| Music Genres: Acoustic Pop Rock |
Debut EP Finished Days Before Going To War Dividing The Love That Inspired It
APR 14 2011 – Singer/Songwriter Andrew Aguiar released his debut EP “Ghosts” just days before deploying to Afghanistan with the
Canadian Army. The 6 song EP was inspired by his long time girlfriend Val and their tumultuous relationship. Andrew wrote, produced,
and recorded the 6 song EP in the 2 months prior to his departure.
Andrew was motivated by a desire to leave something behind for Val during his tour. He dedicated the EP to her as a tribute. It was Val
who inspired him to find confidence in himself as an artist.
“Lullaby”, a featured song, was written while the couple were locked in a loving gaze yet anxious of their inevitable separation. Other
songs like “I will only hurt you” portray the anxiety and commitment issues that men leaving their loved ones often face.
The EP lays bare Andrew's vocal tenacity and songwriting prowess. His clean and direct approach manifest the strong emotional core
behind the writing and recording of the release. The relevance and personal connection felt in the writing of “Ghosts” is apparent in the
performances.
Andrew plans to leave the military and focus solely on his musical career after returning to Canada. He is eager to perform the EP to live
audiences but will have to wait until late this summer when he returns to Ottawa, ON and reunites with his love.
www.andrewaguiar.com
APR 14 2011 – Singer/Songwriter Andrew Aguiar released his debut EP “Ghosts” just days before deploying to Afghanistan with the
Canadian Army. The 6 song EP was inspired by his long time girlfriend Val and their tumultuous relationship. Andrew wrote, produced,
and recorded the 6 song EP in the 2 months prior to his departure.
Andrew was motivated by a desire to leave something behind for Val during his tour. He dedicated the EP to her as a tribute. It was Val
who inspired him to find confidence in himself as an artist.
“Lullaby”, a featured song, was written while the couple were locked in a loving gaze yet anxious of their inevitable separation. Other
songs like “I will only hurt you” portray the anxiety and commitment issues that men leaving their loved ones often face.
The EP lays bare Andrew's vocal tenacity and songwriting prowess. His clean and direct approach manifest the strong emotional core
behind the writing and recording of the release. The relevance and personal connection felt in the writing of “Ghosts” is apparent in the
performances.
Andrew plans to leave the military and focus solely on his musical career after returning to Canada. He is eager to perform the EP to live
audiences but will have to wait until late this summer when he returns to Ottawa, ON and reunites with his love.
www.andrewaguiar.com
| Soldier Andrew Aguiar's "Ghosts" EP |
| © 2011 NewMusicUSA.biz |
| Music Genres: Country / Alt Country / Americana / Independent |
Tampa, FL – November 2010 --
Singer-songwriter Lee Bryant has followed up his debut album with an impressive collection of songs
swerving from rock to country with bits of blues and bluegrass sprinkled throughout. If you like Warren
Zevon, Jackson Browne or Tom Petty you will love this album “Solstice".
“Solstice” has a bright airy sound, evocative of sixties and seventies style folk rock bands. Skillful
songwriting and strong hooks hold the listener’s interest, while expert production and excellent
musicianship combine to present a modern exciting version of Americana Rock.
Lee’s debut album “Good Advice” released in 2008 was met with local praise and positive reviews
from sites like GarageBand.com and Taxi.com. "Good Advice" has also been played on several
Internet radio stations and even found its way to a small terrestrial public station in Australia.
During his twenty year career in various lineups and genres, Lee has opened for the likes of: Blues
Traveler, New Riders, Fairport Convention, The Samples and The Dave Mathews Band and served
as sideman for bay area favorites: The Ditchflowers, Rich Whiteley Band, and Earth Bombs Mars.
www.leebryantmusic.com
Singer-songwriter Lee Bryant has followed up his debut album with an impressive collection of songs
swerving from rock to country with bits of blues and bluegrass sprinkled throughout. If you like Warren
Zevon, Jackson Browne or Tom Petty you will love this album “Solstice".
“Solstice” has a bright airy sound, evocative of sixties and seventies style folk rock bands. Skillful
songwriting and strong hooks hold the listener’s interest, while expert production and excellent
musicianship combine to present a modern exciting version of Americana Rock.
Lee’s debut album “Good Advice” released in 2008 was met with local praise and positive reviews
from sites like GarageBand.com and Taxi.com. "Good Advice" has also been played on several
Internet radio stations and even found its way to a small terrestrial public station in Australia.
During his twenty year career in various lineups and genres, Lee has opened for the likes of: Blues
Traveler, New Riders, Fairport Convention, The Samples and The Dave Mathews Band and served
as sideman for bay area favorites: The Ditchflowers, Rich Whiteley Band, and Earth Bombs Mars.
www.leebryantmusic.com
| Innovative Americana from Lee Bryant |
| Genre: Singer Songwriter, Pop, Folk, Indie, Indie Folk Comparison: Cat Power, Rachael Yamagata, Disney, Norah Jones, Feist |
Listening to singer-songwriter Jane Lui’s music is like watching a Michel Gondry film. There's a
whimsical homemade feel that's inventive and honest. Jane produces her own music & videos with
piano, guitar, found objects, handmade music boxes, and fireplace brushes against banjos.
Goodnight Company, Jane’s third album released January 2011. The epitome of DIY artists, she raised
over $11,600 on Pledgemusic.com in two months directly from fans to fund the album. “I definitely feel
more responsible to my fans."
While getting ready for the album release in 2010, Jane was invited to audition for San Diego's stage
production of Dr. Horrible's Sing Along Blog - the cult web-series written and directed by Joss Whedon
(2008) and starring Neil Patrick Harris and Felicia Day. Jane is casted as the female lead, Penny. Her
music's geek-chic aesthetic converges perfectly with the show's demographic, both with a love of all
things comic-related. The show is set to run for three weeks in July, overlapping San Diego's Comic-
Con.
Jane was showcased at CMJ 2010, where critics liken her to Feist, Fiona Apple, Cat Power, and Rufus
Wainwright. She has opened for Jason Mraz, Vienna Teng, Jay Nash, Jim Bianco, Kate Earl and Tom
Brousseau among others on national, Canadian, Australian and UK tours.
www.janelui.com
whimsical homemade feel that's inventive and honest. Jane produces her own music & videos with
piano, guitar, found objects, handmade music boxes, and fireplace brushes against banjos.
Goodnight Company, Jane’s third album released January 2011. The epitome of DIY artists, she raised
over $11,600 on Pledgemusic.com in two months directly from fans to fund the album. “I definitely feel
more responsible to my fans."
While getting ready for the album release in 2010, Jane was invited to audition for San Diego's stage
production of Dr. Horrible's Sing Along Blog - the cult web-series written and directed by Joss Whedon
(2008) and starring Neil Patrick Harris and Felicia Day. Jane is casted as the female lead, Penny. Her
music's geek-chic aesthetic converges perfectly with the show's demographic, both with a love of all
things comic-related. The show is set to run for three weeks in July, overlapping San Diego's Comic-
Con.
Jane was showcased at CMJ 2010, where critics liken her to Feist, Fiona Apple, Cat Power, and Rufus
Wainwright. She has opened for Jason Mraz, Vienna Teng, Jay Nash, Jim Bianco, Kate Earl and Tom
Brousseau among others on national, Canadian, Australian and UK tours.
www.janelui.com
| Jane Lui |
| Genre: Alternative, New Wave, Indie, SingerSongwriter Comparison: The Only Ones, The Jam, The Clash, Pavement, Guided by Voices |
| New Music USA - New Music Magazine - New Music Blog - New Music Promotion |
| New Music USA |
| New Music Magazine / Blog / Promotion |
| New Music USA Independent Artist Releases |
Burnley, the home of indie rocker Kafka, has been called one of England’s most blighted towns. A weak
economy, lack of public benefits, and rampant social problems make it one of the UK’s only areas to
actually have a decreasing population. And most of the year it rains. But, just like the singer-songwriter’
s simultaneously bittersweet and uplifting music, his somewhat maligned hometown still holds a sunny
side.
“Burnley has a great sense of humour, which is really needed when there’s nothing else,” he says. “I
also think my songs themselves, despite all the difficult themes I touch on, have a sly sense of humour,
too.” And much like the surreally amusing art of his literary namesake, it’s this Kafka’s ever-upbeat
outlook that gives his tunes their irresistible essence. An essence that’s come to full fruition with
Mysterious Skin (Purple Wave Records), his long-awaited debut.
An exercise in shimmering, widescreen monochrome, Mysterious Skin is packed with literate power pop
nuggets that smack of the hook-heavy, melody-rich sounds of the Only Ones, the Buzzcocks, the Pixies,
and Guided by Voices, and also recall’s the harder side of early Britpop. Kafka’s passionately
confessional tunes channel his working-class, troubled childhood roots to create a singular brand of
hard-won redemption— one that carries an aura of inclusive, universal resonance, yet also highly
personal.
Among the disc’s alternately adrenaline-rushing and soul-soothing offerings are “Cold and Confused,”
a melodic anthem whose sunny chorus belies its poignant, heart-searching lyric; “Goodnight (RFAD),” a
tough, angular new wave gem loosely inspired by the enigmatic film Requiem for a Dream; and “Maybe
Later,” a desperate rocker complemented by a suitably claustrophobic video. A shockingly mature, out-
of-nowhere opus, Mysterious Skin is an instant classic that reveals Kafka as one of the modern indie
scene’s most promising new artists.
At a young age Kafka fortunately found music as an escape from the constant difficult realities of his
environment, instead of following the troubled paths of so many of his peers. “People look for a way out,
get into drink or drugs,” the singer explains. “But in our house there were always records around.
Actually, they were probably the only thing of real value.” After taking up guitar at age 12, Kafka played
with a couple of short-lived high school bands before funding himself through university, but he knew
early on he didn’t want to waste time learning the songs of others. “I did my first solo gigs at 17, but I
never bothered with covers,” he says. “I wanted every song to be my own—pop songs, but with a left-
field bent.”
After taking some time to finish university Kafka started the five-year process of composing the songs
for Mysterious Skin, which was co-produced by Mark Jones (Peter Gabriel, Blue Nile, Black Grape).
“Kafka draws from a very diverse palette of influences that create a quite unique style,” says Jones. “He’
s very clear about how he wants his message to come over—a very talented chap.”
“I just want to keep making music that’s true to who I am, not fake in any way,” says Kafka. “Life has its
struggles, but getting through them is what makes for such an interesting journey.”
And for lovers of edgy, modern, and heartfelt pop Kafka’s music is itself an interesting journey. One
they’ll want to take again and again.
www.kafka-music.co.uk
economy, lack of public benefits, and rampant social problems make it one of the UK’s only areas to
actually have a decreasing population. And most of the year it rains. But, just like the singer-songwriter’
s simultaneously bittersweet and uplifting music, his somewhat maligned hometown still holds a sunny
side.
“Burnley has a great sense of humour, which is really needed when there’s nothing else,” he says. “I
also think my songs themselves, despite all the difficult themes I touch on, have a sly sense of humour,
too.” And much like the surreally amusing art of his literary namesake, it’s this Kafka’s ever-upbeat
outlook that gives his tunes their irresistible essence. An essence that’s come to full fruition with
Mysterious Skin (Purple Wave Records), his long-awaited debut.
An exercise in shimmering, widescreen monochrome, Mysterious Skin is packed with literate power pop
nuggets that smack of the hook-heavy, melody-rich sounds of the Only Ones, the Buzzcocks, the Pixies,
and Guided by Voices, and also recall’s the harder side of early Britpop. Kafka’s passionately
confessional tunes channel his working-class, troubled childhood roots to create a singular brand of
hard-won redemption— one that carries an aura of inclusive, universal resonance, yet also highly
personal.
Among the disc’s alternately adrenaline-rushing and soul-soothing offerings are “Cold and Confused,”
a melodic anthem whose sunny chorus belies its poignant, heart-searching lyric; “Goodnight (RFAD),” a
tough, angular new wave gem loosely inspired by the enigmatic film Requiem for a Dream; and “Maybe
Later,” a desperate rocker complemented by a suitably claustrophobic video. A shockingly mature, out-
of-nowhere opus, Mysterious Skin is an instant classic that reveals Kafka as one of the modern indie
scene’s most promising new artists.
At a young age Kafka fortunately found music as an escape from the constant difficult realities of his
environment, instead of following the troubled paths of so many of his peers. “People look for a way out,
get into drink or drugs,” the singer explains. “But in our house there were always records around.
Actually, they were probably the only thing of real value.” After taking up guitar at age 12, Kafka played
with a couple of short-lived high school bands before funding himself through university, but he knew
early on he didn’t want to waste time learning the songs of others. “I did my first solo gigs at 17, but I
never bothered with covers,” he says. “I wanted every song to be my own—pop songs, but with a left-
field bent.”
After taking some time to finish university Kafka started the five-year process of composing the songs
for Mysterious Skin, which was co-produced by Mark Jones (Peter Gabriel, Blue Nile, Black Grape).
“Kafka draws from a very diverse palette of influences that create a quite unique style,” says Jones. “He’
s very clear about how he wants his message to come over—a very talented chap.”
“I just want to keep making music that’s true to who I am, not fake in any way,” says Kafka. “Life has its
struggles, but getting through them is what makes for such an interesting journey.”
And for lovers of edgy, modern, and heartfelt pop Kafka’s music is itself an interesting journey. One
they’ll want to take again and again.
www.kafka-music.co.uk
| Kafka |
