Audrye Sessions‘ self-titled debut on Black Seal — available early 2009 - is packed with polished, propulsive rock songs and gentle, stripped-down tunes with the kind of ear-grabbing melodies that instantly hard-wire themselves into your brain.

Recorded with Andrew Scheps (U2, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Johnny Cash) and Matt Radosevich (The Hives, Taking Back Sunday), the album is anchored by Ryan Karazija’s remarkable voice, which is whisper vulnerable one minute, roiling with emotion the next and easily slips into a smooth falsetto.

Download “Turn Me Off” MP3

Audrye Sessions arrived when bassist Alicia Marie Campbell met Karazija, who was gigging solo in coffee houses after his previous band split up. His early musical loves included the Beatles, Metallica, Michael Jackson, Radiohead and Oasis. But Karazija’s true love has always been slow-churning melodies (”My heart beats slow,” he says), and when he hooked up with the Björk-adoring former model Campbell, it was time for a change.

Looking for more players, Karazija hit Craigslist and stumbled upon Michael Knox, who answered a seeking-guitarist ad by announcing he didn’t have a guitar. The band’s current drummer, James Leste, has been part of the lineup since 2007 and Knox says they’re an eclectic little family now. The outfit picked up the moniker Audrye Sessions from a commercial for a CD burner that happened to be on the television when a venue called demanding a name.

Audrye Sessions shows off Karazija’s unbelievable command of melody and the band’s ability to channel his vision into masterful rock songs.

First single “Turn Me Off” is actually darker than listeners would expect: “I was watching a show where James Gandolfini interviews people that have come back from war,” Karazija says. “There was one guy who lost his eyes and his life has completely changed. He has these awful dreams and doesn’t want to be alive. The song talks about being so messed up that you want to be shut off.” Karazija, who’s been known to text friends with complete songs he’s composed in the car so he can remember them, writes music before words, but knows his spontaneous writing process works just fine: “I’ll wait for lyrics to happen, and one day I’ll find something perfect.”

Audrye Sessions September/October 2008 tour dates:

(Dates and information subject to change.)

September 14 2008 - Tonic Bar - Reno, Nevada
September 16 2008 - The Exit - Fresno, California
September 18 2008 - Sidelines - Modesto, California*
September 19 2008 - Chain Reaction - Anaheim, California**
September 20 2008 - Spaceland - Los Angeles, California*
September 21 2008 - Beatles Revolution Lounge - Las Vegas, Nevada*
September 23 2008 - Beauty Bar - San Diego, California
October 5 2008 - Schuba’s - Chicago, Illinois***
October 7 2008 - The Soiled Dove - Denver, Colorado***
October 9 2008 - Neurolux - Boise, Idaho***
October 11 2008 - Someday Lounge - Portland, Oregon***
October 12 2008 - Tractor Tavern - Seattle, Washington***
October 14 2008 - Great American Music Hall - San Francisco, CA***
October 16, 2008 - The Echo - Los Angeles, CA***
October 22 2008 - CMJ @ Bowery Ballroom - New York, New York

* with What Laura Says
** with Natalie Portman’s Shaved Head
*** with Wild Sweet Orange

For more information about Audrye Sessions, please visit:

Audrye Sessions MySpace