go evolution - The New Music Discovery Page

Pelicans Yard

  What do you get when you mix prog/rock, pop and jazz/fusion together?..... a band called Pelicans Yard! Musicians for miles around will be singing praises for them and not just because of their stellar musicianship either. Pelican Yards songs are super catchy and packed tight with serious groove! Seriously, if some part of your body doesn`t move to these songs you might just be comatose. Not since the great Tony Levin [Peter Gabriel,King Crimson] has the Chapman Stick got this kind of workout! I asked a couple of questions of their leader George Baldwin and here`s what he said...
  How did you come up with the name Pelicans Yard?
There`s a place near where I live called Pelicans Yard. It`s an old abandoned farm and farmhouse which feels really remote.Taking walks around there helped clear my head and some of the ideas for the album were thought up whilst being there!
  Who are your musical influences?
Sleepytime Gorilla Museum, Zappa, Captain Beefheart, Porcupine Tree, Tool, Dutch Uncles. Jazz influences includes Cannonball Adderley, Coltrane, Ray Russell.
  What was your most memorable show?
We haven`t played a show yet! This is a project created by me to raise money for charity that includes some of my favorite musicians I have worked with over my career that wanted to come together for a great cause!
  What does 2017 have in store for Pelicans Yard?
More online content with music videos, play- throughs and music! Maybe even a gig!
  You can catch up with Pelicans Yard at https://www.facebook.com/pelicansyard/
  A great song from their new album is called Seventeen Doors! Check it out!

Scott Dean

   Scott Dean may just be the best new artist to come out of the UK recently! His brand of indie melodic rock is accentuated by his soulful singing and his crisp yet emotive guitar work! His songs are reminiscent of U2 and the Goo Goo Dolls. But, more modern and acoustic. Scott keeps busy gigging steadily in the London area and also teaches guitar and piano. He`s recently released his album "Neon" which is available worldwide. I asked Scott a couple of questions recently...

  Who are you`re musical influences?

Goo Goo Dolls,Radiohead, Joe Satriani, Stereophonics, Gomez, Counting Crows, Jeff Buckley, Coldplay, Jimi Hendrix and Feeder.

  How do you go about writing your songs?

I usually use a lot of drop tunings and experiment with unusual chord shapes and inversions. I will add some delay or reverb and come up with a riff progression or hook then scat random lyrics over the top till I have a melody.Once the melody is set and depending on the feel of the chords and tempo, the story/lyrics will come.

  Do you have any non-musical hobbies or interests?

I`m an ex snooker player and play pool for North London in a division 1 team. I also used to be a magician and do lots of close up card and coin magic, as well as work in a casino as a croupier. I`m very into cooking and cook most days and also for family/friends dinner parties.

  What do the upcoming months hold for you?

I`ve just signed up to Leah McHenry`s course on artist planning and strategy to get where an independent artist needs to be. This will be a priority for my music as I have recently recorded and released my latest album "Neon" which is available on itunes. I am and always have been an active live performer and always get a big buzz performing. A blend of live and online performing will keep me busy for the next few months.

You can find out more about Scott at http://www.scottdeanmusic.com/ and https://www.facebook.com/scottydeanmusic/

  Here`s Scott`s new video "Cold Sea"

REVOLVE

When you first hear Revolve, you might notice a little bit of a Sevendust vibe. That`s not merely coincidence though. Their debut album was produced by one of the masters of melodic metal, Clint Lowery of Sevendust! These guys aren`t just a cheap knock-off though. They can hold their own in the song writing department with cool tunes like "Stranded" and "Beiieve"! Their debut album "The Road To Here" is out now! Band members are Thommy Michaels-vocals, Dave Phelps-guitar/vocals, Debbie Barlow-guitars,Josh Solomon-bass/vocals and Joe Armstrong-drums. They`ve begun touring. So, keep an eye out for a show near you! I had a chance to ask a few questions of Joe and here`s what he said...

How did you guys and girl get together as a band?

We were all in different bands in the Baltimore/Philly/NJ area and met through the mutual music community when we decided to write an album.

How did Clint Lowery become involved with the band?

Deb and Thom have known Clint for many years and doing a record together was always talked about.....it was just the timing of everything once the members of Revolve got together.

What`s your songwriting process like?

We had songs in pre-production and sent them electronically to Clint to add his input on production. Because we all live in different areas it wasn`t until we got into the studio that the final product was "set in stone".

What`s next after the release of your new EP "The Road To Here"?

We are currently working on solidifying a tour schedule. We want to take this record live for sure!

For more info on Revolve go to http://www.revolveofficial.com/ and check out their song Believe

THE WELL REDS

Listening to The Well Reds is kinda like sitting down with your favorite bag of chips... Once you get started, you might not be able to stop!
Their songs are infectious pop-rock that`ll have you humming along in no time! Out of Georgia, the band is Jeremy Ezell on vocals, Torin Degnats on drums,Sean Crawford on guitar and brother Rex Crawford on bass. I recently asked Torin a few questions and here`s what he said...

Who started the band and how?

Our singer Jeremy brought the band together to finish up a solo album that he had been working on with producer Dan Hannon (Manchester Orchestra). Jeremy knew brothers Sean (guitar) and Rex (bass) from his time living in Valdosta, and had met me (Torin) at a show at Smith's Olde Bar. Upon finishing Jeremy's solo record we started performing together as Jeremy Ezell and The Well Reds. We became just The Well Reds about a year after that, around the time that we were preparing to record our first collective effort (Violet).

Do you have a standard song writing process?

(Please note: I'm only speaking about my personal writing process, Jeremy and Sean also write for the group and their respective processes differ).

We're actually demoing new material right now, and the current process I've landed on for this round of tunes is as follows: any of the songs I'm submitting to the group I've been personally demoing very thoroughly on my computer, getting the tune to a point where it sounds likes a produced track and is hopefully void of any groove glitches or uncomfortable transitions. I need to able to listen to the entire song (both as a writer and as a listener) and have it make sense and be compelling before I show it to the guys.

Recently, I've been taking some of these personal demos to each of the guys individually to work on parts and get feedback. My goal is for everyone to have a clear picture of the song and a more intimate understanding of what I'm going for and what they would want to add or change before we tackle it in the rehearsal room as a group.

If the past is any representation of what will happen once we get to the recording process, some of these tunes will be completely overhauled and some will remain very close to the original demo.

What do you guys do in your spare time?

Right now everyone is investing a lot of time in getting prepared for the fall shows that we have coming up. We perform at colleges all over the US, so Sean is working on coming up with new stage elements and medleys to keep it fresh for the students. Unfortunately all of our gear was stolen this past March while on tour up in New England and while we're almost to the point where everything has been replaced, we're still spending a lot of time individually and collectively working to make sure the sounds and tones of our new instruments are meshing properly.

Do you have any new projects underway?

Right now we're still pushing our recently released album Volume. It was recorded with Grammy Award winning producer Joseph Prielozny and has received some really positive local and national press. We've got music videos up for the singles at youtube.com/thewellreds and all of our music is available for purchase on iTunes, Amazon, and other fine online retailers. As an independent band we always ask that if possible, people buy before they spotify. Streaming revenue is very inconsistent and it takes a lot of hard work and money to keep this operation moving forward as we continue to chase our dreams in hopes of hitting a larger audience.

There you have it! You can see more of The Well Reds at http://www.thewellreds.com/

Here`s their video "Carousels"

EVERLIT

Lighting up the rock world in Pennsylvania and beyond is Everlit, whose heavy anthems can now be heard around the world on their debut EP "Renovate"! The band whose members consist of Ryan Panfil-vocals, Jordan Panfil-guitar, Jacob Castro-drums, Anthony Michael-guitar, and new bassist Kyle Wegman have been together since 2014 and likely will be around a lot longer if they keep writing songs like "A Phoenix Will Rise" and "Square One"! I asked Jordan a couple of questions and here`s what he said...

Who came up with the name Everlit and is there a meaning behind it?

- We originally were going to name the band Emberlit to remind ourselves that the new project was sparked by "embers" that our previous band willpowerless left behind. We started looking into it and found out that there's a camping stove named Emberlit. So, we decided to keep thinking about names. We were in the studio with Taylor Larson and Jordan suggested we keep the same sound and meaning but name the band Everlit. Turned out to be a good thing there was a stove named Emberlit because we all think Everlit is the clear winner. Plus it helps us keep the attitude that the fire will never die.

Who are your musical influences?

- We all listen to a ton of different genres which really helps to add diversity to our music. But, our main hard rock influences are the Defones, Korn, Slipknot, 36 Crazyfists, Taproot . . . pretty much all the bands that were killing it in the early 2000's.

What`s your favorite part of the music business?

- Just being able to travel the country and play in front of our fans. Seeing them sing along and have the time of their lives is a pretty incredible experience. It's crazy to make the jump from being a local band and playing big shows for all your friends and family to playing big shows and great venues with actual diehard fans you've never met.

What does the rest of the year hold for Everlit?

- We'd like to continue touring to support the EP. We're working on locking in September dates now. On our off time we're writing away. We can't wait to share the new music with everyone!

Check out Everlit`s new video "Break Away"!

In The Presence Of Wolves

This months band I was almost a little annoyed with at first! After hearing the guitar riff for their song "Storm in a Red Dress" a couple of times it stuck in my head like poo on shoe! I then realized that this was exactly the trait that any decent band would want to have. I can`t tell you how many times I`ve heard a really good song only to forget it the next day. All kidding aside though, ITPOW is a band of really talented musicians who write really good songs! They`re not just prog/rock riffers either. Their songs are both unique and catchy! I was able to ask Chris the guitarist a couple of questions and here`s what he said...

  Who are your musical influences?

Our biggest influences come from fellow progressive rock/metal bands both old and new. So, artists like King Crimson, Rush, Yes, Porcupine Tree, Mastodon, and Tool [ among others ] have all had a strong hand in forming our music. However, we are equally influenced by non- prog music and artists such as Incubus, The Police and a large number of jazz fusion acts. Personally I`ve also been very influenced by Pink Floyd and my former guitar teacher Frank Butrey, as well as film scores.

  What is your songwriting process?

Every song has been written in a different manner, So, it`s hard to pin down any singular "process" we`ve used to write. Our earliest material was written by Vini [Stamato, bassist and singer] and I before the rest of the band joined us. Now the process is much more collaborative and typically involves us writing in a room together until we get stuck and become frustrated haha. Then someone breaks through with some new stuff and we`re able to work again. Generally though, our music all starts with a riff.

What was your most memorable gig?

We`ve had no shortage of memorable gigs so far. But, the one that still sticks out most to me was our first gig at The Legendary Dobbs. It was our second show in Philly and we were booked by Jim Thorpe and Vince Volz of DVT Entertainment, with whom we now work very closely. There was a little bit of buzz from our first two songs and we actually headlined the show. Our name was at the top of the marque which was surreal to see. During and after our performance the response was tremendous and it was the first time that I thought "Hey, we might be on to something" hahaha. Then as we left, it was lightly snowing which was like the cherry on top of an already amazing night.

  What does the band have planned for the near future?

World domination! We`re working on playing out of our market as much as possible for the near future so that we can set up some future tours. We`re also still promoting our album, Thalassas, and our new music video for our song "Storm In A Red Dress". Finally, we`ve begun writing for our next album and we`re really excited to dig into these new songs.

You can find out more about In The Presence Of Wolves at:http://www.inthepresenceofwolves.com/

Check out their new video here

AFFINITY

Hailing from the frozen tundra of Canada come`s a band hot enough to melt "Oh, Canada" into a new tropical destination! AFFINITY, led by singer Ashley Curtis along with Mack Flynn on bass and a lot of other musical things, Al Walsh on guitar and Chris Anderson also on guitar have been rocking the Toronto area for the last couple of years! Their 4 song EP came out last year and includes an awesome song called "part Of You"! The EP also includes a killer version of Audio Slave`s "Exploder"! I was able to ask a couple of questions of Ashley and here`s what she said:

How did the band form? 

We were all in the Toronto music scene and first formed the band about six years ago.Mack and I first formed AFFINITY, and then Chris and Al were added to the mix soon after.

Who writes the songs?

Songwriting is a collective effort. Usually someone brings a guitar riff or vocal idea to the band and then together we decide if it`s something worth pursuing. The actual end product is usually worked out in the jam space, with everyone giving their input. Sometimes songs are written very quickly and sometimes it takes a little while to get things right. There`s no one formula really, we just keep the creativity flowing. 

Can we expect a full length album?

Yes, we are currently writing the follow up release to our Consequences Pt 1 EP released last summer (2014). Lots of new material that we are very proud of coming up this year! 

What was your most memorable show?

That would definitely be playing Bayfest in 2011 in Sarnia. We had the opportunity to open for The Tea Party, Theory of a Deadman and INXS. It was such a crazy day! We got a lot of exposure from that show which was awesome, and the energy you get from playing that huge stage in front of a huge crowd is unreal. It was also my birthday that day so was the best b-day gift ever! We also played this Breast Cancer benefit concert called BarnBurner in Maplton in 2012 and last year [2014]. It`s basically this huge festival type show in the middle of nowhere. And the audience goes absolutely nuts and everyone camps out and it`s just an amazing event. Last summer it was pouring rain out and we still stormed the stage and everyone was right up front with us and having a blast. It was a killer night and one I won`t soon forget. Those are two shows that really stand out for me!

Check out AFFINITY`s latest video!

You can also reach them at http://www.affinityband.net/ or https://twitter.com/affinityband

Bishop/Reilly

The first band I`m featuring, I can`t honestly say that they`re a new discovery for me. But, for most of you I think they might be! Bishop/Reilly is a new band. But Jeff Bishop and Rob Reilly have a long musical history together. Their "roots rock" is a collaboration of heartfelt lyrics and soothing melodies! Check out their first single "Remember The Way"! http://youtu.be/UeGh4YIaY90
I had a chance to ask Jeff a couple of questions and here`s what he said!

How did you and Rob first meet?

Rob and I met when our bands were playing the same gig one night. I think it may have been Beajolies in Reading Pa - they opened for us, or vice versa , or we mutually teamed up to "convince " the bar owner into paying us what he agreed upon when he booked the show. I thought Rob had a really unique voice and put on a heck of a show! This was about the time when my band, Earth To Bob, was winding down. So, it was a case of perfect timing for me when Rob later approached me about recording on his album, "In Absence Of Reason".

What`s your favorite song on the disc?

This is a tough one to answer. I really like "Remember The Way"- it came out of nowhere when we were recording up in Cape Cod. We wrapped up early one afternoon and had some time to kill. So, I played Rob some song idea snippets I was working on. One of those caught his attention and he wrote a beautiful , moving lyric for it that touched a nerve with both of us. I also love the gorgeous, lush string arrangement that Chris Carmichael worked up for that song. I was like a kid on Christmas listening back to it the first time.

What was the most challenging part of recording the album?

Logistics were pretty tough on this project. We were after an organic sound and I didn`t want to "outsource" any of the production. So, we obviously needed to be together to record Rob`s tracks. Rob lives in Maine and I`m in New Jersey. So, this presented a bit of a challenge. Once we got our schedules to align and captured Rob`s tracks, we were able to record remotely- passing files back and forth over email and dropbox.

What does 2015 hold for Bishop/Reilly?

We`re very excited about several projects lined up for us as writer/producer team with other artists and are planning to release them on our label, Eastern Records. We`re also just getting started writing material for a new Bishop/Reilly album and are planning dates in Cape Cod to go heads-down on writing and recording them. We don`t yet have any firm timelines to share though. Stay tuned!

Hope you enjoyed our first featured band! For more info on Bishop/Reilly go to http://www.eastern-records.com/
Till next month!...