The

Music

discography

  • Recorded live at our 20th anniversary show at The Iron Horse, Northampton, Mass., where we played our first ever club gig back in May 1987. First half is acoustic, second half electric.

  • Our brightest work yet, but still has some late night listening. Mostly recorded in two quick bursts, one with Steve Albini in Chicago, and one with Mark Alan Miller in Western Massachusetts.

    Kimchee Records

  • All acoustic. Recorded by Steve Albini, with no overdubs or processing (OK, he used a little equalization on one track ...). London's Sunday Observer calls it "bone-gleamingly pure", and CMJ New Music Monthly says "dazzling exuberance". "Folk music for the Sonic Youth crowd.

    Appleseed Recordings

  • Limited edition collection of the highest quality live recordings we could find. This is loud distortion rock music. Documents the band's "plugged-in" era, before we started a new band for that side of our music.

    Scenescof

  • an acoustic album, up to the last track. Modal American music. Recommended if you like Spine, and vice versa. Highly acclaimed in the press, including many 4 star reviews. The European version has two extra electric tracks.

    Omnium/NORMAL

  • Mostly acoustic, limited edition European mail-order. Now out of print, but we can now make limited copies on our home CD-burner, so if you want one, write to us. Contains some songs we no longer play, an alternate version of Dying Californian, and Tim singing As I Travel (Wandering Boy)

    NORMAL

  • Evenlysplit between acoustic and electric rock songs. Produced by Dave Schramm. Well-crafted pop songs.

    OKra/Omnium/NORMAL

  • "folk/noise" The debut. Recorded in a three day frenzy with Tim O'Heir (Sebadoh, Throwing Muses), it captures a certain mood and all the ragged edges. Noisy, messy punk rock.

    OKra/Omnium/NORMAL

Singles & Compilations

  • Jane, Promise, Closing Year. Jane, an acoustic outtake from Spine, is a traditional song from upstate New York. Promise is an original by Tim that we have rarely performed. Tim says, I wrote the music for Promise in India in 1988, but made new words after hearing on the radio, back to back, Marilyn Manson and Melissa Etheridge's Little Secret. The latter seemed like a much more credible threat.Closing Year is a rock song outtake from the Chicago sessions for What It Is. Tim made up the music to fit some old words from two mid-19th century sources, one a secular song for kids and the last two verses from a hymn by Doddridge. Tim says, I was interested in the ideas of time and decay in both texts, especially the less than cheerful one from the children's book. Clearly not a modern text.

  • Hammer; A bunch of bands from Massachusetts record atmospheric songs in engineer Andy Hong's living room. Our track is listed under the band name io, which is the name we were using for our plugged-in rock trio. This track features Cath singing and feeding back on bass guitar, Tim playing electric guitar with an extra bridge on the neck, and Peter bowing on cymbals.

  • This is a Dwight Diller album on which we make several guest appearances. Tim, Cath, and Peter, along with Laura Risk, Kelly House and Jeff Colby, sing on Bright Morning Stars, Lisbon, and Jesus is a Rock. Peter plays bones on two tracks, and Laura plays fiddle on Sandy Boys.

  • How Can I Keep From Singing; A Grammy-nominated tribute album to Pete Seeger. A slew of artists including Bruce Springsteen, Bonnie Raitt, Billy Bragg, Eliza Carthy, Ani DiFranco, and many more covering his songs. FolkRoots Review. Our track is unique to this compilation - it won't be showing up on any other albums.

  • Ferric Mordant Records. Released under the "io" band name. Two original rock songs written by Tim with the band. We've occasionally played the B-side at acoustic shows.

  • The Old Spencer Rifle; compilation of live tracks recorded at this excellent festival in eastern Germany. Fabulous selection of music. Write to Stadt Rudolstadt, Dezernat Kultur, Markt 7, D-07407 Rudolstadt. Then go to the festival.

  • Katy Cruel and A Sailor's Life (Fisher); compilation of live tracks recorded to benefit WWUH-Hartford

  • Rambling Beauty; compilation of the Return to Sender series, of which Joy Fun Garden was the third installment.

  • Katy Cruel; benefit compilation of artists who have played on this Cincinnati-area station. Being given away in exchange for pledges. Live version of this song recorded in May 1995.

  • May Blooming Field; compilation of songs relating to traditional music of English-speaking countries. From the album Comet.

  • Brother Judson; Compilation of Boston-area bands recorded live onWMBR radio.

  • George Collins, FolkRootsMagazine compilation. From the album Comet.

  • Narragansett Bay (1995) Rhino Records, roots-oriented compilation put together by Chuck Taggart, longtime host of radio show with the same name, previously aired on KCRW, now on the Internet. Our track is from the album how can I sleep?

  • Scenescof 1002, 7" vinyl, distributed by Forced Exposure; two original electric songs.

  • One song on a German magazine 7" with Uncle Tupelo, Swell and Fellow Travellers

  • OKra, 7" vinyl; acoustic

  • Her Bright Smile/San Francisco OKra/NORMAL, compilation from the legendary OKra label. Other bands include The Schramms, Fellow Travelers (Jeb Loy Nichols), Ass Ponys.

“tastefully heavy.” - Chicago Tribune

“Incredible!” - TimeOUT, London, England

“courageously stark.” - Mojo, England

“If traditional American music has a future, it’s probably Cordelia’s Dad.” - CMJ

“tastefully heavy.” - Chicago Tribune “Incredible!” - TimeOUT, London, England “courageously stark.” - Mojo, England “If traditional American music has a future, it’s probably Cordelia’s Dad.” - CMJ

“those harmonies are scandalous.” - Dwight Diller

“there is no one like them, not even close to them, in this country.” - Seattle Rocket

“Tim Eriksen is a charismatically disturbing focus.” - Mojo

“those harmonies are scandalous.” - Dwight Diller “there is no one like them, not even close to them, in this country.” - Seattle Rocket “Tim Eriksen is a charismatically disturbing focus.” - Mojo

Listen on Bandcamp

All of our albums available for digital purchase and download.

Listen on Spotify

All Cordelia’s Dad music available for listening.

Listen on Apple Music

All Cordelia’s Dad music available for listening.

Cordelia’s Dad on YouTube

Our friend Craig Hornby shot an ambitious documentary of one of our rock shows in MIddlesborough, England back in 1995. You can now see two excerpts on YouTube. 

While you're at it, check out Craig's fascinating documentary A Century in Stone about the iron mining industry in Teesside.