MELLOWDRONE

That name is really cool. I want to say it like I am talking through a echo chamber....MELLLOOOOOWWWWWDRRROONNNNEEE! IN THIS CORNAHHH! Anyways.....
THE BAND: Mellowdrone starts with lead singer Jonathan Bates, born in Venezuela, through Miami and then transported to the Berklee School of Music. A year before graduating, Bates up and left NYC for LA to form Mellowdrone. Inspired greatly by Mark Linkous, a solo artist who recorded intricately-layered music under the Sparklehorse moniker, led him to become a recording artist and planted some seeds for his sound. After recording his first EP solo on his computer, he earned a reputation as an electrifying performer for his one-man shows, which included him looping different instruments and building songs live on stage. To that end, Bates says he enjoys never playing a song the same way twice and that on his upcoming tour, he'll "be like a kid in the candy store because I’ll get a chance to reinvent the songs every night.”

THE SOUND: Mellowdrone sounds a lot like a harder version of the Brit band, Travis. I am sure you are stupefied at this point, thinking of the only song Travis ever got air-time for, the lighthearted and too soft "Why Does It Always Rain On Me?" I would agree with you. That song is as soft as a marshmallow getting melted by the warming hearts of two kids in love. If you know anything beyond that about Travis, think of the early stuff like "Blue Flashing Light" and "Good Day to Die". Mellow guitars, a simple melody and then....KABOOM - rock. Lead singer Jonathan Bates favorite song off the new album Box is "Fashionably Uninvited" (see below for link) to which the singer says was "inspired by Angelo Badalamenti, the composer of the strangely beautiful Twin Peaks soundtrack."

Go to the bands website and download the free track, Fashionable Uninvited for a good idea of their sound. That is all I can find for now but the album comes out at the end of January 2006 so keep your eyes peeled.