Ringing guitars, compelling melodies and vocal harmonies galore collide to create masterful classic indy pop with a rocking serrated edge.

21 MP3 Songs in this album (76:11) !
Related styles: POP: Jangle Pop, ROCK: College Rock

People who are interested in Elliott Smith Crowded House The Shins should consider this download.


Details:
Fans of power pop, you are in for a real feast. This is a rocking manifesto filled with sweet vocal harmonies, chiming guitars, and stick-in your-head melodies set to compelling, often confessional lyrical landscapes. The ambitious, self released debut of Your Gracious Host has been four years in the making, written and created in three studios and two states. The driving force behind YGH is Tom Curless, a talented singer/songwriter multi instrumentalist from the Flint Michigan area, via New Jersey and Chicago.

First, some history: Tomâs first major Chicago band Autoliner/Life on Mars released two records on the independent Parasol label in Champaign, IL and gained national attention, with rave reviews in The Chicago Tribune, Sun Times, All music.com, and a host of others. They received radio play on WXRT in Chicago and WNEW in New York, as well as playing shows in Los Angeles and House of Blues in Chicago. A vinyl version of the first album was also issued in Japan. Tom had a hand in writing many of the songs, as well as vocals, drums and guitar. For more info check out www.myspace.com/autoliner

After the demise of Autoliner, Tom hooked up with old friend Terry Short and formed The Turnpike Down, who released one album called âAM Sessionsâ which received radio play on WXRT and positive reviews in the Chicago Sun Times. Tom was also part of another guitar driven rock band called Window Nine, formed with guitarist and friend Corbin Elliott. Window Nine put out one album and played many shows in the Chicago area, even opening up for the White Sox! Once he had relocated to Michigan, Tom had songs piling up and decided to record his material solo. The start of these sessions gave birth to the idea of Your Gracious Host. Disc two of the debut was mainly recorded with old Autoliner co-hort and musical partner Brian Leach (also now a member of Glitterhouse band Great Crusades), at Harmonious Tone studios in the Chicago suburbs. Taking Time Away was recorded with friend Ellis Clark in Chicago. Mr. Clark is a talented producer/musician who is half of the band Epicycle, and has worked with everyone from Kevin Tihista, Jeff Tweedy of Wilco, Nikki Sudden, and Chamber Strings.

An entirely solo effort, but with a live feel, disc one was recorded completely at home, in the basement studio with Tom handling all the instruments and vocals himself. Compared to the likes of XTC, The Shins, Teenage Fanclub, Elliott Smith, Crowded House, Squeeze and even George Harrison, Tomâs music welcomes these esteemed comparisons and brings home a quality that fans of power pop the world over will surely salivate over!