Charalambides is an avant garde musical group originally from

Houston Houston (; ) is the most populous city in Texas, the most populous city in the Southern United States, the fourth-most populous city in the United States, and the sixth-most populous city in North America, with a population of 2,304,580 in ...

Texas Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...

, United States and lately of

Austin Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of Texas, as well as the seat and largest city of Travis County, with portions extending into Hays and Williamson counties. Incorporated on December 27, 1839, it is the 11th-most-populous city ...

, Texas. Formed in 1991 (under the short-lived name Mutual Admiration Society) by Tom Carter, Christina Carter and Kyle Silfer, they have followed in the footsteps of other

psychedelic music Psychedelic music (sometimes called psychedelia) is a wide range of popular music styles and genres influenced by 1960s psychedelia, a subculture of people who used psychedelic drugs such as LSD, psilocybin mushrooms, mescaline, and cannabis to ...

artists such as the

13th Floor Elevators The 13th Floor Elevators was an American rock band from Austin, Texas, United States, formed by guitarist and vocalist Roky Erickson, electric jug player Tommy Hall, and guitarist Stacy Sutherland. The band was together from 1965 to 1969, a ...

, and

Red Crayola The Red Krayola (originally Red Crayola) is an American avant rock band from Houston, Texas formed in 1966 by the trio of singer/guitarist Mayo Thompson, drummer Frederick Barthelme, and bassist Steve Cunningham. The group were part of the 196 ...

. Later members include Jason Bill and Heather Leigh Murray, but the band has long considered itself primarily a duo between Tom and Christina Carter. The name of the band derives from the surname of a customer at the record shop where Tom and Christina met. Their music contains elements typical of

such as reverb, backwards recording, extended instrumental jamming and the use of found sounds. In addition to several major releases on labels such as Kranky, Eclipse Records, and Time-Lag Records, they have also released many small edition CD-Rs on their own Wholly Other label, and other small independent labels, some of which have later been re-issued (''Our Bed is Green'', and ''Historic Sixth Ward'' for example). Core members Tom Carter and Christina Carter are divorced but remain together as a musical unit. They have also released albums on Kranky and Eclipse Records under their own names, as well as several small edition CD-Rs. In addition the two have collaborated with numerous other musicians such as

Loren Mazzacane Connors Loren Mazzacane Connors (born October 22, 1949) is an American guitarist who has recorded and performed under several different names: Guitar Roberts, Loren Mazzacane, Loren Mattei, and currently Loren Connors. His music has touched on many genres ...

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and Robert Horton.

Selected discography

Primary album releases on Siltbreeze and Kranky

*''Our Bed Is Green'' CS-100 (No Label, 1993) Reissued as 2CD on Kranky, 2005 *''Union'' LP (

Siltbreeze Siltbreeze is an American independent record label based in Philadelphia. It is known for its eclectic roster of artists and releases of experimental, noise, folk, and rock-based music. Founded in 1989 by Ohio native Tom Lax, the label evolved ou ...

, 1993) *''Market Square'' 2LP (Siltbreeze, 1995) *''Houston'' CD (Siltbreeze, 1998) *''Unknown Spin'' CD (Kranky, 2003) *''Joy Shapes'' LP/CD (Kranky, 2004) *''A Vintage Burden'' (Kranky, 2006) *''Likeness '' CD (Kranky, 2007) *''Exile '' LP/CD (Kranky, 2011) *''Tom and Christina Carter '' LP/CS (Drawing Room, 2018)

Limited edition album releases, self-released, CD-R's

*''Historic 6th Ward'' CS-90 (No Label, 1994) (Reissued as CD on ( Wholly Other, 1996 and 2 LP on ( Time-Lag Records, 2002) *''Internal Eternal'' CD (Wholly Other, 1999) *''Sticks'' CD-R (Wholly Other, 2000) *''Branches Lathe'' LP (Eclipse Records, 2001) Edition of 100 copies *''YIH'' CD-R ( Carbon Records, 2001) Limited to 100 copies *''Untitled'' split CD-R (with Scorces) (Wholly Other, 2002) (Charalambides side reissued as ''Unknown Spin'' on Kranky, 2003) *''Being As Is'' CD-R (

Crucial Blast Crucial may refer to: Brands * Crucial, a consumer products brand used by semiconductor manufacturer Micron Technology Music *''Crucial'', album by Ali (British singer) (1998) * ''The Crucial Conspiracy'', an album by The Dingees (2001) * ''The C ...

, 2002) Limited edition of 100 copies *''CHT'' CD-R (Wholly Other, 2002) Limited edition CDr, 200 copies. *''IN CR EA SE'' 2LP (Eclipse Records, 2002) *''Emerald Message'' CD-R (Wholly Other, 2006) Recorded in Houston, 12/23/95 except for 4 recorded 12/22/95 as part of the _Internal Eternal_ sessions *''Glowing Raw'' CD-R (Wholly Other, 2006) limited edition of 250 copies. Recorded 1995–98 *''Strangle The Wretched Heavens'' CD-R (Wholly Other, 2007) Recorded 1994–96 *''Electricity Ghost'' CD (Wholly Other, 2007) Recorded during the "Joy Shapes" Sessions in 2003 *''Rose/Thorn'' LP ( Klang Industries, 2008) *''Three-Lane Blacktop '' LP (

Two-Lane Blacktop ''Two-Lane Blacktop'' is a 1971 American road movie directed by Monte Hellman, written by Rudy Wurlitzer and starring songwriter James Taylor, the Beach Boys drummer Dennis Wilson, Warren Oates, and Laurie Bird. Plot Two street racers, the Dri ...

, 2010) Edition of 500 copies.

Live albums

*''Charalambides'' CD (Wholly Other, 1997) *''Home'' CD-R (Wholly Other, 2000) *''Water'' CD-R (Wholly Other, 2001) *''The Work Of Glaciers'' (Not On Label, 2001) *''Live Hand Held'' CD-R (Wholly Other, 2002) Limited edition CDr, 200 copies *''Live/Dead'' CD-R (Wholly Other, 2005) *''Dead/Live'' CD-R (Wholly Other, 2005) *''Live At Graag Traag Festival #2'' CDr, Ltd (Majjem Radio Recordings, 2012)

Singles, EP's, collaborations

*"Devils"/"Bid You Goodnight" 7" (Playtime, 1995) *"Naked in Our Deathskins" on ''

Harmony of the Spheres The ''musica universalis'' (literally universal music), also called music of the spheres or harmony of the spheres, is a philosophical concept that regards proportions in the movements of celestial bodies – the Sun, Moon, and planets – as a f ...

'' Comp 3LP (Reissued as 2CD, 1999) (

Drunken Fish Alcohol intoxication, also known as alcohol poisoning, commonly described as drunkenness or inebriation, is the negative behavior and physical effects caused by a recent consumption of Alcohol (drug), alcohol. In addition to the toxicity of etha ...

, 1996) *"Spring Leaves Fall"/"Sun or Wind" 7" ( Timelag, 2002) *''Ana/Kata 10" EP'' (

Beta-lactam Ring Records Beta-lactam Ring Records is an American independent record label founded by Chris McBeth in 2000.The label relocated from its founding city of Austin, Texas to Portland, Oregon in 2001. The aesthetic focus of the label is psychedelic and experim ...

, 2002) *'Charalambides / Pocahaunted - Split (7", Single, Ltd, 2008)

Compilation appearances

*"On the Corner"/"Winning Friends"/"13,14" on ''Heartland'' Comp CS-60 (

Seagrave Seagrave is a village and civil parish in the Charnwood district of Leicestershire, England. It has a population of around 500, measured at the 2011 census as 546, It is north of Sileby and close to Thrussington and Barrow upon Soar. Histor ...

, 1994) *"Variant"/"Mayflower" on ''Drilling the Curve'' Comp LP ( Fleece, 1995) *"Hyetal" on ''Whump!'' Comp 7" (

Bobby J Bobby J, also known professionally as BOBBYSWORLD, is an American singer, songwriter, producer, record executive, entrepreneur, and CEO of the record label Mexiversal Music Group (MMG), distributed by global music distribution company INgroov ...

, 1996) *"Drop" on ''Succour'' Comp 2CD ( Woronzow, 1996) *"Mansfield" on ''The Nature of Systems'' Comp CD ( Carbon Records, 2000) *"One Song" on ''Serotonin Ronin'' Comp 2CD (

Camera Obscura A camera obscura (; ) is a darkened room with a aperture, small hole or lens at one side through which an image is 3D projection, projected onto a wall or table opposite the hole. ''Camera obscura'' can also refer to analogous constructions su ...

, 2000) *"Rehearsal" on ''Urban Meadows'' Comp CD ( Broken Face, 2000) *"Second Rehearsal" on ''Songs From the Entopic Garden Volume 2'' Split LP (with

Six Organs of Admittance Six Organs of Admittance is the primary musical project of American guitarist Ben Chasny. Chasny's music is largely guitar-based and is often considered new folk; however, it includes obvious influences, marked by the use of drones, chimes, and ...

) ( Timelag, 2001) *Untitled track on ''Intersect 4'' Comp CD ( Pale-Disk, 2002) *"Song for Always" on ''Ptolemaic Terrascope No. 32'' comp CD (P.T., 2002) *'' Lactamase Bonus Compilation''

External links

Charalambides at KrankyConcert photos
by Laurent Orseau
Everything is Magic
interview with the band in Ascent Magazine
Charalambides on Last.FM
{{Authority control 1991 establishments in Texas American experimental musical groups American folk musical groups American post-rock groups Musical groups established in 1991 Musical groups from Houston Psychedelic rock music groups from Texas Siltbreeze Records artists