ARTISTS / mumbledust
mumbledust
Vacations
Catalog Numbers: FH-009 / FH:VI-002
Release Date: September 4, 2012 / March 4, 2014
Genre: Folk Noir / Ambient Folk / Lo-Fi
Radio Friendly: Yes
Type: EP
Purchase: Bandcamp
Links: Discogs Info
pressing information
Digital: Worldwide
Cassette Tape: Furious Hooves
1st Press (2012): 24
Transparent red shell with collaged full-color (fruit advertisements) A/B-side paper labels with black typewriter ink, sepia-print 5-Panel J-Card (two-sided) on brown Kraft paper with lyrics, in clear plastic Norelco case. Hand-numbered, hand-made, and home-dubbed.
Cassette Tape: Furhoof: Sixth Man
1st Press (2014): 100
Solid white shell with full-color A/B-side paper labels, full-color 4-Panel J-Card (two-sided) with replicated artwork and lyrics, in clear plastic Norelco case. Comes with an extra piece of paper hand-stamped and hand-numbered. Home-dubbed. Includes the bonus ‘Alternate Vacations’ EP of demos & unreleased songs.
Tracklisting
1. Elvis, TN – 02:55
2. Islands – 03:10
3. Winter Clothes – 04:58
4. Healer's Mount / Kneeler's Cove – 04:56
5. Okara Lake – 02:44
6. Places – 05:51
7. Islands (Reprise) [hidden track] – 01:22
Total Run Time: 21:04
Side Split: A 1-6, B 7
Bonus ‘Alternate Vacations’ EP.
8. Places [Demo] – 2:25
9. Elvis Outta Memphis [Demo] – 2:55
10. Marquis de Sade on the Hill – 1:45
11. West Jones [Demo] – 1:18
Total Run Time: 34:19
Side Split: A 1-6, B 7-11
Lyrics: Clean
Credits
All music written and recorded by mumbledust during the summer of 2011 in various haunted homes in Savannah, Georgia.
Mastered by Gabriel McFarland in Radford, Virginia.
Art and Design by Ryan McCardle.
- - - - -
Thanks to Krista Block for her harmonium.
Release Biography
mumbledust was the Savannah-based folk noir duo of Rachael Perisho and Ryan McCardle. Their deceptively simple and curio-filled performance ensemble isn't afraid to make the most of the silence. In fact, they build their songs from the ambience up; interweaving their distinct harmonies and pastoral poetry with swells of acoustics, plucks from a banjo and swoons from a saw.
They credit the first song Ryan wrote for the band as the inspiration for their name. Ryan explains in 2012 interview with Savannah Now, “In a sense, that one line basically built the foundation for us. Our name, our motif and eventually – going through about three different treatments for that song alone – our style.” That line? It’s from “Elvis, TN” and goes, “In the dust we start to mumble/about things we should have had/things we should have had.”
Their first release was actually Furious Hooves’ second official release and first in the Furhoof Halloween Split Series – “Last Night I Walked With A Zombie” in 2012. However, their first EP entitled ‘Vacations’ was a collection of bedroom recordings done by mumbledust during the summer of 2011 between various old haunted Savannah homes. It was very lo-fi, but as stated on the cassette art, “It was recorded on a poor microphone with the best of intentions.” Furious Hooves released ‘Vacations’ digitally and on limited edition cassette on September 4th 2012. It was later re-released with additional songs known as the ‘Alternate Vacations’ EP on March 4th 2014.
Beyond Halloween, mumbledust have also released two Winter/Christmas themed EPs – ‘Home Alone’ and ‘Home Alone II’ — of originals and covers that they self-released for free on their Bandcamp. They also recorded a live version of “Elvis, TN” for a Savannah Stopover Sessions compilation in 2013 at Dollhouse Productions featuring various bands performing at the festival including Field Report and Country Mice, among others.
Press & Accolades
“Concrete” from ‘Toys’ EP was included in BIRP!’s March 2012 Playlist.
Interview with Savannah Now. (2012)
“Although mumbledust’s music is quite simplistic, their success lies in their basic recipe; a soothing, husky male voice complemented by shaky female harmonies, chords steadily plucked by a steel fabrication acoustic guitar and a bright accordion appearing from a comfortable distance.”
– Happy Mag, review of mumbledust.
Product Shots
Audio/Video
"Places" from ‘Vacations’ EP. Found vacation footage from 1958 courtesy of the Prelinger Archives. Edited by Ryan McCardle.
Furious Hooves presents ‘An Intimate Evening with mumbledust’ performing “Healer’s Mount / Kneeler’s Cove” live at Kate de Para's exhibition 'Homework' at Ashmore Gallery in Savannah, GA in 2012. Filmed and Edited by Taylor Noll & Ian McCarthy.