The indie rock band Rainer Maria was formed in 1995 in Madison, WI. They're known for their poetic lyrics and resounding metaphors.
The trio consisted of Caithlin De Marrais (vocals/bass), Kyle Fischer (vocals/guitars) and William Kuehn (drums). The lineup didn't change during their eleven-year career. The three recorded a 6 track demo tape, and then their first EP, Rainer Maria in 1996, followed by their first studio album Past Worn Searching in 97. Two years later, they released Look Now, Look Again, followed by A Better Version of Me in 2001. Their biggest album, Long Knives Drawn was released in 2003, containing their first mainstream single, Ears Ring. They released a live album/DVD in 04, Anyone In Love With You (Already Knows). Their new album, Catastrophe Keeps Us Together was released April 4, 2006, on Grunion Records.
The single for 'Catastrophe Keeps Us Together', 'Catastrophe' has received decent airplay, and the video (guest director Claire Carre) saw a nomination for an award on MTV. The album itself has received mixed ratings from critics and fans alike, claiming 'Catastrophe' to be a step in the wrong direction for r|m. Still some acclaim has been critical for the band, even scoring them a lightbox outside of the Tower Records in NY.
After playing three shows in December of 2006, one in Philadelphia, and two in New York City, the band officially parted ways.
As of August, 2008 Caithlin is putting the finishing touches on her first solo record, My Magic City. According to her myspace, fall tour dates are TBA.
Kyle Fischer completed a new solo album in 2008. It is available at endup.org.
From Wikipedia:Rainer Maria was an indie rock/emo band originally from Madison, Wisconsin, later residing in Brooklyn, New York. Named after the German-language poet Rainer Maria Rilke, they formed in the late summer of 1995 and released five full length albums, a live DVD, numerous live recordings, and EPs. In its earlier days, the band had a dual male and female vocal line-up; later, Caithlin De Marrais took over most singing. The gender ambiguity of the name Rainer Maria paralleled this and was one of the reasons it was selected as the band's name.[citation needed]
The band's many tours and intimate live shows at venues such as Brooklyn's North Six (which lead singer Caithlin De Marrais referred to as "home" during her final show because it also served as the band's rehearsal space), Washington, D.C.'s The Black Cat, the Bowery Ballroom in NYC, and Chapel Hill's Cat's Cradle helped to grow its fan base and fuel album sales.
On November 6, 2006, the band announced, through Pitchfork Media, that the December 16th show at New York City's Bowery Ballroom would be their last. It was accompanied by this statement: