female fronted indie rock

12 MP3 Songs
ROCK: Modern Rock, POP: Power Pop



Details:
Ashen Keilyn grew up in Michigan listening to bands like The Replacements, New Order and The Pixies. Brought together by an overwhelming love of music and vast record collections, Ash and high school mate/drummer Nigel Rawles formed a band and headed to NYC. They named the band SCOUT, hooked up with some local musicians and started performing in clubs on the cityâs lower-east side.

Before long, the band recorded and released a 7â on Deep Elm Records. The single captured the attention of Chrysalis Music, who signed Ashen to a publishing deal, enabling SCOUT to record their first EP, âSomeplace Would Be Nice.â They toured with groups like Sunny Day Real Estate and Jolene, as they honed their live show and drinking skills.

In 2000, the band signed with NYC indie label, ModMusic Records and recorded their first full-length CD, âIt Seemed like a Good Idea At The Timeâ in a living room in Queens. The CD was received a lot of attention. It was the 2nd most added album at college radio, making both the Top 30 CMJ and HITS Specialty charts, garnering much press for the young band, including stellar reviews in everything from Billboard to Rockpile.

As the band went through line-up changes, their music was being featured in numerous film and television programs, and they even appeared on Late Night with Conan OâBrien and The Sopranos. Then one day, after placing an ad in the Village Voice, Ash & Nigel found guitarist Brian Silverman, who shared the same musical vision and unsophisticated sense of humor. Drawing on some of their mutual influences like Spoon, Radiohead and
Cheap Trick, the new SCOUT line-up began working on songs that would become the bandâs sophomore album, âThis Soft Life.â

In pure SCOUT tradition, the record was recorded in the bandâs basement, but this time they had the pleasure of working with Carl Glanville (Patti Smith, Joan Jett, and Jesse Malin), who mixed tracks on âThis Soft Lifeâ in between working with U2 on their upcoming release in Dublin.

Edgy, but not afraid to be vulnerable, SCOUT and their music are a bundle of
contradictions'"with Ashenâs matchless voice tying it all together. They have been called too indie to be commercial, and at the same time, too mainstream to be indie, putting them in a class by themselves. Through it all though, the band remains unfazed. After all, for them it always was and always will be just about making music.

"Although the world hasn't figured it out yet, Scout singer Ashen Keilyn is a star..."
- VILLAGE VOICE

"[Scout's new album] This Soft Life would be SCOUT's early magnum opus, if it weren't apparent this band only gets better"
- CMJ NEW MUSIC MONTHLY

"Scout combine indie fervor with old-school pop. Three Stars"
- ROLLING STONE