RIFFS: Vocal valentines

• Article
• Comments ()
• Click-2-Listen
• Videos

By Andrew Leahey

As Valentine's Day approaches, the musicians of KaiserCartel look forward to their homecoming show in Brooklyn - at Pete's Candy Store, the first place they ever played in New York.

"Our first show at the venue was great," says Benjamin Cartel, who is half of the endearing duo. "We had only been together for a few months and were still learning each other's songs. We kept going back there month after month. Eventually, it became so packed that they had to open up the doors so people could watch us from the other room."

Pete's Candy Store enabled KaiserCartel's music to flourish, but it also provided a setting in which Mr. Cartel and vocalist Courtney Kaiser quickly fell in love. Although both had initially pursued solo careers, they later crossed paths at a Manhattan venue and began performing together, forging a romantic bond in the process.

With Miss Kaiser's gorgeous, woozy voice and Mr. Cartel's inventive musicianship (a multitasker, he often plays drums and xylophone at the same time) the band found a loyal audience in New York. A full-length album, "March Forth," followed in June 2008, and subsequent tours across the country helped expand their New York fan club into a national following.

There's plenty of love to be found on "March Forth," whose title alludes both to the inaugural date of the musicians' relationship and their "onward and upward" mentality. Unlike many couple bands, however, KaiserCartel takes a universal approach to the emotion, emphasizing its effect on the public as well as the songwriters.

"Okay" pledges trust and acceptance of a partner's faults, while "Season Song" sings the praises of summertime with hand claps and whistled accompaniment.

In keeping with the album's communal appeal, KaiserCartel concludes most performances with an acoustic serenade. The members unplug their instruments and walk into the audience, armed with a guitar and their bare voices. Then they sing directly to members of the audience, many of whom are genuinely touched by the unexpected move.

"Starting with our second or third show, we used to do this thing where we'd process into the venue and out of the venue," Miss Kaiser explains. "We'd make eye contact with people, but it would just be us walking down the middle of the crowd. Eventually, we started weaving in and out of the audience and really trying to interact with people. It came out of this idea to share ourselves to the fullest extent possible with the audience."

Mr. Cartel admits that some attendees become uncomfortable with the prospect of standing face to face with a singing musician. "We'll pass by people if they obviously don't want that kind of attention," he explains, "but the majority of people have been very into it. It makes them lifelong fans."

• KaiserCartel will bring the love to the Black Cat on Tuesday. Local musician Andy Zipf headlines the show, which begins at 9 p.m. to the tune of $10.