The Spanish Channel

Artist Information

Biography

The Spanish Channel is melodic powerpop -- catchy uptempo rock with harmony vocals, and lyrics that tell the stories of life in New York City. The band lives in Brooklyn, NY, and rocks like Foo Fighters, Weezer, Fountains of Wayne, The Cars, Maroon 5, Lit, and Ok Go.

Recent Highlights:
- Opening for Tim Reynolds & TR3 (of Dave Matthews Band)
- A sold-out NYC CD Release Show
- Winner in the Midas Rock The Highway national band contest
- A mention in the November 2010 issue of Spin Magazine
- A performance at Atlantic City's Caesar’s Palace

In addition, the band wrote and recorded the theme for the Federal Hockey League’s Danbury Whalers, and their new album has been receiving airplay on the Wesleyan University station WESU-FM as well as the Western Connecticut State University’s WXCI-FM. The Spanish Channel has performed live in-studio at both stations. The band is touring the eastern US in 2011-2012.

Instrumentation

Jaime Garamella - Vocals, Guitar
Lauren Stockner - Vocals, Lead Guitar
Tyler Phillips - Vocals, Bass
Bruce Hordon - Vocals, Drums

Discography

2011 CD: Brooklyn, Off Atlantic (Dogburn Records)
2008 CD: Upside Downer (Dogburn Records)

http://www.TheSpanishChannel.net

Official Website

http://www.thespanishchannel.net

Links

• Facebook
• Twitter
• MySpace
• YouTube
• Booking & Management: Your Face Productions
• ReverbNation

Audio

• People Pleaser
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• Be A Dog
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• Strapped For Cash
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• Everything's Gone
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• Upside Downer
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• The Wishing
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• Devil's Advocate
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• Tiny Voices
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• A Weak Heart
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• Odyssey
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• Mergers and Acquisitions
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• Missed Opportunity
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• Cold Fusion
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Lyrics

• The Wishing
• Devil's Advocate
• Tiny Voices
• A Weak Heart
• Everything's Gone
• The War of the Worlds
• Everything's Gone
• Mergers and Acquisitions
• Be A Dog

Video

People Pleaser [HD]

Mergers & Acquisitions at Caesar's Palace, Atlantic City, NJ

Photo Gallery

Press

• Great Artistry
  

  "Nice music production & arrangement...great artistry, this group is one to watch."

• Pop Gold [+ Show ]
  

  The Spanish Channel – Upside Downer 2008, Dogburn Records Jaime Garamella is a Brooklyn-transpla...The Spanish Channel – Upside Downer
  2008, Dogburn Records
  
  Jaime Garamella is a Brooklyn-transplanted singer/songwriter originally from Boston. Along with his band, The Spanish Channel, Garamella produced and recorded his debut CD in 2008, Upside Downer. Combining the quirky song craft of Elvis Costello and Ben Folds with the stylistic vigor of Ryan Adams or Fountains Of Wayne, Garamella dazzles with eight songs full of gorgeous melodies, arena rock style harmonies and memorable instrumental arrangements.
  
  Upside Downer opens with The Wishing, a compact rocker than opens up with soaring harmonies and new wave keyboard accents. This song is radio ready today, and would get a lot of attention in the right market/demographic. Tiny Voices has some of the most striking harmonies on the CD, buoying a positive message with jangly guitars. It’s a very distinctive composition that could only come from Garamella. Upside Downer is a wonderful song that is probably 25 years too late for its maximum commercial potential. Delicious minor triads in the harmony make this one stick out in your head. Still a potential hit even today.
  
  Me & You is a refreshing surprise amidst all of this great Rock N Roll. A bleakly beautiful song of love and sorrow, Me & You captures the angst of love lost more perfectly than any photograph ever could. The last track on the disc is of particular interest. A Weak Heart juxtaposes physical heart problems with the pain of a broken heart. The song is a bit of a downer and displays Garamella’s willingness to take chances musically. It is the primary reason why I am convinced we’ll still be talking about Jaime Garamella in ten or twenty years time. Other highlights include Devil’s Advocate, Odyssey and Pompeii.
  
  Jaime Garamella writes pop gold in a musical age when such things are extremely undervalued. Garamella is the sort of artist who could make it in most any era of music because he has the ear necessary to breach the imaginary walls of musical culture and taste. Upside Downer is a brilliant album. Even if Garamella never records again, he’ll be remembered for this album.
  
  Rating: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5)

• The Spanish Channel stand out [+ Show ]
  

  Chris Dahlberg March 12, 2009 Pop/rock band The Spanish Channel was originally the solo project ...Chris Dahlberg
  March 12, 2009
  
  Pop/rock band The Spanish Channel was originally the solo project of singer/guitarist Jaime Garamella, but in recent years it has blossomed into a full group with a stable lineup. The group’s debut, Upside Downer, was released under Garamella’s name and not as The Spanish Channel and features a lineup of musicians that is different from who is in the band now, but despite this it is clear from the songs on this release that the band already has a solid base established thanks to their vocalist/guitarist. There are plenty of different styles evident throughout the course of the eight songs offered here, and this should serve as a great introduction to what the band has to offer in the future.
  
  The instrumentals on Upside Downer move between a variety of different rock styles, but all of them are very focused on melody. At times it sounds as though The Spanish Channel has definitely taken a bit of influence from The Beatles and other 60’s pop/rock acts, though this doesn’t mean that they haven’t pulled from some more recent styles as well. Upside Downer likes to alternate between up-tempo, bubbly pop rock and slower paced acoustically driven material, but no matter which direction the instrumentals go in the songs remain memorable. One thing I would like to see The Spanish Channel do is bring out the sound of their drums on the more up-tempo songs, as this would give them even more energy.
  
  Vocalist Jaime Garamella has a melodic voice and some noteworthy lyrics to go along with it. On some of the songs his lyrical content is quite witty, while on other tracks his topics take on a much more personal and emotional flair. Garamella has a light and airy style that matches up wonderfully with the instrumentals, and when the songs pick up in tempo and energy he adjusts his voice to match. He clearly has a knack for writing lyrics that are not of the normal variety, and this could certainly help The Spanish Channel stand out.
  
  The Spanish Channel’s lineup may have changed since Upside Downer was recorded, but if the new instrumentalists are able to continue what was started on this album then listeners should have nothing to worry about. I would like to see the drummer given a bit more attention as by bringing the drums out in the mix the group will sound even better. Keep an eye on this band, as now that they have a stable lineup in place it seems likely that the only direction they can go is up.

• Big Hooks [+ Show ]
  

  "Catchy rock songs with 4 part harmonies, big hooks and guitar solos right out of the classic rock e..."Catchy rock songs with 4 part harmonies, big hooks and guitar solos right out of the classic rock era...The new album continues on the course set on 2008's Upside Downer while showing some definite growth as a band...Jaime Garamella has a talent for writing lyrics that blend personal thoughts, clinical perspectives and humor in sometimes surprising ways...It's like a painting in song, full of vibrant images and tones...[Lauren] Stockner's extended guitar solo recalls some of the later work of David Gilmour...The pacing of the album is great."

• Highly Recommended by Powerpopaholic [+ Show ]
  

  "This earnest uptempo pop/rock band aims to please. Led by singer/guitarist Jaime Garamella...The Sp..."This earnest uptempo pop/rock band aims to please. Led by singer/guitarist Jaime Garamella...The Spanish Channel stand out, as the lyrics and hooks are far from boilerplate. The band...stylistically resembles The Spin Doctors...but keeps things fresh with a variety of rockers that are really unique in sound. The best song here is the Fountains of Wayne-like "Trivia Night". The band chugs on all cylinders here. "

• You'll Be Singing Along [+ Show ]
  

  "A guitar-driven, uptempo sound...a show that Philadelphia power pop fans won’t want to miss...they'..."A guitar-driven, uptempo sound...a show that Philadelphia power pop fans won’t want to miss...they're a perfect band to see live...catchy lyrics and hook-laden music...you'll be singing along."

Setlist

We can do two 45 minute sets of originals.

Original songs:
- Tiny Voices
- Missed Opportunity
- Upside Downer
- The Wishing
- Devil's Advocate
- Pompeii
- Me & You
- Odyssey
- Bags of Gold
- Strapped for Cash
- Mergers & Acquisitions
- Be a Dog
- People Pleaser
- Cold Fusion
- Trivia Night
- War of the Worlds
- Everything's Gone

Basic Requirements

Calendar