, Alan (4 December 2008). "Mara Carlyle unveils new side project: collaboration with Max de Wardener out now". Wears the Trousers. Retrieved 10 November 2012.
  7. ↑ "Mara Carlyle – Floreat". www.anydecentmusic.com. Retrieved 10 October 2011.
  8. ↑ Male, Howard (21 August 2011). "Album: Mara Carlyle, Floreat (Ancient and Modern)". The Independent on Sunday. London. Retrieved 10 November 2012.
  9. ↑ "BBC Radio 3 – Late Junction, Tuesday – Mara Carlyle". BBC. 27 May 2014.

External links

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