State and Madison
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State and Madison

Chicago, Illinois, United States | SELF

Chicago, Illinois, United States | SELF
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"Band branches out to here"

After releasing their second extended play disc, “Consider This a Confession,” Tony Martino, 26, said the band, State and Madison, is anxious to spread out further from their Chicago home.

“We wanted to book further south so we could develop a greater fan base,” Martino said.

State and Madison will be making its Oklahoma debut at 7:30 p.m. today at The Hallway in Tahlequah after a 7 a.m. spot on KTUL’s Good Morning Tulsa.

“We are good and we really have our own sound,” said Martino, who plays guitar/vocals.

The four-member group, Nickolas Blazina, vocals and guitar, Jonah Kort, on drums, and Mark Tatara, also on guitar and vocals, is starting their tour. It will include 13 different places in the southern area of the United States.

“I love touring and everything about it,” Martino said. “The long nights and finding a floor to crash in, is the best part.”

And one of the best things about being in a band — getting to hang out with Fall Out Boy, also Chicago natives, and being influenced by The Beatles and Jimmy Eat World. The band has created a sound all its own.

“We kind of grew up in the grunge era, so it’s hard not to include Pearl Jam and Nirvana into the list of influences,” Martino said.

He said being completely indie isn’t a problem for State and Madison.

Martino said they had to hurry to record their second album because they had already sold out their release show in Chicago. - Muskogee Phoenix - Tulsa, OK


"S&M Whips Crowd Into Frenzy"

"For that one spli second, you swear they're looking at you and singing with you. It's the best feeling in the world," Triton College student Danny DeRosa has become a State and Madison fan overnight. "I had no idea who they were a couple weeks ago. I listened to their music on MySpace, heard the CD and saw them live a few days later, it was great, DeRosa said of the event.

State and Madison has done Local 101 podcasts, performed at schools in Illinois including Columbia College, Northern Illinois University and Wright College, they are also the new, featured artists on poochscorner.com and were recently in Chicago's Red Eye music section.

On August 10, State and Madison played a prominent show at the Beat Kitchen and released their new EP, "Consider This a Confession." The South Side band has been a part of Chicago's local scene since 2005. Word is spreading quickly as each show becomes more and more crowded, filled with fans that have been with the band since day one and new faces captivated by their music.
Excellent performances from Ambiance, LifeInJersey and Inept got the crowd pumped up and read for their favorite local boys State and Madison. The CD release show had hundreds of fans dancing, singing and jumping around in the crowd. Emily Meister, a Wright College student who has brought State and Madison to Wright in the past said, "They make it clear it's about the music and having a good time."

Fellow Wright student Faith Tsurutani agreed, "It was exciting, fun and rewarding. It was amazing to not only have that level of energy that only amazing music can bring you, but to also be able to share that energy with tons of people who feel the same way. They're one of the only bands that can still do that for me."

One of the reasons why State and Madison already has a fan base of almost 8,000 and growing, after only two years, is because of the attitude they have towards the people who fall in love with their music.

After every performance, the band mates always stick around to take photos, give out hugs, sign autographs and talk to as many fans as possible; not because they feel that they have to but because of the relationships that are formed. "They treated us like we were their friends. They really love their fans, they don't act like they're big, huge celebrities who are too cool to hang out with common folk," DeRosa said.

Nickolas Blazina, lead singer for State and Madison said, "When we say that we think the people that come to our shows are our best friends and often times more like extended family, we aren't kidding around. Without their support, I'd just stay in my room and play with Pro Tools."

The band performed two relatively new songs from "Consider this a Confession" at the CD release show. Blazina said, "when I start working on new songs that I'm excited about, that's the happiest you'll ever see me," and the reaction to the new songs was good. "They're new, everyone likes new things. Like any type of music, give it a chance because you might find something you like about it," Meister said. "The new songs show an improvement on an already promising band," Tsurutani added.

"Consider this a Confession" starts out with "While Waiting (for her guard)," a bittersweet, upbeat song, capable of making anyone get up and dance. The song is about a man trying to win the heart of a woman he longs for, willing to risk everything in the process. The most powerful lyrics in the song "I sold my soul to rock and roll but I'd buy it back if she'd just go home with me," sometimes leave the audience singing along and later contemplating the words. "When you think about it, we're singing to some serious stuff but the music isn't some sad melody and at the same time, it's telling a story," DeRosa said.

Blazina writes all of the lyrics for State and Madison. "I find the hardest thing to do is actually speak my truth in m writing," he said. "Some of my favorite lyricists have such a simple, poignant way of speaking their individual truths, it inspires me to be more succinct and true to myself in the words I use to convey m own. Take a second and think about the last time you were actually honest with yourself, really, brutally, honest. I'll bet it's been a while."

The next track begins with nothing but Blazinas charismatic voice, "Circumstance," once again, entrances it's listeners with lyrics about love and admitting that although the feeling of infatuation won't last forever, it's still an illustrious feeling, particularly after not knowing what it is to love after so long.

"A Waltz" starts out with an accordion and of course, the beat of a waltz. Although it starts off as a fast, loud and energetic song, it ends with a soft whisper. It's a fun song about wanting to enjoy life and have a good time, tired of living the same 'cloudy day' routine.

"On My Way" starts out with guitar, bass and a fast drum beat as its introduction. It's much different than all the other tracks on this EP, the strumming beat is similar to that of Heart's 1977, "Barracuda". "On My Way" is something provocative that seems more like a letter than any old song. The band has plans to release a video for "On My Way" in the weeks to come.

The fifth and final track on "Consider this a Confession," "Who Will You Love", is one of State and Madison's best songs. It begins with fast bass strumming and vocals growing louder with each second. And as it turns out, "Who Will You Love" is a song that people can relate to. "From what I understand, it's about a guy who has gotten lonely and substituted real comfort with shallow pleasures and he doesn't want to do that. It's a common feeling that a lot of people, such as myself, can definitely identify with," Tsurutani said.

Along with their storytelling lyrics, the harmonization through voice and instrumentals also add a little extra flavor to each track. On "Consider this a Confession" State and Madison manages to cover the melancholy experiences along with the short bliss we all desire.

Although the CD met fans expectations, there is no comparison to live performances, "Maybe it's the fact that all of these people around you are there for the same reason, singing along to the same songs and rocking out, it's kind of like on big party," DeRosa said. "The live stuff is just so much better. You can sing along with the CD but that's just a recording."

Just short of a full-capacity crowd, State and Madison made more fans and friends all over the Midwest, some who traveled by Greyhound bus just to see the show and go back home the same night. "We're gonna keep making music we love. It's my hope that you guys will come along for the ride," Blazina said.

State and Madison will be back on tour in October. For more information or to listen to and purchase their CD, go to myspace.com/stateandmadison. - The Wright Times - Wright College, Chicago IL


"APO to rock for organs"

[photo at stateandmadison.net]

Get ready to rock out for a good cause.

Alpha Phi Omega will present Rock the Cure in the Holmes Student Center on Friday to raise money for the Children's Organ Transplant Association. The show will take place at 7 p.m. in the Diversions Lounge and will feature performances by State and Madison, Last Fast Action, From Here on After and Dormlife.

"I've been working on the event for four months now," said Katie Wedster, APO member and coordinator of the event. "Our organization can carry it on and keep it going annually."

"What we're really hoping for is to get this show out to the community and raise awareness for the Children's Organ Transplant Association," said Lindsay Mockmore-Bennet, APO member. "It's very, very expensive to have an organ transplant, so we're hoping to get the awareness out there about how expensive it is as well as get the community involved and raise money for a great cause."

Wedster had a good idea of what she was looking for when choosing the right acts for the show.
"I e-mailed a lot of bands and talked to them about doing the show," said Wedster. "I wanted bands that I thought would draw attention since we are raising all of the money for charity."

The concert is for all ages with tickets selling for $10 at the door or $8 in advance. - Northern Star - Northern IL University, DeKalb IL


"Meet me at State and Madison"

I recently interviewed Nick Blazina from State and Madison, a new local band. Nick's a cool guy who will laugh at the drop of a hat. State and Madison has a good, polished sound that brings one word to mind: rock.



So how long have you guys been a band

Collectively, as State and Madison, we'e been a band since June of this year. So, about 5 months.



Who's in your band?

Mark Tatara-guitar, backing vocals, Tony Martino-bass, backing vocals, Jonah Kort-drums, and myself.



I heard you used to have an old band, Triptych. What happened with that?

Triptych was indeed our old band. Mark, Tony and I were all part of Triptych for almost five years. We had a lot of fun over that period of time, learning new things about music and ourselves. But between lineup changes, and the music leaning towards being more rock based, it was just kind of time for us to move on to something new. Our old drummer had developed some new priorities aside from music and he decided that it was time for him to move on which wound up being a good thing for us musically. Very inspiring. When you can't play a show for six months because you don't have a drummer, the excitement surrounding playing music becomes palpable.
It's very exciting to play in a band with Jonah. [State and Madison drummer] now. He's thinks about music more than I do, which I thought was impossible. He's been a blessing. Overall, the focus of State and Madison is just more clear because we have a better understanding of how to write a more concise song.



How would you guys describe yourself in terms of music?

Rock. There's so many silly sub-sub-sub genres of music, it's just ridiculous to even try. Just rock. If you like the Foo Fighters, Jimmy Eat World or Acceptance, you'll probably dig our stuff.



What's your band's philosophy in terms of making music?

Keep it interesting without overcomplicating things. Some of the most memorable songs are the simplest.



Like what?

Well, look at a band like AC/DC. Angus Young is great but he definitely loves his mid tempo rock. If you didn't know anything about them, you may say that all the songs sound alike, which in a lot of ways they do. Regardless, they use maybe four chords in mot all their songs, but it's notably 'them' and memorable. They aren't trying to reinvent the genre, just do what they do best, which is rock hard. Having cannons onstage helps too.
On the other hand, if you look at a band like the Foo Fighters, they're drawing on so many different influences that it's difficult to pigeonhole them. Dave Grohl knows his music, which is great because all of those influences in turn influence each other, and the product is Foo Fighters (or Probot for that matter). And while they have their "sound," none of their albums sound exactly like the other. I just think that knowing when and when not to exercise restraint is a useful tool in creating music. [That's] something Metallica forgot on their last record.
What's your favorite song to cover?
I'm kind of partial to a few Bon Jovi covers myself. Yanni is fun too.
Yanni ... really? Maybe you should try, like, Aaron Neville. I hear he can sing. Sometimes.
Someone should let him write a soundtrack like Bon Jovi did for Young Guns 2. I'd buy it for comedic value along. Doesn't it sound like you're trying to find a radio station when he sings? It's hard to imagine, but check out this guy Pablo Francisco. He does spot Neville spot on.



What's your favorite band?

If you're asking who my favorite band of all time is, then I'd have to say Silverchair. But lately I've really been digging Cave-In, Darkmoor, and Acceptance.



Do you find that the music that you like influences you when you write songs?

Absolutely. I don't think it's possible to write music without being influenced, unless you're an ascetic. For a really long time I tried to deny that my songwriting is influenced by certain people, but it doesn't do anything except make you look like you're trying to hide something. I think any good band has an influence on others, even locally. Check out the band Darkmoor, for example. They're just plain good and a huge inspiration for us to make music that's worth something artistically.



So what's you and your band's 'creative process?' Does that sound stupid? You get what I mean, right?

Oh totally. It's different with different songs. For the bulk of the stuff, I'll come to rehearsal with a skeleton of an idea recorded in my bedroom. We'll kind of hammer it out, and sit on it for a few days. Everyone tosses their card in the stew, and shapes what the songs eventually become. It's been progressing lately though. Mark [Tatara-guitar] has been creating some great stuff to write songs around, so that's another way we've been doing things. He'll have a part on guitar that I'll take home and put into song context. Both ways have proven useful; it just depends on the song I guess.



Are you guys gonna sell out?

If we're lucky.



Who's the tallest? Why or why not?

It depends. Mark is tallest Tuesday through Thursday. I think Jonah is the tallest the rest of the week. [It's] something having to do with the phase of the moon-I'm not sure. - The DePaulia - DePaul University, Chicago IL


"Warped Tour Review Coverage"

http://www.rrstar.com/multimedia/x1371371993/Rockin-out-at-the-2008-Vans-Warped-Tour?view=pop&photo=6 - Rockford Register Star


"Sun-Times Critics Pick Review"

A record release for the hometown boys' new disc, "Become the Not Found." The band -- (from left) Mark Tatara (guitar/vocals), Nickolas Blazina (vocals/guitar), Jonah Kort (drums) and Tony Martino (bass/vocals) -- continues to perfect its blend of hook-filled melodies and indie rock energy. Also on the bill: Urbanites, Walrus and Silent Sirens. At 6 p.m. Saturday at Beat Kitchen, 2100 W. Belmont. Tickets, $10. Call (773) 281-4444. -- Mary Houlihan

- Chicago Sun-Times - Chicago IL


"Guestlist Magazine Review/Interview"

By: Jeffrey Kurtis

Chicago's State and Madison took a unique approach to their latest LP, "Become The Not Found," when they chose to release the first 250 copies of it on a limited edition vinyl, and then release it to the public digitally. With a hometown, headlining show coming up at the Metro on September 6th, we had a chance to catch up with Nickolas Blazina (vocals/guitar) and talk about the new music, their choice to go vinyl, what bonus tracks you get on the limited edition version of the LP, the upcoming hometown show, and more.


1. What can your fans expect to hear when they hit play on your latest LP "Become The Not Found?"

The record starts with a song called "Easy Was Back Then". We kind of made a conscious decision to write a song that strays from our usual sort of pop rock song format. It's just 2 and a half minutes of pure energy that we felt would be a good introduction to the record.



2. The first 250 copies of the LP is being offered as a limited edition vinyl. What made you decide to offer a vinyl version of it to your fans first before bringing it out digitally?

It's actually quite hard to put a vinyl in your back pocket after leaving a show, sit on it in the car on the way home, break it, and never get to hear what you purchased (if you purchased it at all). What's special about CDs anymore?

Vinyl is an investment. It's like wine, it only gets better with age. I can't wait to hear this thing in 20 years, when it's earned it's crackles. That and it just looks really cool.



3. What do they get with the vinyl edition of the album that they don't get on the digital release?

We included two B-Sides that show a bit of a different side to State and Madison. One is a sort of jazzy song called "She Ain't Alone". Jonah actually got to use some brushes and I play piano for the whole track. This is, if I recall correctly, the first song we all tracked simultaneously, the four of us, in a room, playing the song live. I think there was only 2 overdubs, the guitar solo, and the organ. The other is sort of an R&B meets Peter Gabriel track called "2nd Best"



4. You have stated that this release shows a bit of a more delicate side of the band while still retaining the heaviness. Why did you choose to show the delicate side at this point in your careers and is it a direction you plan to take going forward?

Part of it was because of the format we released the songs on. Having an actual B-Side to the record allowed us to release the songs we would normally have sat on until later, if we even released them at all. I wanted to include "She Ain't Alone" on the actual release, but for the journey the 5 A-Side songs takes you on, it didn't really have a place. I think having these tracks out there now only makes us more unique as a band. Yeah we can tear your face off with a song, but we can also take it down a notch and really make you listen.



5. You enlisted J. Hall to man the production boards for the album. What did he bring to the studio that helped to ultimately shape the sound of the LP?

Beer.

In all seriousness though, J. is a self proclaimed "task-f*cking-master" and helped us achieve alot of things that we wouldn't have been able to do on our own. He mostly just challenged us to take ourselves more seriously as far as being able to release a record on our own. We did all of this at home, with J. at our side guiding us along. He has great ideas that we have been lucky enough to tap into. Even on a track like "Everybody Wants Love", we were comping the vocal takes, and he just stops and looks at me and goes "how many friends do you have?" I was like huh? He's like, call all of your friends, we're putting a choir on this last chorus later tonight at your place.

Check out the track, it's freakin' sweet.



6. Which one song form "Become The Not Found" stands out as your favorite one and why?

I really enjoy "Everybody Wants Love". That choir part is so Pink Floyd it's sick. Mark also plays one of the meanest sounding guitar solos I think I've ever heard. It's just fierce.



7. To promote the album's release you will be hitting Chicago's Metro on September 6th. For someone that has never seen you perform before, why is this the must see show for them?

We finally get some time to play a set. When you're opening for other bands, you often have only a half hour to perform. That goes by really fast. We have some extra wiggle room at this show, and we're anticipating making it the type of show WE want it to be, as opposed to having to cram all we want to do into thirty minutes.



8. What does your live show offer to someone that just spinning your album doesn't?

Volume and sweat.



9. You are from our hometown of Chicago. How did being a part of the well-known Chicago rock scene help you the most in the early stages of your careers that living anywhere else would not have?

We found out pretty early on that kids in small towns in the Midwest really reacted to that name recognition. Simply "being from Chicago" was like... something to these kids. Now of course that only lasts so long if you get on stage and suck after that. But it has definitely bolstered some sort of enamour with random tour stops in say Camdenton, MO. I don't understand it to be honest. Chicago is pretty normal to me.



10. What advice can you offer someone that is looking to break into the music industry?

Don't think it's gonna come easy. You'd be surprised how gratifying actually working towards what you want can be. The quick and easy success fades as quickly as it comes. Make music you will be proud of when you're old, and you will never go wrong. - Guestlist Magazine dot com


"Band ready to rock Independence"

Chicago based indie rock band State and Madison will make their first appearance in Independence Monday, performing a live, acoustic set inside FYE Music and Movies at 13907 E. U.S. 40.

The Band will be at FYE to promote the release of their latest EP" Consider This A Confession." The set is scheduled to begin at 3 p.m.
State and Madison will also be in Lee's Summit Monday night to hold court at Jerry's Bait Shop in Lee's Summit. Showtime there is 8 p.m.
State and Madison kicks off their latest tour tonight in Cedar Falls, Iowa. They will be in Omaha Sunday before their stop in Eastern Jackson County.

The band's music has been described as a "stylish hybrid that displays a knack for penning hook-filled melodies set to infectious rhythmic pulses and forging rock energy."

Lead vocalist and guitar player Nickolas Blazina chatted with the Examiner recently about the band's vision, new album and an already established fan base in the Kansas City area. The band's booking agent is Tracie Tomlinson of Independence-based Upward Indie Entertainment.



Examniner: Can you describe the Chicago indie rock scene?

Blazina: The scene is surrounded by bands and groups of kids who are very hard-working and not expecting to be given much. They are either out there in this type of weather freezing their (behinds) off or sweating in the summer promoting. There is some very good vibes being passed around the city.



Examiner: Tell us about the band and the new album.

Blazina: We've been touring as a band for the past year and a half. The internet (myspace.com) is pretty much the hub of what we are doing, connecting with the fans and establishing new fan bases. Our online presence is big for us right now. The new album was a new learning experience for us because for the first time we did it ourselves. The music is pretty straight forward and eclectic. I'm pretty excited about it.



Examiner: Nickolas, you wrote the majority of songs on the new album. Tell us about the process.

Blazina: The main focus was expressing my own truth. Sometimes it's difficult to maintain honesty with yourself.



Examiner: What does State and Madison know about the Kansas City indie rock scene?

Blazina: We know a lot of bandshave the same work ethic as bands in Chicago. It seems like they are doing more things together down there and are a tight-knit bunch. We've actually played with (Kansas City-based band) Life In Jersey before at the Grand Emporium in Kansas City and we'll be playing with them again at The 400 Club (in Warrensburg Wednesday). We've also played with the Stolen Winnesbagos at Jerry's Bait Shop about six months ago. We're pretty stoked about playing there again. It's always good to play at a venue in a city you have played before.



Examiner: What should our readers and your fans in the area expect Monday at FYE?

Blazina: We have a couple of different arrangements of songs for our acoustic set. We're more musical and mellow with the in-stores. We're going to rock out and play lous at Jerry's, but expect us to be short and sweet at the in-store.

-Toriano Porter - The Examiner - Kansas City, MO


"Standout Band Group turns local shows into 'events'"

If you're tired of rock shows consisting of four guys jamming in jeans and T-shirts, then State and Madison may be your ticket.

"You see a lot of shows where people are just there," lead singer Nickolas Blazina told RedEye. "No one's making events, no one's putting on shows where people go home and say 'holy [bleep] that was a good time.' We don't do anything over-the-top, but we just want to make it special."

The band makes every effort to set itself apart from the herd of cloned performers. For example, to promote their EP"Simplicity is the Name of the Game," the band decked out a venue with a pink and blue color scheme. Audience members received pink and blue carnations along with vouchers for $1 off the price of the disc.

They turned another gig into a "Fall Formal." Blazina wore a tux, while many of the women in attendance wore prom dresses. Giving people an excuse to dress up seemed to spark a fantastic show.
Blazina and his bandmates, including bassist Tony Martino, guitarist Mark Tatara, and drummer Jonah Kort, are all Southside Chicago boys and have been playing in different bands since high school.

Now in their twenties, the members of State and Madison are "working far too much," as Blazina put it. One of them, Martino, is now a father, and all of them pay the bills with tedious day jobs to support their mutual passion.

"Luckily we have bosses who are very understanding," Blazina said. "They know that we're yound and the band is still our priority, so we'll get time off to tour or play a show."
State and Madison will play songs from its new album, "Consider This a Confession," during a multi-band show beginning at 5:30 p.m. Friday at the Beat Kitchen, 2100 W. Belmont Ave.

Listen to the band's song "While Waiting" from the new album at redeyechicago.com/chitunes.

By Steve Markley - Redeye - Chicago IL


Discography

Up From Down - Demo (2005)
The Cold Shoulder - Single (2006)
Simplicity is the Name of the Game - EP (2006)
On My Way / Whole Damn World - Demo (2007)
Consider This A Confession - EP (2007)
If This Was the Moon - Single (2008)
Become The Not Found - Vinyl/Digital EP (2008)
This Is A Risk EP (2009)
The Wolfman (2010)
Tar & Feather - LP (2012)

Photos

Bio

"It's not the speed with which you succeed that tells you indeed you are progressing... It's the sweating 'til the salt dries your eyes. The burning means it's working. Let the song be your guide."

7 releases in 6 years. Somewhere in the range of 100,000 flyers distributed at shows played in no less than 15 states. From Minnesota to Texas, Ohio to California and several places in between, STATE AND MADISON is forging it's own path ahead. Since the band's inception in October 2005, it has self-released music to an ever growing group of fans, starting first with their hometown friends and family on the South-side of Chicago. These are the facts.

What makes these facts more astonishing is that all of it was done alone. The tours were self booked. The records, self funded and distributed. No labels. No record deal. Nothing. Motivated only by the belief that honest, hard work eventually pays off, STATE AND MADISON hasn't stopped. Won't stop. Can't. This is all they know how to do.

After releasing their debut EP in May 2006, the group slowly but surely developed a loyal, hometown fan-base by becoming staples of the local scene, obsessing in the time-honored Chicago tradition of working the local circuit by promoting with flyers and burned demos. “We literally built our following from the ground up” says singer/songwriter Nickolas Blazina. “If you were going to see a rock show in Chicago, you were going to see us there, and you were going to get a CD”. The hard work did indeed begin paying off, as STATE AND MADISON was tapped to appear on the infamous VAN’S WARPED TOUR and Milwaukee's mega SUMMERFEST. Praise began pouring in from across the country, with glowing features in the CHICAGO TRIBUNE, CS MAGAZINE, REDEYE and THE MEN’S BOOK. ALTERNATIVE PRESS magazine featured the band as a Chicago Hometown Hero, and in their 2010 issue of their annual AP&R, the magazine praised the band’s "melodies made for top 40", comparing them to major label acts Ludo and Panic! At The Disco. The band's song "Hot Damn!" was also eventually featured on the hit MTV reality show "Made". After closing out 2011 to a sold out crowd at the band's 6th Annual Fall Formal, an event that has become a staple of Chicago's thanksgiving weekend celebrations, STATE AND MADISON charted a course towards brand new territory - their first full length record, entitled Tar & Feather.

Slated for release in April 2012, Tar & Feather is the documentary of a band hitting its stride. From the opening track "Goodnight Sun", a larger than life dream in which two lovers drown together if only to never again leave each other's side, to the album's epic 7-minute opus "Since Last She Was Sad", STATE AND MADISON is a band that has found its voice. Songs like the first single "Dearest Restless" and the crowd favorite "Phantoms" see the band at the top of the energetic pop/rock heights from which they've made a name; showcasing why indeed their live shows have begun to sell out anytime they play Chicago. Given the larger canvas that an LP provides though, the band has also been able to extend its reach to new musical territory with songs like "Come Back From The Sea", a song that would be as comfortable as an AC radio single as it would be in a Pop/Country setting; think Civil Wars meets Ryan Adams. For fans of Jimmy Eat World, the Foo Fighters, and Jack's Mannequin, Tar & Feather is STATE AND MADISON at its best.

It’s because of that unique combination of music that STATE AND MADISON stands out in an ever more competitive musical landscape. Blazina’s melodies and arrangements are unabashedly pop, so strong in fact, the darker lyrical themes that permeate most of his songs could be easily missed by the casual listener. But despite being catchy and upbeat, there’s a depth to the music that reveals a strong ethos, one that is painfully aware life isn’t fair, but regardless, refuses to be negative. It’s an ethos the band lives by. “We can’t afford a van, so we tour in our parents' old truck.” explains Blazina. “Nothing is going to stop us from living our dream.” That’s because, for STATE AND MADISON, the journey is part of the destination. With the release of Tar & Feather, that journey has just begun.

www.stateandmadison.net
press contact - stateandmadison@gmail.com
@stateandmadison on twitter