Although their audience never extended beyond a small cult following, the Seattle indie folk band
Carissa's Wierd (yes, that's how they spelled it) helped pave the way for a number of acoustic bands partially inspired by British and American folk-rock of the '60s and '70s, from
Joanna Newsom to
the Decemberists. Splitting suddenly in 2003 after an eight-year tenure, the group splintered into several factions. Singer
Jenn Ghetto started the lo-fi D.I.Y. project
S, drummer
Sera Cahoone opted for an alt-country solo career, and guitarists
Mat Brooke and
Ben Bridwell formed the indie rock outfit
Band of Horses. Following the release of their Sub Pop debut,
Everything All the Time,
Brooke left
Band of Horses (which was primarily
Bridwell's project) to form his own band. At first called simply "
Archives," but quickly renamed
Grand Archives, the new band featured
Brooke on guitar and vocals backed by bassist
Jeff Montano (
the New Mexicans), guitarist
Curtis Hall (
the Jeunes), multi-instrumentalist
Ron Lewis (who maintained a solo career under the name
Ghost Stories), and drummer
Thomas Wright.
With a sound inspired by such '70s acts as
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young and
the Eagles (complete with multi-part harmonies),
Grand Archives made their live debut during the spring of 2007, opening for
Brooke's former bandmate
Cahoone at a Seattle venue. They subsequently toured with
Modest Mouse while preparing their self-titled debut album for Sub Pop, which the label released in February 2008.
Keep in Mind Frankenstein followed one year later, featuring a similarly harmony-rich sound as its predecessor. ~ Stewart Mason, All Music Guide