Effective period / Period of releases: 1992 - 1993

Members: Christian Erickson, Ian Dittbrenner, Chuck Zwicky, Joel Hanson

Judgement of Paris was formed at a time in the early 90s when the Minneapolis music scene was awakening from its garage-rock-induced stupor in favor of a new, keyboard-based, effects-laden ambient-pop cocktail the local press dubbed "dream pop." However, Judgement of Paris remained one step ahead, or behind, that inaccurate label - depending on one's perspective. Working from rolling tribal beats and stark, mood-inducing sequences that would be an appropriate sonic complement to the austere, black-and-white images in a Jim Jarmusch film, the band drew its sound from such forgotten medieval instruments as the hammered dulcimer and alto recorder, layering fretless bass, acoustic and electric guitars and the soothing baritone of Christian Erickson in a manner that earned Judgement of Paris the more applicable label of "trance-pop pioneers" by then City Pages music critic Jim Meyer.

Far more interested in shaping its sound in a studio than in front of an audience, Judgement of Paris never-the-less earned a small but dedicated following without the aid of mailing lists, radio play or glowing reviews from the local press. Viewed as a sonic anomaly in its hometown, the sporadic but flattering reviews in such national music magazines as Alternative Press, B-Side and Creem did not generate enough interest or record sales to secure the band a long-term record deal. After six years, two CDs, one compilation (two songs on Dr. Death's Volume 6: Floribundus) and several self-released cassettes, the band played its last show in November 1994.

Conversion and Signal have been re-mastered by the band and several previously unreleased tracks are included.
Named after Paris (the Greek mythological figure called upon to judge the most beautiful of the goddesses), Judgement of Paris existed for a short period in the early 90s, producing two exquisite albums characteristically unlike any other American group of the time. Judgement of Paris brought together elements from the Middle Ages and the Middle East, layering them in a pop context with keyboards, guitars, hammered dulcimer, percussion and ethereal male vocals. Comparisons to David Sylvian’s Japan are all the more revealing now, as this is intelligent pop music for a global world. Hailing from Minneapolis, Judgement of Paris’ Conversion was released in 1992 on the C’est La Mort label, while Signal was released in 1994 on the band’s own label.


“Because of the nature of Judgement of Paris’ music, the band can often be compared to Xymox, Japan or Dead Can Dance. But the members have developed their own conventions for creativity, and their resuscitative music becomes difficult to etch into a particular time period.” (ALTERNATIVE PRESS)


“A shimmering, polished display of the band’s majestic sound… beautifully stirring vocal melodies encompass well-crafted lyrics in a larger-than-life vocal style that perfectly compliments the diverse instrumentation.” (MANIFESTO)

Judgement of Paris is:
Ian Dittbrenner | Christian Erickson | Bradley Hanson | Joel Hanson