Music
Press
Three's Company of out very own Manhattan Beach, California took the stage last week at the annual 'Hometown Fair Battle of the Bands'. The trio, consisting of Mira Costa High School students Katie Costello, James Watson, and alumnus Michael Hiller, played 4 astonishing originals at the competition, taking 1st place. they took the stage at noon, stumbling in a few minutes late as they say they usually do. From the moment that James and Michael struck those first chords until the remaining seconds of the last song of their set, not a word was said by the audience. The murmur and chit-chat that usually takes place in the viewers of this event came to a halt in an instant when these three high school kid showed them what they had. Perhaps it was Katie Costello's unmatched vocals, maybe it was the eclectic fills and solos of Michael Hiller's guitar playing, or the incredible songs that James Watson had written for the trio. Whatever the case, everyone that saw this performance walked away with a new definition of what today's music should sound like. Their sound incorporates a variety of influences, from jazz to classic rock, that give them a truly unique sound. We expect great things from this trio, it is their second time taking first place at a competition and I won't be surprised to see them at the top of the charts in the following years.
Stewart Smith - The Beach Reporter
Three's Company of out very own Manhattan Beach, California took the stage last week at the annual 'Hometown Fair Battle of the Bands'. The trio, consisting of Mira Costa High School students Katie Costello, James Watson, and alumnus Michael Hiller, played 4 astonishing originals at the competition, taking 1st place. they took the stage at noon, stumbling in a few minutes late as they say they usually do. From the moment that James and Michael struck those first chords until the remaining seconds of the last song of their set, not a word was said by the audience. The murmur and chit-chat that usually takes place in the viewers of this event came to a halt in an instant when these three high school kid showed them what they had. Perhaps it was Katie Costello's unmatched vocals, maybe it was the eclectic fills and solos of Michael Hiller's guitar playing, or the incredible songs that James Watson had written for the trio. Whatever the case, everyone that saw this performance walked away with a new definition of what today's music should sound like. Their sound incorporates a variety of influences, from jazz to classic rock, that give them a truly unique sound. We expect great things from this trio, it is their second time taking first place at a competition and I won't be surprised to see them at the top of the charts in the following years.
Stewart Smith - The Beach Reporter
Discography
2007 Demo:
1. Through the Years
2. Love Rain Can't Hide
3. Save Me
4. Isn't it Lovely
2008 LP "Music for Memories"*:
1. Love Rain Can't hide
2. Seasons
3. Through the Years
4. Happiness
5. Soggy Days
6. Isn't it Lovely
7. All Things
8. Save Me
9. Same Old Way
10. Dawn Came
11. Holding you is fun
12. When you were a baby
*The above LP should be finished by the end of summer.
Photos
Bio
Three's Company is an indie acoustic trio out of the Los Angeles area. The band started writing together when James Watson and Michael Hiller agreed to back up Katie Costello in their high school talent show. What were to be practice sessions became writing sessions in the weeks preceding their first performance. The final product of these collaborations was their first song entitled "Love Rain Can't Hide", which they performed at the talent show, taking first place. Its been a little over a year since that first show and they've been writing, recording, and playing shows ever since.
I have to stop talking in 3rd person this is getting weird, sorry. Anyway, as mentioned, we formed somewhat organically from that whole talent show ordeal. The overwhelming amount of positive responses we received from that first performance established the foundation for our future as a band. We went in as just 3 high school friends that had written a love song and came out as a professional band. While we will always consider ourselves friends before band mates, the transition from the first to the latter began to occur the night of the talent show... On the way to the show I was in the back of Michael's car with Katie up front and Michael driving. I was fiddling around with Michael's Ukulele playing C to F maj 7 to C maj. 7 when Katie starts humming a simple yet beautiful melody. By the time we had gotten to the show we had written over half of what is now called "Through the Years", one of our most popular songs. Since then, times that we used to call "hanging out" have now evolved into writing sessions. We've used this sort of writing process to write about 12 songs.
In describing our sound, I could give you genres or other labels that people use in order to convey how a band sounds. However the best thing I could do is ask that you see us live because it is truly the only way to experience our sound. Katie Costello, our lead singer, has a truly incredible voice, combining the sounds of artists such as Feist, Missy Higgins, Billie Holiday, and New Buffalo. Michael Hiller, our lead guitarist, writes some of the most beautiful guitar parts I've ever heard. He listens to more bluesy/classic rock guitarists such as Eric Clapton, David Gilmour, and Jimmy Paige. I, James Watson, play rhythm guitar and some banjo here and there for the band. I am a lover of jazz and the art of improvisation, but when it comes to songwriting and structure, I get influenced by artists such as Iron & Wine, The Shins, and Feist. We all come from different musical backgrounds and hence all bring something completely unique to the table. The eclectic nature of this band has given us a sound different from any of our contemporaries.
We're a trio of young, innovative, and progressive kids that are ready to influence the indie music scene. So check out our music and come see us play in L.A., we promise you some good tunes.
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