THE VOYCES: Press & Fanmail

The Voyces new album Kissing Like Its Love on Planting Seeds Records is.... in a word: Fantastic. The Voyces sound like The Magic Numbers, if they were to record live in a garage or something. The blending harmonies and wistful lyrics play on the way the music calmly rushes over you. In all honesty, its wave of pure joy. Pure absolute joy. While the band is young and just starting up (professionally), they have a mature sound that brings them to a new level of the music world, taking the fantasies of the late '60s/early '70s and transforming them into a modern work of art.

My favourite track is by number 3: You're in Charge of Driving the Narcotics Trolley, with its very distinct (be it unintentional) homage to The Magic Numbers. Perfect if you're looking for something to dance in your room or car to.

This is an album that I was hoping would blow me out of the water. After hearing the title track on a podcast, I was chomping at the bit to get the album in for review. The title track opens the album and although I hadn't heard it for a few weeks, indeed since the podcast, it was even better second time around, with a melody that seduces and a lyric that bores it's way into your brain.

Upon hearing the rest of the album, I was disappointed as it had steered in a totally different direction. Not that the rest of the album isn't great. Indeed had this album been submitted without the title track, I would still have given it a great review. It's just that the opener is an absolute scorcher and maybe should have been left to the latter part of the album.

Aside from the aforementioned track, the album has distinctly folksy, Simon and Garfunkel sound, which in itself is a great thing. The music is great, but it's the vocals and amazing harmonies that make this album shine. There's a very interesting track "Lovers in the Sky" which reminds me greatly of a Leonard Cohen song, which name escapes me.

The end of this 10 track album comes with the track "Where the Little Girls Still Throw Roses", a mouthful of a title, but with a sweet almost Cat Stevens sound. Killer leads in, sweet and mellow fades to black.

Conclusion : You can approach this album in two ways. As a killer track with some great follow on songs, or a great folksy album, with an additional killer track. I think I prefer the latter description and indeed this album grows on me, the more I play it. I would love to see however, some more killer tracks on the next album. I suppose that easier said than done.

Kissing Like It's Love, The Voyces
To drill to its heart, you have to stop hitting the repeat button on the insanely catchy Archies-meet-Fleetwood Mac beach-party title track and explore the rest of the record. Because it's the penultimate song, the shapeshifting, tawny-lustered "The Canyon Ladies" that betrays The Voyces' aesthetic and conceptual anxieties. Like the aforementioned Forever Changes, this LP tells tales from the dark side of the California dream that collapsed some 40 years ago. Even if The Voyces' album starts with an optimistic shrug, proceeds to a sumptuary of hopeless love ("Hair Up High"), get darker with an anxious, staccattoed Bee Gees' impersonation ("You're In Charge of Driving the Narcotics Trolley"), it ends its pilgrimage gasping for air in a shabby lean-to. (The band lists The Eagles as their first influence, so this might be its "Hotel California.") Denouement "Where the Little Girls Still Throw Roses," is half-drugged and half-hoped, hallucinating rose girls, demon lovers and houses without hearts. If you crave less ambivalence, return to track one immediately.

The Voyces -Kissing Like It's Love
Planting Seeds Records

This second disc from the NYC-via-Southern California Voyces is a quietly impressive collection of graceful, pastoral pop that sounds emotionally deeper with each listen and more expertly crafted as well.


Twenty-year old photos of songwriter Brian Wurschum alongside his suburban metalhead buddies attest to his vintage, as does the hilariously comprehensive list of 70s and 80s AOR heroes he cites as influences elsewhere. And though most of the material on Kissing Like It's Love seems fairly straightforward, there is the sense that someone avidly tending an unconditional, decades-long pop-song love affair is behind the whole thing. Wurschum’s songwriting sounds like it’s been whittled down over the course of time, with the thrill of those old favorites still fresh in his mind, their various excesses purged.


The mixture of innocence, romance and sharp emotion that makes the Pernice Brothers a perennial boon to heartsick pop fans (who’re still hopeful enough to keep seeking out crushing melodies) is at work on beautiful stuff like “Hair Up High” and the sublime “Call it Home,” but songs as strong as these eclipse any stylistic similarities. This is mature, well rounded stuff and although words like ‘maturity’ and

‘restraint’ may sound like dowdy qualities for a musician, in the hands of someone with something to say and the patience to find the right words and hooks to say it with, those qualities are just more muscles to flex.


The band finds an interesting vein of bombast to mine in “The Canyon Ladies,” conjuring a dramatic melodic arc out of a simple set of chords and stirring dynamics; it sounds like an unfairly leftover brick from Pink Floyd’s The Wall. I’m still not sure how I feel about the minimal acoustic funk-strut of “You’re In Charge of Driving the Narcotics Trolley, and You’re Doing an Excellent Job,” but it’s very possible I like it a whole lot, and not only because the title helps me fill my minimum-word quota for this review.


Wurschum’s perfectly complimentary production, his heartfelt lyrics and unique, elfin voice seal the deal, especially on stuff like the warm, chummy kinda-Country of “Top of My Lungs” and the delirious title song. All of Kissing Like It's Love, apart from the ugly cover shot of two colliding faces, is loveable - it’s exceptional in fact. And all this on a musical diet rich in the Eagles, Journey and Scorpions, too. It’s a little bit of second hand redemption for those dinosaurs, I guess, and a whole lotta new interest for a young-at-heart band from New York called the Voyces.

THE VOYCES
KISSING LIKE IT'S LOVE (PLANTING SEEDS)


So what should we expect from a band called The Voyces? Angelic harmonies? Celestial choirs? A warehouse worth of pretense? Actually, none of the above. Fortunately, in this case, the results trump any actual expectation. What we end up getting is one beautiful record, with at least nine out of ten tracks that rank as genuine keepers. With their third album, The Voyces have crafted a beguiling array of supple soft rock melodies that flow as if in a gentle cascade, creating an aura that’s unfailingly easy on the ears. There’s a sense that these Voyces are indeed eternal, especially when it comes to lending that fresh, ebullient glow. The title track starts the progression off with a cheery tone, leading into a mellow succession of wistful ruminations. “Top of My Lungs,” “The Canyon Ladies,” “Humming” and “Hair Up High” evoke the gentle gaze of America - the group that is, not our conflict-ridden country - and carry a similar subdued caress. Charming and disarming, Kissing Like It’s Love delivers instant infatuation.

In their new single “Kissing Like It’s Love,” the New York-based Voyces offer a similarly innocent take on the dynamics of kissing, a breezy taxonomy that paints the practice as all sultry and desultory, fit for warm summer nights and roofs and “city’s lights.” Unlike their fuzzy, folky 2003 album The Angels of Fun, the Voyces’s recent work is light and snappy; their songs are as simple and sugary as they say kissing is. Kissing is, after all, only for kissing’s sake: “true love’s too rough,” they chant, “so kiss me like it’s love.” That which is like something cannot be that thing; nobody here’s in love, but nobody seems to mind, either. Love is best, they hint, when it’s feigned, when it’s all “Coppertone and firewood” and kisses.

The Voyces want you to think that they’ve been influenced by Simon & Garfunkel. This is true on the opening title track, a very precious pop gem that would fit perfectly on an album by the Connells. Lead singer Brian Wurschum has that sweet, earnest tone in his voice that often sells the song with ease. The Voyces want you think they’ve also have been influenced by the Beatles. Yes, this too is true on “Hair Up High”, a slow but gorgeous nugget. But they are at their best when combining these influences, as in the case of the infectious “You’re in Charge of Driving the Narcotics Trolley, and You’re Doing an Excellent Job”. California pop is another important part of the band, particularly on “Lovers in the Sky”, which falls somewhere between solo Tom Petty and Matthew Sweet. Even throwaway tracks like “Please Wash Away” are fabulous, despite clocking just over two minutes. The only stretch on the record is “The Canyon Ladies”, but most will even cozy up to this winding track. A very sweet, soft and fragile album in the best way possible.

The Voyces' Brian Wurschum doesn't have the most powerful voice in pop music, but the way he uses it is indeed quite appealing. With the musician often registering in the higher range, the singer seems to nail a sweet, sugar-coated and cavity-inducing pop gem like the title track perfectly. Cheerful, bouncy and infectious, the tune sets Kissing Like It's Love off on the right course, bringing to mind equally adept power pop maestros like Jeremy Morris and more obscure bands like Cool Blue Halo. Sweet is an adjective best describing most of the album, especially the slower but pretty "Hair Up High" that has gorgeous harmonies from Jude Kastle. The oddly titled "You're in Charge of Driving the Narcotics Trolley, And You're Doing an Excellent Job" is a quirky but pleasing bit of pop. Breezy California pop would be another apt description of the songs, especially "Call It Home," which seems to conjure up images of Bread and Cat Stevens. Fans of Roger McGuinn and Tom Petty circa "Wildflowers" would seek comfort and joy in "Humming" which definitely causes the listener to hum along without much coaxing. The album closes with two lengthier pieces, including "The Canyon Ladies" which starts off with a spacy feel before Wurschum brings it back into his niche. The same can be said of the lullaby-like "Where the Little Girls Still Throw Roses." ~ Jason MacNeil, All Music Guide

Sometimes it’s nice not to have to interpret your music. Just let it come, and be a part of the day. Voyces is that kind of band. Light, almost folk-y rock. Check out Kissing Like It’s Love, the obvious single off of “Get Him, Eat Him.” If the 1970s starlight-and-moonbeam vocals don’t pull you in, make sure you stick around until the incredibly intricate, beautiful guitar break, which features one of the best gentle solos I’ve heard in a long while. If you are a big fan of Rhino’s “Hit Sounds of the 70s,” then you won’t want to miss this album. Songs like Top of My Lungs would clearly have been huge hits back then, both because of the musical style and the refrain (“I’ll be all right again, baby, soon as I get back home . . .”) Check it out on a rainy Sunday.

For fans of: Belle & Sebastian, Magic Numbers.

P.S. Thanks to Amy for turning me on to this band. Her review is better than mine, too, so go read it!

The Voyces: Kissing Like It’s Love
Label: Planting Seeds 2007
(Three out of five stars)
The Voyces began as the brainchild of singer / songwriter Brian Wurschum, releasing their debut album, The Angels of Fun, in 2003; they scored a major coup when one of the record’s songs, “Relate to Me,” was included on the soundtrack to Jack Johnson’s surfin’ doc, Thicker Than Water, and found their profile raised considerably as a result. Since then, the band’s been through a bit of an overhaul in its ranks, but given how the subsequent album – Kissing Like It’s Love – has turned out, who can complain? Although Wurschum remains the album’s sole songwriter, he’s teamed with singer Jude Kastle, and the resulting harmonies are decidedly lovely; imagine Linus of Hollywood’s debut album (Your Favorite Record) with more of a ‘70s folk-pop bent, and you’ll have The Voyces’ sound mostly pegged. Tracks like the title song and “Humming” have a pleasant bounce, but much of the disc is pretty mellow; on the whole, the first two thirds of the record is where the strongest material hangs out (the last two songs are each over five minutes in length and prove too long for their own good), with particular highlights being “Hair Up High,” “Lovers in the Sky,” and “Top of My Lungs.” Given the amount of ink this year that’s been dedicated to the return of acoustic pop purveyors America, there’s really no better time for The Voyces to achieve a significant foothold on the music scene.

Planting Seeds Records are releasing the second album by pop band The Voyces, Kissing Like It's Love, on May 8th, and if they can get past the ambiguously salivary album cover, the title track should have pop-underground devotees swooning.

Lead Voyce Brian Wurschum sings "You smell like every summer should/my favorite time of year/like Coppertone and firewood/how am I supposed to steer" and you can hear it coming out of top-down convertibles in July, a big summer hit in an alternate universe. The vocals and charmingly lo-fi production are highly reminiscent of early, underappreciated Matthew Sweet (it would fit snugly next to Inside's "Blue Fools" or Earth's "How Cool") and his friends and frequent collaboraters Velvet Crush. Full of familiar and satisfying hooks and changes, this is a fun, guileless pop gem that's hard to get out of your playlist.

Indie popsters The Voyces don’t seem to mind who, what, or where they entertain so long as they’re entertaining and bringing joy to folks who happen upon them. It’s that laissez faire attitude that gives them a genuine voice (excuse the obvious pun) and a glowing sense of melody present throughout “Kissing Like It’s Love”. Subversive ‘60’s pop it’s not, but it shares an awful lot with that genre. Pop that’s not so much pop as it is catchy and awesome.

Kissing Like It's Love - The Voyces

Sometimes I resent the hell out of this blog. Surprising sunny 77 degree days like this, in particular. And when I'm stuck, when I haven't heard a new song in days that motivates me to muster enthusiasm and generate pretty words on its behalf, the last thing I feel like doing is sitting down to write an obligatory post. On the other hand, I like to maintain posting momentum: The longer I go without writing something, the more detached I get from the whole dilettantish project, the more seriously I consider quitting music blogging altogether. Fortunately, It hasn't come to so dire an event and I'm not going to be forced to feign anything. A couple hours ago while cleaning the kitchen following a flurry of cooking activity yesterday afternoon (somehow I managed to get chocolate brownie batter everywhere), I slipped in The Voyces' Kissing Like It's Love (due May 8), and was pretty much floored by the title track. I might have even dropped the sponge in my hand. It's the catchiest song I've heard so far this year -- a honey-smacked ditty about, ya know, faking it a little (ahem), surrendering to the moment because the moment's what you have, because the sun is grinning yellow and the sky is blue, because for now it's enough. Or in the words of Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young: If you can't be with the one you love, love the one you're with. And in the style of classic radio pop, with a chorus so effortlessly great, so blithe smiling summer wonderful, the song shouldn't feel shy to share a playlist or mixtape with "Go Your Own Way" or "Sugar Sugar." (And that right there is one of my highest compliments.)

THE VOYCES- KISSING LIKE IT’S LOVE- PLANTING SEEDS- Another fine new Planting Seeds signing, this band , around since 1999 (first I’ve heard of them) originally hailed from Southern California but relocated to NYC to seek their fame and fortune . I believe this is their 2nd record (their self-released debut, THE ANGELS OF FUN, came out in 2003) and while I have not heard it yet, there is a lot to like on this follow-up. KISSING LIKE IT’S LOVE has the sort of melodic soft-rock tendencies that any Beach Boys or Simon and Garfunkel fan would (and should) find endearing. Leader Brian Wurschum seems to have a knack for pretty melodies as the record opens up with the classic title track and then goes right into the soft n’ lovely “Hair Up High” and the even more soft n’ lovely “Call It Home” which sounds like something that could have been off the latest Autumn Defense record. Later on is the pretty , vocal heavy “Humming” and the possible tribute to Joni Mitchell, “The Canyon Ladies.” The record is nice and the perfect length (10 songs in just under 38 minutes) and the only dud here is the out of place (and curiously titled) “You’re in Charge of Driving the Narcotics Trolley and You’re doing an Excellent Job” but otherwise this was an excellent introduction to a band that I hope has many more records in them.

Sometimes we all need a break from the riff slashing and rhythmic thumping attack of rock music. Even if it’s just a few minutes a week, the widespread definition of “relaxing music” can be enjoyable for even the most ignorant elitists who prefer volume over quality. The Voyces deliver this type of delectable sound, being a series of hushed and air vocals, soft acoustic guitars, light keys, and moderately paced percussion. The beginnings of The Voyces came together in the late 90s when Brian Wurschum and Laurel Hoffman were members of the California-based alternative rock group DOG. The two lead singers eventually bonded and formed the softer acoustic duo Zelig. As Zelig, they released two albums, Mr. Night and Nevada, using their acoustically balanced folk approach, eventually propelling themselves to local success around California, specifically Los Angeles. After getting tired of their surroundings, the duo decided to move to New York City in 1999 to pursue their musical endeavors even more. After singings like a bunch of talented bums in Central Park and the subway, Wurschum and Hoffman gathered up a collective of talented local musicians and called themselves The Voyces. After establishing themselves as a quality band in the east village, they released The Angels of Fun in 2002. It was an impressive debut for the band in a similar mold to the acoustic folk approach of Zelig, though additions concerning percussion and keyboards were gladly noticeable. It was produced by Diego Garrido, known for his work in “The Simpsons” and “The Squid and the Whale”. Though the release saw a nice following in New York, the band’s true break was when their song “Relate To Me” appeared in Jack Johnson’s film “Thicker Than Water”, landing on the fast-selling soundtrack. Hoffman stopped singing with the band in 2005 and with that, Wurschum brought in a new supply of members, which included vocalist Jude Kastle, guitarist Steve Dawson, and drummer Eric Puente. This was in addition to Wurschum and bassist Frank Carreno. After recording on the compilation Sunsets & Silhouettes with the likes of Camera Obscura and Linda Draper, they released their second EP Love Arcade in 2006.

Kissing Like It’s Love will be released on May 8th and it’s the third EP from the band. The album is the same mold in which The Voyces can attribute their success. Influences are extremely noticeable, with Simon & Garfunkel and Neil Young both coming off as vital figures in Wurschum’s songwriting. The vocals themselves sound very much like Matthew Sweet and even somewhat like The Magic Numbers’ Romeo Stodart. This is especially evident in “Humming”, arguably the most concise pop song on the album. Wurschum and Kastle make for an accessible vocal duo, melodically singing along over a rapturous acoustic melody overlayed by a few electrical solo charges. “Top of My Lungs” reminds me of their earlier influences, being Simon & Garfunkel and Neil Young, singing in a traditional American folk typecast with a slight country slur and a gripping repetition of self-assuring. “I’ll be all right again baby,” indicates a slight pause, further pushing, “as soon as I get back home”. “Call It Home” is a song of stepping stones, beginning with a slight acoustic guitar eventually accompanied by keys, percussion, and bass. The song is another display of the band’s tendency to craft relaxing but effective choruses that sound suitably in touch with the album’s typically romantic mindset. Ten songs long, Kissing Like It’s Love offers a generally enjoyable experience pushed forward by The Voyces’ consistent style in offering lush melodies accompanied by the usual acoustics and distressed vocals. While it’s certainly not music to adjust a lively weekend to, a rainy Monday or Tuesday afternoon will do it great justice.

The Voyces
Kissing Like It's Love
(Planting Seeds Records)

After one listen to The Voyces Planting Seeds Records’ debut -“Kissing Like It’s Love” - and you’ll be hooked to their glowing tuneful style. The band echoes the sounds of pop music’s past as well as its ever so fervent future. Principal songwriter Brian Wurschum creates the well crafted pop song, recalling the mid 60’s era of The Beatles, the folk rock of Simon & Garfunkel, and the 70’s mini rock epics ala Pink Floyd. Their style maybe placed in a box and labeled anywhere from: Rock, Folk Rock, Acoustic Folk Rock, New York Folk, and everywhere in between. The sunny California shine of the title track “Kissing Like It’s Love” launches the groups long awaited LP with it’s sugary sweet chorus. The soft ballad “Hair Up High” follows with its elegant smooth guitar strums and the band’s signature harmonies. The majestic beauty of “Call It Home” continues the album’s melodic element, while the introspective acoustic interlude “Please Wash Away” appears with its stripped down heartfelt vocals, acoustic guitar and light piano taps. “Humming” chimes in with one of the catchiest refrains you’ll hear this decade – instantly memorable. “Top Of My Lungs,” showcases even more of the Wurschum magic: Jangly guitars, soaring harmonies, and a song destined to be a classic. The album’s closing number – the delicate “Where The Little Girls Still Throw Roses,” features Brian’s warm vocal, light guitar picking and makes for the perfect ending. Whether blending funky pop, epic rockers or near psychedelia, “Kissing Like It’s Love” collects ten tracks of pure pop heaven you’re sure to fall for.

Diet Rock lives, baby! It’s like Yacht Rock minus all those jazzy chords… The Voyces write unpretentious pop music with 0 calories and a toss-it-back flavor. Is it the simple blending of influences like Cat Stevens, early America, or perhaps some bizarro world where Matthew Sweet left his recording cave to frolic in the So Cal sun? Either way, The Voyces have had an interesting rise to the upper echelon of NYC bands and their sound, at its best, feels like second nature.

The Voyces' story starts with Brian Wurschum, a singer/songwriter who moved from California to NYC and formed the Voyces. Brian’s got a Jimmy Buffet vocal style (minus some of the exaggerated twang) and a rock solid harmonic sense. With their initial lineup, The Voyces released "The Angels of Fun" (2003) with Diego Garrido (The Simpsons, The Squid and the Whale) and then had one of its tracks, "Relate To Me," in Jack Johnson’s "Thicker Than Water" film. Original singer Laurel Hoffman left the group in 2004 and after a hiatus Wurschum joined forces with singer Jude Kastle to reform the Voyces (along with drummer Eric Puente and longtime bassist Frank Carreno).

Kastle and Wurschum really are a wonderful pairing. Their voices complement each other well with tight vocal harmonies - often in parallel thirds with Kastle’s throatier alto enriching Wurschum’s understated melodies. The rhythm section is solid and straightforward, making sure the attention stays on the songwriting and vocal choices.

The Voyces have been able to create space for themselves in NYC largely through the timely placement of their music. TV, Movies, Television commercials; all have raised their visibility level outside of NYC without them ever having to step foot outside the city. As Brian told me, "We have yet to tour. (Booking west-coast shows as we speak.)" I found it particularly intriguing that their current release "Kissing Like It’s Love," was at the top of the Barnes & Noble record sales before it was even released.


Notes Wurschum: "Yes, it is true. Because of Barnes & Noble sales, our CD was in its second printing before it was officially released. It was also #1 at Darla, our distributor, for a while. This was due, in part, to our track in the Jack Johnson movie (and soundtrack). But we have some songs in other movies, and in some television commercials, as well… None of us were expecting this at all. We knew we had fans from all over the world~ happily, they write to us quite a bit ~ but the sales were more than we were imagining."

New York City needs The Voyces... if only for today. With recent memories of seventy degree temperatures still lingering fresh in my mind, it is hard not to feel as if Mother Nature is pulling some wicked chicanery on me, and everyone else that lives and works here. I mean seriously…WTF? I guess, it is still March. Luckily, The Voyces landed in my inbox today. And thank god. With a courtly tip of the cap to both the choirboy harmonies of Simon and Garfunkel, and the West Coast gleam of The Eagles and "Harvest" era Neil Young, pleasant little numbers like "Kissing Like It's Love" and "Relate To Me" hit my ears like a blast of warm, summer air across the wintered bow of our city. So make sure you don't miss these peddlers of perfected pop music at The Rockwood Music Hall tonight at 10PM. I promise The Voyces are something worth dragging yourself out through the dirty ice and snow that besieges New York for.

When the New York Mets come to Dodger Stadium, it's not unusual for local blue crew supporters to get drowned out by funny-talking East Coast transplants who turn out in droves to cheer on the Big Apple nine. Reversing that forever "go west" trend is Brian Wurschum, who actually left the 805 and relocated to New York City sight unseen. Yup, on purpose. He's coming back on Sunday with the Voyces, a group that can sing and harmonize better than it can spell. If you're in the mood for pretty pop-rock, check the band out at Grady's Record Refuge in Ventura.

Wurschum should know the way west — he's from Newbury Park. Locals will remember him for his prior 805 musical adventures with the groups Majority DOG and Zelig.

The DOG band was the first group to ever play at Civic Arts Plaza and, in keeping with its low-budget outlook, band members used to practice at the Park and Ride lot off the 101 in Newbury Park. The DOG band also played at Café Voltaire a bunch of times — that's the place that locals whine about missing the most after Charlie's and, soon, the Alpine.

Wurshum has been Back East for several years now, not long enough to talk funny but long enough to form the Voyces. The singer-songwriter discussed his imminent homecoming during a recent phoner.

Hey man, how's the Voyces' biz? Are you guys rich rock stars yet?

Yeah, we are rich rock stars.

Cool. Can I borrow a dollar?

Yes, you can.

All right then. You went to New York City on purpose. Why?

I moved back here in 1999 and now I can't remember.

Didn't you see "Midnight Cowboy''?

It's been so long that at the time it seemed like a really good idea. We'd never been here and at the time we just wanted to see what it was like. I'm glad I did because I met the Voyces.

What's it like back there?

I like it. It's just the opposite of everything of where I'm from.

The anti-Newbury Park?

There is no Newbury Park back here and there's a lot of really great people here.

What's your take on the NYC music scene?

It's very aggressive, much more aggressive. There's this place called the Sidewalk Café that is like a hub in a lot of ways. Basically everyone I met here I met at that place.

What about those Voyces?

This lineup has been together for about a year and this is what I call the Voyces. What are the Voyces all about? We're just doing our rock 'n' roll thing, I guess.

What does it sound like? Any majority DOG or Zelig in there?

Since I wrote the music for those bands and I'm still writing the music for the most part, I don't think that I could escape that flavor.

Any Majority DOG songs?

No. That's done, I think.

Have any Café Voltaire stories?

Oh, Café Voltaire. That place was great. I loved that place. It was our favorite place to play out there.

There's a place now called Zoey's, which is the spiritual successor to Café Voltaire.

Yeah, I heard about that place and I'd love to play there.

How has the Internet changed things for you?

The Internet has enabled us to sort of find out who's listening to us and reach those people. That's the biggest thing it's done.

What's the deal with this tour?

This is really the first time we've left New York. The other singer, Jude Castle, and myself played one time in California before but the band has never traveled. We play about two or three times a month but we haven't been together very long and just put an album out. We're just starting this process; you know, hit the road and hustle up some interest. We're coming to Ventura first, then we're going to drive up to Northern California and through Oregon to Seattle.

What's the best and worst thing about being a musician?

The best thing is performing live or having somebody say, "I listen to your album at home." The worst thing is everything else.

"... Ya aprovecho y te mando una nueva canción para tus Sesiones S.O.S., no se sí tendrás este disco es de un grupo americano llamado The Voyces y el álbum se llama “Kissing Like It’s Love” es de este año 2007, es bastante recomendable esta lleno de sonidos pop, folk-rock y algo de psicodelia.

“La canción que elijo es una de esas canciones que se te quedan metidas en la cabeza y las vas tarareando durante

todo el día, con lo cual consigues que todo sea un poco más llevadero. No debe ser siempre mirar hacia atrás y recordar viejos discos, también hay que vivir al día y descubrir nuevas bandas como este quinteto llamado The Voyces y su canción “Kissing Like It’s Love” que da titulo a su excelente segundo trabajo y además es el tema que le abre, toda una gema del mejor pop con influencias de finales de los 60’s, alegre, contagiosa, con excelentes armonías, en resumen una delicia.”

THE VOYCES
New York-based acoustic rock quintet The Voyces offers a quartet of superlative songs on their page. "Relate To Me" is a transcendent beauty. From the band's current Planting Seeds Records album, "Kissing Like it's Love," come the pensive "Canyon Ladies," the winsome "Humming" and a jaunty title tune. Sweet harmonies enhance graceful melody lines.
www.myspace.com/thevoycesmusic

The Voyces
Love Arcade
Planting Seeds Records

After getting their day in the sun on Jack Johnson's soundtrack to his surf film Thicker Than Water, The Voyces put together an album of music that is ripped straight from the 60's and 70's. Songs like 'Mercedes' and 'Tangerine' are excellent and sound as if they were recorded over 30 years ago. That, my friend, is certainly not a bad thing. The Voyces are talented in ways that many musicians can only dream of. While many musicians these days are trying to push the envelope and be creative and different, the Voyces came along and decided to keep it real, natural, organic, and old school. The entire album is a throwback to simpler times and really sets a nostalgic mood. Don't get me wrong, it's content is updated and is accessible to all music fans. The track that appears on Jack Johnson's soundtrack is included on the album as well. The Voyces are truly and unique group and make music that is incredibly timeless.

Various Artists
Easy To Be Free: The Songs Of Rick Nelson
Planting Seeds Records


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Back in the golden era of rock and roll music, young people had one thing to look forward to every week on the burgeoning black and white television… The Ozzie And Harriet Show. The reason for their expectation was simple. Each week at the finish of the show The Nelson's son Ricky would perform a song, outdoing Elvis Presley and any other rocker of the time. Ricky's voice was clear and strong, and his songs expressed the sentiments of being a teenager at the time so well that he was immediately a hit. Of course, having a young James Burton on guitar didn't hurt, either. Over the next few decades, Nelson continued his songwriting and singing career, giving the world some amazing songs.

On Easy To Be Free, a host of indie artists pay tribute to these amazing songs, and in turn, to the great man who wrote the songs. The Voyces rendition of "Poor Little Fool" preserves the original spirit of the song, having an innocent purity to the performance that recalls a simpler time in rock music. Linda Draper gives a slow and melancholy performance on "How Long", showcasing her delicately beautiful voice and bringing note to the dark complexity of what could be mistaken as a simple Nelson composition. Nic Dalton & The Gloomchasers give a slightly psychedelic spin to the classic "Alone", while 1888 gives the classic "Travelin' Man" a neo-fifties treatment. It's real cool. Rockers Dolorean give a lo-fi slowcore performance of the amazingly deep "Are You Really Real" and John Beland does a fantastic job reviving the innocent wonder of "Young Love".

The highlight of this collection for me is John McEuen (of Nitty Gritty Dirt Band fame) doing an absolutely blistering version of the rockabilly classic "Believe What You Say", speeding things up a bit and working in some nice bluegrass touches to create an awesome grass-a-billy version of one of my favorite Nelson songs. The song just absolutely rocks, maintaining the original feel of the tune while incorporating some nice banjo rolls and adding just a bit more hop to the rhythm. Jeff Larson gives a very early Byrds-like reading of the cool "Legacy", which leads into a slow-down version of "Don't Leave Me This Way" performed by the indomitable Marshall Crenshaw. Liz Durrett slows "Try (Try To Fall In Love)" way down and makes it almost an ambient track and Aaron Booth gives the super slow treatment to the famously rocking ""Hello Mary Lou", stripping it of all its rock glory and turning it to a beautifully haunting slo-fi Red House Painters' style track; beautifully done and lending an air to the song that I didn't know it could contain… I guess James Burton guitar solos don't have to always be the best part of Ricky Nelson's songs.

And so the songs of the man who Bob Dylan proclaimed "His voice was sort of mysterious and made you fall into a certain mood" are brought to a new generation of rockers. Hopefully the next generation can take away some of the intrinsic values that Ricky Nelson's songs contain, bringing new life to rock and roll. And a really great thing about this collection, besides some great music, is that a portion of the proceeds from the sale of each CD goes to support CancerCare (www.cancercare.org), an organization doing great things to support those who suffer from cancer.

A drastic reinterpretation of someone else's song can be exciting, though also disastrous, but there's something refreshing about a tribute album that leaves the experiments for someone else. Easy to Be Free is a true tribute - a bunch of musicians who obviously love Rick Nelson's music singing and playing them straight-ahead, trying to capture some of the grace and spirit of them. It's a rock-solid, enjoyable album, with no major disasters and a fair share of renditions that show a genuine understanding of Nelson's gifts as a songwriter and performer, and yet are not so direct that they come off like cheap imitations. Instead the contributors' own musical personalities shine through, but so does Nelson's, at very moment. Including both songs Nelson wrote and songs he didn't, and capturing the varied stages of his career – as teen pop idol, as country-rock singer, etc. – the album kicks off with The Primary 5, Paul Quinn (ex-Teenage Fanclub)'s current band doing an energetic "One X One," followed by a nice and smooth "Poor Little Fool" from "The Voyces. Linda Draper's spellbinding "How Long" properly demonstrates the dreamy quality of Nelson's music. Astropop 3 keep their take on "Life" pure and simple, and benefit greatly for it. Micheal Barrett's "Nightime Lady" is hushed and romantic. Liz Durrett's "Try (To Fall in Love)" swoons in slow-motion, like her own songs, while capturing – as many of the songs do – the sensitive, introspective aspects to Nelson. The whole affair feels particularly attuned to why Nelson is a musician to pay attention to, yet it's also a completely listenable and rewarding collection.

Most of the songs on "The Angels Of Fun" are undeniably hooky and suprisingly refreshing despite their obvious references to your father's folksy record collection. While the reverberant chorus of voices (and Voyces) and overly joyous handclaps may sometimes border hokey, any person with an inkling of respect for our 60's folk ancestors who repeatedly find themselves defending The Polyphonic Spree will enjoy this album.

The Voyces is a group featuring the voices of Brian Wurschum and Laurel Hoffman. The music these two make comes off like modern day folk, with an alternative rock attitude.

The Angels Of Fun is illustrated with drawings of long-legged, naked angels. Either these are the angels of fun referred to by the CD title, or they’re some kind of heavenly women’s basketball team. At times, this vocalizing sounds a bit like an unplugged Supertramp. Other times, it hearkens back to vintage Simon & Garfunkel. Vocals are backed by plenty of tinkling pianos and strummed acoustic guitars. “The Funniest Thing That I Know” sounds oldest of all, era-wise, and actually comes off like a madrigal tune. In other words, it’s quite classical sounding. The end of “Lie Down On Me” may just catch you off guard, as it slips into a reggae beat at the tune's close.

The Voyces is an apt name for this duo, because vocalizing is front and center most of the time here. It’s not comprised of complicated vocals, the way Brian Wilson projects are, for instance. Nevertheless, there are rarely the sorts of instrumental solos you usually find on pop and rock albums. These songs are also smartly written, which gives them a distinctly literary feel. Everything here adds up to an oddly likeable recording.

hello voyces. i just wanted to drop you a line to say how much i love your music. heart-stoppingly beautiful, at times almost unbearably poignant.

i really hope you'll be making up to vancouver at some point (in spite of whatever hassles are involved in crossing the border).

Me and my brother listen to your music all the time. We own everything you put out. We deserve to see you play, right? Will you ever hit the road or do we have to fly to New York?

James and Chris (Texas)

Dear Voyces,

Please marry me.

Thanks,
Regina

Hey guys,
Digging the new cd. My friends and I are wondering though...what the hell is The Canyon Ladies about?

Hi Brian,

I received your new album from Barnes & Noble yesterday and I gave it a few spins since then. To be more precise it got stuck in the CD-player :) I think you did a very good job with this record. The sound is fine as well. The songs are as strong as on the other albums but I think this one is more coherent, it's really one piece of fine work. So, I'm really, really happy with it.

As far as I have seen in the pictures on your website you must have been quite a lot into heavy-metal music earlier. When I was in secondary-school (I think it's called high-school in your country) I was very much into Iron Maiden and other similar stuff. Then as I got older (I'm going to turn 31 this month, so I'm not that old though) I found myself totally out of that scene and very much into folk and singer/songwriter-music. It's not that I don't have favorite heavy-metal songs but it's those calmer music that touches me more.

Your music is very soothing and brings joy to me everytime I listen to it. I think I must be thankful to Jack Johnson that he added your song on the Thicker than Water compilation because otherwise I would not have known your music. I think people who love your music here in Europe got to know your band via that compilation. Of course I don't know him personally but I think Jack Johnson must be a nice person.

Have you heard about the collaboration between Briton Billy Bragg and Wilco, Mermaid Avenue? They were asked by Woodie Guthrie's daughter Norah to write music to Guthrie lyrics that were in the archives. Out of that collaboration arose two wonderful records Mermaid Avenue I & II. I'm really curious if you have heard about it or maybe even know those records because I think they're a wonderful piece of music.

I also wanted to say thanks that you always take the time to answer my mails which is really a nice feeling for me. I don't think that a lot of artists would do that.

Wish you all the be best

Peter



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Hi,

I want to say some more pleasing words about your new album. An important sign for me on how good it is, is that I want to listen to it again and again. With some albums you have to force yourself a little to listen to them several times in a row but with Kissing Like It's Love the opposite is the case: the record forces you to listen to it over and over. That really says something. What I also really like about the album is that the sequencing of the songs is very good. As one song ends there comes another that makes you snap your fingers and say: Oh yes, that's pretty cool. The record is very fluid which makes it a great pleasure to listen to it form start to the end in a whole.
So congratulations once again :) You really made my day!

I keep spreading the word for you among my friends and people I know and will show them your music. I think none out of them will be disappointed.

Wish you (and the whole band) all the best and

Lovely greetings from Hungary

Peter

Dude... your video rocks!!! and the songs great too. :) So incredibly glad
to see you doing so well!!

-michal the girl-

Do you know how much your music means to people? It fills our house often. No one makes music like yours anymore and it is so refreshing and powerful.
You're like our dream band truthfully. Lyrics are brilliant, dears. I'm not just saying. It's like a modern day Bob Dylan fronting an outstanding rock and roll band. (Yes!! I am comparing you to Bob Dylan!) I hope the world hears you. We do feel your heart ache and we relate to you.
Now get your butts to Texas.
;=)

You guys rock.

Please post this so my name will be on your site.

Jason Dunleavy

Brian,

I've been meaning to write you regarding the new album. It's awesome!
Congratulations! The material is amazing..."Please Wash It Away" may be the
most beautiful song I've ever heard...personal favorites include (obviously)
"Please Wash It Away", "Top Of My Lungs", "Kissing Like It's Love", and
"Humming". I love the reworked verson of "Call It Home" as well. That song
is one of my top ten favorites of all time (all artists), I even put it on
my wedding CD! You've done it again Brian, truly fantastic work my friend,
you should be very proud...just don't take so long for the next one, ok?
Kidding...

Can't wait to see the band live! Talk to you soon.

Bill

I LOVE your new CD!!! I listen to it over and over in the car. Tracks 1-4 especially!

Hey guys,

You've really done it. I just love the whole CD. It rocks.
Your voices are beautiful. Great songs. Everyone who hears me playing it asks who it is because they dig it. Much continued success!
Bruce

Holy Sh*t, your new cd is good. Why you are not a totally world famous band, I will never know.

Kissing Like It's Love is a hit!
I think I have played that song about 200 times already. ;)

S

Love 'Kissing' from start to finish. Lovers In The Sky is my new anthem.
Peace.

A synopsis of the new disc goes like this: First I feel giddy. Next I want to die. Then I become hopeful. Then I want to die again.
Your songs break my heart.
Thanks, I think.

Dear Voyces,

I was introduced to your music by a friend of mine who played me your song "Relate To Me" on the guitar. He told me that I needed to buy the Thicker than Water soundtrack, and I did. Your song was my favorite song on there, so I bought The Angels Of Fun. I loved it so much, I bought three copies of Kissing Like Its Love. Well, since it arrived in the mail I have not stopped listening to it.
Not only that but everyone who hears it wants a copy too. It's so good. My favorite tracks on Kissing are "Lovers in the Sky" and "Humming." The songs are pretty and your voices are dreamy.

We don't have a big music scene here in New Mexico but I wish you would perform out this way sometime. In the meantime I wear my Pretty girls listen to the Voyces t-shirt to spread the word about you people.

Kara

Dear Voyces.

I love your new video! It's freaking AWESOME!
Your bassist has a price tag dangling from his bass??
Are you serious??
LMAO at the whole thing!
Keep it up.

Noah

Hey, I discovered you guys at Rockwood in March, went to that other show you did there in March, and now I'm hooked. Unfortunately your release party falls during my finals week here at school, but I bought the disc off iTunes and it's awesome. Still not the same as the live performance, of course.

Thanks for releasing an awesome CD, and play Rockwood again sometime. It's a great place even when you're pressed up against the wall.

-Jake S

(re: your new video)
I don't know what to say ?!?! .I have never laughed so hard and got a b*ner at the same time. thanks for a truly new experience. love and kisses kc

Hello Voyces from beautiful Montreal!

Just a short note to state the fact that "Kissing Like It's Love" is probably one of the best pop songs I've heard in a very long time!! It has everything! Great lyrics, tremendous song structure (Eb..yeah!!!), terrific arrangement and most of all and most importantly...., infectious "ear candy"!!! You're going to do very well with this!!! I wish you the best of luck and hope one day you'll make your way up north to the "city of festivals"!!!

Cheers!

Gord

Loved your show on Saturday. Bang, bang, bang. One great song after another. The people I brought had never heard you and they were shocked. They came out of obligation yet left with a stack of your CDs. All the way home I kept saying "I told you so!" From my perspective, as a fan, I thought the show was more mesmerizing than your recordings. To look at you all while hearing the music is something very powerful. You pulled the audience in with both your style and the energy you've got flowing from the stage. When you said that it was your last song, I almost cried. I'm not kidding!
Susan

I just had to drop a line to let you know how much I and everyone else, enjoyed Saturday. You were all amazing. It was such a rush to see you on that stage, every bit the rock stars, and so deserving of the venue. The energy was infectious and people were really enjoying the set. I watched as people poured into the room once you started playing and everyone just got carried away by the music. People who saw you for the first time LOVED the music, and those who have been to other gigs said this was the best yet.
Outside, our friends who didn't buy tickets in advance stayed in the line and listened to your set outside. Then they talked about how they can tell this story when the Voyces are playing at the Garden. My sister saw, through a window, a guy at the bar, at the back of the room, probably a fan of the other band, who couldn't help but bob his head like crazy to the Voyces. She said she thinks that happened with lots of people - they came for the headliner, but are now converted Voyces fans. I
couldn't agree more.

XOXOXO,
Chris

the show was unforgettable. you all sound SO great together. i've seen many many band play and only a few could i say were as good live, if not better, than on the album. you guys not only blew us away with your music, but with your style as well. all of you looked so psyched to be up there, and i must say all very fun to watch.
i think that Jude is especially wonderful. she has an elegance on stage that i've never seen before, and her voice is so delicate, yet powerful. your voices (or should i say voyces) are a stellar match.
once again, you kicked ass! thanks for a great show!

~Veronica~

Hi there!



Just want to let you know that your show on Saturday night was so rad. I’m so, so, so happy I got to see you guys play!!! I swear to god I haven’t had that much fun in ages I couldn’t stop bouncing around…..haha.
And I haven’t taken your CD out of my CD player since I got it last week! Good luck on tour!!!!!



XOX

Mins

Last night was the first time I saw you perform and I enjoyed every minute of it.

Thank you so much for “Kissing Like it’s Love” – I listened to it this morning and I’m sure it will fly off the shelves.

My best to all of you.

Thank you for performing in my son’s club.

Sincerely,

Benita Rockwood

Listened to (one of your songs) this morning all the way to work. There is one part where Jude’s voice breaks my heart. I mean that almost literally. I feel a tearing in my chest every time. I think that the two of you are so cosmically lucky to have found each other. She just has such softness and light about her and it brings out that same beauty in you. Cheesy? Perhaps. You guys make me want to write poetry or something—but only on songs like that. When you launch into Canyon Ladies, I want to do dirty things to hot boys. Now THAT is a dynamic band.