The Pines & Lucy Michelle & the Velvet Lapelles

Rising out of the prairies of the Midwest, The Pines are one of the most distinct and powerful indie-rock/Americana groups to hit the national scene in years. Emerging from the same Minneapolis music world that spawned such notable acts as The Jayhawks and The Replacements, The Pines have gathered a stunning line-up of musical talent in both their live shows and on record. Frontmen Benson Ramsey (the son of Greg Brown’s  producer and sideman Bo Ramsey) and David Huckfelt share a common musical  language rooted in the songs and songwriters of their native Iowa. The mysterious sound of The Pines fuses Benson’s ethereal, otherworldly, heart-piercing songs with  David’s earthy, darkly romantic and rough-hewn visionary tales. With masterful guitar work, beautiful vocals and the graceful keyboard and vocal additions of Benson’s brother Alex Ramsey, the core of The Pines’ sound captivates and elevates with rare intimacy. The Pines have slowly grown their band to include banjo player Michael Rossetto (Spaghetti Western String Co.), drummer J.T. Bates (Michel Portal, John Gorka), bassist James Buckley (Ed Harcourt, Daniel Johnston, Dosh) and Benson’s brother Alex Ramsey on keyboards.

The Pines official website

Lucy Michelle and the Velvet Lapelles have completed work on their fourth full length release, HEAT, at Vacation Island Recording Studios in Brooklyn with acclaimed producer/engineer Matt Boynton (MGMT, Beirut, Bat for Lashes). The new record is comprised of all original material written predominantly by Lucy Michelle during the bone-chilling Minnesota winter of 2010. Many of the songs center around the feeling of being trapped and isolated while yearning to be somewhere else; physically or psychologically. HEAT showcases the artistic growth and sonic evolution of the band’s sound which translates into a magnificent record laced with scorching lyricism, hauntingly beautiful melodies and gorgeous harmonies that create an expansive, yet highly focused and cohesive body of work.

Lucy Michelle and the Velvet Lapelles official website