Contributors:
Jeff Byers: Guitar, Percussion
Ben Schlabach: Mandolin, Banjo
John Hostetter: Bass
Josh Moss: Ukulele, Harp
Melanie Schlabach: Violin
Ryan Fawley: Percussion
Zach Motyka: Guitar
Patrick Stinnett: Percussion
Nik Combs: Bass
Greg Haugan: Percussion
Marty Trible: Drums
Tim Skirven: The Bass Guitar
Influences
Friends
Family
Pizza
Free stuff
Regional Liquor specials
Tour
Animals
Scrabble
Deals
Jay Z.
Sounds Like
Everyone knows the adjectives carelessly thrown around for singer/songwriters who decide to strip to the barebones armed with only one guitar or banjo. “Simplistic”, “Introspective”, “Reflective”, “Honest”....you get the tired picture. But there’s nothing more honest than a grown man who can barely get through his own songs while stooped on a porch during the middle of a rainstorm at 2 am. Harrisonburg, Virginia’s Matt Leech, American Tourist himself, has risen above the typical trappings of an American singer/songwriter by releasing “American Tourist Plays Outside”, a rare look into the spontaneous beauty of songwriting and the dynamics which environment can provide for such a typically stagnant musical medium. “Plays Outside” is one of the rawest records ever recorded. Period. Equipped with an occasional cracking voice and a stomp-the-porch metronome, the unplanned environmental sounds are, in fact, the strongest point of the record as they highlight Matt’s crafty songwriting abilities in such a way that a recording engineer pressing a spacebar never could. And that makes American Tourist more interesting, a word underused with good reason for singer/songwriters." An American Tourist will be touring relentlessly this coming year in hopes to inspire audiences and put off paying rent all across America."
Hobo Camp
American Tourist is another local artist that is performing this year. This band comes around in various forms at various times. Usually a solo act in the form of Matt Leech crooning with his bare feet and bearded face; he has played by himself, with a strings section and as a full band. A recent departure and soon to be released full length (he has put out about 4 albums himself in LP and EP forms… new shit is awesome though) will be performed with a little bit more electric intensity during MACRoCk. Matt’s music well-embodies a lot of the heartful/sensitive side of kids in the Valley, Hburg, Richmond, but all in all he and the rest of the band is just about pizza and parties and pizza parties. [He's] playing early on Friday, a must-see.
Brightest Young Things
American Tourist - needed three songs to warm up and by the fourth song (which was very good) their set was over. They do suffer from a bit of sameness in song structure. Think Okkervil River - whisper to scream dynamics...His mountain song is "House Mountain" (there's more at his website) recalls Animal Collective's forays onto the porch.
Vinyl Mine
BUY THIS HERE “Sink” Tracklisting:
1. You'll Tend To Eden
2. Meredith and the Winter
3. Whole
4. Sink
5. Float
6. Sugar Cookie
7. House Mountain
8. End
BUY THIS HERE “Plays Outside” Tracklisting:
1. You'll Tend To Eden
2. Whole
3. Sink
4. House mountain
5. End
“Sink” and “Plays Outside” were both recorded and produced by John Hostetter and Ben Schlabach at Leech Hereford’s Farm in Lexington, Virginia. Additional recordings done in Harrisonburg, VA and Gordonsville, VA.
WRITE ME
Booking Inquiries // booking@americantouristmusic.com
General Inquiries // matt@americantouristmusic.com
Some More Information // www.americantouristmusic.com
hey man. have been listening to your play outside cd a whole lot lately. Decided to say whats up. Let me know if you decide to stop by baltimore sometime.
Just wanted to say Kudos, fellas... Great stuff... What you guys do musically is sort of the style of music i've been doing my best to create these past couple years... (Jeff Byers? I'm currently your cousin Melissa's Signifigant other... FYI)
Hey guys, it's was a lot of fun playing with you at WonderRoot. I was totally bummed that you guys left early, though, because I was definitely gonna buy some CDs! Ah well, maybe next time.
Take care!
--Dakota
PS -- We totally have the same, cheap Musicians Friend brand banjo.
Online Now!
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