Folksongs for the Afterlife

In 1996 singer/songwriter/guitarist Caroline Schutz crossed paths with multi-instrumentalist Chris Sizemore, prompting the pair to launch Folksongs for the Afterlife as a band. Schutz had previously composed mostly instrumental material under that name, yet their partnership redirected the project toward a pop orientation. After several years spent honing their style, the group issued a five-song EP on the U.K. indie label Enraptured. The disc achieved mild success and acquainted listeners with the band’s dreamy sound. Visibility rose further in 2001 when the group appeared on Arena Rock’s This Is Next Year: A Brooklyn Based Compilation, where the track “Wasting in the Sun” emerged as a highlight. Around the same period the lineup coalesced, with Steve Toole on guitar, Chris Deaner on drums, and David Gould on bass joining Schutz and Sizemore. Hidden Agenda brought out the full-length debut Put Danger Back in Your Life in 2003.