Arc & Stones

The soulful blues-rock 4-piece Arc & Stones announce today they will release their sophomore EP As You Were on June 10th.While only their second release since forming, this young Nashville-by-way-of-Brooklyn band has already been touring in direct support of the legendary rock band,KANSAS. For more information on the band and their new EP, visit: http://www.arcandstones.com.

Arc & Stones is Dan Pellarin (vocals, guitar), Ben Cramer (guitar), Eddy Bayes (bass), and Joe Doino (drums). When embarking on this new EP, the band aimed to draw from elements of their initial self-titled EP while also bringing those ideas the next level, creating a singular work to reflect the band's previous year of growth and development. As Pellarin explains, "These songs came about through the past year. We felt that these six songs were an experience in itself, and with very different personalities, they mark very different but special times in a year that has been incredibly memorable for us."

The band blends seamless harmonies, soulful lyrics, and heavy, yet technically impressive instrumentals, to bring a sound that fans of Queens of the Stone Age, The Black Keys, and Kings of Leon are already getting behind.

The EP's strength and power is rooted in the stories behind the lyrics. Arc & Stones set out to create six individual tracks with lyrics that could lead listeners through a real journey, showcasing the band's impressive storytelling songwriting style. Tracks like "Walkin' In" and "Sweet & Vicious" paint vivid love and heartbreak stories - avoiding cliché lyrics and creating stories that feel as real to the listener as the experiences were to the band.

While the tracks stand out distinctly from each other, the underlying theme of perseverance is central to the record and seen throughout. The theme kicks-off the EP in the initial track, "Control," a song Pellarin describes as "basically a f*** you to the people who only want to believe in you when you're successful." The message of perseverance comes up sporadically throughout the EP and culminates in the ode to never giving up "Caught on Fire," - an anthem for anyone who has been told not to take their dreams seriously. Pellarin explains, "This is a song for those people who, just like us, were told they couldn't do it, they couldn't break through, who couldn't catch fire, beat the odds, and despite it all... did. The dream is meant to be a reality."

Arc & Stones' recent momentum can also be attributed to their range of appeal. The band creates a live show that young audiences adore - from the Brooklyn hipsters to Preppie college crowds, their tunes are infectious. Their two "hometown" venues cater perfectly to both - often playing to packed audiences in their original hometown of New York City, at the Bowery's Mercury Lounge and similarly in Nashville at The Basement. The band will celebrate their EP release on May 31st at Mercury Lounge in New York City.

Formed in 2012, Pellarin and Cramer took their early ideas of playing music together in a band full-time from a post-grad dream into a reality. After graduating college in Miami, the duo moved back to their hometown of New York City to take advantage of their clear musical chemistry and began recording the songs what would later become their debut EP. In NYC, the duo quickly added their friend and bassist, Bayes, to the mix and completed the lineup landing an internet-ad-discovered, solid drummer Doino. The band remained in New York City and noticed the local buzz was growing rapidly as they were, promoting the debut EP and gigging along the East Coast. This gradual progession took a turn for the better when in 2013 the band was offered an opening slot to tour with KANSAS. That relationship paired with the band's southern rock vibe naturally led the four-piece to relocate to Nashville and there's been no turning back since.

Arc & Stones will release As You Were on June 10th. For more information, visit: www.arcandstones.com.

Track Listing:

01. Control

02. Walkin' In

03. Wanted

04. Sweet & Vicious

05. Too Late

06. Caught On Fire

Tour Dates:

May 29 - Westbury, NY @ Theatre at Westbury w/KANSAS

May 30 - Englewood, NJ @ Bergan PAC w/KANSAS

May 31 - New York, NY @ Mercury Lounge (EP Release Party)

Jun 6 - Nashville, TN @ Schermerhorn Hall w/KANSAS

Jun 7 - Fayetteville, GA @ Southern Ground Amphitheatre w/KANSAS

June 10 - Jacksonville, FL @ Burro Bar

Jun 19 - Charlotte, NC @ Crown Station Pub

Jun 21 - Hopewell, VA @ Beacon Theatre w/KANSAS

Jul 5 - San Antonio, TX @ Aztec Theatre w/KANSAS

Aug 2 - Bethlehem, PA @ Musikfest

Oct 9 - Salisbury, MA @ Blue Ocean Music Hall w/KANSAS

- See more at: http://www.gratefulweb.com/articles/arc-stones-announce-new-ep-you-were-out-june-10th#sthash.GJDH4yag.dpuf - Grateful Web

Arc & Stones is a Brooklyn born, Nashville based four-piece that has elicited comparisons to The Black Keys, Kings of Leon and Queens of the Stone Age. Their new EP As You Were is set for release on June 10 and they will support it with a steady summer tour, including a number of dates opening for Kansas (drummer Phil Ehart is a supporter of the group). Today we premiere "Walkin' In" from As You Were. Arc & Stones lead singer Dan Pellarin explains, “'Walkin’ In' holds a special place for us because it pretty much encompasses everything we wanted the record to be, and everything we want to strive for as a band; purity. We love Rock and Roll for its pure roots, and we want to portray that same energy, feeling, and passion with something that can establish us in this great movement, but also set us apart from the rest.” - Relix Magazine

Making a good first impression is an important thing for a band to do at the top of their debut or breakthrough project, especially if they are making music within a genre that has recently become cluttered with a range of sound-alike acts. Some of my favorite albums of all time, from Bruce Springsteen’s Born to Run to the Wallflowers’ Bringing Down the Horse, are arguably defined by their first few seconds, and I am constantly looking for similar moments, moments that send a shiver of anticipation down my spine and a promise of impending greatness through my ears. Arc & Stones, a soulful blues-rock four-piece from New York City, don’t quite reach those heights at the outset of their debut eponymous EP, but they get close enough that I had to stop everything I was doing to pay attention the first time I pressed play. This is a band I had never heard of until a few days ago, a band that dropped their first recorded output in February, and a band that has spent the intervening months playing live shows and earning a fanbase, but from the promise showcased on opening track “Silence,” these guys have what it takes to become something more.

The way the record opens, with the pulsing electric heartbeat of a rhythm guitar and a haunting melodic motive doubled between the lead guitar and a distant, tinkling piano, it sets the scene for the song and the record perfectly. By the time frontman Dan Pellarin delivers his first lines—“Killing time never came without thinking of every word that she said,” he sings in a charismatic blues drawl, somewhere between the dirty garage grunge of the Black Keys and the raucous R&B rock of Gary Clark Jr.—I knew I was in for a ride. On “Silence,” Arc & Stones impressed me because they seemingly arrived fully formed. Pellarin drives everything, of course, overseeing the operation with a soaring classic rock hook and an interesting use of songwriting progression that keeps the song from becoming a dull verse-chorus slog.

Pellarin also propels things along with his booming rhythmic guitar. The guy plays the guitar like he’s playing bass, delivering repetitious notes and chords that provide a solid grounding for the rest of the band to build upon. It’s an interesting template, one that works partially because the production—supplied by relatively unknown producer and studio engineer, Jeremy Griffith—sounds significantly more expensive than it undoubtedly was. Considering Arc & Stones’ start-up status and do-it-yourself aesthetic, it’s unlikely that the band had much money to throw at studio bills. However, Griffith makes this EP sound like a major label flagship, with ringing guitar tones, evocative piano licks, and organic vocal lines that span the spectrum of intensity. On “Silence,” it sounds as if Pellarin’s vocals are about to blow your speakers out; on the lush acoustic number, “Let Me Down,” it sounds like his performance, a ringing and soulful delivery that feels like it belongs on an Amos Lee record, could have been captured live.

Even on more generic hard rock numbers like “She’s Mine” and set closer “Rise,” Arc & Stones are still an utterly formidable set of musicians. Guitarist Ben Cramer’s thrashing slide guitar lead on the former propels the song into barnstorming Led Zeppelin territory, while the latter sounds like the band’s paean to 1990s grunge, Pellarin mugging like Eddie Veddar on his lower register verse melodies and Joey Doino crushing his drum kit throughout the chaotic chorus. “Rise” even climaxes with a pyrotechnic guitar solo, though it’s hard not to wish that Ben Cramer got the chance to carry the song out with a more indulgent showcase of his hard rock shredding skills.

Still, those two songs represent a disappointing conclusion to an EP that starts off in top form. It feels almost as if Arc & Stones regress throughout the record, moving from the innovative use of verses, choruses, and bridges on songs like “Silence” and the riff-heavy “Say Goodbye,” to a more generic modern rock sound on “She’s Mine” and “Rise.” The fact that the band reaches its highest watermark with an acoustic-oriented folk-rock tune (“Let Me Down”) shows that they know how to play up their best elements—the tightness of the band, the great production values, and the sheer vocal prowess of Pellarin—in order to make their mark. I certainly don’t think Arc & Stones need to unplug their instruments to be a great band. Holding Cramer back from his big moments would undoubtedly be a mistake. But in being careful not to let their extremely guitar-oriented brand of rock drift into dicey, Creed-esque post-grunge territory (as it does a bit on “Rise”), Arc & Stones can assure that they continue to be what they are at the start of this record: one of the most promising unsigned acts in America.

7.5/10 - AbsolutePunk.Net

Arc & Stones started off as a duo. During the college days of Dan Pellarin and Ben Cramer at the University of Miami, the two tossed ideas around about starting a band. Just about over a year ago, the duo morphed into a quartet adding bassist Eddy Bayes and drummer Joe Doino. The band's name might be interpreted as a metaphor. Perhaps that of the arch stone structure developed in 2nd millennium BC by the Mesopotamians and then systematized by the Ancient Romans. And since an arch is held in place by the weight of its members, vocalist Dan Pellarin is the keystone at the apex. Dan, however, sees the name as an arc of a circle, with each band member representing the stones completing it.

Their sound is Alternative Blues/Rock, and they like thinking of themselves as old soul meets new sounds. Big, loud, rock choruses are what they like to write. Not surprisingly, bands like Queens of the Stone Age, Sly Stone, and The Rolling Stones have inspired them. But the group who has been instrumental in supporting Arc & Stones is the 70s Rock and Roll band, Kansas. Most of us will remember Kansas for their acoustic hit "Dust in the Wind", a slow philosophical song similar to the biblical passage in Genesis 3:19. However, "Dust in the Wind" was not Kansas' signature style. "Carry on Wayward Son" was more of the progressive sound that attracted audiences.

While Kansas celebrates 40 years in the music business, Arc & Stones have been invited to open for them on tour. Like an encouraging father figure, Kansas has mentored the group, taking them under their wing and critiquing them whenever needed. As a result, Arc & Stones have learned very valuable lessons. In fact, the founding member of Kansas, Phil Ehart, now manages the quartet. The group would like to project that they, too, will be around for the next four decades.

At present, Arc & Stones is carried by the voice of Dan Pellarin and complemented by the instrumentals and vocals of the three "stones" that complete the circle, so to speak. Although the four men are residing in Brooklyn NY, a southern rock vibe comes through at times. Perhaps this is because some of the members are from the south. In their five piece EP, they sing about love, a blinding love with vague reflections. Most of the EP is rocked-out, but the slow melancholic track "Let Me Down" is their "Dust in the Wind". The lyrics are sung in ways that demand attention. Perhaps the song arches back to the name metaphor, suggesting that broken love is building a broken home. And like the complexity of constructing an arch, they too are working hard to build their music. - Huffington Post

In a world where the demo is an archaic phrase, it is always impressive when a band is able to sound so polished on their seminal EP. Arc & Stones sound does so beyond their years on their debut five-song EP, the "Arc & Stones EP." With the processed vocal sound of an "Attack and Release" era Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys, the band comes out firing with "Silence," the band's opening statement on a great EP.



On "Let Me Down," the band takes a most acoustic approach, lead singer Dan Pellarin channels his inner-Caleb Followill of Kings of Leon fame as the song's use of simplicity while building up to a crecendo near the end of the song, featuring a great harmony. "She's Mine" kicks off sounding like an Austin blues song a la Gary Clark Jr. or an early Black Keys song before delving into a slide guitar driven chorus that sounds like Andrew Stockdale of Wolfmother is singing on top of an old Foghat song. To close out the EP, "Rise" brings a heavy dose of riff-rock while still letting Pellarin's voice take center stage. The song also gives the listener the first real guitar solo of the EP, even if it is only 30 seconds or so.



Overall, in the 10 months that the band has been playing shows, they have quickly risen through the ranks, culminating in a hometown headlining show at the Mercury Lounge on August 7 before heading out on the road with Kansas. If you like any of the aforementioned bands, check out this band, you won't be disappointed.
- IX Daily

Last February Arc & Stones released their self-titled EP, creating significant buzz for the 4-piece indie rock/blues group. The NYC based musicians have spent the last 6 months workin’ the buzz and pushing forward. They have created 3 music videos, hooked up with new management and booked a 4-month tour across East coast, Midwest and the South. No one can accuse these guys of being lazy.

“Don’t Let Me Down” by Arc & Stones
Via: youtube
Their next tour date is at Mercury Lounge on August 7th in New York City. This a big deal because this is the first time Arc & Stones have headlined at a “Bowery Presents” gig. Not too bad for a band that released their 1st EP 6 months ago. But the band isn’t just playing solo gigs. Arc & Stones have signed on to open for 40 year veteran musicans, Kansas. Woo hoo!
Arc & Stones Play The Mercury Lounge

Book your night for August 7th
But, before you check out their tour dates below, watch their latest music videos. My two favorites are directed by Rett Thompson and they are top notch in musical content and video production. Simple concept with band to camera and superb lighting, the music videos focus on the emotive music and do a great job of amping up the blues quality found in their songs. “Let Me Down” is an acoustic version and very soft while “Say Goodbye” is a great representation of the hard hitting rock and soulful vocals found in Arc & Stones music.

“Say Goodbye” by Arc & Stones
Source: youtube.com / via: youtube
2013 Tour Dates

Arc & Stones have new tour dates for July and August! If you are in the New York area you cannot miss their next show at MERCURY LOUNGE. These young rockers are headlining! - Buzzfeed

These days, it's becoming harder and harder to find good music. You can't always find it on the radio. But instead of digging deep, hopefully I can make it easier for you all and give you a shortcut. Here's a short article on how I do my job and the next artist I hope you guys check out. Photo Credit: Arc and Stones



I get a lot of perks with my job. I get to interview artists, get into concerts for free, and having the name Viva Glam next to mine is not so shabby either. But, one of the hardest parts of my job is reviewing artists. Who’s to say their music is good or bad if it makes them happy and writing it provides them an emotional release? Anyone is free to produce music however they like it. But, if you want to release it to the public, it needs to be reviewed so you know if it will be enjoyed by the majority. Reviewing art is a way of controlling the status quo and the popular genres of today, even though it doesn’t stop Judd Apetow from making films or Ke$ha from making another album. But, on an independent level, reviewing helps the artist make their music with a more mainstream or independent goal in mind. Considering what is mainstream these days, my advice is NOT to go mainstream and for my next review on the band, Arc and Stones, to stick with their sound, for the most part.

Arc and Stones is a two-person band out of Brooklyn, New York. With a soulful, alternative rock sound, they sound similar to Incubus and Kings of Leon. The lead singer, Dan Pellarin, has a soothing, yet heart-wrenching, timbre to his voice that sounds great on every single track of their EP, whether it is a loud anthem or a ballad. His voice is one that would sound great live in a small venue with great acoustics. However, their sound will probably never reach mainstream radio unless their track, “She’s Mine”, gets featured in a national commercial or in a major television show. This track has more elements of the music of Jet and The Black Keys with more upbeat rhythms to make today’s listeners perk up a little more.

The members of Arc and Stones are establishing a name for themselves in the New York music scene having performed at establishments such as the Bowery Electric. They have released a video for their song, “Silence” in anticipation of their EP release, which will be released on February 13. So go check them out! - Viva Glam Magazine

Arc & Stones will release their debut self-titled EP in February 2013, which is ranked
among the Top 20 independent albums I Am Entertainment has reviewed in 2012. Very
comparable to Grammy winning bands like Black Keys and Kings of Leon, Arc & Stones
could easily explode onto the indie music scene and gain instant success from, what I
officially label their "highly anticipated" debut.

Few indie bands can lay claim to releasing a debut EP that epitomizes everything music
fans have come to love about rock music. From the vocal performances, to the music
production and songwriter, Arc & Stones' have set the bar for other both major and indie
bands who plan to release recordings in 2013. My ears are now set to the Arc & Stones
rock standard and I will likely use these guys as a gauge for how I rate other rock bands
in the coming months.

Songs like "Silence" and "Say Goodbye" are great examples of why Arc & Stones (the
band and the EP) are worth investing the minimal download costs on February 12th
(2013) to have in your music library. Each song on the project has its own character, and
embodies the top notch creative songwriting and musicianship needed for an award
winning release.

IF they market themselves right and gig a lot I have no doubt that this band will succeed. - I AM ENTERTAINMENT MAGAZINE

-Greg’s Take-

Whether it be music, sports or just life in general, there is a feeling you get when everything seems to be simply perfect. In golf it is referred to as “the perfect swing,” that moment when, as soon as you strike the ball you just know it is perfect. In music it is when you find yourself waking up with the song in your head after only two listens. It is the pinnacle of amazement. It doesn’t have to be pretty, but to you, it is flawless.

The Brooklyn-based Arc & Stones are the perfect swing on a monumentally daunting course. As “Silence” eases in on the simple riff/piano duet, just before Dan Pellarin’s vocals breathe into your soul, you know, deep down, this is it. The remaining four minute-twelve seconds will leave you a changed music fan. And this is all just the opening track to their self-titled EP. A&S’ vintage blues infused rock sound is unlike anything I have heard in a very long time. They are spectacularly fresh in a world overrun by the mundane.

Their five-track EP doesn’t just lay down tracks as a “here’s what we’ve got” as so many bands do, it transports you to another world finely crafted by the talents of Dan Pellarin, Ben Cramer, Eddy Bayes and Joe Doino. “Say Goodbye” and “Let Me Down” carry the melodies down a notch with their mildly southern rock styles reminiscent of deep-track Kings of Leon. “She’s Mine” kicks it up a notch with a grinding blues guitar backing heartfelt lyrics. It creates a rough exterior to what we know is a passionate ballad. Without missing even an iota of skill, these gents suck you into the track and you’d be hard pressed to resist moving to their infectious licks. Sealing off the life-changing EP, A&S give us “Rise.” As if a call to arms, the track reiterates just how great these four are at what they do.

The vision of Dan Pellarin and Ben Cramer, Arc & Stone remains a duo while benefiting from the talents of some other great musicians. Throughout, Pellarin’s voice belts out precision rock with personality and grace, Cramer’s guitar dances on the frets like a seasoned veteran when needed and then accompanies the melodies for balance at all the right moments. Bayes’ bass glues the explosive sound together with complimenting precision and Doino rounds out the rhythm with, simply put, fantastic skills on the skins. In fact, this duo is quite possibly the most talented group that could still be considered “Independent.”

The moment I hit play, I knew this EP was something special; thirty listens later, it still has my jaw on the floor. If you’ve never experienced an album that gets better and better with each listen, this is it. Arc & Stones are a ticking time bomb of talent and it is just a matter of time before they take the world by storm. I challenge you to not become addicted to this insanely impressive five track EP. Arc & Stones is music’s “perfect swing.”
-Vincent’s Take-

I had a dream the other night; it seemed like a movie. I was driving my car with no apparent destination. I went so fast that the landscape around me kept changing suddenly. I don’t know if there is a place in reality where you can find yourself in the blinding glare of the neon lights of the city one moment and on a country road, bathed in sunlight, surrounded by endless corn fields the next. The fact is that, contrary to what happens in most of my dreams, there was no music in the background. Nothing at all coming from the radio, not a single sound, a note, nothing. But, if I had the ability to catapult myself into my dreams, now I know for sure that in my car I’d have a copy of Arc & Stones’ EP. If it is true that dreams, while being free from the concept of time and space, last no more than a few minutes, this album by the homonymous band from Brooklyn would be the perfect soundtrack for my nocturnal imagination.

The first track, “Silence”, a powerful ballad, with a so well defined and directed refrain, can easily become a hit at mainstream international levels. It is perfectly suited to the “city mood” and its intro is the figurative ignition of the car, the lights on the dashboard, the first meters in our neighborhood. But when the verse and chorus meet in a musical crescendo, I feel like a lost driver, while at the same time excited to wander the streets of a strange city; a city with smoke coming from manholes, the tired faces of people just going back home from work and my car continues a dance of speed up, slow down, like a frantic daily ballet.

In the dream I could, not without difficulty, overcome the urban jungle and within a few minutes find myself under the starry sky, so I stopped to admire the celestial vault. “Say Goodbye,” whispering through the open windows, was the musical background while my breath turned to condensation. I stood there listening to the music, I had just to “say goodbye” to the city, but already the impetuous speed of the song suggested to me that I could not stay long to think, I had to be back on the road, like - Nanobot Rock Reviews

Brooklyn-based Arc & Stones is set to release their debut Arc & Stones EP on February 12, 2013. I was lucky enough to listen to the five song album early. The band, composed of Dan Pellarin, Ben Cramer, Eddy Bayes, and Joe Doino has a progressive sound, strong guitar and drums, and is a good mix of ballads as well as a more heavy sound. Listening to the album reminded me of the kind of music that I like to listen to on summer Friday afternoons, after work is over for the week, with the windows down and my hand out the window. It just feels good, and it’s the kind of music that you can sing along to.
My favorite song so far is ‘Rise’, which is the final track on the album, and the one that I’ve chosen to listen to most frequently. ‘Say Goodbye’, the second single off the EP, is the song that had me singing into my hairbrush as I got ready this morning, and I admit, there was a little bit of hair flipping along to this rock ballad too.
I have a feeling that we will be hearing a lot more from Arc & Stones in the near future- I personally look forward to seeing what they work on in 2013. While the band doesn’t have much on their schedule right now for shows, I can definitely see them as an opening act for a band like The Black Keys. If their album is any indication, they would be fun to hear play live! If you’re in the New York area, Arc & Stones is playing The Bitter End New Year’s Eve party at The Bitter End.
You can find out the latest news from Arc & Stones on their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/arcandstones and at www.arcandstones.com.
If you can’t wait for their album to come out, you can check out the music video that Arc & Stones released for their single, Silence. here: http://youtu.be/a49ENUCqaFU. The second single from the album, Say Goodbye is also out now. - Confront Magazine

The Arc & Stones EP is very much a compilation of the band’s diversity to go from progressive, to blues, to rock ‘n’ roll, to something more edgy in the form of punk, in a few beats. With only five songs on the album, you’d think that it’s difficult to truly exhibit what you are capable of as an artist and instrumentalist, but the Brooklyn boys give a great account of themselves.

The songs are so energetic, that you wonder whether each was concocted with their national tour already in mind. They make no effort to hide the fact that their music is inspired by the tribulations of romance, but that doesn’t mean you can’t “rock balls” about it.

The song ‘Silence’ (ironically), for instance, is possibly one of their louder tracks about relationship struggles on the EP and is by far my favourite track. It’s a power ballad with impressive instrumentality and easy to understand lyrics about a man desperate to experience a return on the advances of his unrequited love. If this is what these lads call being “silent” about the situation, then I’m a French Poodle. They let their emotions rip through punchy chords and a marching beat.

There is something uniquely “Big City” about the young duo from Brooklyn; they dabble in anthems. These are Springsteen type songs created to uplift your spirits, even if the lyrical content doesn’t always inspire hope. Each song is led by strat guitars and the evident presence of pianos that make you imagine yourself immersed in the high-rise urban beauty of the Big Apple, sitting in the back of one of their iconic cabs with a set of huge headphones attached to your bonce.

- Music-News.com

Above all else, the self-titled debut EP from Brooklyn, NY duo Arc & Stones is a solid rock record. It’s the kind of music your friends who hate “indie rock” spend their nights craving. These five tracks run a range of styles and emotions that recall a great alternative/hard rock band in their prime. These guys would have been huge in the late ’90s. Even now they should have no problem carving out a loyal fanbase.

Most directly, this EP represents a kind of mix of two “Black” bands – the Keys and the Crowes. They’ve got the heavy, unforgiving riffs of the former with the blues/soul infusion of the latter – or maybe it’s the other way around? Anyway, Arc & Stones fits handily into this rock lineage. There are also bursts of some more melodically manipulative bands like Oasis; consider the chord changes in the opening track, “Silence”, for instance – they’re a nice little curve ball that a more straight-ahead blues/rock group likely wouldn’t think of. That mix of guts and melody serves this EP really well.

To get back to the notion of “soul,” lead singer/rhythm guitarist/occasional keyboardist Dan Pellarin has it in spades. His honest, no-nonsense vocals, mixed with a very present production courtesy of Jeremy Griffith, hits listeners with its immediacy. Pellarin’s either one of the most emotional rock singers you’ll hear this year or a very good actor; either way, he knocks it out of the park on this record. Meanwhile, partner-in-crime and lead guitarist Ben Cramer contributes a great crunch that propels this record forward. On the record, the group’s rounded out by bassist Eddy Bayes and drummer Joe Doino, a rhythm section that truly earns the adjective “thunderous.”

The stand-out track here is placed right in the middle – the ballad “Let Me Down.” What begins as a stage for Pellarin’s plaintive vocals, guitar, and piano eventually crescendos, first treading into Kings of Leon-esque territory, then exploding at the end with a choir. Choirs are awesome. Additionally, with the front-and-center production of this record, you really feel all those voices. This is kind of a throwback track that, through its smart arrangement and excellent performance, sounds new.

Arc & Stones will officially be released on February 12, 2013. Fans of all kinds of rock, from hard to classic to alternative, ought to give this EP a listen. It’s short, it’s potent, and it’s full of talent. It’ll remind you of the best of 1996 even though it sounds very 2012. - Nerdy Nothings

Here’s some Indie Rock trivia for you: What is the best thing to come out of New York City in the last decade? No, unfortunately the answer is not street meat. But here’s a hint, this band shares the same name as a neurological condition in which brain cells suddenly die because of a lack of oxygen. Well Velvet Underground isn’t a brain condition (at least not that I know of)- but a stroke certainly is. Formed in 1998, New York City Indie Rock band “The Strokes” rose to critical acclaim in just a few short years after their initial album release entitled: “Is This It”. Hoping to follow in their footsteps is Brooklyn, NY based indie band: Arc and Stones. Arc and Stones are: Dan Pellarin, Ben Cramer, Eddy Bayes and Joe Doino. Their debut work comes in form of a self-titled EP that has an official release date set for Feb 12, 2013. For the time being fans can get a sneak peak of their EP on Arc and Stones official Soundcloud account: here.

The first song on the EP is entitled: Silence. From the moment you press play the listener can feel the commanding power of attention put on the table by lead vocalist Dan Pellarin. Pellarin’s voice is smoky and mysterious and is complimented very nicely by the instrumental delivery of the other members of the band. The atmospheric vibe has a very careful gradual build from simple and soulful bluesy guitar riff to what sounds like several punches of Arc and Stone’s full-blown stage power. That being said, it’s not just intense drumming and power all the way through though- the variation of the musical dynamics in Silence is what really allows the song to breath and captures the listener’s attention. This variation lays a very nice base layer for the first track of their self-titled EP.

Keeping the theme of variation in mind, the EP then takes a couple turns into some very different musical avenues that in my opinion Arc and Stones have got down pat. From my perspective, and from that of many listeners this is what differentiates a good band from a mediocre one (and a good EP from an even better one). Say Goodbye is track number two. In this song Arc and Stones stick with a similar style of alternative rock dynamics to the first track. Like the first they nailed this one on the head as well. The lyrics mirror the chords beautifully and again Pellarin (main vocalist) showcases his technical skills with his Brandon Boyd (Incubus) style of holding a note while the band changes from a slower tempo to a more dynamic one.

The third track “Let me Down” changes the pace on the EP to a slower and more acoustic type feel. The Kings of Leon influence on Arc and Stones is strongly felt on this track and for some reason I got a Beatles vibe too (could have been the “Don’t Let Me Down” part). That being said, the next song entitled “She’s mine” takes a different approach where the band explores a bluesier feel to their music. Lighting quick guitar licks and hard hitting technical drums this song does it all. Garage and Blues-rock that pleases the ears. Again I have to comment on Pellarin’s voice. Pellarin totally switches it up on this one with a more aggressive but yet classy rock and roll tone (a sort of Chris Cornell type of texture to his voice).

Overall, Arc and Stones really managed to set the bar high on their debut self-titled EP. Like the Black Keys their style is one of technical and fine tuned garage rock that is easily digestible but yet intriguing enough to keep the listener interested right till the end of the EP. My prediction is that, ten years from now kids will be asking you who The Strokes were (like your some old bat) and they’ll be eager to share with you their new favorite songs from a blues and garage rock band called: Arc and Stones. - Red House Reviews

Rare is it when an album has my immediate and undivided attention from the word go but Brooklyn, New York’s Arc & Stones have won the prize fight for being one of the more immersive rock acts I’ve heard in a while.
Powerfully played and with a keen sense of what works in song and what doesn’t, band members Dan Pellarin and Ben Cramer are poised to take on the scene with their masterfully crafted hard rock with a bluesy soul flavor, and their soon to be released self titled EP is cold hard proof.

The first single and opening track says it all. “Silence” pulls you in and shakes you to your very being, leaving you better than when you first showed up. Taking progressive rock and giving it a 90’s touch up, adding powerful hooks and meaningful lyrics, this is the kind of song that is deserving of repeated listens. “Silence” even has a cool video to accompany it and that can be viewed here….http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a49ENUCqaFU

“Say Goodbye” and “Let Me Down” ease up a bit on the volume and enter into ballad-ish territory but are still just as weighty with intention while “She’s Mine” soulfully snakes around the blues-rock post and gets a bit sexy.
Sounding darned near tailored for radio play, this fantastic little EP has rocking anthems, piano laden yet heavy-handed ballads, and surprising moments that get you right hot under the collar. (BTW, that’s your cue to take this album to your significant other and play it in his or her presence nice and loud!)

Arc & Stones have something distinctly familiar in their sound yet they’ve managed to carve out a style of their own. Perfectly capturing the meat and potatoes of grunge and alternative, the class of classic rock, the crunch and swing of blues and then turning it into something modern and relevant is highly impressive.

This is big music with big heart and soul. In this small ripple of songs is nearly everything a band needs to make some waves, and just between you and me, I hope they do. - AllWhatsRock.com

Arc & Stones is a four-piece band from Brooklyn, New York and its five-song EP borrows its bluesy edge from the Black Keys, yet the overall effect is much closer to a full-on rock sound. For instance, when vocalist Dan Pellarin voice gets all quiet during "Silence," it demands your attention the way Bono sometimes does with U2. Interestingly, this "Silence" begins with a guitar lick that sounds a whole lot like AC/DC's "For Those About To Rock," even though that Australian band is probably the last one you would likely think of while listing to Arc & Stones music, otherwise.

Jeremy Griffith, the producer of this EP, has a lot of experience with hard rock outfits, like Underoath and Norma Jean, so you wouldn't initially consider him to be the best qualified man for such a roots-inspired effort. Nevertheless, he was easily up to the task. For instance, when the grove gets revved up during "Say Goodbye," it brings to mind vintage Led Zeppelin, another band that famously put traditional American music forms into a more modern context.

With "Let Me Down," Arc & Stone nicely channel Kings of Leon with a pretty ballad. Vocalist Pellarin sings over acoustic guitars and piano as he complains, "Your love is just making me blind."

On "She's Mine," the band opens the track with some sweet slide guitar. This track has a likeable nasty streak running through it. In addition to its meaty guitar work, the song's groove has a The Faces, likely by way of The Black Crowes, shuffle groove that just won't quit. This time, Pellarin does some of his best Howlin Wolf vocal imitation.

During "Rise," Pellarin begins by singing, "Cut me off another piece of shame." The song's lyric appears to be commentary on the contemporary generation. He talks about how "We are faces in the water" and "Sons and daughters of tomorrow." Over a chugging rock groove, Pellarin seems to be speaking for a generation, seeking desperately after an identity.

Arc & Stones is a promising band. In a world where almost everything on the radio is flavored (spoiled?) by electronic elements, it's so refreshing to hear music that has some tangible respect for history. Better still, there is a sincere passion saturating the sounds Arc & Stones create. Instead of just trying to sound cool, Arc & Stones come off raw and heartfelt, which ends up making them extremely cool after all.

As good as these five songs are – and they're all quite good – radio ears might not hear enough hooks. Even great music needs to be memorable to get airplay during radio's current stingy era, and Arc & Stones may not have a song among this collection catchy enough to capture the airwave's imagination. Even so, I'd be happy to be proven wrong. Radio should be the place where the best music gets played. Nevertheless, the overwhelming presence of Nicki Minaj is living proof that that utopian ideal is far from being realized.

Commercial prospects aside, however, anyone that wants to hear an exciting new band will definitely not be let down by Arc & Stones. - antiMUSIC.com

Straight out of Brooklyn, Arc & Stones are an alternative two-piece looking to break through in 2013.

Dan Pellarin and Ben Cramer are making a name for themselves on the New York City circuit. Their predecessors from that city, The Strokes, found fame with their early EPs The Modern Age and Hard To Explain. Arc & Stones have their own five track debut lined-up for release in February and hope to follow in those illustrious footsteps. Silence is their new video taken from that EP. - PopBucket

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Rating for Arc & Stones EP
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Arc & Stones sound is aggressive, distinctive, and powerful. Their self-titled EP is a collection of five songs that provide tinges of their progressive approach to music. The opener "Silence" is full of everything you'd expect in a rock song these days: hard-hitting and pleasing to the ear instrumentation and meaningful lyrics that hook the listener in immediately. "Say Goodbye," feels 90's ish in a sense with its combination of tastes ranging from Fuel to Oasis, while remaining with the Arc & Stones showcasing of themselves as a cohesive band set on establishing a name for themselves across the national rock arena.

"Let Me Down," provides band members Dan Pellarin and Ben Cramer an opportunity to show off their remarkable attributes as a duo. The heart of this song has coffee-house written all over it. It draws images of people sitting around sipping mochas and hot chocolate as Arc & Stones weave together a warm alternative atmosphere. It is the masterpiece of the five song EP. "She's Mine," takes listeners back to a time when rock songs were loud, boisterous and eclectic. The final cut, "Rise," feels apt to be radio-friendly. Pellarin and Cramer grace the track with acute precision while remaining realistic about the ever-changing backdrop of the current rock picture in entertainment.

Arc & Stones built their band in the heart of Brooklyn, New York. Eager to unveil their star quality power, the band has toured throughout the Big Apple circuit and created a touring act nationally. Take a minute and allow the rock and alternative impressions to mold into your ears with their EP.

Final Grade: A - Examiner.COM