The Cherry Tree Parade
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The Cherry Tree Parade

Leavenworth, Kansas, United States

Leavenworth, Kansas, United States
Band Pop EDM

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This band has not uploaded any videos
This band has not uploaded any videos

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Press


"buzzinmusicblog.co.uk"

"The self-titled Cherry Tree Parade EP is well produced and will hopefully be their entry point for commercial recognition. Alongside the ubiquitous guitars and drums the imaginary use of pianos, synthesizers and the odd banjo give this young band’s music a serious depth and diversity often lacking in debutants" - buzzinmusicblog.co.uk


"Exploding in Sound"

"With attention turning to Kansas City after the Republic Tigers well-received debut, many KC bands are clamoring for their coattails. Near the head of the pack, is the Cherry Tree Parade." - Exploding in Sound


"Rebel Riffs"

"Someone who spends this much effort on tracks know exactly what they are after. The sheer amount of detail in the track, vocally, instrumentally and lyrically, shows that The Cherry Tree Parade don't take prisoners. Its the musical tightness and diversity that really seals the deal, from the production to performance, this is a gem. Look out world. At least this time, when fame comes knocking, they know exactly how to do it right." - Rebel Riffs


"Lawrence.com"

"The Kansas City group comes out of the gate strong on its debut self-titled EP." - Lawrence.com


"The Pitch"

"The Kansas City group's self-titled debut EP features some real bright spots. "Perfectly Polyphonic'" balances ethereal wisps of melody with a pummeling rhythm reminiscent of Cursive or Murder By Death. Other moments are softer and more cerebral, like the spaghetti-western evocations of "Pity Party for Penny." If the Cherry Tree Parade can keep such brevity alive with the chops and smarts to match, good things are sure to follow." - CD Review

"When they're playing, this band of post-Radiohead rockers is impressive. The Collinses harmonize and trade lead-vocal duties on a batch of digitally enhanced, romantic indie-pop songs that inspire dancing near the stage. The pop element of the songs really comes through on the the band's five-song EP, which is remarkably slick." - Performance Review - The Pitch


Discography

The Cherry Tree Parade - Self-Titled (2009)

Photos

Bio

Imagination.

A lot of us are taught at a very early age the importance of not only having one but using it frequently. As children we are met with glorified sock puppets on public television, glossy picture books, gaudy animated films, and bespectacled, well-intentioned preschool teachers. Couple it with a junk food diet in the age of information and it's no surprise that 2009 is rife with prepubescent 4th-generation mall punk dipped in a candy coat of harsh neon fragments. Zombies, pirates and ninjas have become worthy talking points. Detachment, irony and denial are, collectively, the new black. Everyone's got a wink and a smirk but no one's got a single secret to tell.

Jon and Matthew Collins, blood brothers and original members of Kansas City, MO, band, The Cherry Tree Parade, have managed to tap into something much less scatter-shot without sacrificing the potential for a broad appeal even among the most casual and distracted of listeners. Their 2009 self-titled 5-song EP contains the running narrative of a man consumed by the trauma of love, sex and death doing his best to buoy his obsessions against his dark reality. Musically, it sways and shimmers elegantly; multiple vocal harmonies and dual melodies coo and burst over a bed of melodic pop that's as informed by indie heavyweights The Shins and The Postal Service as it is by film composers Jon Brion and Ennio Morricone. Guitars go from sprightly to sinister, keyboards churn and bubble along, and nearly every track ends with a refrain that you'll have difficulty getting out of your head.

The subject matter itself is born out of the brothers' mutual appreciation for and interest in writing poems, short stories and screenplays. Says Matthew, “I love experiencing poetry. Reading, listening to spoken word, and writing are equally enjoyable. I have found that I am much more successful with poetry than I have ever been with writing a short story or novel. In general, we are both nerdy little kids who wish they could write books and short stories, but instead have to revert to songs because we don’t have the attention span and follow through to complete a book.”

Their ability to tackle such heady themes as young twenty-somethings may be due in part to their close upbringing in a military family. Although they've lived in Germany, Korea, Hawaii, and all over the United States, “I don't feel like it has influenced me too terribly,” concludes Matthew. “I was not overly social since I was home schooled for every year but my junior year in high school. Playing music and shows very literally salvaged what little bit of social skills I could find.”

Matthew and Jon also lived in Seattle prior to moving to Kansas City, forming a currently inactive project called Cadaver Graye that was put on halt when the brothers opted to move to the Midwest to be closer to their parents who had retired in Leavenworth, KS in 2002.

Though the Collins brothers have only been in Kansas City since August 2007 they've managed to earn their way onto bills with national acts like Tapes 'n Tapes and Wild Light and to play alongside Kansas City contemporaries Queens Club, Olympic Size and London Transit. With the addition of drummer/percussionist Alex Reed in late 2008 they've been winning over new fans all over Northeast Kansas with their visceral, impassioned delivery. “Having Alex in the band significantly changed the band's dynamic. For once we are all passionate, realistic dreamers who would rather write and play music as a priority while we still have the chance,” Matthew gushes.

While Reed's contributions aren't to be found on their most recent release, “We just added a couple new songs to the set that have, I'd say, a taste of what is to come,” says Reed. “I think I can speak for everyone when I say that I'm pretty happy with the writing we have been able to do thus far and really excited about writing and recording the rest of the upcoming album. The response has been great so far, especially when considering we have only played together for about 4 months.”

All members currently find themselves preoccupied with all the trappings of adult life; both Matthew and Jon work at the VA in Leavenworth, KS, Reed works in sales in Kansas City, MO. That they still manage to squeeze in a game of Monopoly or a trip to the bowling alley from time to time is a testament to the respect these young musicians have for one another.

In response to The Cherry Tree Parade's quick success in Kansas City, Reed mentions, “When I first joined, I think we were very aware of the potential that Cherry Tree's sound had in KC. I was always encouraged by the fact that while the music is accessible to most audiences, as a musician, I still had a great appreciation for what Jon and Matthew were doing both musically and lyrically. This seems to be a tough combination to find nowadays. I think that coming into the project with that faith and confidence in the music helped re-ignite Matthew