Down By Avalon return to The Cave in Chapel Hill this Sunday, July 13th, with labelmates Dan Bryk and Chris Warren (who will also be making his Triangle debut in support of his forthcoming album Night For Day.)
Down By Avalon’s own self-titled debut disc is finally available from CDBaby and a variety of online stores (including iTunes, amazon.com, eMusic, Napster, Rhapsody, as well as ringtones and downloads directly to your phone from Bell, Sprint, T-Mobile, Rogers and Verizon…)
Down By Avalon has quietly been picking up some fantastic reviews:
Chapel Hill, N.C. quartet Down By Avalon steer clear of modern bells and whistles and find solace of the simplicity of the 60s and the 70s for its debut. Like last summers next-big-things Peter Bjorn & John and Im From Barcelona, Down By Avalon seek to let relatively unembellished melodies do the talking, and the end results reflect a deep admiration for traditional pop music. However, though the band prides itself in its ability to write classic pop music, the real strength lies in the warm, folk, almost hippie vibe it projects into and onto the listener… Down By Avalons debut stands as a reminder that music is not merely about the arrangement of notes or words, but about the feelings it brings when listened to.
Southeast Performer
Down by Avalon frontman Alan Martin writes about relationships with the wisdom of someone his age. He’s in his thirties, and he seems to know that long-time love is better than instant gratification, and his voice [is] a perfect mixture of outer inquiry and inner ambition. He considers life and love with energy inherited from singers like Van Morrison, Ray Davies and Paul McCartney… Down By Avalon matches Martin’s outlook with its arrangements and accomplished playing. This certainly doesn’t sound like a debut from post-graduates still learning their instruments: Built ground-up from simple rhythms and developed with tasteful guitar leads and Dan Bryk’s omnipresent piano and organ flair, Down by Avalon is an elegant, precise pop production. The layers are simple and direct like Stiff Records perfection, and the harmonies are spare but like a distillation of so many ’70s charms.
Raleigh Independent Weekly
“This Chapel Hill, NC band has given us a quality debut that will appeal to fans of Coronet Blue, The Nines and The Moody Blues. Although he isn’t the lone Brit in the band (that would be drummer David Needham), frontman Alan Martin lends the proceedings a distinctly English air. And providing the keyboards is none other than Dan Bryk, an accomplished solo artist in his own right. The midtempo piano number “Losing Ground” is the standout on this disc.”
–Absolute Powerpop
Vaya canciones bonitas que tiene este disco, con una voz un tanto peculiar, pero son canciones preciosas. Apto para blanditos jajajjajaja.” RECOMENDACIONES DE DISCOS CANDIDATOS A LAS LISTAS DE 2008
Powerpop Action, Spain
