Faun Fables

Faun Fables are an American music and performance group from Oakland, California. The band was founded in 1997 by Dawn McCarthy, who was still living in New York and at times resided in Eastern Europe.

Style and musical development

Stylistically, the music of Faun Fables is difficult to classify, with elements of various folk genres are at the forefront mostly. This shows on the one hand in the use of acoustic instruments such as guitar, violin, cello, bodhran and glockenspiel, on the other hand in the adaptations of traditional folk songs on recent publications. Nevertheless, the sound is often supplemented by elements of rock, but also of the musical and experimental music, sweeping percussion deposits are not uncommon. The compositions are only occasionally applied to harmony out, which is also reflected in the unpretentious, but expressive vocals McCarthy.

Comparisons to folk artists such as Devendra Banhart and Current 93, but also to singers like Ewa Demarczyk can be drawn. On their first albums McCarthy took over almost the entire songwriting, all other participants were guest musicians. From the " Family Album " (2004), however, is Nils Frykdahl ( member of Sleepytime Gorilla Museum and Idiot Flesh), a relatively integral part of the band and, together with his baritone a counterpoint to the soprano singer. On the newer albums is also sometimes on the compositions of other artists, such as classical composers of the 20th century, resorted to. The Faun Fables understand themselves as a live band, their performances have a strong theatrical quality. In addition to dance and puppet theater performances that are heavily influenced by American, English, Northern and Eastern European folklore, which is reflected among others in imaginative costumes. The respective performances are oriented narrative and often correspond to the internal narrative structure of the newer concept albums. For example, the album "The Transit Rider" (2006) and the associated performance was a complex concept based around the rather general -to-understand concept of travel.

While the Faun Fables many guests are involved in the recording and performances, Dawn McCarthy part, supports fellow musicians live and in the studio. Among the best known contributions include vocals on some recent publications by Will Oldham.

Publications

• Early Song (1999 self-published )
• Mother Twilight (2001)
• Family Album (2004 Drag City )
• Early Song (2004 Drag City, republication )
• Mother Twilight (2004 Drag City, republication )
• The Transit Rider (2006 Drag City )
• A Table Forgotten EP (2008 Drag City )
• Light Of A Vaster Dark (2010 Drag City )