The Ridges
| The Ridges | |
|---|---|
 The Ridges performing at The Grog Shop in Cleveland in 2011 |
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| Background information | |
| Origin | Athens, Ohio, United States |
| Genres | Indie, Orchestral, folk rock |
| Website | theridgesmusic.com |
| Members | |
| Victor Rasgaitis Johnny Barton Talor Smith |
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The Ridges are an orchestral folk rock band from Athens, Ohio. The band is made up of vocalist and guitarist Victor Rasgaitis, percussionist and vocalist Johnny Barton, and cellist and vocalist Talor Smith, who are frequently joined by up to six guest musicians.[1]
Contents |
[edit] History
Formed out of the collaboration of longtime musical duo Victor Rasgaitis (guitar, vocals) and Johnny Barton (percussion, glockenspiel, vocals) with the symphonic stylings of Talor Smith (cello, vocals), the trio met at Ohio University in Athens, Ohio. Regularly featuring a rotating cast of guest musicians adding instruments ranging from additional cellos to viola, violin, trumpet, dulcimer, mandolin, washtub bass, vocals, additional percussion and accordion to compliment layered, introspective songwriting and passionate, high-energy performances, the ensemble brings to life a theme of dark romanticism emphasized by their name. The band name, taken from the allegedly haunted local Victorian landmark that was formerly the Athens Asylum, speaks to the group's fascination with folklore and classical influences as well as their deep rooted connection to the city of Athens.
In the winter of 2010, The Ridges took to the mostly abandoned Athens Lunatic Asylum that bears their same name to record a 5-track, self-titled, "studio" release among the ancient halls, deteriorating wards and eerie operating rooms. The 5-track short-play album coping with themes of haunted pasts, death, love and awakenings, and backgrounded by the unique natural acoustics and legends of the building, was released on May 21, 2011, as the band's first formal presentation.
The Ridges have notably opened for Good Old War, Jessica Lea Mayfield, Horse Feathers, These United States, Margot and the Nuclear So and So's, Those Darlins, Timbre, Robert Francis, Revolver, American War and The Happy Maladies. The Ridges have also performed at the MidPoint Music Festival and the MidPoint Indie Summer Series as well as at The Clifton Heights Music Festival.[2]
On October 21, 2011, The Ridges recorded a live session for the popular music discovery website Daytrotter. The five song live session was released on December 29, 2011. [3]
[edit] Discography
- 2011 The Ridges [4]
- Album Credits
- Victor Rasgaitis (Vocals / Guitar), Talor Smith (Vocals / Cello), Johnny Barton (Vocals / Percussion / Glockenspiel), Shelby Knapke (Vocals), Nathan Zangmeister (Vocals / Bass / Mandolin), Colin Lambert (Cello), Sarah Edgerton (Viola / Violin), Katie McGonagle (Trumpet), Anna Wagner (Accordion), Erin Raby (Vocals), Jocelyn Young (Vocals), Produced by The Ridges & Matt Vollet, Engineered and Mixed by Matt Vollet, Mastered by Chris Graham, Art by John Burt Sanders, ©℗ 2011 The Ridges (ASCAP)
[edit] Other Releases
- Session Credits
- Victor Rasgaitis (Vocals / Guitar), Talor Smith (Vocals / Cello), Johnny Barton (Vocals / Percussion / Glockenspiel), Allie Levin (Vocals / Cello), Sarah Edgerton (Viola / Violin), Lauretta Werner (Violin), Nathan Zangmeister (Vocals / Bass), Chris Damm (Accordion), Recording Engineered by Mike Gentry, Art by Johnnie Cluney, © 2011 Daytrotter
[edit] Press Highlights
- "The kind of Americana music that falls off the bone" - Daytrotter [6]
- "Brooding folk music [that] is both mature and fresh" - Delusions of Adequacy [7]
- "Fuller than most artists' 14-song long-players" - Cincinnati CityBeat [8]
- "What Arcade Fire would sound like if Phil Spector were a member" - The Other Paper [11]
- "Spoon's indie pop for smart grownups and Beirut's Old World instrumentation" - The Other Paper [12]
- "A rootsier, catchier Arcade Fire." - Cincinnati CityBeat [13]
- "If Fleet Foxes had a shady underbelly" - Red Said [14]
- "Moody strings and beautiful but fraught vocals" - No Depression [16]
- "A unique sound, unmatched by many other folk bands" - The Lantern [17]
- "Diverse instrumentation, solid songwriting and great vocal arrangements" - The Athens News [18]
[edit] External links
- http://theridgesmusic.com
- http://theridges.bandcamp.com
- http://facebook.com/TheRidges
- http://twitter.com/The_Ridges
- http://youtube.com/RidgesBand
- http://myspace.com/TheRidgesOfAthensCounty
- http://last.fm/music/The+Ridges
- http://daytrotter.com/#!/concert/the-ridges/20055251-37382641
[edit] References
- ^ http://facebook.com/TheRidges
- ^ http://sonicbids.com/TheRidges
- ^ http://www.daytrotter.com/#!/concert/the-ridges/20055251-37382641
- ^ http://theridges.bandcamp.com
- ^ http://www.daytrotter.com/#!/concert/the-ridges/20055251-37382641
- ^ http://www.daytrotter.com/#!/concert/the-ridges/20055251-37382641
- ^ http://www.adequacy.net/2011/08/the-ridges-st-ep/
- ^ http://citybeat.com
- ^ http://altohio.com/the-ridges
- ^ http://acrn.com/reviews/album/?review=438
- ^ http://www.theotherpaper.com/entertainment/music/article_1dcdb70a-87a3-11e0-a3ce-001cc4c002e0.html
- ^ http://www.theotherpaper.com/entertainment/music/article_1dcdb70a-87a3-11e0-a3ce-001cc4c002e0.html
- ^ http://www.citybeat.com/cincinnati/blog-2427-mpmf11_day_1_turn_on_tune_in_rock_out.html
- ^ http://redsaidblog.wordpress.com/2011/05/31/this-side-of-the-pond-the-ridges/
- ^ http://acrn.com/reviews/album/?review=438
- ^ http://www.nodepression.com/profiles/blogs/the-ridges-this-word-is-worth
- ^ http://www.thelantern.com/arts/alternative-ohio-band-s-album-pleasantly-diverse-1.2229786
- ^ http://www.athensnews.com/ohio/article-34009-athens-music-scene-(5-19-11).html
