WEDNESDAY SEP 20, 2017
529 Presents:
529 & Irrelevant Music Present:
Pony League
The High Divers
Vilai Harrington | Jeremy Ray
Pony League
"Piano laden folk-rockers, Pony League, will soon announce their second album, A Picture Of Your Family. “It’s an exploration of human perseverance in the face of such obstacles as extreme pressure, anxiety and depression,” singer Gus Fernandez explains, keeping in theme with 2016’s “Harder Than A Rick Ankiel,” which was inspired by the hard-luck story of a pitcher-turned-batter for The Atlanta Braves. Pony League has a knack for distilling real-life moments into shimmering compositions stacked with a lush blend of piano and guitars, a skill they’ve put on display across the country. Notable performances include a recent concert on a moving plane for Southwest Airlines, and more recently at Red Rocks Amphitheater opening for The Fray. The band draws a wealth of inspiration from their home state, though Billboard says their "warm, retro-acoustic sound feels more like California than Georgia.“ A fitting description of a band that’s been likened to Jackson Browne and Dawes. ”We’re an Americana band in that our songs are reflections of our surroundings and experiences,“ says lead guitarist, Charlie Mills. The 11 songs on the forthcoming album, A Picture Of Your Family, showcase a tightly knit group of friends and musicians who have steadily evolved since their 2014 debut, Fresh Start. Don’t miss them when they come to your town!"
"Piano laden folk-rockers, Pony League, will soon announce their second album, A Picture Of Your Family. “It’s an exploration of human perseverance in the face of such obstacles as extreme pressure, anxiety and depression,” singer Gus Fernandez explains, keeping in theme with 2016’s “Harder Than A Rick Ankiel,” which was inspired by the hard-luck story of a pitcher-turned-batter for The Atlanta Braves. Pony League has a knack for distilling real-life moments into shimmering compositions stacked with a lush blend of piano and guitars, a skill they’ve put on display across the country. Notable performances include a recent concert on a moving plane for Southwest Airlines, and more recently at Red Rocks Amphitheater opening for The Fray. The band draws a wealth of inspiration from their home state, though Billboard says their "warm, retro-acoustic sound feels more like California than Georgia.“ A fitting description of a band that’s been likened to Jackson Browne and Dawes. ”We’re an Americana band in that our songs are reflections of our surroundings and experiences,“ says lead guitarist, Charlie Mills. The 11 songs on the forthcoming album, A Picture Of Your Family, showcase a tightly knit group of friends and musicians who have steadily evolved since their 2014 debut, Fresh Start. Don’t miss them when they come to your town!"
The High Divers
"“We all moved to Charleston (SC) on the same day, and there was nothing else in our minds but forming a kick ass touring rock band”, says frontman, Luke Mitchell. With some extensive tours under their belts, as well as some opening slots for notable acts such as Nathaniel Rateliff & The Nightsweats, Delta Spirit, Shovels & Rope and Drivin N Cryin; The High Divers are steadily becoming exactly what they’d envisioned since day one. Riverlust, the group’s debut record, released fall of 2015, found it’s way onto many “best of” lists and was warmly received up and down the East Coast. The band has quickly gained a foothold in the Carolina music scene as well, starting to sell out various venues in Charleston, Beaufort and Hilton Head Island. “We’ve been touring non-stop” says Mitchell, “We feel so static whenever we’re home for more than a couple of days”. The history of the band stretches all the way back to childhood for frontman/guitarist, Luke Mitchell, and bassist Kevin Early. “Kevin was just a little kid trying to learn how to ride a bike, and he ran straight into my Dad’s van”, laughs Luke, “That’s how Kevin and I started to find out about one another, and slowly we became friends”. Luke and Kevin played music together in various bands for years before The High Divers were formed. Fate slowly brought the rest of the band together when Mary Alice (keys/vocals) and Julius DeAngelis (drums) jumped into the mix. Mary Alice and Luke had been dating for years when they decided they needed to sing together. “Mary Alice was a classically trained pianist but never made a big deal of it. It was actually when we sang a song at her Grandmothers funeral that we had the epiphany that we just had to play music together. We sang in this really beautiful big church, and our voices sounded so nice together. It was a sad and beautiful moment for both of us.” Drummer, Julius DeAngelis, heard the news that Mitchell and the rest of the band were leaving for Charleston, and having been unhappy in another touring band for about a year, welcomed the change. “We all collectively were really tired of our hometown, and needed an original music scene to be a part of”, says DeAngelis. Recording sessions for “Riverlust” started immediately after the move, and Wolfgang Zimmerman was brought on to Produce, Engineer and Mix the album. The Band is quickly approaching putting the final touches on their Sophomore release which is due out mid-September. “There’s been a little bit of a departure from any sort of “twang” on this record, says Mitchell “We don’t really want that “Southern Rock” moniker to follow us around forever, as we feel we’re so much more versatile than that label” . A band that would have felt equally as comfortable in the 60’s Detroit Motown scene as they would hanging out in Topanga Canyon in the early 70’s, The High Divers are creating songs that nod towards music of the past, while pushing ahead all the time."
"“We all moved to Charleston (SC) on the same day, and there was nothing else in our minds but forming a kick ass touring rock band”, says frontman, Luke Mitchell. With some extensive tours under their belts, as well as some opening slots for notable acts such as Nathaniel Rateliff & The Nightsweats, Delta Spirit, Shovels & Rope and Drivin N Cryin; The High Divers are steadily becoming exactly what they’d envisioned since day one. Riverlust, the group’s debut record, released fall of 2015, found it’s way onto many “best of” lists and was warmly received up and down the East Coast. The band has quickly gained a foothold in the Carolina music scene as well, starting to sell out various venues in Charleston, Beaufort and Hilton Head Island. “We’ve been touring non-stop” says Mitchell, “We feel so static whenever we’re home for more than a couple of days”. The history of the band stretches all the way back to childhood for frontman/guitarist, Luke Mitchell, and bassist Kevin Early. “Kevin was just a little kid trying to learn how to ride a bike, and he ran straight into my Dad’s van”, laughs Luke, “That’s how Kevin and I started to find out about one another, and slowly we became friends”. Luke and Kevin played music together in various bands for years before The High Divers were formed. Fate slowly brought the rest of the band together when Mary Alice (keys/vocals) and Julius DeAngelis (drums) jumped into the mix. Mary Alice and Luke had been dating for years when they decided they needed to sing together. “Mary Alice was a classically trained pianist but never made a big deal of it. It was actually when we sang a song at her Grandmothers funeral that we had the epiphany that we just had to play music together. We sang in this really beautiful big church, and our voices sounded so nice together. It was a sad and beautiful moment for both of us.” Drummer, Julius DeAngelis, heard the news that Mitchell and the rest of the band were leaving for Charleston, and having been unhappy in another touring band for about a year, welcomed the change. “We all collectively were really tired of our hometown, and needed an original music scene to be a part of”, says DeAngelis. Recording sessions for “Riverlust” started immediately after the move, and Wolfgang Zimmerman was brought on to Produce, Engineer and Mix the album. The Band is quickly approaching putting the final touches on their Sophomore release which is due out mid-September. “There’s been a little bit of a departure from any sort of “twang” on this record, says Mitchell “We don’t really want that “Southern Rock” moniker to follow us around forever, as we feel we’re so much more versatile than that label” . A band that would have felt equally as comfortable in the 60’s Detroit Motown scene as they would hanging out in Topanga Canyon in the early 70’s, The High Divers are creating songs that nod towards music of the past, while pushing ahead all the time."
Jeremy Ray
"There’s something a little unnerving about listening to something as wintry as Jeremy Ray’s“The Last Take” in the heat of the Georgia summer, but maybe that’s part of his plan. Even Ray’s saddest songs have never been oppressively dark or downcast; in general, he has preferred to spike his wistful Americana with plenty of upbeat energy and punked-up attitude. But according to his latest press release, his upcoming EP, The Last Take, will be a far more quiet and reserved affair, and the title track is certainly evidence of that. The mental image of a bearded dude heartbroken and spilling his guts over a plaintive acoustic melody lurks dangerously close to caricature, so it’s not a discredit to Ray to suggest he’s got some convincing to do here. Fortunately, “The Last Take” is a lovely piece of understated songwriting, a mournful breakup song that never complicates matters by trying to do too much. Most importantly it sounds authentically lonesome and world-weary; despite their façade of determination, you can hear the hurt and regret bleeding through his vocals. Shot and directed by Jason Baskin, the video focuses its attention on Ray either performing or engaged in various stages of emotional recuperation — creating art in his studio, taking long walks through Cabbagetown, drinking and writing alone in a bar. Metaphorically, it’s fairly worn-out stuff, but it’s the honesty running through it all that makes it compelling. Heartache and pain are powerful motivators, and Baskin is wise to let the song do the heavy lifting. It may be 100 degrees outside, but on “The Last Take,” Jeremy Ray still delivers the chills." -Immersive Atlanta
"There’s something a little unnerving about listening to something as wintry as Jeremy Ray’s“The Last Take” in the heat of the Georgia summer, but maybe that’s part of his plan. Even Ray’s saddest songs have never been oppressively dark or downcast; in general, he has preferred to spike his wistful Americana with plenty of upbeat energy and punked-up attitude. But according to his latest press release, his upcoming EP, The Last Take, will be a far more quiet and reserved affair, and the title track is certainly evidence of that. The mental image of a bearded dude heartbroken and spilling his guts over a plaintive acoustic melody lurks dangerously close to caricature, so it’s not a discredit to Ray to suggest he’s got some convincing to do here. Fortunately, “The Last Take” is a lovely piece of understated songwriting, a mournful breakup song that never complicates matters by trying to do too much. Most importantly it sounds authentically lonesome and world-weary; despite their façade of determination, you can hear the hurt and regret bleeding through his vocals. Shot and directed by Jason Baskin, the video focuses its attention on Ray either performing or engaged in various stages of emotional recuperation — creating art in his studio, taking long walks through Cabbagetown, drinking and writing alone in a bar. Metaphorically, it’s fairly worn-out stuff, but it’s the honesty running through it all that makes it compelling. Heartache and pain are powerful motivators, and Baskin is wise to let the song do the heavy lifting. It may be 100 degrees outside, but on “The Last Take,” Jeremy Ray still delivers the chills." -Immersive Atlanta