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Upon its release, legendary British DJ John Peel took a liking to Sudden Ensemble’s first album A.M. 11 and featured many of the record’s songs in his Radio One and BBC World Service shows. Now S.E. has emerged with an upbeat collection of new material. Sudden Ensemble’s brand of lo-fi pop has blossomed into something richer and more nuanced on their new release. Life In A Birdcage is a dashing soundscape that sweeps gracefully from scuzzy, straight-ahead rock and roll to melodic country and blues. Still brimming with their trademark close-knit harmonies and fuzzy, melodic guitar hooks (“Speed Trackers”, “T Street”) their second CD finds Sudden Ensemble stepping out of the garage and exploring new melodic territory in the country and blues infused “See Me Soon”, “Black Tape” and “Zero Gravity”. Sudden Ensemble is deep into the writing and recording of their third album, which features new piano and acoustic numbers. Sudden Ensemble have played in the U.S. and in Europe and were selected to be amongst the artists to appear at Repellent Magazine’s Music Festival at Volume in Brooklyn, NY with Excepter, Electronicat, et al.

REVIEWS OF Life In A Birdcage:

In THE BIG TAKEOVER by Jack Rabid - It's not hard to discern why the Jersey City, NJ boy-girl duo's previous debut LP became a favorite of gold-eared legendary Brit DJ John Peel before his death: They play a corrosive yet alluring, disconcerting inversion of melodic pop. On the opening "Zero Gravity" they're like Jefferson Airplane's "White Rabbit" had it been perverted by Velvet Underground. On "Speed Trackers", it's more Sonic Youth and The Reid Brothers heisting the focal riff of Big Star's "On The Street". They excel at noisy distorto pop ("All The Satellites", the standout "Bonfire"), but even a pop-Kinks ditty such as "See Me Soon" seems refracted through a bad-trip Bad Moon Rising/"Death Valley 69" mirror. Anti-pop-loving- pop is often highly entertaining.

At the PALEBEAR music blog:

Initial Thoughts on Sudden Ensemble’s album “Life In A Birdcage”:

1. Slightly atonal indie rock is “interesting” at 8:30am in the morning.
2. “Beautiful Shape” is a shambling beautiful shape.
3. “Combustion Blues” is an earful!
4. Robert Pollard vs. Sudden Ensemble in a barfight: not sure who would win yet.
5. I bet this album could get good airplay on KXLU.
6. I like their haircuts.

Despite the fact that I’ve been listening to more mellow stuff lately, I took a shine to this release for its sheer audacity and gritty lo fi texture. Imagine Beat Happening or Will from Imperial Teen singing over Guided By Voices or early Sebadoh (Jason’s) tracks. Some of the stuff is rather bluesy, but in a good way. You’re also going to think this is weirdness - but certain songs really remind me of Apples in Stereo. Or Sissybar. Especially that last track. I dunno why. Wait, actually that one reminds me of a Sonic Youth song. I can’t decide. My favorite song so far is the rockin’ “Bonfire” but others are just as good and, er, “challenging”. The CD definitely has moments where it veers toward the experimental. Fair warning to all. But I have to say that after the morning coffee kicked in, this was a pretty fun listen. Ah yes, that peaceful uneasy feeling….

DISCOGRAPHY: The second Sudden Ensemble record titled Life In A Birdcage has now been released on Box 13 Records.

The debut album Am11 by the group Sudden Ensemble was released on the ANGELIKA KOEHLERMANN label (founded by musician/artists Gerhard Potuznik & Tex Avery - featured in CMJ’s Local Zine profile). The record was played and championed by DJ JOHN PEEL, who surveyed numerous tracks on his Radio One and BBC WORLD SERVICE shows. It was also featured on U.S. college radio and international stations such as WYNU New York City, WCBN Ann Arbor, KWVA Eugene Oregon, KAOS 89.3FM Olympia, WA, Radio INS Denmark, Triple RRR 102.7FM International Underground Show in Australia, Martini Brothers Show Italy, and various internet radio stations. The Sudden Ensemble CD AM 11 is distributed in the United States by Forced Exposure. The influential electronic and avant-garde label Mego and Mego Direct support the release in Europe.