The Scarlet Ending

Walking into one of the many lengthy local-based shows that take place at Arlene’s Grocery always yields varying results. In a span of a few hours you could see anything in the spectrum: an acoustic duo, a grunge-rock band, or a band made entirely of people in their 40s. If you happened to stumble in this past Tuesday, however, you would have seen something truly unique in The Scarlet Ending.

A six-piece band fronted by twin sisters Kayleigh and Kaleena Goldsworthy, The Scarlet Ending’s sound falls somewhere in the middle of a Venn Diagram of folk, theatrical, and pop music, a combination that easily pleased the Arlene’s crowd. The band burst out of the gates with the torridly-paced “My Decay,” only slowing down for a chilling break in the middle of the song that featured only vocals that repeated and swelled until the full band came back in for the finish. Two new tracks were also debuted during the set, both beautifully complex in their musical arrangements.

For a youthful band, the members of The Scarlet Ending have musical skill and talent beyond their years. The Goldsworthy sisters traded the main vocal duties (with Kaleena on piano and Kayleigh switching from guitar to violin), and guitarist Jon Tedd joined in here and there as well (including some vein-popping throaty screams near the end of the set). Those three were also joined by a bassist, a drummer, and even an electric cellist/organ player, giving the band an immense range of sounds to choose from at any given moment.

Not only were they technically great, but the band showed that they were wonderful performers, an important piece of the puzzle given the dramatic tint to their sound. Even if they were planted at a microphone for a whole song, each member emoted through every lyric, never looking like they were taking the performance for granted (a hard feat for a large band). Proof of their ability to control a room with both their sound and performance was not only evident in the growing crowd during the set, but was especially realized when – after the crowd demanded it – they encored with an acoustic cover of “Poker Face,” performed only by the three vocalists while they sat on the edge of the stage, their fans new and old huddled around them. - New York Noise

What's with The Scarlet Ending? The Syracuse-based indie-pop band comes up seemingly out of nowhere, finds one of their songs on The Hills and is suddenly opening for The Fray and Rufus Wainwright. Next thing you know, Ben Harper starts coming out to their shows, and then they do two tours for the troops overseas! What's their secret? Usmagazine.com recently caught up with the gang (made up of twin sisters Kaleena and Kayleigh Goldsworthy, Jon Tedd, Aaron Garitello, Jess Hafner, and Nick Streeter), as they gear up for their U.S. tour to support their haunting new album, Ghosts (on sale now!), to get the full skinny on their 10-year history and just what their beef is with today's top pop stars. Want more of their action? Visit TheScarletEnding.com.

UsMagazine.com: You're twin sisters fronting a band! Any sibling rivalry?

Kaleena Goldsworthy: Of course we have our tiffs every now and again -- we're sisters! But I wouldn't consider it rivalry. We both want what's best for the band and for the music. We have one rule: the songwriter has the final say.

US: So how would you describe your sound to someone who hasn't heard your music?

Kayleigh Goldsworthy: One of our friends has this really elaborate explanation. He says, 'picture Fiona Apple, Tegan and Sarah and Jimmy Eat World in a blender, served in a pretty glass by the pool.' I like that one, but we really do have our own style.

US: Your song, 'The Way We Used to Be,' was featured on The Hills. What did you think of the series finale?

Kaleena: What a way to end it! I feel like all of my college career was a lie, but it was the most redeeming thing that show has ever done. When that backdrop moved behind Brody Jenner, tears came to my eyes. It was perfect.

US: Speaking of reality shows, you've already had your own reality web series!

Kayleigh: Syracuse is known for their cover bands and blues bands, so it's really hard to get attention as an original group. We were really lucky because our local newspaper and their website, Syracuse.com, decided to do an online reality show as we were recording Ghosts, and it really helped us get attention.

US: Was the experience intimidating?

Kaleena: It was incredible but, yes, also a little dautning to share our creative process with the world. Everyone in our band has a very unique situation, but the bottom line is that we all sacrificed a lot to be part of it. That's what we showed our fans: we face difficulties, but music is our life, and that's what drives us forward.

US: You're best known for your original music, but you also do some great cover songs. Who is your favorite artist to cover?

Kayleigh: Well, I love Taylor Swift! I would say Lady Gaga is my favorite to cover, though.

US: Any favorite Lady Gaga songs to cover?

Kaleena: We do 'Poker Face,' and I love that no one knows what it is until we get to the chorus, and then they all start cheering. When we cover a song, we rework it and make it our own. We are constantly on the hunt for songs that are epic sounding that we can do in a big way.

US: You also did two international tours for the troops, right?

Kaleena: We did a tour in Greenland, and then another in Germany. And last October we spent a month in the Middle East. Regardless of our political views, being able to give back to the heroes who are actually out there on the front lines is beyond rewarding. When we were in the Middle East we were actually staying where the troops were deployed -- where even their families can't visit them. We flew onto a carrier ship and played to 3,000 people one night. It's nice to know that we can do what we do, play our music, and improve somebody's life or at least take them to a different place for a little while. That, to us, is so epic.

US: I know that you are all at different stages in your life. Do you have normal jobs when you're not out on tour?

Kaleena: Our cello/synth player's father owns Chuck Hafner's Garden Center, and four of us work there.

US: Do you ever use the garden center for band practice?

Kaleena: Do we ever! Our rehearsal space is actually in one of the barns. We literally hose it off and rehearse there. It's nice in the summer, but I don't even want to know what it will be like in the winter. You can see your breath!

US: So how do you make the transition from your normal, everyday life at the garden center to being rock stars, playing to thousands of people?

Kaleena: We are like superheroes! (laughs) I teach voice lessons to little kids, and I gave a mom our CD and she was like, 'I had NO idea!' I feel like it's this Lois Lane/Superman effect. Playing music is our dream job and we have our alter egos. Sure, we work our day jobs but music is who we are.

US: So how do your alter egos play out on stage?

Kayleigh: You know, we grew up listening to Genesis and Pink Floyd, and with those bands it never felt like just going to a concert -- you are going to a show! And I think what Kaleena and I sat down and tried to figure out is what to do so that when you see us, you are seeing something different. Obviously, we don't have the necessary funds to create our dream show yet, but we are doing what we can to get there.

US: If money wasn't a factor, what would your "dream show" be like?

Kayleigh: I want a sideshow! I know the circus thing is big for a lot of people right now, but I want you to feel like you're at Coney Island. You're not just going to see a band, you're going to be entertained.

Kaleena: I think Lady Gaga and Pink are doing a fantastic job of bringing shows back. They stole our idea! (laughs) It's more of an experience and less of simply seeing someone up on stage. No one wants to pay to see some poor people walk on stage with their guitars singing 'I'm poor just like you.' People pay to be entertained, and we want to offer that escape.

By Ian Drew for UsMagazine.com. To read more of Ian's blog, click here, and don't forget to follow him onTwitter.
- Us Weekly

"The Scarlet Ending go even deeper. "Ghosts" comes to life with a brilliance and daring that rock 'n' roll desperately needs. This ending is more than welcome…" - ARTISTdirect

The Scarlet Ending, a six piece indie and pop rock band reigning from Syracuse, New York have been taking the scene by storm since forming nearly a decade ago. The band is composed of sisters Kaleena and Kayleigh Goldsworthy, Jon Tedd, Aaron Garritillo, Jess Hafner, and Nick Streeter. In 2005, The Scarlet Ending released their first self-titled EP which won them the Syracuse Area Music Award for Best Pop Record. Their 2006 release Cries & Whispers featured the hit track "The Way We Used To Be" which appeared on shows such as The Hills and Tool Academy. The Scarlet Ending are currently signed to Fierce Little Records and released their second full length album, Ghosts, on April 6, 2010. Since then, the band has made two music videos for tracks off Ghosts including "Phoenix" and "Exactly What You Want".

They're certainly not a new band, but Buzznet wanted to ask them some questions to introduce them to the Buzznet crowd.



BUZZNET: Being based in Syracuse, New York, how would you say your surroundings have influenced your music?

KALEENA: Our surroundings influenced our music in a very interesting way; we knew that in order to get noticed, we needed to do something different and earn their attention. Syracuse has a huge cover band scene, a blues scene, and a very tight knit hardcore scene. We didn't really fit in anywhere, so we had to work very hard to get people to notice what we were doing.

B: Where in your city do you go when you want to be inspired?

KALEENA: I like sitting down in places where the world is moving around me, where I can just be a fly on the wall. Also, when I'm driving – maybe the most inopportune time.

B: How would you describe The Scarlet Ending's sound?

KAYLEIGH: I’d describe our sound as a dark, cabaret rock. We definitely write pop songs, but I think the way we go about executing them is what makes us a little bit different, and lyrically it's a bit more dark and cryptic.

B: If you guys could score a movie, what genre do you think your music would be most suited for?

KAYLEIGH: Some kind of dark fantastical movie. We were raised on very theatrical bands (Genesis, Queen, David Bowie, etc), so we try and include a bit of drama into our sound. And the film would probably have to be a little twisted too!

B: Can you tell us one interesting fact about each member of your band?

KAYLEIGH-- Has a serious baking habit and an unexplained subscription to “Horse Illustrated” magazine that just won't go away.

KALEENA-- Writing a zombie rock opera

JON-- A fantastic, fantastic cook and hosts the vegan cooking webshow “The Vegan Zombie” (http://theveganzombie.com/)

AARON-- Plays Magic cards and Dungeons & Dragons for a living

JESS-- Likes fruity drinks and knows more about plants than we will ever know about anything in this world

NICK-- A fantastic dancer and a karaoke king

B: With such an eclectic mix of instruments in the band (violin, cello, piano, ukulele), are there any instruments you aim to add in the future?

KAYLEIGH: I think when it comes time to record we can delve even deeper into that. I'd love to include some tympani, or even some brass or horns on a few songs. I think we still view the creation and arrangement process as limitless, its more how we choose to scale back so that we don't end up with, like, 25 people in the band.

B: What was the inspiration behind your music video for "Phoenix"?




KALEENA: We really let our good friend and director CJ Wallis take the lead on that one. It was loosely based off of Fahrenheit 451. I think the concept of the video is fantastic, and lends a lot to the viewer’s imagination. He also shot the video for our single, “Exactly What You Want,” which is a bit more straightforward.

B: What would you say is your favorite music video of all time? (By another artist)

KAYLEIGH: For nostalgia’s sake, it would be "Just a Girl" by No Doubt or "A Long December" by The Counting Crows. That’s when we were very into watching music videos and both of those bands influenced me tremendously. More recently, "Monster Hospital" by Metric or Mother Mother's "Hayloft" or "O My Heart."




B: What has been the most positive feedback (coolest compliment?) you've received about Ghosts?

KAYLEIGH: The opportunity to play for the troops on our international USO tour was amazing, and to continue to receive emails from them on a daily basis telling us what our music has done for them while they were away... that's been the most fulfilling experience and best feedback. And the fact that we created this album over the course of years in our studio, thinking it would get heard by maybe one tenth the people who actually heard it... it's an amazing, humbling, and truly incredible feeling.

B: Who would you kill to collaborate with in the future?

KAYLEIGH: I would love to work with Colin Meloy of The Decemberists, I love how their band has such a unique sound, how they can go from epic album like "Hazards of Love" to a stripped down but equally powerful album like "The King is Dead" without losing anything. Or Ben Gibbard of Death Cab for Cutie, he’s one of those songwriters that makes you sit back and say, "Damn... I wish I wrote that."

B: What are you guys up to right now? How will The Scarlet Ending be spending their summer?

KALEENA: We are putting a new album together! We will be spending our summer writing and arranging, and also working on an acoustic version of "Ghosts." And BBQ’ing. We will definitely be BBQ’ing.

- Buzznet

With a diverse assembly of instruments, original lyrics and a constantly evolving sound, the Syracuse based The Scarlet Ending, lead by twins Kaleena and Kayleigh Goldsworthy, and rounded out by guitarist Jon Tedd, bassist Aaron Garritillo, and drummer Jess Hafner, is a great example of the beauty of mixing a dark sound and alternative theme with many genres of music. The girls started the band together in their teens, and have since traveled the world touring in Germany, Greenland and most recently Southwest Asia. If the “The Scarlet Ending” tattoos they just got to celebrate the release of their upcoming album Ghosts, is any indication, these guys are in it for the long haul. I spoke with the twins and guitarist Jon Tedd about inspiration, individuality and international endeavors.

Who writes most of your lyrics?

Kaleena: Kayleigh, Jon and I. Separately, we all come to the band with new songs and individually.

Where does the inspiration come from?

Kaleena: I guess everything, you know, people and places for me.

Kayleigh: I just make up situations sometimes. Or, a couple of my songs are about four very distinct and different situations and I try to combine them into one.

I’ve noticed that your music has evolved into a unique genre, how did that happen?

Kaleena: We got Jon and Aaron; the evolution started happening when we started adding more people to the band…

Kayleigh: I think… even before that, when that first CD came out we just graduated high school. And, Kaleena and I had an EP out before that, but, I think the genre of this CD, of Ghost is that we all feel comfortable with our music and our songwriting.

You guys are members of the Armed Forces Entertainment Roster, which means you’ve been to a lot of different places. What’s your favorite place so far?

Kayleigh: We played on a ship in the middle of the Indian Ocean, we flew on and played for 3000 people, the attention was on us.

Kaleena: I think Southwest Asia was the most memorable tour, but my favorite place to ever go is probably the Garmisch show in Germany, in Garmisch Bavaria.

Jon: Greenland was another really beautiful, outstanding, unbelievable sight; it was really beautiful out there. But, Garmisch (Bavaria) was probably my favorite; it was at the bottom of the Alps.

Beyond Ghosts, what do we have to look forward to in the near future?

Kayleigh: Kaleena’s going to get a tattoo soon!

Kaleena: Yeah, real soon, like in the next two weeks or so.

Kayleigh: Kaleena organized a group tattoo gathering, where we all went and got tattoos and she was the only one who didn’t. So basically we can still kick her out of the band ha-ha…

Kaleena: Well, we want to be on tour as much as possible, so that’s the next step.

The Scarlet Ending is putting the finishing touches on their album Ghosts, and will be playing at Arlene’s Grocery (95 Stanton Street, New York, NY) on April 22. You can read more about them or follow their webisodes “The Scarlet Ending Tapes” at www.thescarletending.com.

(see the article here:
http://encoremag.com/new-york/articles/903/believe-in-ghosts) - Encore Magazine, New York City

It’s finally that time, folks. The Scarlet Ending, a much-talked about act here on Knox Road, fronted by everyone’s favorite twin sisters, Kaleena and Kayleigh Goldsworthy, released their sophomore full-length, Ghosts, a couple weeks ago. Ever since my first encounter with the sisters, they have been incredibly warm and outgoing, leading to a friendship beyond the music blog itself. I hoped that wouldn’t stop me from being objective about their music…until, well, I saw them live in concert. They were truly one of the best bands I have ever seen live (promise!), bringing energy, intensity, and charisma, all of which is oftentimes sorely lacking among more well known artists. Through their excitement the sound shined and I became forever invested in their future.

Well, that future has come to its next stage with Ghosts, an album that certainly brings an organic sound, meshing cello, violin, guitar, drums, piano — the whole shebang. The music is purposely disjointed on several songs, most notably on one of my favorites, “End In Disguise”, which acutely mixes guitar and violin for a unique sound along with pounding piano, all underneath Kaleena’s full voice. Kayleigh joins in on harmonies (as does Jon, at times) as the sisters expertly play off each other. The song is indeed poppy, don’t get me wrong, but underneath it all is a darkness and angst present throughout the album. The song is a good indicator for the feel of the album as a whole: sometimes poppy, other times angsty, and all times aggressive.

Which leads to a minor gripe: while I’m a fan of mixing up genres, styles and the like, the band can’t seem to decide how to fully root themselves on Ghosts, especially with its amalgam of sounds. Do they want to be that devilishly dark gang, slightly lending themselves to the punk side on songs like “My Decay”? If so, I’m not sure why such poppy, radio friendly songs like “Save Me” are present. Granted, I quite enjoy “Save Me”, I just wish there was a bit more direction on the album as a whole that struck a better balance between the two extremes.

Honestly, though, the ability to play to different styles demonstrates The Scarlet Ending’s supreme talent, and I applaud them for an effort that most bands aren’t willing to make. They’re not afraid to let their emotions show, and their youthful exuberance more than makes up for any of Ghosts‘ shortcomings. From the very start, it’s a record in which we can fully immerse ourselves. I don’t know about you, but that’s usually what I look for when I listen to music (besides, of course, quality). What I’m trying to say is, The Scarlet Ending delivers the goods on Ghosts. It’s an impressive, penetrating work of art.

(see article here:
http://www.knoxroad.com/2010/04/20/the-scarlet-ending-releases-forceful-new-lp-ghosts/) - Knox Road

The 20-year-old Goldsworthy twins, of Baldwinsville, have a great thing going with The Scarlet Ending.
Kaleena and Kayleigh Goldsworthy combine strings, their gorgeous voices and wonderful beats by veteran drummer Andy Walton for an 11 song debuy for SubCat Records that's big in sound, grand in ambition and very cool.
They write a mean song too.
The Scarlet Ending has carved out a unique niche in the alternative-rock spectrum with old time strings and rolling keyboards. - Syracuse Post Standard

Twin sisters Kaleena and Kayleigh Goldsworthy have the voices to make their original songs stand out from the increasingly populated women-with an edge genre of music making.
The Baldwinsville natives brought along acoustic guitars, and a pennywhistle to Subcat Studios in Skaneateles and set themselves free of five original songs.
The Goldsworthy twins, freshman at State University College at Fredonia, come from the edgy corner of pop rock, not the syrupy section. Think more Avril Lavigne and less Ashleigh Simpson.
" Crack the Sky" starts the collection with a jolt, and "Trivial Things' goes down smooth, but definitely not easy, as the Goldsworthy's sing" Decisions are in our hands..."
On "Closer to Nowhere" Kaleena adds a pennywhistle to Kayleigh's guitar work. The result is a rock song that sounds more like Dolores Riordan with the Cranberries than the Celtic leanings of sisters Andrea, Caroline and Sharon and Brother Jim of the Corrs.
The Goldsworthy's had able help at Subcat. Dad Jim, took on added guitar duties and his musician friends Arty Lenin, Sam Patterelli and Andy walton chipped in on electric guitar, bass and drums.
The Scarlet Ending plays more hometown shows ofver the holidays. That's a good thing. - Syracuse Post standard

Spending eight days touring Germany, Kaleena Goldsworthy figured out one declaration in the mother tongue.

"I learned how to say 'I'm sorry, I speak little German. Do you speak English?' " Kaleena says, sitting on the couch next to her twin sister, Kayleigh, in the Goldsworthy family home in Baldwinsville.

Usually they did speak English and just enough to tell her she sounded like a Russian trying to speak German.
The sisters share a laugh.

July was indeed a good month for the Goldsworthys. Just a handful of weeks removed from graduation from State University College at Fredonia, where they both received a bachelor's degree in their music industry major, they led their six-piece band The Scarlet Ending through Armed Forces Entertainment-sponsored tours of Greenland and Germany.

It was the first time either had left U.S. soil except for the two times Kaleena walked over the Rainbow Bridge from Buffalo to Canada.

"We didn't know what to expect. It exceeded every expectation," Kaleena says of the tours, which were separated by a week back home in Baldwinsville.

For both departures, the sisters boarded a plane in Washington, D.C.

"There were lines of military men getting on a military flight," Kayleigh says. The soldiers serenaded the sisters with tales of bases in Italy and Germany.

"Right below, there were soldiers getting back," Kayleigh continues. "They were very emotional."

In Greenland, The Scarlet Ending performed its alternative rock at 700-person Thule Air Force Base, where both Danish and American soldiers are stationed.

"The commander said it's difficult to get Danish and American people together, but they both came out to see us," Kayleigh says.

In fact, Kaleena says, several newfound Danish friends made them compilation CDs of Danish music to bring back to America.

In Germany, Kayleigh says, 80 percent of the crowd for their final show at Spangdahlem Air Base were German, French or Italian.

"Nobody understood us," Kayleigh says.

"We'd say, 'Who wants a free CD?' and it'd be quiet," says Kaleena, the twin who wears her brown hair longer. "They all just looked at us."

"We'd perform and they'd applaud, and we'd speak and they'd just look at us," Kayleigh says.

An MC on stage translated their statement into German, and plenty of fans wanted the free CD.

Their connection with George Degrella of AFE started two years ago, when the sisters and their dad and manager, Jim Goldsworthy, attended the South by Southwest Music Conference in Austin, Texas.

"They played 'Such a Shame' at a listening panel, and George loved it," Jim says.

It took two years, with a couple of cancellations because of budget cutbacks, but on July 2 the twins left for Greenland with band mates Jon Tedd, Jess Hafner, Brian Cooney and Kiel Feher. They also brought along former Fredonia State music industry classmate Brian Quillan as their manag er.

In Greenland, they played all their shows at Thule.

"Everybody was so grate ful to us. But we felt like we were honored to have the priv ilege to play for them," Kaleena says.

In Germany, they played at six separate venues, all four to five hours apart.

AFE provided them with a tour bus that had eight beds, a big couch and several TVs.

"It was a rock star tour bus. The last band that was on it before us was Sevendust the week before," Kaleena says, still somewhat incredulous.

AFE already is talking about a possible 2009 tour through Italy, Greece and Portugal.

Until then, they'll concen trate on making the band they started seven years ago for the annual battle of the bands competition at Baker High School even better.

They snagged a date as the Central New York opener for a national alternative rock show Thursday at Saint Clare Theatre on North Townsend Street in Syracuse.

They've written plenty of songs for the follow-up CD to their debut "Cries & Whis pers." From that CD, the song

"The Way We Used to Be" was used on the soundtrack to MTV's show "The Hills."

Jim Goldsworthy is in the midst of finishing the con

struction of a home studio, and hopes to start recording his daughters' band in mid-

September for release on his own Fierce Little Records label.

They think they've got the

right sound and lineup now. It seems like eons since they played a couple of Sheryl Crow songs and called them selves Scarlet for that first battle of the bands.

"We just didn't want to be called The Goldsworthy Twins," Kaleena says.

And after years of juggling school and band, they're ready to really go at The ScarletEnding project.

"I just want to ride this be cause it's there," Kayleigh says. "If I have to find a job in a year or two, I have to find a job."

"At home, we can practice when we want and actually put together a tight set," Kaleena says.

"It's a weird thing to wake up in the morning and say, wow, all I have to do is music today," Kayleigh says. - Syracuse Post Standard

"The Redhouse was at capacity last night!... The Scarlet Ending isn't just another propped up pretty girl group... These girls are a triple threat, they have the songwriting skills, and voices that carry their message home." - The Redhouse Internet Site

A Homecoming for The Scarlet Ending.

After touring Europe, Kayleigh and Kaleena Goldsworthy are still hometown girls.

It’s a Thursday afternoon at Saint Clare Theater on Syracuse’s north side. Dozens of fans have been patiently waiting in line for nearly an hour in the scorching late afternoon sun to be let in. After a 45-minute delay due to PA system problems, The Scarlet Ending plays its first show since returning from overseas. Although the PA continues to malfunction, the band whips through its set with a great reaction from the mostly teenaged crowd.

It’s a homecoming of sorts for The Scarlet Ending, and a reintroduction to the band for those who’ve come to see them play the opening set for well-known indie act Meg & Dia.

The Scarlet Ending has spent the summer preparing for and performing on a tour of military bases in Germany and Greenland. And as summer closed, the band was introducing a new drummer and a new set of songs to an audience that has grown to admire and adore Kayleigh and Kaleena Goldsworthy, the two homegrown starlets that are the band’s driving force.

In an underground music scene dominated by punk and hardcore music, The Scarlet Ending’s decidedly pop sound has found a legion of loyal fans. It would be easy to say the popularity comes from the striking good looks of the twins themselves, as the recurring “you’re hot” comments on the band’s MySpace page suggest, but their popularity comes from something deeper: talent. And the band isn’t planning to rest anytime soon.

The twins graduated from SUNY Fredonia in May, both with a combination of music and business majors and minors. This is practical, but it doesn’t mean they’re out to become record executives just yet. They plan to stay home in Baldwinsville full time to focus on the band.
“For the first time, we’re all able to give 110 percent,” Kaleena says.

And how’s that going so far? Immediately after graduation, the band scrambled to learn 33 songs to take overseas. Their commitment is obvious: guitarist Jon, formerly of Speria, moved back to Central New York from New York City to be in the band, while new drummer Kyle commutes from Apalachin (near Binghamton) for practices and shows.
In July, the band traveled to Europe for 18 days with Air Force Entertainment. Their first stop was Greenland, where the Danish put three kinds of liquor in their spiritually significant coffee and light it on fire before drinking.

“It tasted like coffee with cough syrup,” Kayleigh says. “I couldn’t drink it.” They did, however, swim in the 28-degree waters of the Arctic Circle on what the natives call a “polar bear swim.” This involved running into the ocean as a group and submerging themselves in freezing cold water. I’m not sure what the point of this activity is, but Jon did it five times.

After playing at one military base in Greenland for 10 days, the band spent eight days in Germany playing at a different base each day. Most of the troops there had already been deployed in Iraq, so the band played for soldiers’ family members. The band tells me how sad it was to see only wives and children at some performances. Troops that weren’t yet deployed at other bases were preparing to go to Iraq, so the band heard a lot of bombs going off.

“It was difficult,” Kaleena says, “but it gave us some global perspective. I mean, we’re from B’ville.”
One sound guy at a festival in Germany was interested in whether or not the band partied.

“He’d be like, ‘What are you guys gonna do tonight?’” says Kaleena. “We were like, ‘Uh, sleep?’”

On tour, they kept an 11 p.m. bedtime so they could get up at 8 a.m. to travel. They like to have a good time, but they know their music is top priority when they’re on tour. The band drove from base to base in a tour bus most recently occupied by Sevendust. “We were a little sketched out by that,” the twins say. “But it was cool, we had eight beds and three TVs.”

I took advantage of an opportunity to sit in at the band’s recent practice at cellist Jess’s house in an upscale neighborhood in Liverpool. The band plays in a space obviously devoted to their music; it’s packed with their equipment, including a grand piano. This is not a typical Syracuse garage band. Not by a long shot.

The band hashes out some of their newest songs, many of which were written during the past four years.

“College years are the most influential of your life,” says Kaleena, “and we didn’t get to share all the music we were writing. College left us with a vault of music in our computers.” The band says that they have about two albums worth of unexplored material.

When I ask how the twins go about writing music together, they’re quick to tell me they actually don’t. They bring the songs they write individually to the other band members, who then add their own parts. The band has a lot of instrumental options, as they play cello, accordion, violin, piano and penny whistle in addition to the usual guitar, drums and bass.

“We don’t have enough instruments yet,” says Kayleigh, who seems to lead the group musically. “On the next album, we need tympani,” says bassist Brian.

The Scarlet Ending’s influences include Coldplay, the Dresden Dolls, Sarah Slean, Cursive, the Cure and Radiohead. A fairly accurate way to describe their sound is a mixture of all these artists. But that’s not to say their sound isn’t original; it’s just hard to define because I’ve never heard anything quite like it. Unlike some of the bands that will end up on these pages, The Scarlet Ending’s music is intricate and structured. Before I saw them play live at practice, I knew they were pretty good, but afterward, I couldn’t wait to see one of their live shows.

At practice, I get to hear one of Jon’s songs, “My Decay,” which features something unexpected: Jon, Kayleigh and Kaleena all on vocals. The song is upbeat and sounds reminiscent of ska in one part, a definite change in direction for the band. I’m surprised to hear that this is only Kyle’s second practice, and at how well he knows the songs already. The whole band seems excited about his aptitude. The girls met him in class at Fredonia and he fits right in.

Throughout the practice, I’m struck by how down-to-earth everyone is. When I compliment Jon on Speria’s music, he seems genuinely surprised and flattered. You would expect the twins to be stuck-up – after all, they’re beautiful and talented – but they’re genuinely polite and warm. The music they began playing for fun in ninth grade has developed into material that people obviously want to hear. The Scarlet Ending’s song “The Way We Used to Be” is on the soundtrack of MTV’s show “The Hills,” a big feat for a small band from the Syracuse area. But instead of letting the attention go to their heads, Kaleena and Kayleigh seem happy to be home and are genuinely grateful that I’ve chosen to write about them. I even get a hug when I leave.

So what’s in store for band? Their label, Fierce Little Records, is building a recording studio called “The Hollow” on State Fair Boulevard in Syracuse. The twins’ dad and Jon were helping with its construction right before practice. When the studio is finished the band will record its third album there. They hope it’ll be released in January. They’re also working on a contract with a publishing company to expand their audience.

“There’s talk of a Mediterranean tour with Air Force Entertainment in 2009,” says Kaleena. “But for now, we’re just excited about recording all the songs we wrote in college.”
- CNY Underground (cover story)

By Bambi Weavil, June 19, 2008

Fronted by twin sisters, Kaleena and Kayleigh Goldsworthy, The Scarlet Ending are indy acoustic rock with heartfelt, honest lyrics and gorgeous intricate harmonies that are extremely enjoyable. Their latest release, Cries & Whispers, is rolling with a solid, smooth rocking acoustic sound that is full of energy and retrospective of relationships. There is nothing tired out by this group of talented artists.

The opening track, “Such A Shame,” blazes with commanding violins, on-point poetic lyrics (”you said, “I’m done wishing / on stars that don’t shine” / but I’m so in love with your skies“) with the beautiful angelic vocals of Kayleigh and Kaleena that are tempered on the Avril Lavigne styling. “Waiting” has a strong piano accompaniment with a pop feel that is very much part of the Scarlet Ending sound.

“The Way We Used To Be” was featured on the hit show, The Hills, and there is no doubt that this should be a radio hit for The Scarlet Ending. Layer after layer of trying to figure out how to stay and make the relationship work, The Scarlet Ending shines in this song that defines their perfected art of storytelling a experience that a listener and a writer can share.

The Scarlet Ending raises the bar of expectations of how strong yet vulnerable acoustic rock can sound. “Broken” shows off Kaleena and Kayleigh’s vocal strengths, to soar and weave together among a piano drapery about changing over time, with lyrics like “you’re just pieces of my day I’ll never find.”

“Winter” I felt should be more stripped down acoustically, it was the only song that wasn’t connecting for me. “Only One” is one of my favorite radio-ready tracks, no non-sense empowerment (”I’m the bravest girl you’ve ever met / cuz I don’t care“) about the bitterness of love of growing apart.

And of out no where, the rock sound comes blazing out with “So Different”which I didn’t see coming, but I’m glad to hear them embrace it. I would love to see “Only One” tried in the same experimentation, for a different musical punch.

The album ends in almost a Tori Amos-type sound haunting journey with “Cold Daylight” which is light and dark juxposing throughout the song, beautifully brought out with the lyric: “was that what you asked of me?” If any song proves that The Scarlet Ending can really go in any direction and deliver, it’s the cryptic “Cold Daylight.”

Honest, rewarding and music that will stir your soul, The Scarlet Ending have all the makings of long-lasting, talented musicians that can take you on a musical journey. - OutImpact.com

Find this article here:

http://www.knoxroad.com/2009/03/17/knox-road-exclusive-new-songs-from-the-scarlet-ending/

Ahhhhh! As promised, Kaleena Goldsworthy of The Scarlet Ending has sent Knox Road two pre-produced JUST recorded new demos from their up-coming album to be released later this year (probably around July). Kaleena was able to get us these tracks just in time before taking off for that Austin thing called SXSW or something. Not that I’m jealous or anything. Really. Ughhh.

The two songs we have here are called “How Things End” and “The Gold”. Both are quite superb and show an exceptional new direction for the group’s new album. I can’t get enough of the strings and piano from TSE. There’s so much going on in “How Things End”, which starts out with some emotive vocals from Kaleena, developing a brooding mood from the crew, but then explodes into a full-fledged stringed affair. Again, Kaleena shows us the enormous power and intrigue of her voice, and the folky pop sound in the background is a delight. Incredible array of talent and genre-breakage.

“The Gold” is a more fun listen, not to say that it’s not sound musically (forgive the wordplay.) In this one, Kayleigh sings lead vocals (as we can tell from the absence of her prominent strings in the other songs) and Kaleena sings some cutesy harmonies. It’s an upbeat ditty, with one hell of an arrangement, featuring striking piano playing unknown to man and woman alike.

As you listen to these songs, realize that they are only demos! The sound will be much more full and crisp come July, but we can all go for some rougher cuts here and there. Knox Road will be sure to keep you updated about the album, and guess what? One more demo will be coming your way sometime in the near future!! How can you not love these girls?

* The Scarlet Ending - “How Things End” [MP3] (alternate link - left click)

* The Scarlet Ending - “The Gold” [MP3] (alternate link - left click)

If you aren’t familiar with The Scarlet Ending yet, then check out our interview with Kaleena and Kayleigh, which also features the mp3 for “Such A Shame,” featured on their last album, Cries and Whispers.

BTW, I typed this post with dilated pupils (just returned from the optometrist) so I can’t really see my computer screen. Hopefully this is legible…

Find our original interview with Knox Road here:

http://www.knoxroad.com/2009/03/02/knox-road-interview-with-the-scarlet-ending/ - Knox Road