Cerberus Shoal
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Cerberus Shoal
| image =
| image_size =
| caption =
| origin = Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| genre = Experimental rock, freak folk, emo, post-rock
| years_active = 1994–mid-2000s
| label = Tree Roots, Temporary Residence Limited, North East Indie Records
| associated_acts = Big Blood, Fire on Fire, Tarpigh
| website =
| current_members = Caleb Mulkerin
Chriss Sutherland
Tom Rogers
| past_members = Erin Davidson
Karl Greenwald
Colleen Kinsella
Tim Morin
Josh Ogden
Kristen Hedges
Tim Folland
David Mulder
Thomas Kovacevic
Tim Harbeson
Eric LaPerna
}}
Cerberus Shoal was a United States rock band formed in 1994 in Boston but largely based in Portland, Maine. They split up in the mid-2000s with some members going on to form Big Blood and Fire on Fire.
History
The band's initial line-up was Caleb Mulkerin (guitar), Josh Ogden (guitar), Chriss Sutherland (bass guitar, vocals), and Tom Rogers (drums).Strong, Martin C. (2003) The Great Indie Discography, Canongate, {{ISBN|1-84195-335-0}}, p. 667-8DaRonco, Mike "[{{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p215735/biography|pure_url=yes}} Cerberus Shoal Biography]", Allmusic, retrieved 2010-06-26 They took their name from an old book of poems that students at Brown University had written in 1893.Hudak, Jay (1998) interview, Nothing Left issue No. 8, p. 47 This name indirectly references an underwater feature in the Block Island Sound.
After their first, self-titled release in 1995, Kristen Hedges replaced Ogden on guitar and vocals, and David Mulder was added on keyboards and percussion. The new line-up released two Lighthouse in Athens EPs in 1996 and the album ...and Farewell to Hightide in 1997, now having abandoned their earlier punk/psychedelic rock style for a more progressive rock sound that was described as "soundtrack-rock", and "quite simple [arrangements], featuring subtle percussion, occasional horns, and layers of guitars and keyboards".Mason, Stewart "[{{AllMusic|class=album|id=r609868/review|pure_url=yes}} ...and Farewell to Hightide Review]", Allmusic, retrieved 2010-06-26
Hedges left in late 1997, and Mulder left the following year. Thomas Kovacevic then joined on guitar, quena, oud, zamponas and vocals, Eric Laperna on percussion and vocals and Tim Harbeson on keyboards, accordion, flute, shakuhachi and trumpet, all three concurrently of the band Tarpigh. Their 1998 album Elements of Structure/Permanence comprised two long tracks originally intended as soundtracks to short films by Tim Folland, and improvised and recorded while watching the films.Raggett, Ned "[{{AllMusic|class=album|id=r369030/review|pure_url=yes}} Elements of Structure/Permanence Review]", Allmusic, retrieved 2010-06-26 Homb was released in 1999, showing another stylistic shift towards more atmospheric music, drawing comparisons with early Pink Floyd, Popol Vuh, and Godspeed You! Black Emperor.Raggett, Ned "[{{AllMusic|class=album|id=r510595/review|pure_url=yes}} Homb Review]", Allmusic, retrieved 2010-06-26 This continued through Crash My Moon Yacht in 2000 (on which they introduced East European instrumentation),Fink, Matt "[{{AllMusic|class=album|id=r510595/review|pure_url=yes}} Crash My Moon Yacht Review]", Allmusic, retrieved 2010-06-26 and Mr. Boy Dog in 2002.
Their 2003 album Chaiming the Knoblessone incorporated influences from around the world and has been described as "a slithering, buzzing cacophony of avant-garde folk insanity",Spano, Charles "[{{AllMusic|class=album|id=r656452/review|pure_url=yes}} Chaiming the Knoblessone Review]", Allmusic, retrieved 2010-06-26 and as "a surreal head trip".Dahlen, Chris (2003) "[http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/1385-chaiming-the-knobblessone/ Cerberus Shoal Chaiming the Knobblessone]", Pitchfork Media October 27, 2003, retrieved 2010-06-26 The band's latest album is 2005's The Land We All Believe In, described by one reviewer as "a magnanimous, comic investigation into realities both political and otherwise",Murphy, Matthew (2005) "[http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/1387-the-land-we-all-believe-in/ Cerberus Shoal The Land We All Believe In]", Pitchfork Media, October 12, 2005, retrieved 2010-06-26 and as sounding "like a wagonload of circus performers being trampled by an endless stream of rhinos, with horns, accordions and banjos squeaking at random and Eastern European blood running thick on the ground" by another.Buchan, Philip (2005) "[http://www.splendidezine.com/review.html?reviewid=1127731864383171 Cerberus Shoal The Land We All Believe In] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101213062426/http://www.splendidezine.com/review.html?reviewid=1127731864383171 |date=December 13, 2010 }}", Splendid, October 10, 2005, retrieved 2010-06-26
The band split up in the mid-2000s with Sutherland and other members resurfacing as acoustic group Fire on Fire, Sutherland also performing solo.Ponti, Aimsel L. (2010) "[http://www.pressherald.com/life/go/the-night-is-young_2010-06-03.html The Night Is Young: A true banjo god, Sorcha's new CD and Sutherland is solo on Sunday]", Portland Press Herald, June 3, 2010, retrieved 2010-06-26
Members
- Caleb Mulkerin – guitar, keyboards, bowed fiddle, musical saw, zither, vocals {{small|(1994–2005)}}
- Chriss Sutherland – bass, guitar, banjo, percussion, vocals {{small|(1994–2005)}}
- Tom Rogers – drums, percussion {{small|(1994–2005)}}
- Josh Ogden – guitar {{small|(1994–1995)}}
- Kristen Hedges – guitar, vocals {{small|(1996)}}
- David Mulder – keyboards, percussion {{small|(1996–1997)}}
- Thomas Kovacevic – guitar, lute, oud, panpipe, flute, piano, vocals {{small|(1997–2001)}}
- Tim Harbeson – keyboards, trumpet, flute, accordion, bass clarinet {{small|(1998–2001)}}
- Eric LaPerna – percussion {{small|(1998–2001)}}
- Erin Davidson – bass, guitar, trumpet, percussion, vocals {{small|(2001–2005)}}
- Karl Greenwald – lyrics, vocals, percussion, sampler {{small|(2001–2005)}}
- Colleen Kinsella – accordion, keyboards, percussion, vocals {{small|(2001–2005)}}
- Tim Morin – drums, percussion {{small|(2004–2005)}}
Discography
=Albums=
- Cerberus Shoal (mini-LP) (1995), Stella White
- ...and Farewell to Hightide (1997), Tree
- Elements of Structure/Permanence (1998), A.I.P.
- Homb (1999), Temporary Residence
- Crash My Moon Yacht (2000), Pandemonium
- Mr. Boy Dog (2002), Temporary Residence
- Chaiming the Knoblessone (2003), North East Indie
- Bastion of Itchy Preeves (2004), North East Indie
- Cerberus Shoal (2004), North East Indie
- The Land We All Believe In (2005), North East Indie
- An Ongoing DING (2010), iscollagecollective
=Singles, EPs=
- Lighthouse in Athens Part One EP (1996), Tree
- Lighthouse in Athens Part Two EP (1996), Tree
- "Breathing Machine" (1997)
- "Garden Fly, Drip Eye" (2001), North East Indie
- Travels in Constants vol. 10 EP (2001), Temporary Residence
=Split releases=
- The Whys and the Hows of Herman Düne & Cerberus Shoal (2002), North East Indie - split with Herman Düne
- The Ducks and Drakes of... (2003), North Eastern Digital - split with Guapo
- The Vim and Vigour of Alvarius B and Cerberus Shoal (2003), North East Indie - split with Alvarius B
- The Life and Times Of... (2004), North Eastern Digital - split with Magic Carpathians
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Musical groups from Boston
Category:Musical groups established in 1994
Category:Musical groups disestablished in the 2000s
Category:American experimental rock groups
Category:Musical groups from Portland, Maine
Category:Musical groups from Maine
Category:Rock music groups from Maine