Second Stage: Slow Skate

by Meg Ruddick

Download "Acting Like A Kid" by Slow Skate (Right-click or control-click to save to your computer)

Seattle band Slow Skate is fronted by married couple Caitlin Sherman and Jason Goessl, with help from Brian Oppel on drums and Geoff Harper on bass. Songwriter and lead singer Sherman has a clear, haunting voice that drew me deep into the music at first listen. I love the way it never stays the same between songs, instead moving between delicate and powerful from track to track. It blends perfectly with the band's eerie brand of indie-pop, and brings to mind voices like St. Vincent and Fiest. Strings, toy piano, autoharp, and glockenspiel punctuate the finely crafted pop tunes, giving them a woozy, carnival-like feel.

Slow Skate released its second full-length, Past The Whole Parade this past September. The album opener "Acting Like a Kid" features beautiful, faraway vocal harmonies backing Sherman's light and agile voice.

4:37 PM ET | 10-26-2009 | permalink

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