Buy Changing Modes' new Release Down and Out In Shangri-La
:: What People are Saying About the Record ::
"New York band Changing Modes delivers their third album with a bang! Volcanic, energetic, and sometimes full throttle. This is one band that can thrash a stadium crowd or seduce a small club. One thing remains clear
though; they have brought New York edginess back to rock music."--Feminist Review, May 2008
"A discerning mix of Dresden Dolls drama, Todd Rundgren
complexity and something that leans towards a
more traditional neo-prog sound... Changing Modes is
clearly an ambitious band, they have some delightful slices of genuinely chewy progressive
awkwardness in there with their very listenable blend of shifting sometimes demanding earfood."--Organ Magazine, March 2008
"They built a sound that is rather organic, it's funky,it's laden with keyboards and also lots of intricate poly-rhythmic changes, and that's their hallmark. Nobody does sounds quite like they do."-- Dan Herman, Radio Crystal Blue, Feb. 2008
About Changing Modes
The music of New York City based rock band Changing Modes began quietly in the mid-90’s when the principal songwriter of the band Wendy Griffiths (keyboards, voice) started making her “bedroom tapes.” She says she had no intention of making these songs public. “They were like art songs with very unusual rock beats.” Yuzuru Sadashige (bass, guitar) recalls when he heard her songs for the first time. “She programmed very complex layers of accompaniment in her Yamaha SY77, then sang along to record onto her $30 Sears tape recorder, very LoFi, you would hear house noise and car horns in the background, but they were extremely interesting and totally unique.”
Wendy & Yuzuru, both classically trained composers whose influences range from Bartok, Stravinsky to Nirvana, King Crimson & Sparks have been leading the band since 2000. The band has been actively performing in NYC venues such as Knitting Factory, Pianos, Luna Lounge, CBGB, CB’s Gallery, CB's Lounge, Continental, Barnard College and ACME Underground.
Changing Modes has released three full-length albums - Down and Out in Shangri-la (2008), A Perfect Day (2003), Aeroplane (2005) and two EPs (2000 and 2001).
Changing Modes created a unique art rock with Sparks-esque fun/pop sophistication with Zappa-esque stylistic diversity/complexity and punk rock energy. Jen Hammaker (Theremin, keyboards, vocals), and Grace Pulliam (vocals, percussion) joined the band in 2009.
Redlemon and New Social Voyeurs is taking a stand again! We are very proud to release our brand new pro-love and pro-gay marriage music video for "Fly"! The song features the amazing saxophone of Jay Davidson (who plays with Whitney Houston, Cinderella, Tower of Power, and many others), and the amazing vocals of Charlene Holloway (Chaka Khan and many others), and Sonya Klinger (an up-and-coming wunderkind who hits and holds the amazingly moving high note at the end!).
In a blatant attempt at agitprop mass manipulation, the music video features incredibly cute photographs of cats, kittens, dogs, and puppies, as well as evocative photographs supporting the long-time historical existence of gay marriage from Creative Commons. Some of the historical images point to past instances of church-administered gay marriages and well-known gay married saints. From Redlemon, "Fly (the End of Wars)", on iTunes, and on MySpace under NewSocialVoyeurs.
Hey! It's Damon from Set Theory. We are looking for a male or female vocalist in the NY area (we're based in Westchester, NY). If you know of anyone interested, please e-mail me here. We would really appreciate any help!
Our recent songs can be heard on our MySpace page.
Wendy, thanks so much for the add-- and for the terrific foundation in music-making. I will always remember and value the help you gave me at Mannes-- and the inspiration to just go for it. Hope you have a great night, rest of the week, etc--
Long time.... Hope all is well - would love to play with you guys again! Just wanted to say Hi and let you know our song, "Chuckies Bride" was nominated for '09 Hollywood Music in Media Awards (HMMA). Looking forward to hearing from you, LPC
