Bel Auburn

A few years ago I get an unsolicited email, as I often do, from a band that wanted me to check them out because, heck, they are sure I've never heard anything like them before. Most of the times I get these emails I'll hit up the band's website, read some press reviews and if the band is compared to other bands I like, I'll check out an MP3 or two. Bel Auburn's website allowed visitors to listen to their album, Catherdals, in it's entirety so I thought I'd check out a song or two. About 30 minutes later I realized that I'd made it through most of the album and so I responded to the email and begged Jared (composer of the email) to send me a CD.

Turns out Bel Auburn was from Ashland, Ohio, only about a 75 minute drive from my house and I'd later find out that they were well acquainted with my wife's cousin Joel. So, if you've never been to Ashland, it's a small college town in mid-Ohio that is surrounded by farm country. Granted, it's not in the middle of nowhere and I'm not saying it's in the sticks, but I was shocked to hear a band from Ashland sound like a mix of Jimmy Eat World and Coldplay. Catherdals was as good as any national release I heard in 2004 and it earned a spot in my Best of 2004 list.

In 2005, we had our third child, a daughter that we named Piper. Two days after we returned from the hospital, we found a "congratulations" card from Bel Auburn and inside the envelope, a CD with a song that the band wrote especially for us to celebrate the birth of our daughter. I don't think I've ever received a most thoughtful gift. That's the way Bel Auburn operates. Thoughtful guys who make great music.

Right now they are sitting on their second album, trying to find someone to finance the release. If you happen to have some spare cash laying around or run a small label that is looking to put out an INCREDIBLE record (I say that only out of speculation ... I've only heard a few demos), let me know and we'll make this work.

MP3: Piper
MP3: Burn Unit
MP3: Sing What You Mean
MP3: The Speed of Thought

You can download demos from the new CD on the band's MySpace page and while you're at it check out Jared and Scott's electro-synth-pop side project, The Scareds.