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

A little sweet, sweet Wild Sweet Orange news for you.

Wild Sweet Orange will be making their national television debut on Letterman Friday, June 27, 2008!!

Tune in to catch them play a track off their forthcoming full-length ‘We Have Cause To Be Uneasy’ out July 29, 2008 on Canvasback Music.

If you’re busy that night (Really? What are you doing out so late on a Monday?), there’s a chance they may be coming to a city near you this summer. Or you just may catch them at Lollapalooza!

Wild Sweet Orange – Download “Ten Dead Dogs” MP3

Watch “Ten Dead Dogs” video:

The video was shot in the band’s hometown of Birmingham, AL and directed by Sam Erickson who directed My Morning Jacket’s Okonokos live concert DVD among other projects.

Wild Sweet Orange 2008 tour dates:

Dates could change!

June 22 @ 3pm – Looney Tunes Records Free In-Store – West Babylon, NY
(pre-order the record at the show and get an exclusive t-shirt)
June 25 – The Pageant – St. Louis, MO (opening for Matisyahu)
July 26 – Workplay – Birmingham, AL (Record release show!)
July 31 – Ear X-tasy Free In-Store – Louisville, KY
August 1- Pike Room at the Crofoot – Pontiac, MI
August 3 @ 12:30pm – Lollapalooza – Chicago, IL
August 4 – Slowdown – Omaha, NE

Myspace
Wild Sweet Orange Official

Wild Sweet Orange has a new version of “Ten Dead Dogs” off their forthcoming full-length album, ‘We Have Cause To Be Uneasy’ out July 15, 2008 on Canvasback Music!

Download Wild Sweet Orange – “Ten Dead Dogs” MP3

Wild Sweet Orange May/June 2008 tour dates:

Dates are subject to change.

May 14 – St. Andrew’s Hall – Detroit, MI
May 16 – Mod Club – Toronto, ON
May 17 – Saints Showbar – Montreal, QB
May 19 Paradise Rock Club – Boston MA
May 20 – Maxwell’s – Hoboken, NJ
May 21 – Bowery Ballroom – New York, NY
May 22 – 9:30 Club – Washington, DC
May 23 – TLA – Philadelphia, PA
May 24 – The Norva – Norfolk, VA
May 25 – The National – Richmond, VA
May 27 – City Hall – Nashville, TN
May 28 – Variety Playhouse – Atlanta, GA
May 30 – Culture Room – Ft. Lauderdale, FL
June 2 – House of Blues – New Orleans, LA
June 3 – Meridien – Houston, TX
June 4 – Antone’s – Austin, TX
June 5 – House Of Blues – Dallas-Ft. Worth, TX
June 7 – Brickhouse Theater – Phoenix, AZ
June 9 – Troubador – Los Angeles, CA
June 10 – Troubador – Los Angeles, CA
June 11 – Troubador – Los Angeles, CA
June 12 – House Of Blues – San Diego, CA
June 13 – Fillmore Theatre – San Francisco, CA
June 15 – House Of Blues – Anaheim, CA

For more information, go to:
Wild Sweet Orange Myspace

If you’re like me and you have Wild Sweet Orange’s song “Wrestle with God” on constant repeat, you’re in luck, because the band made a video for the track.

The video was directed by Don Tyler, the Cleveland-based music video director best known for his combined use of live action and animation. Tyler has also done videos for Foreign Islands, Mason Proper, Mastodon, Ringworm, Midtown and Don the Reader, and recently directed a live-action trailer for an upcoming sequel to the popular video game Obscure.

Watch Wild Sweet Orange – “Wrestle with God” video:

QuickTime
Windows Media

Download “Wrestle with God” MP3 off ‘The Whale EP’

In other good news, Wild Sweet Orange will be touring in February 2008, hitting the east coast and the Midwest, including a three-week residency at Schuba’s in Chicago.

Wild Sweet Orange tour dates:

February 1 – Greene Street – Greensboro, NC *
February 4 – Schuba’s – Chicago, IL *
February 5 – Horseshoe – Toronto, ON
February 6 – Petite Campus – Montreal, QC
February 7 – Mercury Lounge – New York, NY *
February 8 – North Star – Philadelphia, PA *
February 9 – Penn State – State College, PA *
February 11 – Schuba’s – Chicago, IL *
February 12 – Varsity – Minneapolis, MN **
February 13 – Majestic – Madison, WI **
February 15 – Blind Pig – Ann Arbor, MI
February 16 – Crofoot – Pontiac, MI
February 18 – Schuba’s – Chicago, IL ++
February 19 – Birdy’s – Indianapolis, IN ++
February 20 – Basement – Nashville, TN
February 21 – Smiths – Atlanta, GA (BMI showcase)
February 22 – 40 Watt – Athens, GA *
February 23 – The Social – Orlando, FL

*Headlining
** w/ The Whigs
++ w/ Absentstar

Wild Sweet Orange on VIRB
Wild Sweet Orange on Myspace

Listening to Wild Sweet Orange is a bit like looking back at your childhood, and out toward your future at the same time. Their music evokes at once a certain aching nostalgia and an uplifting hopefulness – all within the walls of a visceral, emotion-driven rock band. This is music that makes you feel something, music that makes you want to listen.

The band will be releasing an EP called ‘The Whale’ on their own label, Nervous Blood, on November 6, 2007. Canvasback Music (Columbia Records) will be releasing WSO’s full-length record next year.

Download: “Wrestle with God” MP3 from ‘The Whale’ EP

There’s an innocence here that is sometimes heart-wrenching and apparent, and sometimes buried beneath layers of gritty guitars, precise, urgent drums, and the vocals and lyrics of someone way beyond the years of 23-year-old frontman Preston Lovinggood.

Lovinggood, along with Garret Kelly, Chip Kilpatrick, Matt Parsons and Taylor Shaw are from Birmingham, AL and they’ve got the southern charm to prove it. They half-jokingly call their music “fun for the whole family” and they’re right. There’s a little bit of something for everybody in there, as long as you’re willing to let go…just a little bit.

Wild Sweet Orange 2007 tour dates:

Dates could be added or changed! Go to Wild Sweet Orange Official Website for the latest tour dates and information.

November 1 – Birdy’s – Indianapolis, IN*+
November 2 – Schubas Tavern – Chicago, IL*+
November 3 – 7th Street Entry – Minneapolis, MN*+
November 4 – The Back Porch – Spearfish, SD*
November 6 – The Bouquet – Boise, ID*
November 7 – Roseland Grill – Portland, OR*
November 8 – John Henry’s Eugene, OR*
November 9 – University of Washington – Seattle, WA*
November 12 – Cafe Du Nord – San Francisco, CA*
November 13 – Spaceland – Los Angeles, CA*
November 15 – Stubbs – Austin, TX*
November 16 – Club Dada – Dallas, TX*
November 17 – Sharpies – Shreveport, LA*
December 22 – Workplay Theater – Birmingham, AL

* w/ the Whigs
+ w/ the Broken West

Photo Credit: Don Van Cleave

For more music and information, please visit:

Wild Sweet Orange on Myspace