ArtistInfo

Judgement Of Paris

Band,
Musician of Electronic and Rock

Judgement of Paris was formed at a time in the early 90s when the Minneapolis music scene was awakening from its garage-rock-induced stupor in favor of a new, keyboard-based, effects-laden ambient-pop cocktail the local press dubbed "dream pop." However, Judgement of Paris remained one step ahead, or behind, that inaccurate label - depending on one's perspective. Working from rolling tribal beats and stark, mood-inducing sequences that would be an appropriate sonic complement to the austere, black-and-white images in a Jim Jarmusch film, the band drew its sound from such forgotten medieval instruments as the hammered dulcimer and alto recorder, layering fretless bass, acoustic and electric guitars and the soothing baritone of Christian Erickson in a manner that earned Judgement of Paris the more applicable label of "trance-pop pioneers" by then City Pages music critic Jim Meyer. Far more interested in shaping its sound in a studio than in front of an audience, Judgement of Paris never-the-less earned a small but dedicated following without the aid of mailing lists, radio play or glowing reviews from the local press. Viewed as a sonic anomaly in its hometown, the sporadic but flattering reviews in such national music magazines as Alternative Press, B-Side and Creem did not generate enough interest or record sales to secure the band a long-term record deal. After six years, two CDs, one compilation (two songs on Dr. Death's Volume 6: Floribundus) and several self-released cassettes, the band played its last show in November 1994. Conversion and Signal have been re-mastered by the band and several previously unreleased tracks are included.

Members

Christian Erickson US