Neha Patil (Editor)

The Karelia

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Years active
  
1996–1998

Active until
  
1998

Albums
  
Divorce at High Noon

Labels
  
Sum Records

Members
  
Alex Kapranos

Genres
  
Jazz, Rock music

The Karelia httpsiytimgcomviw4YQua01qtYmaxresdefaultjpg

Associated acts
  
The Blisters The Amphetameanies Franz Ferdinand

Past members
  
Alex Huntley Glen Thompson Alan Wylie Tassos Bobos Thom Falls

Origin
  
Glasgow, United Kingdom (1996)

Similar
  
Franz Ferdinand, The Yummy Fur, Paul Thomson, Bob Hardy, Nick McCarthy

The karelia love s a relentless clich


The Karelia were a Scottish band formed by current Franz Ferdinand frontman Alex Kapranos, known at the time as Alex Huntley, in 1996.

Contents

Alla marcia from the karelia suite jean sibelius


History

The Karelia formed in late 1996 from the ashes of rock/jazz band The Blisters, with Huntley, Alan Wylie, and Glen Thomson of the earlier band joined by Greek drummer Tassos Bobos. Their sound has been described as "prog/techno rock with Iggy-voxed overtones", and "jazzy film-noir lo-fi".

The band's only album, Divorce At High Noon, was released in 1997 on Sum Records to little acclaim. Produced by Bid of The Monochrome Set, it was an off the wall mix of rock and jazz trumpet with unusual lyrics. The final song, "Garavurghty Butes", was completely freestyle with improvised lyrics and musical arrangement. The band did not tour and were unknown outside Glasgow. Very few copies of the album sold (literally hundreds) and the band split in 1998 after contributing to an EP for the Guided Missile label.

Upon the huge success of Franz Ferdinand fans began to exchange originals of Divorce at High Noon for £50-£100. Because of this, the album was re-released in February 2005. It featured all of the previous album and two bonus tracks.

The band's name derives from the same named Greek tobacco industry "Karelia". It is also an area in Northern Europe in Russia (an autonomous republic), bordering Finland.

Line-up

The Karelia were:

  • Alex Huntley (currently Alex Kapranos) on vocals, guitar, bouzouki and banjolele,
  • Glen Thompson on bass guitar and percussion,
  • Alan Wylie on trumpet,
  • Thom Falls on drums.

    • Albums

  • Divorce At High Noon (1997) Sum Records:
    1. "Divorce At High Noon"
    2. "Love's A Cliché"
    3. "Say Try"
    4. "To His Coy Dietress"
    5. "Life In A Barrat Garret"
    6. "Crazy Irritation"
    7. "Remorse At High Noon"
    8. "Dancing Along To Nekrotaphion"
    9. "The Devil Rides Hyndland"
    10. "The Infinite Duration"
    11. "Nostalgia"
    12. "Tension"
    13. "Bleach Yours"
    14. "Exaggeration"
    15. "Garavurghty Butes" - incl. hidden track "Love's A Cliché (Reprise)"

    reissued (2005) with bonus tracks:

    1. "Divorce At High Noon" (French Version)
    2. "Love's A Cliché" (Single Version)
    3. "Love's A Cliché" (video)

    Songs

    Love's a ClichéDivorce at High Noon · 1997
    Dancing Along to NekrotaphionDivorce at High Noon · 1997
    Garavurghty ButesDivorce at High Noon · 1997

    References

    The Karelia Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA