Karl Blau is an American indie rock and country vocalist, producer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, but originally from Anacortes, Washington. A member of the Knw-Yr-Own/K Records collective, he is known for his musical output, live shows, and self recording and distribution. Blau incorporates elements of folk, dub, R&B, bossa nova, grunge, hip hop, drone, country, & worldbeat.

This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. (April 2009)

Career

Blau has released more than 40 records in 20-odd years, many self-released in handmade packaging and mailed to subscribers as part of his Kelp Lunacy Advanced Plagiarism series, and others on iconic indie Northwest labels K Records and knw-yr-own. Blau has also toured and recorded for years with Laura Veirs, the Microphones/Mount Eerie, Little Wings, D+, Your Heart Breaks, LAKE, and Earth.[1]

In the 1990s, Blau worked at The Business record store in Anacortes.[2][3]

Blau was referenced in a song carrying his name by the London punk band Video Nasties.[4] The Microphones' album, It Was Hot, We Stayed in the Water, also has a song titled "Karl Blau."

Discography

LPs

• Doin' Things the Way They Happen (Knw-Yr-Own 1997)
• Shell Collection (Knw-Yr-Own 1997)
• A Second Culling (Knw-Yr-Own 1999)
• Clothes Your I's (Knw-Yr-Own 2001)
• Beneath Waves (K Records 2006)
• Dance positive (Marriage Records 2007)
• Nature's Got Away (K Records 2008)
• Zebra (K Records 2009)
• Introducing Karl Blau (Raven Marching Band/Bella Union 2016)
• Out Her Space (Bella Union 2017)

Singles

• "Slow Down Joe" b/w "Lake King's Daughter" (K Records/OnPurpose Records 2006)
• "That's How I Got To Memphis" b/w "Forest" (collaboration with Mount Analog) (K Records)

Kelp Lunacy Advanced Plagiarism Society series

1. Dark, Magic Sea
2. The Coconutcracker
3. Turning Tutu, Turning Leaves
4. Dunkel Blau
5. Purple Heart
6. Deep Sandwich
7. Remember Tomorrow
8. Lore of Ears
9. Dubble Dooty Booty
10. Trust in Sirens
11. It Was Hot, We Stayed in the Water
12. Welsh Phantoms and Other Ghosts of Western Europe
13. Sea/Saw
14. Stereoearrings
15. If I Knew Zen What I Know Now
16. AM
17. Sing Together/Lonely Under the Covers
18. Beer & Chai
19. Flotsam & Jetsam
20. Let It All Out
21. Sigh Lens
22. Bread-n-Grease
23. Trunkal Howl
24. LAKE
25. Free The Bird
26. Dance Positive
27. Good Lovin' County
28. In Return From Ghost Country

References

External links

• Karl Blau at Bandcamp
• Karl Blau Patreon
• Karl Blau at Allmusic.com
• Karl Blau at K Records
• Karl Blau at Bella Union
• Karl Blau on NPR Live Sessions
• Kelp Lunacy
• MySpace
• KEXP Interview with Karl Blau
• SPIN's Artist of the Day
• Secretly Important Interview with Karl Blau