Electronic Press Kit (EPK)
Biography
Carling Berkhout’s first exposure to music was through the storied inroads of The Beatles, playing songs backward in her childhood friend’s rabbit-themed bedroom that the two believed was haunted. Raised in rural Vermont, her father, a folkie songster who lived and worked in LA in the 1960s, and her mother, a symphonic cellist, imparted the musical threads she continues to unravel.
In high school, Berkhout found the banjo and began developing a singular voice in the clawhammer tradition. Just two years after discovering the instrument, she formed the duo Carling & Will with collaborator William Seeders Mosheim.
Exploring her voice as a solo artist, Berkhout’s debut album, Omens, reflects a studied approach to songcraft. Made with collaborator Sam Clement in a small studio on the New York line, Omens came together over the period of two years. With the additional help of mixing engineer Paul Kolderie (Pixies, Radiohead, and Dinosaur Jr.), its sonic world exists somewhere between a bedroom rock affair and the dynamic balance of a David Rawlings & Gillian Welch record. On “Ghost of You,” one is reminded of poet-musicians like Lou Reed and Patti Smith, while “Night Sweats” marries the rhythmic pulse of mountain music to the flowing contours of early Fleetwood Mac. Opening the door to an even wider doorway of listeners, Carling is off to the races yet again in her characteristic way of glueing together what she loves with the daring of someone who has nothing left to lose.
Video
Press Release
Carling Berkhout to Release Debut Solo Album Omens on September 13, 2024
Vermont-based indie folk-rock artist Carling Berkhout is set to release her debut solo album, Omens, on September 13, 2024. After finding success as one-half of the folk duo Carling & Will, Berkhout’s first solo endeavor blends melancholic folk, bedroom rock, and jazz warmth into an intimate, emotionally charged exploration of ghosts, time passing, and personal musings.
Omens was crafted over two years with collaborator Sam Clement in a small studio on the New York line and features the mixing of renowned engineer Paul Kolderie (Pixies, Radiohead, Hole, Dinosaur Jr.). The result is a sonic world that balances the raw, stripped-down energy of bedroom rock with the expansive textures of folk influences.
The album’s standout tracks, including “Ghost of You” and “Night Sweats,” exemplify Berkhout’s unique ability to blend genres and create vivid, emotive landscapes. "Ghost of You" channels the poetic intensity of Lou Reed or Patti Smith, while “Night Sweats” marries the pulse of mountain music with the melodic contours of early Fleetwood Mac. The title track, “Omens,” closes the album, pulling listeners into the intimate and reflective world Berkhout has crafted with her collaborators.
Raised in rural Vermont, Berkhout’s musical roots run deep, inspired by her father, a folk singer-songwriter from LA, and her mother, a symphonic cellist. This rich musical lineage is reflected in her work, from her early years exploring the Beatles catalog to her more recent experimental and genre-defying compositions. As part of Carling & Will, Berkhout developed a sound that turned traditional folk melodies on their heads, and now, as a solo artist, she continues to push boundaries with a studied approach to songwriting. Omens is a bold and intimate statement from an artist stepping into her own.
To celebrate the release of Omens, Berkhout has released a music video for the album’s first single, “What’s It to You.” Additionally, a live band video for the second single, “Capacity,” is now online. You can catch Berkhout performing live with her full band at the album release show on September 14, 2024, at Billsville House Concerts in Manchester, VT. Tickets for the show are on sale now.
Omens will be available for streaming and purchase on all major platforms starting September 13, 2024.
For more information or to request press materials, please contact:
carling@carlingberkhout.com