What Rises marks Caitlin Kraus’ first full-length album, comprised of thirteen songs written during her time living in both Ohio and Texas. Themes of love and heartache, vulnerability and growth, and transformation and emergence speak to some of her personal transitions, but also to the human experience and our individual and collective capacity for positive change. The songs tie to nostalgia, but to looking forward as well–bittersweet at times and hopeful at others.
The majority of the songs on What Rises were recorded, produced, mixed, and mastered by Bernie Nau of Peachfork Studios in Pomeroy, OH. The songs range from simple, acoustic and solo (“Make Love Stay”) to full, electric, and dynamic (“On the Way Down”). They feature a number of musicians, including Matt Box on electric bass, Bernie Nau on keyboard and background vocals, Mark Hellenberg on drums, John Borchard on electric 12-string and pedal steel, Hannah Stewart on violin and background vocals, and Chris Biester on electric guitar as well as Caitlin herself on lead vocals and electric and acoustic guitar.
Two of the songs (“Dead Man” and “Waiting for the World”) had been recorded at Estuary Recording and released on Keeled Scales as a 7″ in Austin, TX in 2016 where Caitlin lived for five years. Another song (“Follow Me”) was recorded in the basement of fellow musician, singer, and songwriter Adam Remnant’s basement back in Athens, OH and was featured on Aquabear Legion Vol. 6 in 2017.
CAITLIN KRAUS 