Michael Merenda (aka: Mike) Ruth Ungar Merenda (aka: Ruthy) Craig Santiago (drums) José Ayerve (bass)
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Influences
The Beatles, Pixies, Led Zeppelin, Donovan, Carter Little, Bob Dylan, Tom Waits, Neil Young, Galaxie 500, Rolling Stones, Richard Buckner, Samuel Seth Bernard, Gillian Welch & David Rawlings, Aaron Ross, Jeffery Lewis, Dan Bern, Jose Ayerve, Feist, Bonnie Raitt, Billie Holiday, Anita O'Day, Sarah Lee Guthrie & Johnny Irion, Velvet Underground, Etta James, Woody Guthrie, Chris Merenda, Bob Marley, Syd Barrett, Jay Ungar and Molly Mason, Rude Girls, Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty, Sarazin Blake, Mercury Rev, Spouse, Dirty Three, Madder Rose, Jeannie C Riley, Johnny Cash, Dewey Cox, Paul Brown and Mike Seeger, Foghorn Stringband, Sometymes Why, The Malarkies, Allen Ginsberg, U. Utah Phillips, Lucinda Williams, Cowboy Junkies, Dinosaur jr.
Sounds Like
“Gorgeous acoustic music which exceeds a genre such as folk or singer/songwriter. Two perfectly connected musicians who belong to the absolute top.” - Moors Magazine, The Netherlands
Mike and Ruthy are a couple who's love was forged in New York City amidst a swirl of rock, anti-folk, and Americana enthusiasm. They harmonized from the first night they met, bringing smiles to their friends’ faces with original songs and layering raspy fiddle over pop-strummed guitar. It was 1999, and their band, Rhinegold, played to pre-trucker-hat hipsters in the East Village and then gathered to play more songs around the cluttered coffeetable at someone’s apartment. Richard Buckner played low on the small bedside stereo as these young, nocturnal band-mates got some early morning sleep.
It’s true that Mike was originally recruited by his college to play hockey and Ruth had gone to school for acting, but now they began a new path together, crafting songs and recordings and touring the world. Ten years later, Mike and Ruthy are married and living upstate with their new son, William Puck. With 7 years of touring under their belts with folk band The Mammals, they have begun a new chapter, one that still incorporates the best sounds and textures that old-timey and rock music can offer.
Their most recent duo CD has been well received by fans and critics alike. "When most newlyweds take their honeymoons, they jet off to some sunny, all-inclusive resort in the Caribbean. This young couple opted to spend their postnuptials at home in West Hurley making their first album as a duo. 'The Honeymoon Agenda' is a 40-minute expression of love. Here’s hoping the couple’s anniversaries yield more records this good." - Hudson Valley Chronogram
"Waltz of the Chickadee" is the next recording which will be released on their own Humble Abode Music label in the spring of 2009. With a few guest appearances by their family and friends, the record is full of great new lyrical journeys surrounded by moody mountain sounds and lively twang.
On the heels of the roots-based "Chickadee" session, Mike & Ruthy began collaborating with their friend Craig Santiago whose graceful drumming has already inspired another CD's worth of original folk-rock material. With bassist/producer José Ayerve on board, this project, tentatively titled "Rise," will be available in the fall.
Mike and Ruthy love writing, recording and playing shows and music festivals as a duo or 4-piece band. The added joy and demands of parenthood have given them a new appreciation for the power of good music and the fine community of people they have connected with across the country and the world. Enjoying the beauty of the moment is their shared goal, and you can hear it in every song they sing.
Hey again! I had a great time at Magfest ... don't know if y'all saw me, but I came to all your shows from Friday on. Sunday's was killer!
Sorry we never managed to get together & jam. I did see you and Charlie at Slopryland, Mike, but I'd been there for some time and still wasn't feeling it, so I headed off to another camp. Slopryland has gotten pretty cliquish over the years, seems it's hard for a not-in-the-in-crowd guy like me to join in and share something. Ah well.
Listened to Waltz of the Chickadee this morning ... impressive on a first listen, so I'll hear it again soon.
Thank you both (and the band, too, please) for putting on such great shows at Mag! Y'all were the highlight of my trip!
P.S. Will is adorable ... I can see why y'all bring him to the shows, but you might want to watch out or he'll upstage you!
Thanks for the add folks. Nice variety, sweet sounds! To me, All the Time has a bit of a 60's feel to it (but much better than it would have sounded on my old AM radio). Wo, that's some travel schedule you got there. Hope you have one of those all-you-can-fly tickets. You may want to have a look at the lyrics to Friendly Flyin' Blues in my blog. But whatever you do, don't watch that guy singing on the video. If you know anyone who can sing it better than he does, let me know.
Four more little sonic gems for your August pleasure are now available on the site. Blitzen Trapper, Boulder Acoustic Society, Jay Brannan and The Wiyos. Yet another fine quartet even though we say so ourselves as picked them out.
