The StorysTown Beyond The Trees [album]
Long Hard
Road [single]
“Following
on from the
successful release of their
new album Town Beyond
The Trees on their own
label — Hall — The Storys
take their classic style of
West Coast rock around
Europe starting, on 1 May,
in Britain...”
THE STORYS HIT THE ROAD following stand-out live performances at legendary
venues King Tuts, 100 Club and, not forgetting, an impromptu gig at the Glasgow
Odeon screening of new British blockbuster The Bank Job, a film in which
they feature.
The Swansea six-piece comprise of no less than four singer/ song-writers, adding
much versatility to their melodic brand of Americana and drawing comparisons
to The Eagles, The Byrds and The Burrito Brothers.
"Balsamo has a truly spellbinding voice and The Storys' melodic mandolin-backed
ballads and jaunty rockers should spark some serious interest" — The
Times
"It's the attention to detail that marks The Storys out. Road tested and tight
as a bear hug they are cresting a creative peak" — Rock'n'Reel
"The Storys proved to have terrific personalities and they shine at their
live performances" — MotorBar
“At
The Storys’ recent
showcase to the Media
at the BBC Club in
London (March, 2008),
MotorBar had the
opportunity to listen
to the band live —
and it was an amazing
experience...”
HAVING ALREADY REVIEWED TOWN BEYOND THE TREES, an exceptional album with
the title track of particular merit, we knew what to expect. They're
great musicians and singers and sound fantastic on the album tracks. But live
performances can be, if you'll forgive the pun, a different story.
A band performing live is opened up. They are exposed as individuals; not just
performers. The Storys proved to have terrific personalities and they shine
at their live performances. They interact visibly with each other and with their
audience; they are professional, very natural and really do look as if they
are enjoying themselves. They are as good to watch as they are to listen to
and the rapport between the six musicians who make up The Storys is remarkable.
Lead vocalist Steve Balsamo, told MotorBar: "What you see is what you get. We
go back a long way and we get on well. We couldn't work together as closely
as we do — on stage and writing songs — if we didn't have that bond."
There is an element of the Seventies about The Storys so it wasn't surprising
that when a band from that era was needed for the film The Bank Job —
the current Number One box office smash starring Jason Statham — The Storys
were invited to take part.
By sheer chance, while in Glasgow for a gig at the legendary King Tuts and staying
at the Paisley Road Travel Lodge, The Storys' bassist Andy Collins slipped out
for a drink and noticed that the Odeon on Springfield Quay was showing The
Bank Job.
Steve explains: "Andy popped in and got chatting with the manager. The conversation
turned to the film and the fact that the band were in it — and as a result
we set up in the foyer between shows and played six or seven acoustic numbers,
with just a vocal PA. We played to one audience coming out and another coming
in, so we ended up with quite a crowd. They were lovely people and really enjoyed
it. Some of them came to the gig the next day too."
The set included tracks from the film, including I Believe In Love as
well as tracks from the band's new album Town Beyond The Trees, which
is released on 31 March (2008).
Mixing the country rock harmonies of The Eagles and Crosby Stills
Nash & Young with the acoustic side of Led Zeppelin and the West coast pop of
The Byrds and The Burrito Brothers, The Storys have already won many fans —
including Elton John, with whom they play
at Swansea Liberty Stadium on 29 June (2008).
A big band with melodies and vocal harmonies to match, The Storys are: Steve
Balsamo (vocals/guitar); Andy Collins (vocals/bass); Dai Smith (vocals/guitar);
Rob Thompson (vocals/guitar); Brian Thomas (drums/percussion) and Alan Thomas
(keys/mandolin/banjo). Great guys! Great songs!
The fantastic new album Town Beyond The Trees and the superb single
Long Hard Road are both released on 31 March (2008).
“The
Storys: a whole
new experience on CD
and stage! Excellent
vocals and harmonies;
and more. Town Beyond
The Trees is deliciously
emotive and elevates
The Storys beyond the
norm. Love it!”
BEAUTIFUL SOUNDS AND MUSIC HARMONIES fill the air as South Wales band The
Storys entertain with Town Beyond The Trees— their much-anticipated
second album to be released on 31 March (2008) on Hall Recordings.
Song after song is worth listening to, with the gentle vocals especially good
on the opening track Long Hard Road — reminding you of gentle coastal
breezes, convertible pink Cadillacs and impromptu beach parties. The song that
gives the album its name — Town Beyond The Trees — is heart-melting
and poignantly poetic with an established sound.
Following on from the acclaimed 2006 eponymous debut and some high-profile live
performances — including with Elton John and Katie Melua — Town
Beyond The Trees has a catchy title and a catchy rhythm throughout. Love
it!
The Storys mix the country rock harmonies of The Eagles and Crosby Stills Nash
& Young with the acoustic side of Led Zeppelin and the West Coast pop of The
Byrds and The Burrito Brothers. It is a sound that has already won many fans,
and there are more waiting in the wings.
The Storys — Steve Balsamo (vocals/guitar); Andy Collins (vocal/ bass);
Dai Smith (vocals/guitar); Rob Thompson (vocals/guitar); Brian Thomas (drums/percussion)
and Alan Thomas (keys/mandolin/banjo) — are a big band with melodies and
vocal harmonies to match. The mandolin and banjo explain the easy country feel
that pervades the album, delivered with an almost casual classic style.
Having four singers who are also songwriters gives the band versatility. But
there is certainly no conflict — if anything, the band have progressed
as a unit in the song writing. As Dai says: "If one or two bring a song idea
in, we all work on it and it becomes a six-way cooperative. This second album
is more of a group experience."
The album Town Beyond The Trees is issued on the band's own Hall label,
named after the converted cinema where their self-produced debut was recorded.
This new album was recorded at Peter Gabriel's Real World studio complex earlier
in 2007, with renowned producer Jon Kelly. Kelly's impressive CV includes Kate
Bush, The Beautiful South, Paul McCartney, Chris Rea and The Damned.
The collapse of the record label Korova/Warners (who picked up that debut) turned
out to be a blessing, with the band able to retain control of the recording
and producer Jon Kelly agreeing to stay on and finish the album. It was then
that the strings were added, giving the album its final polish.
The band have come a long way in a short time, both finding a co-hesion in the
studio and having to pull together when playing stadiums with Elton John. Dai
remarks: "The album only took five weeks to record, and it sounds fresher for
it."
• The Storys' latest album CD, Town Beyond
The Trees, is to be released on 31 March (2008) from Hall Recordings. Also
released
on 31 March is the album's lead single, Long Hard Road.
"Their blend of complex chord structures with simple melodies adorned with effortless,
multi-layered harmonies is almost the perfect distillation of everything appealing
about West Coast Americana" — The Telegraph
"There is much to revel in within the intricate vocal harmonies of this
Swansea sextet's sound" — Classic Rock
"The Storys possess an ability to pen instantly classic songs which ooze class"
— Music Week
"Town Beyond The Trees is deliciously emotive and elevates The Storys
beyond the norm. Love it! — MotorBar
Town Beyond The Trees tracklist — with the background
to each song from The Storys
Long Hard Road — A song about reassurance; what doesn't kill you
will make you stronger. Many of the Storys songs are based on grains of personal
truth. This is about reaching out to someone in their hour of need.
You Couldn't Make It Up — A grown up pop song, its about a family
unit breaking down; going through a trial separation and coming home one day
to find someone else has moved in. An example of an uplifting melody, with a
dark soul-searching lyric.
Feeling Something — When the first stages of love hit and someone
becomes a part of you, you ask the question: are they feeling the same way?
As you fall deeper it is important to know, as you commit your life to them.
It is a simple song about falling in love.
Evangelina — Is a girl who's trying to be righteous and true, but
who has not been so in the past. Someone comes into her life and turns her whole
world around in seven days. Supposedly the world was created in seven days —
but hers was destroyed.
It's All We Really Need — About someone leaving home with a dream of
making something of themselves in the world, but quickly finding that they've
not even come close. Sometimes it's easier not to return home at all than to
come back and admit defeat.
Nobody Loves You — This is about an affair. It can be read as both
romantic and sinister, with the line 'nobody loves you… like me…' having obsessive
overtones. Much in the same way as Every Breath You Take on the surface
is a love song, but it hides a darker subtext.
Town Beyond The Trees — This was actually written before the first
album. It's a live favourite, more sprawling, very organic and based on a true
story about a guy on death row writing a letter to his unborn son. It's a very
affecting story as some of the band have recently had children and there's no
rule book when you become a father.
Trouble Deep — Is about somebody who is in a cycle of making the
same mistakes over and over again but is always running away from them rather
than facing them. Rosalie Deighton sings the harmony vocal. She toured with
us last year, and we fell in love with her voice. Steve did the harmony originally
but as soon as Rosalie put her voice down, the hairs collectively stood up at
the back of our necks. She adds something very special to the song… almost ghost-like
and ethereal.
Heaven Holds You Now — Sometimes we let people down, but this song
is about hope and holding onto our dreams and realising we are all in the same
boat. It also talks of the loss of someone close and dealing with it.
Alone — This is about the search for true love and finding that
special person who makes you realise it's a lonely life without love.
“Following
on from the 
“At
The Storys’ recent