Music
The best kept secret in music
Press
AWESOME
Reviewer: Craig Francis Burns
I've been listening to this CD on-and-off for the past few weeks and I have to admit that, at first, I was not that familiar with their music. However, much like befriending that goofy "new kid" in junior-high and ending-up discovering a lifelong friend. . . I was pleasantly surprised. Hazing Kate has delivered an INCREDIBLY DIVERSE collection of songs. This band poignantly sketches each of their introspective, soul-bearing stories, with a frank honesty not commonly encountered in this plastic-coated, pre-packaged, "post-MTV" world that we all, unfortunately, find ourselves trapped-in. And yet, like biting into a jalapeno-pepper embedded in a bowl of ice cream, this band sets aside their own testimony to unleash some of the most highly-energized music that makes me want to throw-away everything that they taught me at Betty Ford; reach for a bottle of Jack and a carton of Marlboro Reds; and dance with the first cocktail-waitress that ventures too close to me. Recently, I was lucky enough to check them out live at the 312 Club outside of Chicago, and I kid you not, I would fly half-way across the Earth to hear this band again. . . Just my two-cents worth, CFB
- Craig F.Burns
Hazing Kate's eightsong debut offers an appealing assortment of Americana-infused roots rock that competently swings back and forth between bluegrass twang and furious country slap and all bases in between. Vocally, one hears a certain similarity to Barenaked Ladies, but the playing feels looser and freer. The lyrics are equally open and aptly suited to the wide-ranging musical roots the foursome stretches out, making them a band suitable to any venue and pretty much any mood. - Illinois Entertainer
Discography
Hazing Kate-Hazing Kate (Demo)
Hazing Kate-Matchbook (E.P.) Available at CDBABY.COM
Photos
Feeling a bit camera shy
Bio
Hazing Kate distills rock, bluegrass, indie pop and country twang into original, American roots music. While the straightforward melodies set the pace, honest lyrics examine the life experience.
Martin Moran (guitar, vocals) formed Hazing Kate as a vehicle to hone his musical ideas and song-crafting abilities. After building an impressive repertoire of original material, he recruited
Adam “Slow Lightning” Heinlen (guitar, vocals), Mike Crane (bass) and Scott Tyrcha (drums, vocals) to fill out the band’s sound for gigs throughout Chicagoland.
Hazing Kate’s music examines a wide range of subjects—personal relationships as well as historical and cultural events—from a philosophical perspective. With a master’s degree in history, Moran pens lyrics that are personal, truth-seeking and poetic yet still accessible. Melodic compositions by Moran and Heinlen complement the open lyrics. The band’s rhythm section of Crane and Tyrcha give these songs a driving force that keeps Hazing Kate’s music lively and on course—and fit for any venue, be it a smoke-filled bar, exuberant street festival or quiet coffee shop.
“Hazing Kate has pinpointed where we want to be on the musical map,” Moran says. “We take the music and organic landscapes around us and synthesize these into robust songs that appeal to both the band and audience.”
“Our sound is such that we’ve taken control of our influences rather than letting them control us,” adds Heinlen.
With an impressive range of originals and covers, the band plays in and around Chicago, and is looking to play shows nationwide. A recently recorded EP showcases the band’s talent, but nothing tops the exciting showmanship of a live performance.
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