History
The band began in 1991 when Daniel Littleton and Elizabeth Mitchell started recording and performing as a duo. After playing shows with double-bassist Rick Lassiter they recorded a 4-track cassette of their songs. Jenny Toomey, co-owner of Simple Machines Records heard it, and offered to release an album on her label. Between 1994 and 1997 Ida released three full length albums and several seven inch singles with Simple Machines Records including split singles with The Secret Stars and Portastatic. Shortly after the release of their debut Tales of Brave Ida, Daniel’s brother Michael “Miggy” Littleton joined the band as a drummer and multi-instrumentalist. Their second album, 1996’s I Know About You received much critical acclaim from the independent music press. CMJ praised it as “subtle, gentle and picturesque”, Alternative Press gave it five stars, their highest rating, Pitchfork wrote “…Incredible Stuff”. Bassist and singer-songwriter Karla Schickele (Beekeeper) joined the band in late 1996.
Ida's touring earned them a devoted following of listeners, and the attention of both the press and major labels. Their performances with violinist Ida Pearle, cellist Elaine Ahn, and clarinetist Sue Havens gave them a distinct and complex “chamber pop” sound. They released two EPs in 1998, Losing True, and The Ida Retsin Family, before signing with Capitol Records. After a shake up at Capitol Records, Ida successfully got out of their contract and released 1999’s Will You Find Me with Tigerstyle Records, an independent label. Will You Find Me received greater recognition than any previous Ida record and landed on year end “Best of..” lists in both Spin Magazine and The New York Times while receiving praise from The New Yorker and The Village Voice.
In 2005 Ida released Heart Like a River with Polyvinyl Record Co., their current record label. Violinist Jean Cook (Jon Langford, The Mekons) joined the band at this time, followed by drummer Ruth Keating. The band relocated to Woodstock, NY and began recording at Levon Helm Studios, where they collaborated with Levon Helm and played several Midnight Rambles. This led to the release of Lovers Prayers in 2008, and 2009’s My Fair, My Dark EP. Recorded simultaneously with Lovers Prayers, a collaboration with outsider folk legend Michael Hurley led to 2009’s Ida Con Snock which was released on Gnomonsong, Devendra Banhart and Andy Cabic’s label.
Ida’s music has appeared on both the radio show and the Showtime series of This American Life. In 2008 they were featured on NPR’s Bryant Park Project. They have toured, collaborated, or played shows with many bands and artists such as Low, His Name Is Alive, Levon Helm, Michael Hurley, Tara Jane O'Neil, Bernie Worrell, The Rachels, Karate, Retsin, Beekeeper, Mates of State, Elliott Smith, Bob Mould, Cat Power, Death Cab for Cutie, The Magnetic Fields, The Secret Stars, The Holmes Brothers, Broadcast, Mark Eitzel, Steve Malkmus and many others.
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