WNC Original Music

Erin and Lee from Aunt Vicki join the podcast this week to talk about their musical and geographical journey.

 

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Thanks to Pressley Pardue for the closing song

 

 

 

 

Aunt Vicki is a guitar-driven ethereal folk duo with elements of retro rock, old country, and grunge. They create a full sound, weaving guitar parts with strong male/female harmonies and writing songs of both a playful and serious nature. The occasional use of a trumpet brings an element of jazz to the arrangements, and the difference in the two songwriters adds depth and variety to their sound.

 

The duo met at Northern Michigan University where Erin was studying art and sculpture while Lee studied music theory and performance. almost a decade later they formed Aunt Vicki and have performed at Bliss Fest in northern Michigan, 3 Muses in New Orleans, Old Miami in Detroit, Several clubs in Manhattan/Brooklyn, Portland Maine, and many other places along the way. 

 

 

Pressley Pardue is a 21 year old singer-songwriter who writes music that she can only describe as "gloomy indie folk-pop". Originally from Swannanoa, she began writing songs when she was 11 years old and started dragging her family with her to open mics throughout Asheville. At 14, she moved to Centreville, Virginia where she still currently resides; writing and recording songs from her bedroom. Her subjects range from introspection and heartbreak, all the way to protest music. With her songs, she tries to bring attention to the things we try to hide from; encouraging you to look further into yourself as well as the world around you. Pulling inspiration from Taylor Swift and Phil Ochs, she marries pop melodies with indie-folk lyrics and instrumentation. As of November 2021, she has released one EP, five singles, and one protest album. 

 

The talented people from Krave Amiko join the podcast this week and interview each other better than I could ever hope to.  

 

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Thanks to Stray Local for the closing song

 

 

 

 

Krave Amiko began in early 2019 by Rob Walsh and a handful of songs crafted by combining homemade lo-fi acoustic guitar samples, trip-hop inspired rhythm sections, and lyrical storytelling. The line-up is made complete by Stephanie Barcelona on vocals, Joseph Allawos on bass, Nestor Teran on guitar, and Jake Cavinder on drums.

 

 

Stray Local is the husband-and-wife songwriting duo of Hannah and Jamie Rowen based in Raleigh, North Carolina. The pair performs a bouquet of indie sounds punctuated by powerful vocal melodies, vibey guitar riffs, dreamy synths, and rich harmonies woven together with a strong pop sensibility. 2020 was the year Stray Local made the move to Raleigh to be immersed in the thriving triangle music scene, when of course Covid put a halt to shows, tours, and collaborations. They turned to writing and producing music from their home studio. They recently released Featherweight, which is the band's 3rd new single of 2021.

 

 

Matt Langston from Eleventyseven joins the podcast to talk about music, life, beeps, and boops.

 

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Eleventyseven is an electronically propelled alt pop explosion hailing straight out of the Carolinas. The group is known for their marriage of EDM, Pop and Punk influences as well as their fans base who seem to hold an incurable obsession with unicorns. Releasing their first label debut in 2005, the group quickly gained notoriety on the various Sony/BMG imprints they inhabited. Their second album, Galactic Conquest, cemented them as a staple of pop rock in Asia resulting in chart success and extensive touring in Japan. Their signature brand of "neon-punk" garnered them comparisons to Motion City Soundtrack, The Faint, and Cobra Starship. After a slew of other releases they officially disbanded in 2014, only to re-emerge with their own label, podcast and comeback album titled Rad Science. In 2012 they released their most popular album to date, Attack of The Mountain Medley. The release was an attempt by the band to channel the country and folk music they grew up with, and take a break from the loud electronics and theatrics of their previous releases. The album now sits at over 6 million streams, and contains the group's most popular track, "Appalachian Wine". Now almost 10 years later, Eleventy is reviving the Mountain Medley series with a new EP titled Revenge of the Mountain Medley. A temporary departure from the synth-heavy dance tracks that make up most of their discography, the band is once again taking a detox from their synthetic glitz and revisiting stories and folk narratives from their life in the south.

 

McKenzie Van Oss is an indie rock/pop musician and a soloist ballerina with the Carolina Ballet in Raleigh, North Carolina. Van Oss was born and raised in Green Bay, Wisconsin where she was classically trained in piano, guitar, and drums, before making her way outside Boston to finish high school at Walnut Hill School for the Arts, concentrating on pursuing her ballet career. Van Oss found her way in Raleigh following graduation to join the Carolina Ballet, where she was promoted to soloist in 2021. She started her music career over quarantine in 2020 by recording with her brother Robby Van Oss of the Phony Santas in their childhood basement. Since then she has released 4 singles, a music video using dancers from the Carolina Ballet, and has played throughout Raleigh, her most recent show being on the stage of The PourHouse Record and Music Shop. Van Oss is currently working on an album surrounding her most recent single "Stereo to Heaven" with musicians around the Triangle and plans to release it by the end of next year. 

 

Singer-Songwriter Jennifer Alvarado  joins the podcast to talk about her music and her life and to definitely not do any impressions.

 

 

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At just four years old, Jennifer Alvarado started writing songs. Her passion for songwriting only comes second to her love for God. As a teenager, she began leading worship in her church and felt a call to ministry. Her first single “Relentlessly” was released in 2015 followed by her first Christian album "Hello Life" that consisted of 13 original songs. She returned to her country roots with her single “I Break Things” that was released in early 2020. She released four additional singles during 2020. She has a passion for recovery ministry and wants to help give a voice to the voiceless through music. Her first country EP titled "Playing with Fire" was released in April 2021. Her first Pop influenced single “IDWYB (I Don't Want You Back)” was rel eased in June 2021. She is currently working on a country/pop album that will be released later this year. Her sound is a mixture of country, pop and blues that reflect an eclectic blend of influences.

 

Notables Named “One to Watch” by Nashville Songwriters Association in Spring 2021 CommScope Earth Day Regional Award Winner with Original Song in 2015 “I Break Things” and “Playing with Fire” have been voted Number 1 on Indie Star Radio’s Top 21 for multiple weeks. And “IDWYB” debuted at #2 on their Top 21 countdown it’s first week. She was a World Songwriter Awards Top 10 finalist for “Best Pop Song” with “IDWYB.” Artist of the Week for Indie Star Radio week of July 4th through 10th. Over 280k streams on Spotify.

 

Lindsay Brazell is a high school choral director by day, and a singer-songwriter by night. Her music has been described as having “Beatles-like chord progressions with real, relatable lyrics.” A performance by Lindsay feels like you’re at a gathering of mutual friends, and you leave with Lindsay as your new favorite pal whether she knows it or not. The combination of friendly banter, diverse songs in style and arrangement, and the need to socialize after every show (somehow her husband ends up packing up gear alone as Lindsay ends every show lost in the crowd socializing…oops!), will leave you feeling like you were entertained and reunited with old friends.

Jesse Frizsell joins the podcast this week to talk about his new album, singing on top of pianos, hiding his harmonies from public display, and how to spell his name. (Z before S as in buzzsaw and zest)

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Hailing from the mountains of western North Carolina, guitarist and songwriter Jesse Frizsell seamlessly combines aspects of modern and classic country. Born in Asheville, NC, Jesse grew up learning and playing his favorite tunes by classic artists. By the age of 16, he was playing in various local bands. Frizsell has performed at the Warren Haynes Christmas Jam both with his band and more recently as a solo artist. He has opened for acts such as Bret Michaels (of Poison), Blackberry Smoke, Framing Hanley and shared the stage with Kevin Kinney (of Drivin’ N Cryin’) as well as Justin Biltonen (of 3 Doors Down). More recently, Jesse writes songs for the heartbroken, the working man and those ready and willing to unwind after a long day. He participates actively in the local Asheville music scene and regionally in the Southeast. You can find him most weekends playing as a member of The Western Carolina Writers, solo or with his bluegrass trio, Jesse Frizsell and the Riffers. Jesse has released a two song EP, “A Couple of Songs for Drinking”,in 2018, and a full length album “Rose Gold Renegades”, in 2019, both available for streaming or download on all major platforms. His latest endeavor takes a more traditional approach honoring the music of the mountains he grew up in. “Back to Carolina”, his homage to bluegrass will be available everywhere the 1st of October, 2021

Combining blues and folk influences with a raspy undertone of high falsetto notes, Agee Wilso seeks to push the boundaries of musical understanding. He is a native of the Appalachian Mountains and often finds inspiration in the landscapes nearby to accompany his lyrical ideas.

Blake Hornsby stops by the podcast to discuss his unique blend of music, his varied influences, and his present and upcoming projects.

 

 

 

 

Website: www.unakaprong.com
IG: www.instagram.com/unakaprong
FB: www.facebook.com/unakaprong
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/0EQGphxo7rc5OwVa9jW9jM
Bandcamp: www.unakaprong.bandcamp.com
YouTube: https://youtu.be/frI83XKAB08

 

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Blake Hornsby is a psychedelic folk musician born and raised in Chattanooga, Tennessee, currently based out of Boone, North Carolina. Hornsby's work is influenced by psychedelia, folk, eastern music, American primitivism, avant-garde, and sound healing. He recorded his first original music in the summer of 2015 on his laptop. This demo incorporated acoustic and electric guitars, banjo, synthesizers, vocals, and samples. In Autumn of 2016, Hornsby released his first album Solipsism & the Nectar of the Gods. This album included reworked versions of songs from his demo as well as new material. In 2018, Hornsby released Legend of the Unconscious Enigma as a follow up to his previous album. In contrast to his debut, he transitioned to a more organic sound without the use of synthesizers and electric guitar. He began experimenting with acoustic guitar in open tunings as well as more complex overdubs.  In the Spring of 2019, Hornsby went on a solo trip to northern India. He purchased a guitar in Delhi and began writing new material in the Himalayas. When he returned to the United States, he perfected these songs and composed the remainder of the material on what would become Teetering on the Edge of the Void.  Teetering On the Edge of the Void was Hornsby's first professional album. It was recorded in late 2019 to analog tape in a studio in Nashville, Tennessee. The result was a psychedelic world folk album tinged with heavy Indian influence and orchestrated segments. Released in June, 2020, this acclaimed album was his most ambitious to date. It became the final album in his conceptual trilogy and was self released on vinyl. Less than a year later, Hornsby released his first professional instrumental album. Dogwood Dance was recorded in Asheville, NC and exemplifies his advanced guitar style that has been compared to artists akin to John Fahey. The Australian record label Ramble Records funded its release on vinyl. Both of his most recent albums have gained attention worldwide and have been positively reviewed on blogs, as well as airplay.

 

Meeting in Boone, North Carolina, Unaka Prong borrows their name from a mountain range in western North Carolina. With their fourth and newest release, Kudzu, Unaka Prong continues to produce their unique blend of instrumental jazz fusion and alternative rock. Now based in Durham, NC, they've played across the southeast over the last few years, supporting bands like TAUK, Moon Taxi, and Dumpstaphunk.

Main episode here https://www.wncoriginalmusic.com/e/ep-132-modern-strangers-pt-3/

 

 

 

 

 

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"There are few groups on the local scene that would classify as pop bands. Modern Strangers is among that elite camp. With catchy melodies and an infectious energy, they create a sound that feels as if it comes from another era" - Mountain Xpress (09/09/2017)

“ There isn’t enough pop music in Asheville, but Modern Strangers are helping to change that” - Ashvegas (Caleb Calhoun 3/22/2018)

“You Guys are a gnarly party band!!” (Quinn Powers 06/02/2019)

Modern Strangers is an Asheville-based band playing high-energy, toe-tapping, and melodic rock music! A 4-piece combo of journeymen musicians, they take their varied influences and form them into a JanglePop juggernaut with a mountain twist. Hard to pin down their sound, they've heard comparisons from The Beatles to The Pixies to early REM to Elvis Costello to The Kinks. Catchy songs, vocal harmonies and just the right amount of edge make these guys a fun night whether they're playing originals or quirky covers.

 

Modern Strangers discuss their music, their scholastic histories, their favorite local bands, frets, thumbs, Kate, a bunch of other people, Kate again, royalties, and lots and lots of other stuff.

 

As long as this episode is, there's also a bonus episode! So make sure to listen to that as well.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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"There are few groups on the local scene that would classify as pop bands. Modern Strangers is among that elite camp. With catchy melodies and an infectious energy, they create a sound that feels as if it comes from another era" - Mountain Xpress (09/09/2017)

“ There isn’t enough pop music in Asheville, but Modern Strangers are helping to change that” - Ashvegas (Caleb Calhoun 3/22/2018)

“You Guys are a gnarly party band!!” (Quinn Powers 06/02/2019)

Modern Strangers is an Asheville-based band playing high-energy, toe-tapping, and melodic rock music! A 4-piece combo of journeymen musicians, they take their varied influences and form them into a JanglePop juggernaut with a mountain twist. Hard to pin down their sound, they've heard comparisons from The Beatles to The Pixies to early REM to Elvis Costello to The Kinks. Catchy songs, vocal harmonies and just the right amount of edge make these guys a fun night whether they're playing originals or quirky covers.

 

Dead Billionaires are a ramshackle trio bent on scratching a primal itch -- empowering audiences through effervescent, driving rock n roll. 

 

Formerly known as Little River Creek Police, Dead Billionaires started as the songwriting project of front man Warren Campbell in 2016 in Richmond Virginia. Settling into a power trio lineup with Nick Trbovich on bass and Hunter Rhodes on drums, the band wields music as a tool for grappling with the problems of our modern society, while having a hell of a lot of fun doing it.

 

Their self-titled re-debut "Dead Billionaires EP" tackles themes of self-doubt, impermanence, and perseverance while capturing the frenetic and vibrant energy of their live set.

Kristian Phillip Valentino joins the podcast to talk about his past and future releases.

 

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All music used by permission

 

Kristian Phillip Valentino is a solo acoustic, singer-songwriter born and raised in the Chicago suburbs and now residing in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Asheville, North Carolina. His musical palette falls between the lines of indie folk, singer-songwriter and Americana. Fans of Gregory Alan Isakov, Iron and Wine and Jason Isbell, will feel comfortable here. His lyrics are a healing balm from the daily struggle as they wash over you with a deep reverence.

 

After the passing of his father, ending up homeless and being broken up with all within one month, Kristian began writing songs in the summer of 2010, as a way to start processing all he'd been through and begin the healing process.

 

From 2010 until 2016 Kristian went under the moniker Ramblin' Pan. This project was an Alt Country, Folk sound that was heavily influenced by Ryan Adams, Mumford and Sons, and Johnny Cash. He released 1 EP, "A Prodigals Tale" and 1 self titled LP under the moniker. He also went on several national tours in various coffee shops and venues across the USA. In the summer of 2016, Kristian decided to take a break from music after years of constant touring and some deeply traumatic family experiences.

 

In 2019, Kristian had several life changes; including moving to Asheville,NC, getting married, and working through the healing process of the traumatic family events he experienced before his break in 2016.

 

The new album is a concept record based on the 4 seasons Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter. The plot is a love story that starts in Spring and weaves through the other seasons leading to a breakup in the Winter. There are 12 songs, 3 for each season and Kristian is currently releasing 1 song a month for the next year starting in March 2021.

 

Kristian wrote this album in 7 days, to process a relationship that had ended. Although it ends as a sad story, it's a story that will resonate with many others and hopefully can be a healing balm of hope. There are a lot of exciting things happening each month this year, so you don’t want to miss anything! Make sure to join the email list to follow along in the journey.

 

 

 

After eighteen months of meticulous crafting, Across The Sea are set to unveil their much-anticipated second album The Wayfarer Triptych, scheduled for release on 1st October. A nine-track concept piece,  the album narrates an original story penned by the band themselves, marrying fantasy and folklore, fairytale and philosophy, to present a stirring tale of drama, adventure and mystery.

 

An artistic Endeavour near-cinematic in its scope and ambition, The Wayfarer Triptych sees the genre-defying progressive duo push every aspect of their signature sound to the extreme in order to create an immense work of astonishing musicality, vivid storytelling, dizzying virtuosity, and staggering emotional resonance.

 

Hailing from Worthing on the West Sussex coast in the south of England, Across The Sea sound unlike any act you’ve heard before. Evocative, otherworldly, and utterly captivating, they defy categorization, inhabiting a place where the boundlessness of the imagination transcends genre limitations and conventions. A breathtaking synthesis of the haunting, siren-like vocals of classically trained soprano Hannah Katy Lewis and the dynamic, unorthodox and experimental guitar style of Pete Ferguson, their mesmerizingly unique sound is wildly eclectic, fiercely inventive and singularly distinctive.