Music
Press
"The bottom line is the college music scene delivers yet again another pop-alternative band that has class and style." Full Review:
"Flying under the moniker of Stepanian, this Boston quartet hit the
college and club scene in early 2005, building a regional fan base almost instantly. In a short time they found themselves performing with national acts such as Howie Day, Rusted Root, Maroon5 and Jason Mraz, furthering their exposure to a wider audience.
Since '03 the band has recorded a total of three studio releases: '03s debut EP For Lack of Better Words, '05s Autumn She Leaves and in '06s the EP Wait Until The Rain.
On their latest album the band reunites with producer Dave Chalfant (The Nields, Erin McKeown) who produced their second studio release Autumn She Leaves.
Wait Until The Rain contains five songs and exposes audiences to Stepanian's crafty pop-oriented tunes that also showcases the groups strong musicianship.
Guided by the vocals and guitar work of Eric Stepanian, saxophone player Adam Schertzer, bassist Michael Simon and drummer John Mansollillo, the band combine their musical and form a cohesive music making machine. The music is similar to the Counting Crows and the ambient sounds are perfectly balanced which means that no one instrument is so overbearing that your focus is pulled to one exclusive sound. Clean clear rhythmic progressions mingle with the tight percussive beats of Mansolillo and Simon's fluid bass lines. The saxophone provides a solo instrument with the songs and melodic piano melodies also can be heard through the CD.
Stepanian's voice finalizes the completion of the bands overall sound. Crisp, clear (as in intelligible) his voice falls between a toned down Adam F. Duritz and Art Alexakis of Everclear without the harsh overtones. Overall the band is easy to listen to and enjoy without crashing metallic guitars or guttural vocal rants.
Wait Until The Rain is quite a brilliant change of pace from purely brutal metal-music. The bottom line is the college music scene delivers yet again another pop-alternative band that has class and style. "
- John Kindred
If Jason Mraz were a band instead of one man, he might sound like Stepanian (below), a local pop-rock act that plays non-confrontational acoustic tunes about love and life that have a jam band ring to them. The act has actually opened for Mraz, and is now promoting a single called "Call Me When You're Famous," which is getting some airplay on 92.5 The River. - Meredith Goldstein
Stepanian have been making music for close to five years now, releasing three CDs and gaining a large following touring with national acts from Howie Day and Rusted Root to Maroon5 and Jason Mraz.
Now, according to singer/songwriter Eric Stepanian, it's time for the band to step out and start drawing big crowds of their own.
"I feel much more confident as a songwriter these days, in terms of the lyrics and being able to sing about more mature things. And the music behind them is a lot more focused and confident these days, too," he said. "It's a pretty standard evolution for a songwriter, I guess, but I'm at the point where I know what I want to do and can usually do it."
Of course, crafting a song is not really as easy as he makes it sound. Stepanian knows that there are days when the songs just seem to fall out onto the paper ad there are days when writing a simple verse can be the hardest work you will ever do. "One of the things you discover when you know yourself better as an artist is to understand when the juices are flowing and when they aren't," he said. "And when they aren't you can't force them."
The band has learned, too, that when they're having a tough time making new music in the studio, one of the best things they can do is just get out on the stage and play.
"I really just get off on doing a live show," Stepanian said. "There's something about that energy. When you connect with the audience and the music is sounding great there is no better feeling than to be up on the stage under those lights." - John Black
"the dialogue between the saxophone and guitar is seamless. the rhythm section is commanding. the lyrics poetry" - Concordiensis
"stepanian is no ordinary rock band" - Trinity Tripod
"When I hear a band liked Stepanian I think to myself, wow I am so lucky to have this job. Finding great, new music is not an easy task these days, but perhaps I just found the next great band. On their newest release, a 5 track EP titled “Wait Out The Rain,” Stepanian take their pop sensibilities to a whole new level that can easily be compared to older U2 mixed with the new breed of adult alt. Contemporary rockers like Jason MRAZ. The vocals are strong and more often than not I found myself comparing them a lot to those of Better Than Ezra, but musically there is just about everything you’re going to want from a pop/rock band on here. The guitars are catchy and will make you tap your foot, the vocals are good with good lyrics, the bass and drums provide a rhythm that you can’t help but dance to, and the only problem with this release is that I want so much more than 5 tracks. Give me more guys, I can’t wait. " - Jeffrey Kurtis
"It's just a matter of time before Stepanian will break through since there will always be an audience for this type of timeless rock music." - Kaj Roth
"Effervescent melodies and meandering saxophone lend the band's music a jammy pop feel..." - Eric R. Danton
"Perfectly polished, bouyant softrock nuggets, minus the schmaltz ... consider it a guilty pleasure" - Staff
"...experience their patented blend of upbeat, melodic grooves live" - Gary Carra
Discography
Wait Out the Rain
Autumn She Leaves
For Lack of Better Words
Wanna Come With
Photos
Bio
The greatest challenge for any band is to create songs that are accessible enough to be instantly appealing, but original enough to be genuinely unique. Stepanian accomplishes this feat with a deft blend of catchy melodies, instrumental virtuosity, and tasty harmonies, all combined with thoughtful and expressive lyrics. Band namesake Eric Stepanian is the group’s primary songwriter, with additional tunes and collaborations contributed by Michael Simon.
But this Boston-based quartet is much more than a songwriting project. From their inception in 2003 to the present day, Stepanian has been a hard-working touring act, bringing their distinctive stage performance and signature sound to club and festival audiences throughout the Northeast and Midwest. A Stepanian performance showcases the bandmembers’ multi-instrumental skills (between the four of them they play a dozen instruments), tight vocals, and energetic onstage persona. It’s an infectious combination that always leaves audiences on their feet and shouting for more.
Stepanian’s progress from the status of local favorites to that of a band poised for national recognition has been rapid and impressive. Their 2003 debut EP, For Lack Of Better Words—produced by Chris Keup (Jason Mraz) and Stewart Myers (Agents Of Good Roots) gained immediate critical acclaim. ABC Family also took notice, and chose the track “These Days” to include in a new sitcom pilot.
Taking advantage of the interest in the band generated by Better Words, Stepanian spent the next two years playing sold-out shows in Boston, as well as showcases at the NACA Northeast Conference and NACA Mid-Atlantic Festival. These performances led to even greater exposure for the group as openers for such national acts as Maroon 5, Jason Mraz, Robert Randolph & The Family Band, and Rusted Root.
February of 2005 saw the release of Stepanian’s first full-length CD, Autumn She Leaves, produced and engineered by Dave Chalfant (The Neilds, Erin McKeown). Taking full advantage of the band’s strong writing, vocal, and instrumental skills, the disc was warmly received by their burgeoning fan base. Its broad appeal led to its inclusion on Awarestore.com’s Earsnacks Vol. 6 compilation.
Not a band to rest on their laurels, in 2006 Stepanian again collaborated with Dave Chalfant to produce their Wait Out The Rain EP. The five tracks on the disc displayed impressive musical and lyrical growth, demonstrating the band’s ability to offer songs that were as well-crafted and meaningful as they were catchy and listenable. Boston’s radio station 92.5 chose the track “Beautiful Disguise” for airplay in their “Homegrown Artist” series.
From 2006 through 2007 the band was back on the road, honing their songs and their live show to an even keener edge. A successful residency at Boston’s Paradise club in 2007 was followed by a stellar appearance at the 40th Annual Summerfest in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where the band ignited such an enthusiastic response from the crowd that they were held over for a second set. Other noteworthy appearances include spots on Comcast’s Backstage With Barry Nolan and Boston’s Fox 25 Morning News.
Fast-forward to April of 2008, and the release of the full-length version of Wait Out The Rain. Along with such well-received tracks as “Straight Up,” “Everything,” and “Beautiful Disguise” from the original EP, the new disc adds half a dozen new and exciting tunes that feature the quintessential Stepanian character: intelligent lyrics, well-crafted melodies, terrific vocals, unrivaled musicianship, and strong production.
With five years of enthusiastically received live performances under their belt, and an enviable body of recorded work to their credit, Stepanian can hardly be called an “up and coming” band. They’ve already come up. They’re here now—an important group poised and prepared for even bigger things.
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