The Noise Revival Orchestra

This Austin based band use some orchestral instrumentation to give them a unique sweeping sound that recalls a number of reference points without ever straying into a place where they lose their identity. The music here may not be classed as the kind we normally review but as the area of alt.country has expanded to the point where cello and violin are frequent elements in the music this is a step that is not that far from the path. The band are now are more manageable 8 piece where before they had numbered 13. The use a number of quests including vocalists Dana Falconberry and Danny Malone who join Orchestra leader and songwriter Nathan Felix and Heather Coleman to provide a layered vocal sound that is underscored by the melodic musical arrangements which give depth and texture to the overall sound. Though there are only 5 tracks they manage to convey a varied sound-scape that is memorable and persuasive.The title track has a ambient aura of Africa. Sapphire features some elegant playing from guest Warren Hood and Daniela Nunez's flute on a song that laments lost love. The music they make has been featured in film and has been performed live at a number of venues in Europe as well as in their home base of Austin they are adaptable and adventurous and considering the relative success of bands like Calexico and Alejandro Escovedo bring elements of a broader brush stroke in the mainstream the Noise Revival Orchestra could well do the same with some wider exposure foe their intelligent music. - Lonesome Highway (Italian Publication)

The peers with Malone, Nathan Felix, took us somewhere new with his more expressive orkesterpop with trumpet, violin and flute. Backing band for tonight, Leaving a Small Town did what they had with their good understanding of the genre, and Felix felt in good hands. Felix looked like a completely different type and not one you would associate with folk and rock from the southern states. The southern influence was, however, with a mariachi-inspired Spanish song, which combined with his, hold on, the Japanese David Bowie expressivity in "Dance The Night Away" made him a memorabelt acquaintance. - Gaffa (DK)

The Noise Revival Orchestra is Austin, Texas resident Nathan Felix and a rotating cast of friends and collaborators, sometimes ranging up to 25 performers but currently fixed at 8 band members. Together they make light indie rock with acoustic guitars, strings, piano, flute, and of course much more. Catchy, sincere, and a little danceable, these light-hearted songs speak of hope, love, and still having fun in a world sometimes filled with pain. “Crushin on You” is one of these fun tunes, singing of new romantic love. The production sounds great, and the songwriting is also pretty impressive musically and lyrically.

Overall: Offering a light in the darkness, The Noise Revival Orchestra play these heartfelt Songs of Forgiveness with passion and sincerity. They will lift your spirit and brighten your day. Recommended for fans of such varied artists as Rusted Root, Steel Train, Bright Eyes, and Paul Simon, each of which could be compared to The Noise Revival Orchestra in one way or another. - Indie Vision Music

The Noise Revival Orchestra has been a part of the Austin Music scene since 2006. Over the past 5 years, this orchestral pop collective grew to 25 members, has been featured on MTVU and has had their music used in various films and television spots. In its current form, The Noise Revival Orchestra includes 8 members who play guitar, violin, cello, trumpet, piano, flute, bass and drums. The collective cites a wide variety of influences including Wendy Carlos, Philip Glass and Debussy but their most recent music seems to be situated in the orchestral pop genre rather than the avante garde.

The Noise Revival Orchestra - Songs of Forgiveness

For their latest EP, Songs of Forgiveness, The Noise Revival Orchestra teamed up with ATX super-producer Danny Reisch of Good Danny’s. Danny has produced albums for some of the biggest Austin acts including: The Bright Light Social Hour, Suzanna Chofel, White Denim and Golden Bear. With the help of Danny Reisch, The Noise Revival Orchestra have created an EP full of beautifully symphonic pop songs that are melody rich and very danceable. The standout track for me was the title track. “Songs of Forgiveness” includes multiple melodic lines, harmonized vocals and a low fi guitar outro. A major highlight throughout the whole EP was the work being done on the violin and the flute. These instruments bring a folk rock sound to all of the songs and drive the emotion behind the songs. Even though the EP is heavily layered with many different instruments and melodies, the songs are given room to breathe. With their instrumentation, The Noise Revival Orchestra maintained a balance between simple and impactful and lush and layered.

You can stream the full Songs of Forgiveness EP on their site at: http://www.thenoiserevival.com/category/ears/ or buy it on iTunes. Also catch them on September 3rd at the Parish before they venture away to foreign lands.

2011 is shaping up to be a big year for The Noise Revival Orchestra. We’ll keep you posted on any news about the collective. - Ovrld (Austin, TX blog)

Nathan Felix's the Noise Revival Orchestra, likewise, looks for strength in numbers, swelling on third EP Songs of Forgiveness to shelter the House of Songs project. The collective's twee indie folk compensates size for substance, but endearing closer "Sapphire" strikes the perfect balance between the two. - Austin Chronicle

Nathan Felix's the Noise Revival Orchestra, likewise, looks for strength in numbers, swelling on third EP Songs of Forgiveness to shelter the House of Songs project. The collective's twee indie folk compensates size for substance, but endearing closer "Sapphire" strikes the perfect balance between the two. - Austin Chronicle

The Noise Revival Orchestra seem to have moved away from their experimental orchestral work in the EP ‘Songs Of Forgiveness’. Perhaps, in an attempt to gain a more mainstream fan base, the band has progressed towards a more pop inspired place, with repeating hooks such as the track ‘Crushin On You’. That said, the EP as a whole has a “semi-professional” feel to it, the sound not as refined as some listeners may like. This may stem from the task of making eight different instruments weave together to perfection. However, the tracks are fun to listen to, connecting the diverse instruments decently, augmented wonderfully by Nathan Felix’s Strummer-esque vocals. The EP has a jovial, care free sound to it as well, giving it the ability to be an album anyone can listen to when they’re having an off day, and sure to make a fantastic mood even better. - Reykjavik Grapevine

(translated from Danish to English via Google Translate)
The Department for misleading band names we find American The Noise Revival Orchestra, who led by Nathan Felix plays a type of soft kammerpop with absolutely no noise, but go for the striking and beautiful. Since 2006 the orchestra has changed crew a few times and at one point talked all 25 members, but this ep is the eight. However, this is no doubt that it is Felix who previously participated in a song-writing workshop at the Spot and the band's current European tour's objective is to collaborate with musicians from each country that controls the show. His songwriting is not archetypal for his hometown Texas. There is more of a Scandinavian touch of popsensibilitet, which may resemble the Emil Svanängens Loney Dear. Starry-eyed and cute pop that hides on an inner drama, but in Felix's hands become more flamboyant and transparent because every chance to choral singing and fiery strings obviously be seized. The need to decorate and loading on the instrumentation is often unnecessary and sometimes harmful. Habil songs are buried, when these events instead should have made ??them sparkle clear. Either chamber songs over the hysterical gejlede that the title track and pop-Basque 'Dance The Night Away' or the maudlin pathos as the 'Sapphire' . The keynote of this band is balance, and here they find the only 'Crushin On You', where the ambitious instrumentation finely underpins a good little pop song. - Sound Venue (Danish publication)