Mudville

As Mudville, producer/bassist Ben Rubin skillfully combines fresh production (beats, samples, synths) with old-school instruments (double bass, Wurlitzer Electronic Piano, Hammond B3 organ, horns) to create earthy, idiosyncratic music that spotlights songwriter/vocalist Marilyn Carino?s keen prose and expansive wail. Her strange, fearless voice plays muse to Rubin?s unsettling yet compelling blend of churning rhythms and lush symphonic arrangements. The resulting songs offer impassioned, humanistic inner monologues? gripping and unsentimental reflections on the precarious nature of love and life in an injured society. Homegrown New Yorkers, Carino and Rubin met via classified ad during a years-long stint in San Francisco. A sweet crooner and guitarist in traditional bluegrass and alt-country bands, Carino recorded with such notables as Billy Talbot, bassist of Neil Young & Crazy Horse (who co-produced a track on Mudville?s 2002 EP) and Matt Piucci of Rain Parade. Rubin, who has remixed tracks for Wu-Tang Clan?s Killah Priest, Brazilian Girls, Marshall Crenshaw and others and has toured North America with Crenshaw, Kate Fenner, Jason Collett (of Broken Social Scene)and downtown saxophonist Michael Blake, played upright bass in San Francisco?s vibrant jazz scene. In 1995 the duo formed Long Island Lulu, a deviant soul-rock band whose eponymous 1998 CD received critical praise. After regrouping in Brooklyn in 2000, Long Island Lulu evolved into Mudville, with Rubin producing their self-titled four-song EP (Slurry Records, 2002). Back in the studio in 2003, they recorded The Glory of Man Is Not In Vogue. This full-length release, which features such luminaries as saxophonist Seamus Blake, guitarist Jim Campilongo and guitarist Avi Bortnick (John Scofield Band) is distributed world-wide by MF Grimm?s Day By Day Entertainment. On stage, Marilyn and Ben are joined by some of New York?s most respected players including Dred Scott (Ratdog, Alphabet Soup, Ren?e Risqu?) on Wurlitzer Electronic Piano, Nate Shaw on sampler and organ, and John Bollinger on drums, creating a powerful live show that combines the old- school and the new. Mudville has recently shared stages with such notable acts as Wilco, Talib Kweli, Large Professor and Tina Dico (of Zero 7).