Charming Disaster
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Charming Disaster | |
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| Background information | |
| Origin | Brooklyn, New York, United States |
| Genres | Folk music, Dark cabaret |
| Years active | 2012-present |
| Members | Ellia Bisker Jeffrey Morris |
| Website | https://www.charmingdisaster.com/ |
Charming Disaster is an American musical duo from Brooklyn, New York formed in 2012 by Ellia Bisker and Jeff Morris. They are known for their songs involving myth, magic, folklore, science and the occult.[1] Goldmine magazine described them as "[a] cross between Edward Gorey and Tim Burton set to music”[2] who draw inspiration from the murder ballads of the Americana tradition.[3][failed verification] Their performances often overlap with other types of performance, including retro forms like the crankie (a small-scale moving panorama).[4] They’ve opened for acts like the goth cabaret performer Voltaire, cello-rock act Rasputina, and the duo the Dresden Dolls.[5][6]
Career
[edit]Early History (2012—2013)
[edit]In August 2012, both Bisker and Morris were artists in bands of their own (Sweet Soubrette and Kotorino respectively).[7] Bisker saw a Kotorino concert by chance and suggested writing songs together. They began drafting songs surrounding macabre subjects, such as a woman in love with a ghost, taking a road trip in a stolen car, and the romantic tension between a knife thrower and their assistant.[8] They began performing as Charming Disaster in 2013.
Love, Crime & Other Trouble and Cautionary Tales (2014—2017)
[edit]In 2014, Charming Disaster began touring regularly. The podcast Welcome to Night Vale featured the band's song Ghost Story on an episode, almost immediately growing a cult following of dedicated fans.[9]
The band's first studio album Love, Crime & Other Trouble was released in 2015, with Cautionary Tales to follow in 2017.[10] They continued to regularly tour and wrote songs that would appear on future albums.[11]
Spells + Rituals and touring with Rasputina (2018—2020)
[edit]The band began touring full-time and included a variety of non-standard venues to their tour roster, such as graveyards, burlesque shows, a fetish club, and art galleries. In 2019, Spells + Rituals was released and they played nearly 100 shows in that year, and joined cello-rock troupe Rasputina for their Halloween tour.[12]
The Pandemic Years (2020-2022)
[edit]In 2020, the band canceled all tour dates scheduled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[13] To supplement these missing dates and stay connected with their fans, the duo began hosting a weekly virtual concert known as the Quarantine Livestream. These shows were opportunities to play familiar songs, debut new music, and host an eclectic ensemble of guests, including puppeteers, milliners, authors, astrophysicists, visual artists and practicing witches.[14] During this lull in touring activity and unable to record in a proper studio, the duo decided to record tracks for what would become “Our Lady of Radium” at Ellia’s parents’ home, which was sitting vacant just outside New York City. Working with just two microphones, the pair tracked all the instruments themselves (ukuleles, guitars, vocals, glockenspiel, bass, pots and pans, breath sounds, drum kit and piano).[15]
Our Lady of Radium, Super Natural History, and Time Ghost (2022—Present)
[edit]They released their concept album inspired by the life, work, and science of Marie Curie, Our Lady of Radium, in 2022.[16] Post-Covid, the band saw a revitalization on all fronts. They released three albums in consecutive years and began touring again, including their first international tour to Germany and Switzerland.[citation needed]
Discography
[edit]| Year | Album |
|---|---|
| 2015 | Love, Crime & Other Trouble |
| 2017 | Cautionary Tales |
| 2019 | Spells + Rituals |
| 2022 | Our Lady of Radium |
| 2023 | Super Natural History |
| 2024 | Time Ghost |
| 2025 | The Double |
References
[edit]- ^ Arnaudin, Edwin (2019-09-17). "Smart Bets: Charming Disaster". Mountain Xpress. Retrieved 2025-04-01.
- ^ Thompson, Dave (2023-04-03). "New releases you should not miss by TV Smith, Schizo Fun Addict, others". Goldmine Magazine: Record Collector & Music Memorabilia. Retrieved 2025-04-01.
- ^ "Kingston After Dark: A very goth August - Hudson Valley One". 6 August 2018.
- ^ "Fun Things to Do in NYC in March 2025 - The New York Times". The New York Times. 2025-02-28. Archived from the original on 28 February 2025. Retrieved 2025-04-01.
- ^ "Charming Disaster". The Berkshire Edge. 2025-04-05. Archived from the original on 17 March 2025. Retrieved 2025-04-01.
- ^ Bisker, Ellia; Morris, Jeff (2022-03-03). "Charming Disaster discuss their new Madam Curie-inspired album". Chaos Control Digizine (Interview). Interviewed by Bob Gourley. Retrieved 2025-04-01.
- ^ "Sweet Soubrette and Kotorino Haunt Joe's Pub". New York Music Daily. 2015-09-09. Retrieved 2025-04-01.
- ^ Sucato, Sabrina (2018-04-04). "Inside the Dark, Whimsical World of Charming Disaster". Hudson Valley Magazine. Retrieved 2025-04-01.
- ^ "50 - Capital Campaign". Night Vale Presents. 2014-07-15. Retrieved 2025-04-01.
- ^ Kemp, Sophie (2017-04-20). "Charming Disaster, Cautionary Tales". Impose Magazine. Retrieved 2025-04-01.
- ^ "Charming Disaster: Affinity for the Dark". 16 June 2017.
- ^ Gourley, Bob (2022-03-03). "Charming Disaster discuss their new Madam Curie-inspired album". Chaos Control Digizine. Retrieved 2025-04-01.
- ^ "INDIEcent Exposure #41:Navigating a Charming Disaster – INDIEcent Exposure". Retrieved 2025-04-01.
- ^ "Jeffrey J Morris". Jeffrey J Morris. Retrieved 2025-04-01.
- ^ poet, j (2022-03-17). "This Charming Band". Rock and Roll Globe. Retrieved 2025-04-01.
- ^ "April 2022 Pop/Rock Record Reviews". Stereophile.com. 2022-04-15. Retrieved 2025-04-01.