RELIX MAGAZINE
ON THE RISE ARTIST OCT/NOV 2023
American Beauties was featured as an “On the Rise” Artist in the Oct/Nov 2023 issue of Relix Magazine and their song Shining Stars was included on the Artist Sampler CD and Playlist included with the issue.
MUSIC CONNECTION MAGAZINE
Shipping up from Boston, indie folk rock band American Beauties are hitting the mark, while treading in familiar territory of sensitive rock. Singer-songwriter-guitarist Michael Gray has studied Semisonic, R.E.M. and Wilco to make track “Yours and Mine,” while earlier folk acts influenced “Good Excuses,” which has a great refrain. Most subdued is “Shining Stars,” an acoustic (with beautiful organ textures) downtempo social commentary, an optimistic approach to grief. “Tired eyes don’t cry anymore… hoping to see you again.”
BEYOND THE DAWN RADIO INTERVIEW
American Beauties draws influence from legendary acts such as The Byrd’s, Fairport Convention, and Wilco. How do these inspirations shape your music, and what do you feel they bring to your sound?
Our influences are inherent in the music we create although I don’t think we actually sound much like them. I think most original bands are in the same boat where all the history of the music you’ve listened to comes together as a sound that is unique, yet pulls from the styles and approaches of your musical influences. It’s nice to hear the comparisons that people make when describing our music – provided it’s not a band you don’t like.
GEORGE GRAHAM REVIEW (WVIA FM 89.9)
The roots rock scene continues to flourish, propelled by the way the commercial pop world sounds so synthetic and contrived. A lot of groups are popping up eschewing the synthesizers, fake electronic drums, vocals with a completely unnatural sound, in favor of real guitars, old school instruments, and heartfelt vocals. Lately, people have come to call the style folk, though the sound can be a lot more electric than the folkies of decades past. Still, there have been a good number of worthwhile recordings from emerging bands. This week, we have one such. It’s by a group called American Beauties, and their new second album is called Sound of Mind.
PATRICK O'HEFFERNAN (
MUSIC JUNKIE PRESS) 2/4/14
Having been raised with the lush harmonies of Crosby, Stills Nash and Young, and even working with Stephen Stills for a little while, I resonate with bands that understand how to construct layered harmony vocals in earworm arrangements – songs that make you hum and sing. American Beauties is a band that does that. They happily insinuate their music into the soundtrack of your life. They’re not quite folk, not quite pop, not quite rock and not quite country; they skillfully blend all these genre’s into something that is greater than the sum of its parts...
WYLIE KOEPP (COYOTE MUSIC) 1/31/13
Too Worn To Mend deliberately steps to you with the mid-tempo'd "Snow Blind," bringing with it Jayhawks-like vocal harmonies and full-bodied production qualities. The album was mixed and recorded by Grammy Award winner Ducky Carlisle (Buddy Guy, Living Proof) and the honest sound shines through via crisp vocals, broad drums, and delicate guitars. Mastering duties were dealt to Roger Siebel (Decemberists, Death Cab for Cutie), who gave the album a warm, friendly, and familiar feeling...
GEORGE GRAHAM (
WVIA FM)
11/21/12
The idea of roots rock, or Americana bands took hold in the 1990s, seemingly as a reaction to the heavily synthesizer-oriented music of the 1980s. Bands like the Jayhawks and later Wilco represented a younger generation of players, who drew their influence from the earlier styles that led to rock & roll in the first place -- like folk, blues and country. The roots rockers concentrated on the instrumentation that was around during the formative days of rock, but sometimes added a bit of the alternative rock influence they grew up on...
(c) Copyright 2012 George D. Graham. All rights reserved.
TONY KEEFER
(
THE MUSIC ROOM)
4/7/14
The American Beauties are a folk-rock quartet out of Somerville, Massachusetts who released their debut record, “Too Worn to Mend” in late 2012. The band’s sound has been widely compared to such bands as The Band, Crosby Still Nash & Young, and the Jayhawks. While the band’s sound is clearly influenced by these bands and others, make no mistake, they have a sound of their own...