„SONGS & WHISPERS“ – Circuit 10/2014
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| RIDDLE AND THE STARS (AUS / USA) |
Riddle & The Stars is a collaborative project between the Australian singer/songwriter Ben Riddle and The Fallen Stars, an American rock band from Southern California. The three of them met each other on their “SONGS & WHISPERS” - CIRCUIT TOUR 07/2013 in Germany, where they shared an apartment and about half of the tour dates. They started to play music together, joined each other on stage and they really hit it off – musically and personally. On their last day in Germany Heiko Grein (the promoter from “SONGS & WHISPERS”) said: “You know we like what you do but we love what you do together. I think you should make an album together we'll distribute it here and then come back and tour it next year." They left the meeting, and Bobbo said: “So I guess this is happening!” And an album name was born. In November 2013 they met up in Southern California and created the album in 3 weeks. Through fundrasing they collected enough money to get the CDs pressed.
The last Fallen Stars album was very much big drums, and lots of guitar and organ on everything. Ben Riddle's last album was mostly him and his acoustic & his amazing harmonies and polyrhythmic beats so they all really wanted to find the common ground, the space between. Riddle had just bought an old Harmony tenor guitar and it became a muse for Ben with him writing two songs on it! Bobbo hopped on the pedal steel and created some atmosphere and Tracy locked it down to earth with her bass.
They found their sound. Call it Indie/Americana/Alt.Folk if you want.
“This Is Happening!” is a musical journey across Europe, America and Australia about the experience three travelling artists made meeting each other by chance.
In September 2014 they will come back to the project’s roots, to Germany, where their friendship began. They will present their album “This Is Happening” live on the “SONGS & WHISPERS” – CIRCUIT 10/2014.
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German version -------------------------------
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German version -------------------------------Riddle & The Stars ist das gemeinsames Projekt des australischen Singer/Songwriters Ben Riddle und dem American Rock Duo The Fallen Stars, bestehend Bobbo und Tracy Byrnes.
Die Drei haben sich auf ihrer Songs & Whsipers – Circuit Tournee im Juli 2013 kennen gelernt. Dort teilten sie sich neben einer Wohnung auch das eine oder andere Live-Konzert und begannen nach einiger Zeit sich gegenseitig bei ihren Songs zu begleiten.
Die Tour war vorbei, aber die Freundschaft ging erst richtig los - im November 2013 trafen sich alle drei im Süden von Kalifornien und produzierten binnen drei Wochen das gesamte Album „This Is Happening“. Ihr genreübergreifender Stil war schnell gefunden und bewegt sich im Bereich Indie/Americana/Alt Folk. Aufgenommen wurde das Album in den „Wandering Star Studios“ in Kalifornien von Bobbo Byrnes, Tracey Byrnes, Ben Riddle und einigen befreundeten Musikern. Die Finanzierung gelang durch eine Crowdfunding-Kampagne.
Während die Alben von „The Fallen Stars“ durch eine eher klassische und zuweilen opulente Rockinstrumentierung geprägt sind, zeichnet sich „Ben Riddle“ in seinem Solowerk durch sparsam, reduzierte rein akustische Stücke aus.
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Stressechoes are an acoustic act from Cheltenham, Gloucestershire. Founded in 2008
when introduced by mutual friends, singersongwriters Alex and Andrew bonded through a shared taste in music and an ability to gel together in songwriting and vocal harmonies. They began to write material, soon adding bassist Steve, and another songwriter, and drummer, in Ben Hawling. In
2011, Stressechoes released their debut EP 'Bitter Acoustic Noise' to extremely positive reviews and
national radio airplay. The followup in 2012 'Goodnight, Impossible' focused on darker themes
including religion, murder, loss, and desperation. Their music has been described by the BBC as “...heartonsleeve storytelling, supported by beautiful understated music”.
Stressechoes completed a tour of Europe in 2012, and a tour of Germany with Songs & Whispers in 2013. Early 2013 saw the release of a double A side single “Hold On/Lucy” through White Wash Recordings.
Influences: Ryan Adams, Paul Simon, Neil Young, Bob Dylan, Paul Kelly.
"Mixing Ben Riddle and The Fallen Stars is like mixing Nick Drake and The Clash. You wish for it every night in bed until it comes true." - Rami Jaffee (Grammy winning keyboardist for The Foo Fighters and Wallflowers among others)
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| STRESSECHOES (GB) www.stressechoes.com |
Stressechoes are an acoustic act from Cheltenham, Gloucestershire. Founded in 2008 when introduced by mutual friends, singersongwriters Alex and Andrew bonded through a shared taste in music and an ability to gel together in songwriting and vocal harmonies. They began to write material, soon adding bassist Steve, and another songwriter, and drummer, in Ben Hawling. In
2011, Stressechoes released their debut EP 'Bitter Acoustic Noise' to extremely positive reviews and
national radio airplay. The followup in 2012 'Goodnight, Impossible' focused on darker themes
including religion, murder, loss, and desperation. Their music has been described by the BBC as “...heartonsleeve storytelling, supported by beautiful understated music”.
Stressechoes completed a tour of Europe in 2012, and a tour of Germany with Songs & Whispers in 2013. Early 2013 saw the release of a double A side single “Hold On/Lucy” through White Wash Recordings.
Musical comparisons include Fleet Foxes, Belle and Sebastian, and Simon & Garfunkel. Stressechoes’ music concentrates on personal lyrics, catchy melodies, vocal harmonies, and the inevitability of death.
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German version -------------------------------„Geschichten, die mit dem Herz auf der Zunge erzählt werden“, so wird die Musik der Stressechoes aus dem britischen Cheltenham beschrieben. Was man sich darunter vorstellen kann? Songs, die abwechselnd sanft und dunkel, vor allem aber ehrlich sind. Der akustische, auf harmonischen Gesang fokussierte Pop orientiert sich an der „Quiet is the new loud“-Bewegung, die Anfang der 2000er aufkam und Bands wie Badly Drawn Boy oder Kings of Convenience bekannt machte.
Die Stressechoes bestehen aus Alex Petrie und Andrew Corey - gefunden haben sich die Singer/Songwriter im Jahr 2008 und seitdem verbindet sie nicht nur derselbe Musikgeschmack, sondern auch die Fähigkeit, stimmlich und kompositorisch zu harmonieren.
2011 veröffentlichten Stressechoes ihre Debut EP „Bitter Acoustic Noise“. Das Album „Goodnight, Impossible“ folgte 2012 und die Single „Hold On/Lucy” (2013, White Wash Records). Der Fokus der Band liegt auf persönlichen Texten, eingängigen Melodien und der Vergänglichkeit des Lebens.
Die Stressechoes bestehen aus Alex Petrie und Andrew Corey - gefunden haben sich die Singer/Songwriter im Jahr 2008 und seitdem verbindet sie nicht nur derselbe Musikgeschmack, sondern auch die Fähigkeit, stimmlich und kompositorisch zu harmonieren.
2011 veröffentlichten Stressechoes ihre Debut EP „Bitter Acoustic Noise“. Das Album „Goodnight, Impossible“ folgte 2012 und die Single „Hold On/Lucy” (2013, White Wash Records). Der Fokus der Band liegt auf persönlichen Texten, eingängigen Melodien und der Vergänglichkeit des Lebens.
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Influences: Neil Young, Simon and Garfunkel, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, I am Kloot, The Cure, Joy Division
"Stressechoes' songs are a triumph of heart-on-sleeve storytelling supported by understated, beautiful music." - Stephen Morris BBC Introducing Gloucestershire
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