Halsted Life Underwater July 13, 2010
“Mellow power-pop in the vein of Matthew Sweet and Big Star, which obvisously means we love them.
Just try listening to the handclap filled confection ‘Sellout’ without bobbing your head.” – Nylon Magazine
“Even if you think you’re tired of all things singer-songwriter, prepare to have your perspective
significantly altered by this California chap.” – The Onion: AV Club
Life Underwater was recorded in an old Victorian House in San Francisco during the rainy season of this past winter.
“Most reels of tape have higher price tags than our budget for this album, yet I consider it the most dynamic, sweeping
and ambitious record I’ve ever made” says Halsted’s singer/songwriter and bandleader Ryan Auffenberg.
After years of songwriting, touring and a self-released EP or two, Auffenberg’s debut album “Marigolds”
was released in 2008 on Evangeline Records. It received nation-wide accolades in the press and college radio,
and one song was even featured on the season premiere of ABC’s medical drama “Private Practice”. But rather than
follow up the success of “Marigolds” with yet another singer/songwriter effort, Ryan was eager to break new musical ground.
Joined by Peter Craft, the two set out to gather a group of musicians whose finely tuned music sensibility was equally
matched by a simple passion for making art. Friends were gathered, songs written and practice spaces filled. While they
fleshed out arrangements, tossed around production ideas and learned how to play as a group, Ryan began to feel a
musical chemistry and dynamism unlike any he’d felt before. In the spirit of this idyllic atmosphere, this album has
taken a project moniker, Halsted, rather than another Ryan Auffenberg record.
Halsted’s Life Underwater weaves a masterful patchwork of musical textures, ranging from wide-eyed, anthemic
bombast to hushed, plaintive intimacy. It is a love letter to the passion that draws one to make music; the feeling of
standing in the crowd or listening to a record in your room, hoping one day to channel a glimmer of the magic someone
else’s songs have made you feel. Or as Auffenberg simply states, “We hope it makes you wanna drive just a little bit faster”.
“Auffenberg’s music haunts a world filled with slow, dark songs that carefully unwind with luminous beauty…
it’s clear that this 26-year old possesses a seasoned veteran’s presence.” – iTunes
Live Dates
July 6 – The Starline – Fresno, CA
July 7 – The Silverlake Lounge – Los Angeles, CA
July 13 – Cafe Du Nord – San Francisco, CA
August 5 – The Red and Black Bar – Washington, DC
August 9 – The Middle East (Upstairs) – Boston, MA
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