News on the March

One of the greatest things about Houston bands, in this writer's humble opinion, is that even when a given band seems uncomplicated - they rarely are. The process of making the music they do is the result of countless hours of hard work and dedication spawned from the minds of musicians that are anything but predictable.
News on the March hasn't been in the scene for very long, but in the short time that they have been writing, performing and producing their music, they have proven themselves to be one those bands that cannot be taken at face value. The music they play - which the band describes as "60's pop meets western swing with a dash of tin-pan alley" - may seem effortless on stage, but what their audience may not know is how much time and energy goes into making sure their songs sound flawless when you listen.
The production of their soon to be released EP Glory Be! has not been an easy task. Set to release pre-Hurricane Ike, Glory Be! had to be placed on the back burner due to the extensive damage to their home and studio. Drummer Ryan Odom talked about the issues he and his band members had to endure in order to get this gem of a record out to the indie music masses, "It's been quite the struggle to get this little release out. We had hurricane Ike destroy our studio/home and were lucky enough to save our instruments and recording equipment, but not lucky enough to make the deadline we gave ourselves."
And the actual making of the EP in and of itself is a testament to how special News on the March really is. The are musicians before anything else and every twang-filled note is a reflection of how much they just love to make music. "We recorded Glory Be! in our home with a very minimal setup. We had 2 inputs running into a ten year old computer. What was great about doing it this way is that we spent a lot of time getting comfortable in the studio together and really got involved in the production of our songs, which we think really shows in the new songs we've recorded since then. Joe [NOTM's guitarist] has since built what he calls Master Bedroom Studios into a very legitimate studio," explains Odom.
The loveable quintet are avid fans of other local musicians and are always racking their collective craniums to come up with a show or a concept that can propel not only the band but also Houston indie music into a new realm. Anyone who attended the Halloween madness that took place at Walter's this year can attest to the band's ingenuity, humor and ability to have a fucking great time.
The universe always has a plan and while the the originally scheduled EP release soiree would have no doubt been epically enetertaining, their upcoming hsow will prove to be one you will kick yourself for missing. They have had a little more time to polish their performance and put that little something extra into the music. Besides, how can you go wrong spending an evening at Rudyard's watching a band of bearded men (and one lovely, not bearded cellist) belting out origianl tunes that they worked darn hard to create? (Brigitte B. Zabak, Free Press Houston 12/08 issue)
- Free Press Houston - December 2008

The members of News on the March didn't rush into the spotlight, but instead took the time to hone their craft. The result was a standout offering of first-time performances, featuring the most perfect three-part harmonies ever heard live from a start-up act. News on the March plays Nashville-style pop that's more country than most country these days. The group is just as ready for the Opry as it is for Walter's, and given its already polished talent and widespread appeal, we're guessing Houston will have to share with out-of-towners sooner rather than later. - Houston Press - Best of Houston 2008

At its core, Glory Be! (the EP!), the latest release from quintet News on the March is, well, backwoods bedroom-pop. There's countrified sincerity dripping from every note, alternately echoey and jangly, rough-yet-pretty guitars, down-at-the-heels lyrics that're perfect to mumble along to while crying into your beer, and deft rhythms. At the same time, though, the gorgeous harmony vocals on tracks like "Hey Operator" or "Holdin' Hands 'n' Texas Sunshine" are less high-lonesome and more Pet Sounds, all beautiful, boyish melody and sincerity. - Space City Rock! blog