Folksongs for the Afterlife

Folksongs for the Afterlife formed in 1996 when singer/songwriter/guitarist Caroline Schutz met up with multi-instrumentalist Chris Sizemore and they decided to form a group. Schutz had already been writing music, mostly of an instrumental nature, under the name Folksongs for the Afterlife, but when the two joined together they decided to take the band in a more pop direction. After a couple years of refining their sound, the band released a five-song EP for the U.K. indie label Enraptured. The disc was a mild success and introduced those who heard it to the band's dreamy sound. Their profile was boosted in 2001 by an appearance on Arena Rock's This Is Next Year: A Brooklyn Based Compilation. Their track, "Wasting in the Sun," was a highlight of the compilation. Around this time, the band's lineup began to take shape. Along with Schutz and Sizemore, Steve Toole (guitar), Chris Deaner (drums), and David Gould (bass) rounded out the personnel. In 2003, Hidden Agenda released the band's full-length debut, Put Danger Back in Your Life. ~ Tim Sendra, All Music Guide