The Blow

All Music Guide:

The Blow is really visual artist and performer Khaela Maricich, who formerly released recordings under the name Get the Hell Out of the Way of the Volcano, after which she recorded (with the help of some guests) for K under the name the Blow. The Blow set lyrics that sound like unverbalized thoughts to herself to minimal, often electronically textured basic pop melodies. Maricich's debut as the Blow was 2002's Bonus Album, which she followed the next year with The Concussive Caress, or, Casey Caught Her Mom Singing Along with the Vacuum. In 2004, Maricich teamed up with musical tech-geek Jona Bechtolt for the recording of the limited-edition EP Poor Aim: Love Songs, released late that same year. The results were much to their liking, so much so that the Blow decided to thus remain a duo. Everyday Examples of Humans Facing Straight into the Blow arrived early in 2005 and contained material that had previously been released under Maricich's earlier Volcano moniker. The Portland-based duo then returned in October 2006 with a full-length of new music entitled Paper Television.

Wikipedia:

The Blow is an electro pop band comprising Khaela Maricich and Melissa Dyne. It was formed as a solo project by Maricich in 2002, and she was joined by Jona Bechtolt, aka Yacht, from 2004 to 2007. Melissa Dyne became part of the project in 2007.

The music of The Blow is a combination of Khaela's vocals and electronic dance beats. The live shows often incorporate monologues and other performance elements. Melissa Dyne began collaborating with Maricich on the live Blow shows starting in 2007, gradually incorporating her background in installation, sound, and conceptual art into the live show. Dyne performs live from a location off stage. Maricich and Dyne composed and produced an eponymous album for The Blow, being released in 2013. They have given a series of artist talks discussing The Blow as a mode of performance art.

The Blow was formed in Olympia, Washington. Maricich's solo music project had previously been called Get The Hell Out of The Way of The Volcano. The first Blow releases, Everyday Examples of Humans Facing Straight into The Blow and Don't Do the Bomb Before My Mustache Comes, were made as home recordings by Maricich in 2001. Soon afterwards Maricich began working with K Records, releasing Bonus Album in 2002, and The Concussive Caress in 2003. Both albums were engineered and produced by Maricich at K Records' Dub Narcotic Studio. The live performance of Concussive Caress was a monologue interspersed with songs, titled Blue Sky vs. Night Sky. Maricich toured the performance extensively in clubs, house parties, and art venues; it was part of Portland Institute of Contemporary Art's TBA festival and was performed at the LTTR Explosion at Art in General in New York. In 2004, Maricich began collabrorating with Jona Bechtolt, and The Blow relocated to Portland. Together they produced two albums, Poor Aim: Love Songs, released in 2004 via States Rights Records/The Slender Means Society (later rereleased by K in 2007), and Paper Television, released on K Records in 2006. The Blow has been based in Brooklyn, NY since 2008.

In 2011, The Blow began recording a new album about "someone who is quasi-lesbian and might have gone off the rails." At performances Maricich claimed that the songs were for Lindsay Lohan's new album. The recording was completed in 2012 and includes guest appearances from Rostam Batmanglij, Bashiri Johnson, Sarab Singh, Mirah Zeitlyn, Rainy Orteca, Brian Patrick Hill, and Brian Taylor.

The Blow announced a new album titled "The Blow" set for release October 1, 2013 on Brooklyn based indie label Kanine Records.Cite error: There are <ref> tags on this page, but the references will not show without a {{reflist}} template (see the help page).

Accolades[edit]