MRD
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States | Established. Jan 01, 2015 | SELF
Music
Press
Budding local indie band aims high with their debut EP.
Matt Carney
September 21st, 2011
A lot of local bands could learn a lesson or two from songwriter Brantley Cowan and his new band, Modern Rock Diaries. There hasn’t been an album bigger and more ambitious than “Great Western Civilization” in a long while. It’s the sound of an act aiming for regional and national success, not just hoping for it.
In keeping with indie fashion, MRD employs a lot of full-band singing (both to harmonize and for choruses) to bolster their vocals, as well as a female violin player, Angela Allen, and some catchy synth melodies, à la Cut Copy.
But I think that Cowan’s rigid voice and lyrics (think not-so-dirty Caleb Followill of Kings of Leon) land the band in more of a modern alt-rock category. For example, see the lyrics of “19th Century New Indie Romance”: “Gonna live forever / We ain’t never gonna stop.”
Either way, it’s good stuff. Norman’s Blackwatch Studios producer Jarod Evans lends his abilities to the group, three-fourths of which hold music degrees from in-state schools. How’s that for local? - Oklahoma Gazette - Matt Carney
OKC’s Modern Rock Diaries released my favorite local debut of the year. The band’s first effort ,“Great Western Civilization,” departs in several directions within its five track span, but the band does one thing very well: when it goes for it, it goes big. The EP was crafted at Blackwatch Studios in Norman and boasts a sound that doesn’t feel like it was group’s first trip to a studio. Keep your eyes and ears on this band.
Read more: http://newsok.com/live-nathan-the-perfect-song-is-out-there/article/3599939#ixzz1aQunX4lC - LOOK@OKC / The Oklahoman -Nathan Poppe
2015 Recent press covering MRD singer, Brantley Cowan's comeback from a crippling spine fracture, and release of the new 2015 EP recorded in Prague, Czech Republic. - News OK
Discography
1. EP: 2016 In Progress... Recorded in Czech Republic / Austria.
2. EP: "PRAGUE"... Recorded at Faust Studio, Prague, Czech Republic. Produced by Jarod Evans (The Flaming Lips, Grizzly Bear, Broncho, Bronze Radio Return, Bishop Allen), mastered by Dale Becker at Becker Studios, Los Angeles, CA. Released January 2015
"PRAGUE"
- Young Velvet
- You're Still Here
- Set Me Free (Wake Me Up)
- Tiny Clothes
- Pyramid
- Hard Cold Rain
3. EP: "Great Western Civilization"... produced and recorded at Blackwatch Studios / Jarod Evans / Chad Copelin, mixed by Shane Wilson (Nashville) and Mastering by Dale Becker (Los Angeles). Album art by Nathan Price also of the band, Broncho and Unwed Sailor. Released 2012.
"Great Western Civilization"
1. September
2. Warship
3. In Your Hands
4. 19th Century New Indie Romance
5. Street Lamps of England
MRD is available on itunes, amazon.com, rhapsody, pandora, last.fm, soundcloud and around the world wide web.
Photos
Bio
MRD has been featured in Europe playing in top venues in Dublin (Sin E'), Belfast (McHughs) and London (@ The Metropolitan) as well as across the U.S.
Late 2011 marked the recording of current EP, "Great Western Civilization" at Blackwatch Studios by producer Jarod Evans (Bishop Allen, Grizzly Bear, The Umbrellas, The Flaming Lips).
2012 saw MRD touring for their recent tour stint in support of "Great Western Civilization". Recently, MRD recorded their follow up album in Prague, Czech Republic. The new EP, "Prague" was released in 2015 featuring six brand new tracks now available everywhere.
Links
