Numbers And Letters
New York City, New York, United States | SELF
Music
Press
"Katie's dark songs are straightforward and emotionally honest. The most striking characteristic of Katie's music is an almost peaceful sorrow, and sweetly melancholy lyrics." - Jezebel Music
"... they play a nice and wailey sort of alt-Americana, reflecting Kansan roots--which seems to make people a little angsty." - BKLN Song Of The Day
"Katie's got a great set of pipes, whether cooing in her jazz-inflected encore, ringing out in falsetto for a song about Jesus or digging in for a from-the-gut M. Ward cover. I'm eager for the upcoming EP; they're a fast-rising band with a gifted singer-songwriter at the helm." - Shore Fire
largeheartedboy plugs "Dark Adam"... - largeheartedboy
Saturday night, I took in a Numbers & Letters show at Pianos. Lead Number Katie was celebrating her birthday and she and the band played a tight, energetic set, punctuated by the occasional hearty applause for Katie’s birthday. Numbers & Letters music is a musical hybrid of new americana, alt-country, boozy death ballads and more. Songwriter Katie says on the Myspace page that she wonders alot about "God, faith, death and sex." I’m not sure I get it entirely, but it really hung well together on Saturday, and the three guitars interplay onstage only made me happier. The band plays around a lot between Brooklyn and the LES, so try to see them at some point. - Waved Rumor
"A new act that's worth checking out for some authentic feeling americana/folk is NUMBERS & LETTERS. With songs crafted around a grandmother and the South, it's refreshing to hear something that actually comes from somewhere genuine. I love this track, 'Wading' (mp3)" - Future Sounds
N&L is "Americana all around" according to Brooklyn's Hooves on Turf... - Hooves on Turf
"What would we do without Numbers and Letters?
Deli Fashion Update: this summer old is new – which is why Numbers and Letters is going to be dropping old-timey folk tunes all over your Fifth Avenue beach apparel like so much molasses. Spanning American traditional music from gutbucket blues to immigrant-inspired ballads, the band's back porch sound evokes a place much different than the Brooklyn it calls home, with front-woman and Kansas City transplant Katie Hasty's emotion drenched voice recalling the best Memphis chanteuses of the past..." - The Deli
"Brooklyn quintet Numbers and Letters spins rich roots pop shaded with the sort of Southern-gothic vibe that we're told comes only from, you know, the South." - Time Out New York
Uncommon Music applauds "do-it-yourselfers" and chats about free music and the Simpsons... - Uncommon Music
"It’s raining outside, and everything is far away from Manhattan, but the room is still as full as it can comfortably handle. Normally consisting of a wider lineup, the two that make up the group Numbers & Letters tonight — Joe Lops and Katie Hasty — are seated in the performance area, near lamps, holding guitars. They play a sort of folk tune that sounds familiar, but probably isn’t. Lops plays his guitar carefully, including some great slide guitar in his last song, while Hasty’s curiously small voice yelps in the lower register and bolsters more control and delicacy in the upper. The overall sensation is inviting, reminiscent of Alela Diane. Katie is clearly the dominant focus of the group, and perhaps she should be. They play five songs, give out free CDs, and are friendly throughout the evening." -- Nat Towsen - TinyMixTapes
24bit takes a bite of N&L's one-off "Good Friday"... - twentyfourbit
The Daily Dose deals out a few questions to Numbers And Letters frontwoman Katie Hasty ahead of Scotland premiere... - The Daily Dose
The Tidal Wave of Indifference is anything but indifferent about N&L, as they tout the band's "brave" tour in the U.K.... - The Tidal Wave of Indifference
British blogger Aye Tunes is "sold" on N&L's brand of Americana, and "Katie has a gorgeous voice too..." - Aye Tunes
Northern Scotland publisher urges fans to Numbers And Letters' Thurso show... - John O'Groat Journal
"Katie's dark songs are straightforward and emotionally honest. The most striking characteristic of Katie's music is an almost peaceful sorrow, and sweetly melancholy lyrics."
~ Jan. 10, 2007 - Jezebel Music
Discography
"Numbers And Letters" (EP) (April 13, 2008)
"Merry Christmas Songs" (annual single release)
TBA (debut full-length) (Early 2012)
Photos
Bio
Numbers And Letters is a full band, a product of frontwoman Katie Hasty's songwriting. Operating out of Brooklyn, N.Y., the Kansas native most often collaborates with guitarist Joe Lops (Maine's Extendo-Ride, Cult Maze), multi-instrumentalist Clifton Hyde (live with Lou Reed, Sigur Ros, Blue Man Group), multi-instrumentalist Justin Keller (The Gregory Brothers, Land of Leland) and upright bassist Peter Maness (Sly Blue, Tin Pan).
Since 2006, the alt-country/folk-pop/Americana group has performed at NYC's best-loved local venues, has toured across the U.S. and played their first U.K. tour in October 2011. To date, N&L has released a self-titled EP, a Christmas single for each year and is currently crafting its debut full-length album.
"Numbers And Letters," as a CD, is given away for free or pay-what-you want. Every single cover to each CD is handmade, hand-numbered and 100% unique; nearly 1,000 CDs are now out in the ether this way. All materials in their making comes from recycled or partly-recycled product.
Hasty continues to write as managing editor at HitFix.com, spent years as columnist and reporter at Billboard and has freelanced as a critic since she was 17. She's not always gentle, and doesn't expect others to be either. Her dark folk-pop/Americana wails and melodies are made inside of churches and religious choirs, pool halls, bars, campgrounds and other quiet flat places.
The band has appeared in over 30 print and online publications, was a special guest on Sounds From A Room (Glasgow edition), appeared on multiple radio shows, regularly performs at benefits and licensed music to web series "The Burg."
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