May 28, 2010 7pm
Outland Live
95 Liberty Street
(614) 744-0100
Free
One Eskimo
http://www.myspace.com/oneeskimo
An atmospheric rock band led by singer/songwriter Kristian Leontiou, One eskimO released its self-titled debut in 2009. Hailing from London, Leontiou had started his recording career several years earlier as a solo artist. After signing a major-label recording deal with Polydor, he made his full-length solo album debut in 2004 with Some Day Soon. The album was a hit in the United Kingdom, spawning the Top Ten hit single “Story of My Life” and going gold on the strength of several other hits. Leontiou was unhappy with the direction of his solo career, however, and adopted the One eskimO moniker for a guest appearance on the song “Hope & Glory,” which appeared on the Faithless album To All New Arrivals in 2006. Before long, he had abandoned his solo work altogether, and One eskimO expanded to become a quartet comprised of Pete Rinaldi (guitar), Jamie Sefton (bass, horns), and Adam Falkner (drums), in addition to Leontiou on lead vocals.
With a full lineup in place, One eskimO made its commercial debut in 2007 with the single “Hometime.” Released independently on the Little Polar Records label, “Hometime” was licensed for use in a Toyota Prius advertisement in the United States. A couple years later, the band released “Kandi” as the follow-up single, as well as the tellingly titled Debut EP, a four-track EP released stateside in 2009. Around this same time, One eskimO toured North America as the opening act for Tori Amos on her Sinful Attraction Tour, and the group’s self-titled album appeared later that year. - ©2010 Rovi, All Music Guide
Dolson
http://www.myspace.com/dolsonmusic
Dolson’s departure from the Ohio music scene nearly two years ago might have been the best thing to happen to his career.
“I didn’t walk away hoping to ‘reinvent myself as an artist,’ as they say, or to embark on some overtly profound and philosophical self-reflection,” Dolson said. “Life just sort of happened. I was struggling in a lot of ways with finding my place. The music I created through all that is really a reflection of what I was going through.”
Since Dolson and his vocal-driven brand of rock emerged out of Akron five years ago, the 24-year-old North East Ohio native has awed crowds along the East Coast and throughout the Midwest with rich melodies and unique sounds, ranging in style from classic pop piano to industrial electronic rock. With the upcoming release of “Eightynine,” Dolson again realizes the raw, emotional power of music to transform and inspire. This coming-of-age lyrical memoir will captivate loyal fans and win new ones with its diverse, soulful track list.
“Eightynine” is the result of the often disappointing transition toward adulthood. The 14-track album tells the story of a spirited young man burgeoning into the real world; only to learn how easily dreams are shattered along the way. Amid his confusion – through heartache, anger and enduring convictions – Dolson weaves together threads of love and despair in the all too familiar journey from hope to cynicism. With this album, Dolson emerges from his 17-month furlough with a new life outlook and invigorated passion for his art.
After recording his first EP in Nashville four years ago a catchy, pop-driven collection of rock songs produced and mixed by Grammy Award-winners Mitch Dane and Vance Powell, Dolson lit up the regional music scene, catching substantial airtime on local radio stations. But despite his success winning the attention of crowds and local producers, Dolson set down his guitar in the winter of 2007. Months shy of college graduation, he focused his energies toward the common — and far more accepted — pursuit of steady income, love and, ultimately, a rightful place in society.
“I didn’t set out to create an album,” Dolson said. “Not at all. But music has always been a release for me. In a world defined by text messages, Tweets and wall posts, music is still the only way I know how to communicate without jumbling the message in translation. I didn’t sit down and write this album. I just lived it.”
Dolson produced and recorded more than half “Eightynine” in his basement studio with the help of longtime friend, Jonathan Penn. From there, Dolson again headed for Nashville, this time seeking help from artist and producer Andy Osenga. It takes only a short listen of piano-driven tracks like “I’ll Never Be” and the heart-pounding electronic rhythm of “Could Be You” to understand that “Eightynine”, a diverse and spirit-filled collection of musical wanderings, is by and far this young artist’s best work yet.
Karate Coyote
http://www.karatecoyote.com/
“Indie Rock Karate Coyote is a six-person Post Rock aggregation from Columbus with an interesting sense of eclecticism that allows them to shift from edgy Punk discord to lilting Math Pop to engaging New Wave, sometimes within a single song. Karate Coyote is one really great song away from a career-changing iPod commercial.” - City Beat (Cincinnati), 9/9/09
“Karate Coyote drew quite a crowd, and…I’m happy to report they killed at Comfest. The six-piece sounded tighter and exuded more energy…Loved the new stuff” - Joel Oliphint, The Other Paper 7/1/09
“…one of the most promising ensembles to grace this city’s music scene in recent years.” - Chris Deville, Columbus Alive, 8/14/08
“A great mixture of Los Campesinos energy and Velocity Girl throwback pop of the mid 90s.” - Robert Duffy, Donewaiting.com, 11/11/08
“The dynamic vocals are supported with jazz time signatures, winding bass lines and guitar parts that could be found on a progressive record at times… Once a Karate Coyote song starts kicking around inside your head, it doesn’t leave for a long time.” - Cary Smith, C Magazine, 9/10/08
“Just the name Karate Coyote exudes playfulness…Playful is cool with me, especially when it’s done this well. “Move yourself to dance,” instructs Karate Coyote on the bouncy leadoff track, “Move Yourself,” and if no one’s looking, you’ll no doubt find yourself heeding the advice.” - Joel Oliphint, The Other Paper,11/27/08
“Trying to describe them can be a bit difficult, as they can pretty much morph into any genre with ease. Imagine mixing together elements of chaotic indie dance, post-hardcore and melancholy moments that build into a wall of sound like Radiohead is famous for. All with (mostly) female lead vocals. If you can get your head around that, you may come close to touching upon their sound” - Instrumental Analysis, Mid-Atlantic Music Blog, 12/18/08