Mike Stevens - (drum kit, djembe, triangles, shakers, and all things rhythmic)
John Howland - (weissenborn, lead guitar, harmony vocals)
The coolest thing we did last year was...
Influences
Patty Griffin. Neko Case. Damien Rice. Sarah Slean. Ryan Adams. Rufus Wainwright. Aberfeldy. the Waifs. Regina Spektor. The New Pornographers. Guster. Wilco. Radiohead. Neil Young. Bob Dylan. the Beatles. Fleetwood Mac. Zeppelin. Paul Simon. and so many many more.
Here's my story. I'm sticking to it. So listen up.
I grew up in the deep, deep south where we eat fried catfish and grits and drink sweet tea -- not iced tea, sweetened, but sweet tea. It is basically one word, split into two for you non-southerners.
My barbie dolls sang musicals, and I sang along with the various pop princesses of the time -- Tiffany, Paula, Janet, Madonna -- dancing around the living room with my friends. I also liked to climb trees, create secret clubs with the neighborhood kids, and sell seashells from the driveway.
Seventh grade introduced me to alternative rock and classic rock music, I wore a lot of flannel and ripped blue jeans, and I learned how to channel my raging teenager hormones into poetry. Senior year of high school, I borrowed a guitar from a family friend and checked out books and videos on how to play from the local library. I learned a lot of chords from a man in sweater vest.
As I was leaving for college, I decided to sing - for the first time - for my parents (and later my friends). The power went out during one of the famous Georgia thunderstorms, and I made them face the other direction as I gently belted out a simple cover tune.
I took my little Yamaha off to college, to the mini-music-mecca of Athens, GA, where I met a friend who helped me form my first band. Terrified and still lacking confidence, I played some open mics and my very first full-band shows to responsive crowds. For the very first time in my life, I felt like I knew where my place was in the world. After a couple years, I made my first album and built up a little following.
In the fall of 2004, I sold my stuff at a flea market, packed up the van and headed west to the bay area, following my man to circus school. It was the best decision of my life. Within the first week, we were playing open mics together - as a singing/beatbox duo - including the Vowel Movement showcase in San Francisco - with more beatboxers than you can shake a stick at. Yep. We made a hodge-podge album of songs and met a lot of local musicians.
In 2006, I started up my own band again - lucking out by finding Mike Stevens and John Howland. It was like reuniting with old friends. We meshed together like peanut butter and jelly and wonderbread. We played around the bay area, as an acoustic trio, eventually landing at Ex'pressions College for Digital Arts to record a demo we could sell at our shows. Here we met Jack Douglas (a producer with an impressive resume, including Aerosmith, John Lennon, Patti Smith, the Who). Seriously. He's even on wikipedia. Jack took an immediate liking to us, and sent us on to local producer Jim Greer, who adopted us like stray kittens. Hungry stray kittens.
After mixing our Expressions demo and getting to know us a bit, Jim decided to sign us to his local label, Fortune Records, and record a real full-length album. He helped transform our little baby songs into grown up songs, and in March of 2008, we had the experience of a lifetime, recording our album "The Night Turned to Song" in Caspar, California - in a studio by the sea. And I've never been so proud of anything as I am of this album. We poured our souls into it, and I hope that you, as a listener, will hear that. Or more importantly, will feel that.
In the short time since finishing the album, we've been working our backsides off and playing live shows like mad. We were included on the KFOG Locals CD and featured on their popular bay area morning show (a couple of times), and we were honored to be included in San Francisco's HUGE Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival in October.
"The Night Turned to Song" is available Feb. 10, 2009.
"The Night Turned to Song is the best of what is going on in contemporary folk, but funneled into one incredible lady. Intricate vocal melodies, interesting songwriting (phenomenal guitar playing!) and a simplistic flow to it that makes the mix of elements become something far superior to all the rest."
- JSItop21.com
“The Night Turned to Song” is a pleasure to listen to, and its occasional concessions to a more radio friendly sound belie a very noteworthy talent."
- Americana-UK.com
"While I’m compelled to compare Cyndi to her contemporary colleagues such as Tori Amos, Michelle Branch, Paramore, or even Katy Perry, it would be more accurate to reference her with Joni Mitchell – a singer with extraordinary depth and songwriting talent that has lasted for decades. Cyndi has the potential to be that kind of artist."
- Gian Fiero,The Muse's Muse
"These songs kept me sporting that wry smile and nodding in recognition. The review is done, and I'm in a mood to hear it again. That's a fine album."
- Billy Bunker,Billy Bunker's Music Reviews
"Harvell sounds like the real deal, unpasteurized, untreated with r-BST, and able to hit those notes spot on without those recording studio gimmicks."
- San Diego Troubadour
"Storytelling folkster is easy-on-the-ears..."
- Jeff Hahne,Creative Loafing
"her debut introduces a talented, confident new voice to the female singer-songwriter scene"
- Nate Seltenrich, East Bay Express
Hi Cyndi, Thanks for the add!!! Good to be friends now. Just got back from my late night radioshow and I've spin your wonderful song Postcard here in Holland. Hopefully you can make it one day to come to Europe, we love your music! best, Marthijn
