tag:birch-riley.com,2005:/blogs/news-from-birch-riley?p=3News from Birch Riley2022-08-07T11:50:17-07:00Birch Rileyfalsetag:birch-riley.com,2005:Post/70326822022-08-07T11:50:17-07:002023-10-16T07:59:11-07:00Birch Riley is playing LIVE 9/10/22!<p><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);">We’re excited to be playing our first live show since COVID! Come watch us tear the roof off of the Black Lab Gallery in Everett, WA on 9/10/22! </span><br> </p>
<p><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/526008/1b8f1aff0997e75c1457d18854f71d5f28e87a47/original/3677227f-2bef-4c6b-94be-69cdeff2bf14.jpeg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></span></p>Birch Rileytag:birch-riley.com,2005:Post/66365712021-05-21T09:27:01-07:002021-09-18T09:15:50-07:00Want / Need Is Now Available Everywhere!<p>Our new single, "Want / Need" is now available to purchase on our <a contents="Bandcamp page&nbsp;" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://birchriley.bandcamp.com/album/want-need">Bandcamp page</a>, as well as stream on all the usual platforms. We hope that you enjoy the song, and are as excited as we are about what comes next. Thanks for listening!</p>Birch Rileytag:birch-riley.com,2005:Post/66151192021-04-27T09:55:00-07:002021-09-18T09:16:13-07:00Birch Riley's Next Project!<p>We're very excited to announce the production of our next project... But first, a little background information!</p>
<p>Back in 2006-08, Birch Riley was a four-piece band that consisted of members Wes Hlebichuk (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), Shawn Thompson (bass, keys, strings), Steve Pitzer (lead guitar), and Jack "Steve" Martin (drums). Though this configuration of the band had a relatively short existence, they rose to the challenge of pushing each others' songwriting and instrumental abilities to new heights. The band produced well over a dozen songs in this era, which range from driving rock tunes to pop-rock ballads.</p>
<p>In 2007, band went into the studio with producer/engineers Brian Pake and Larry Anschell and recorded an entire LP's worth of material. Unfortunately, at some point between the recording an mixing process, a hardware failure caused much of the original recorded audio to be lost, and so the record went unfinished and unreleased... until now! </p>
<p>Recently discovered on spindle of old CDRs, the Pro Tools sessions for this record have been recovered, and all data that wasn't lost in the first place is still intact. As a result of this finding, we've decided to invite Steve Pitzer and Jack "Steve" Martin back into the fold to re-record their parts and complete this project once and for all. <br><br>We love these songs, and we hope that new and old fans alike will enjoy hearing these songs brought back to life. The band's upcoming single "Want / Need" was actually written during this era, so it should serve as an indicator of the sound fans can expect from these sessions. We'll be documenting the recording process starting this weekend, so stay tuned to our social media and follow us on <a contents="instagram" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.instagram.com/birchrileyband/">instagram</a> to be part of the fun.</p>
<p>We'll see you soon!</p>
<p>-Birch Riley (Wes, Shawn, Rick, Phil, Steve, and Jack)</p>Birch Rileytag:birch-riley.com,2005:Post/65638012021-03-03T09:09:02-08:002021-09-18T09:16:33-07:00The Birch Riley Merch Store Is Now Open!<p>The Birch Riley Merch Store is now open for business! Please check out our current offerings on our <a contents="store page" data-link-label="Store" data-link-type="page" href="/store">store page</a>, and let us know if there is anything you'd like us to see added in the future. </p>Birch Rileytag:birch-riley.com,2005:Post/65351652021-01-30T16:20:41-08:002021-09-18T09:16:50-07:00Read the newest review of Fragments of Space-Time!<p>Jamie Funk of Divide and Conquer Music (a blog dedicated to reviewing indie records) has written a very thoughtful and positive review of our new album. He offers some great constructive criticism and finishes of the review with a positivity that really hit us right in the feels:</p>
<p>“Any way you slice this is an epic album and the band obviously put so much work into it. The recording quality is exceptional and the band's technical skills are also top notch. I enjoyed most of the songs which were all well written... Overall, a very good record from a talented band. Recommended.”</p>
<p>We're very happy that he recognized the amount of hard work that went into this record, and why we're so proud of it. You can check it out at <a contents="this link" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.divideandconquermusic.com/indie-music-album-reviews/birch-riley-fragments-of-space-time?fbclid=IwAR1QDJJ5WkK7m82vDlmPzQBvmUo3Ht-ALHCtSDr0KrhOCNUkadDoHyNIi_o">this link</a>. </p>Birch Rileytag:birch-riley.com,2005:Post/64990782020-12-15T08:57:13-08:002021-09-18T09:17:17-07:00The Origins of Fragments of Space-Time: ..."Why Not?"<p>As some of you know, and we expect many of you don't, several of the songs from Fragments of Space-Time have been part of the band's setlist for many years, and have never been professionally recorded until recently. Today, we're going to explore the origins of "I Expect", "Maximum Potential" and "Half-Naked", which have been kicking around since the very early days of the band. </p>
<p>Back in 2002, when Birch Riley was touring as a trio in support of their debut album, "Scattered", the band had a unique opportunity to record some material while on the road. Upon the conclusion of their gig at the Holiday Bowl in Hayward, California, the band was approached by an enthusiastic sound engineer who offered to bring the band into his studio and record a free demo. They had a tour stop the following day, but knew that they would be traveling back through the area later on the tour, so they thought, "Why Not?" The guys were thrilled to have this opportunity, and they just so happened to have a collection of original songs in their setlist which had yet to be recorded. </p>
<p>A few months down the road, the band arrived at the "studio", to find that it was, in actuality, a residential home with a makeshift studio set up in the living room. Again, this opportunity was a free one, so the guys cannot help but reach the conclusion, "Why Not?", once more. Knowing that they only had one afternoon to spend on the recording, the guys narrowed down their choice of songs to (a still rather ambitious) five. After some deliberation, the guys decided that "I Expect", "Maximum Potential" "My My You You", "Never But Forever" and "Half-Naked" would make the cut. </p>
<p>Recording was swift and efficient, as the process was just as if they were setting up for a live show...but this live show just happened to be in a living room. No frills, no instrumental overdubs, just the band playing live in a room with the tape rolling. The band did a few passes of each song in order to give the engineers multiple takes to work with, and then Wes overdubbed his vocals so that they would be free of any other instrumental bleed. What you will hear on the resulting EP are 5 songs that are essentially unedited single takes. Despite the fairly low production value, the EP did an amazing job at capturing the energy of these songs and the tightness of the band that can only come from playing together on the road for many months. After knocking out the 5 songs in a single afternoon, the band packed up their gear, thanked their new engineer friends for their work, and headed toward their next tour stop. </p>
<p>After the tour concluded, the band received an envelope in the mail, containing a single CD. That CD contained the final mixes of those 5 songs; an EP that has come to affectionately be known as "Why Not?" This EP has only existed as a bootleg passed between friends and family for many years, but in celebration of the release of Fragments of Space-Time, the band has decided to upload this EP exclusively to their Soundcloud page for everyone's listening enjoyment. Take a <a contents="listen for yourself" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://soundcloud.com/birch_riley/sets/why-not">listen for yourself</a> and see how "I Expect", "Maximum Potential", and "Half-Naked" have evolved through the years. While you're at it, check out the two other early Birch Riley songs that you may never have heard before! </p>
<p>We in the band thank you all for reading, listening, and continuing to support Fragments of Space-Time. We hope to write more articles in the near future that explore the origins of even more songs from the record. </p>Birch Rileytag:birch-riley.com,2005:Post/64884462020-11-30T08:04:41-08:002021-09-18T09:17:59-07:00"One Life to Live" featured on "This Week in Seattle Rock Podcast" on 12/7/20!<p>Happy Monday, everyone, and we hope you had a great holiday weekend! We're excited to report that the wonderful folks at This Week In Seattle Rock Podcast will be playing our song "One Life to Live" on their Monday, December 7th episode! The podcast airs exclusively on <a contents="Spotify" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://open.spotify.com/show/5qN4XwojzMr3iwUH2SCvUb?si=4odpFbwARS2Fdn5uW_Y_Bg">Spotify</a>, so get the app and check it out.!Tell your friends, and be sure to toss their <a contents="Facebook" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.facebook.com/thisweekinseattlerock/">Facebook</a> page a like/follow!</p>Birch Rileytag:birch-riley.com,2005:Post/64790922020-11-16T14:24:22-08:002020-11-16T14:25:33-08:00"One Life to Live" Featured in today's A&R Factory Blog<p>Music journalist Amelia Vandergast gave us some nice props for both our song "One Life to Live" and our new album. You can check out her review below! Thank you, Amelia!<br><br>Check it out <a contents="here" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.anrfactory.com/washington-rock-powerhouse-birch-riley-address-the-fragile-state-of-your-existence-with-one-life-to-live/">here</a></p>Birch Rileytag:birch-riley.com,2005:Post/64753972020-11-11T17:38:02-08:002021-09-18T09:18:23-07:00Fragments of Space-Time Now Available!<p>THE WAIT IS OVER! We are pleased to announce that Fragments of Space-Time is now available to purchase exclusively on our Bandcamp page. If streaming music is more your thing, it is also now available on Spotify, Apple Music, iTunes, and Pandora, with more streaming partners to come! Check the links on the top right of our page to be taken to your streaming site of choice. </p>
<p>We want to sincerely thank all of our fans for their patience, as Fragments of Space-Time is a true labor of love, and we hope that you hear that when you listen. We are so, so proud of it, and we hope that you will enjoy it. Thank you for being fans, and thank you for listening!</p>Birch Rileytag:birch-riley.com,2005:Post/64741922020-11-10T08:00:00-08:002021-09-18T09:18:36-07:00One Life to Live now streaming!<p>One day to go!... One.... something, something, something.... </p>
<p>One Life to Live? Ok! What better way to celebrate tomorrow's album launch than to debut another new song from it! Presenting One Life to Live: The second full song from Fragments of Space-Time. A genre-bending anthemic hard rocker with a driving beat, killer chorus, and spooky interlude. Enjoy, and see you all tomorrow!<br><br><a contents="Click here to listen to One Life to Live!" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://soundcloud.com/birch_riley/one-life-to-live">Click here to listen to One Life to Live!</a></p>Birch Rileytag:birch-riley.com,2005:Post/64737082020-11-06T08:00:00-08:002021-09-18T09:18:52-07:00Listen to "I Expect" now!<p>What's that? You want to hear a song from Fragments of Space-Time? Well, ok then! Head on over to our Soundcloud via the secret link below! </p>
<p>Oh, by the way, this is actually the first TWO tracks from FOST: Introstellar and I Expect. Introstellar functions as both an introduction to the album and to I Expect itself, so we couldn't post one without the other! Enjoy! </p>
<p><a contents='Listen to "I Expect" on Soundcloud now!' data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://soundcloud.com/birch_riley/i-expect-extended-intro">Listen to I Expect on Soundcloud now!</a></p>Birch Rileytag:birch-riley.com,2005:Post/64736922020-11-05T08:00:00-08:002021-09-18T09:19:06-07:00Fragments of Space-Time Track Listing Revealed!<p>Fragments of Space-Time's track list has been revealed! Composed of 13 full songs and a short introduction, FOST will take you on a journey through time and space, as both familiar and new Birch Riley songs coalesce to tell an exciting sci-fi story! </p>
<p>1. Introstellar <br>2. I Expect <br>3. One Life to Live <br>4. Dog Lies <br>5. In Disguise <br>6. Last Hard Drive <br>7. You're Right <br>8. Lone Gun <br>9. Dead Wrong <br>10. How Far Will You Go? <br>11. Maximum Potential <br>12. Half-Naked <br>13. Ashes <br>14. Living on the Brink</p>Birch Rileytag:birch-riley.com,2005:Post/64736702020-11-03T11:00:00-08:002021-09-18T09:19:25-07:00Fragments of Space-Time Announcement<p>8+ years in the making, the band is ecstatic to finally share this collection of songs to the world. Fans of the band will hear songs that are both new and familiar, combined for the first time to tell an epic story. </p>
<p>FOST is a concept album that depicts the personal accounts of a deep-space explorer who is helping to establish a colony upon a new world. He quickly discovers that this seemingly barren planet hides technological clues to a civilization long gone, and, most impressively, an intelligent computer who can take on the form of a human woman through advanced holograms... </p>
<p>It is then up to our hero and his friends to solve the mystery of what this computer's purpose is, and why these ancient beings left the planet, all while also attempting to keep the peace among his fellow settlers, as a great power struggle is set to unfold... </p>
<p>FOST will be available to purchase on our Bandcamp site starting on 11.11.2020, and available on all major streaming platforms shortly thereafter. Stay tuned for more information!</p>Birch Riley