Aunt Martha

In the days leading up to Bonnaroo, we're going to be featuring some of the bands that we're most looking forward to seeing (Bandaroo, if you will), starting with Aunt Martha, an utterly fantastic indie folk-rock outfit from New Hampshire. Have a listen to the title track from their EP, Bloodshot, then check out the video below. We'll be hanging out with Aunt Martha on Bonnaroo Saturday, so you have a bit of an interview to look forward to as well. - The Ruckus

Aunt Martha is Tim Noyes, Garrett Leahy, and Brian Kim. The band, formed in the fall of 2008, plays energetic, melody-driven folk-rock. Touring in support of their new EP “Bloodshot”, Aunt Martha has embarked on a nation-wide journey with dates all over the continental US.

Nashville Music Guide caught a show with Aunt Martha at The Basement, a local music venue in Nashville, Tenn., prior to their performances at Bonnaroo. Aunt Martha did a phenomenal job capturing the audience and pulling them into their folk-rock vibes, with the collaboration of percussion, vocals and strings the energy was momentous.

For more information on Aunt Martha visit: www.auntmarthaband.com - Nashville Music Guide

So besides the fact that this is an awesome cover, Aunt Martha is doing one of the coolest things on the planet right now. I’m a huge fan of covers and I guess this trio is too. In honor of their Bonnaroo gig they have been doing a ton of covers of their Bonnaroo band peers like The Strokes, The Walkmen, Deer Tick, Arcade Fire, Black Keys, Iron And Wine etc (which you can see HERE). What an awesome idea, right!!?? Definitely check out their Bonnaroo Cover Madness video series! Hooray for Aunt Martha! - Dance Yrself Clean

So with this years Bonnaroo Music Festival set to kick off on Thursday, I thought I would give a little preview of some of the bands who are going to be there. But instead of posting songs by some of the bigger acts who are set to perform this year, I found not as well known group by the name of Aunt Martha who have put out a number of covers from other performers at the festival so I thought I would treat you to a couple of their renditions. The two I have picked are "Generator First Floor" by Freelance Whales and "Tighten Up" by The Black Keys. They have put a sweet and quite unique acoustic sound into each that I hope you all will appreciate. If you would like to hear more covers (there are about ten more) or would like to check out Aunt Martha's original work, check out their website HERE. Also, if you happen to be attending Bonnaroo like my friends Johnny Mac and Chuck Ryan are, go see them first hand! - MusicThatIsntBad.com

New Hampshire roots-rock trio Aunt Martha landed a coveted spot on the lineup of Bonnaroo next week and they’re celebrating in style: by covering songs by their Bonnaroo 2011 peers. Starting last month with Arcade Fire’s “Rebellion (Lies),” they’ve been posting a new cover recording to Vimeo every few days and it’s about time we rounded up some of the best of them.

The boys have recorded 11 songs so far that span from artists high on the bill (Lil Wayne, The Black Keys) to those much lower (Fences, Jessica Lee Mayfield). Each offers a session video and MP3. The acoustic guitar-violin-drum setup adapts to rockabilly and hip-hop with equal ease. With Bonnaroo a week off, we collected our five favorites below. You can see the rest – including covers of the Walkmen, the Strokes, Iron & Wine, Deer Tick, and Matt and Kim – over at their Vimeo page.
- Cover Me

...Bonnaroo will showcase a diverse lineup of artists from GRAMMY winners Arcade Fire, the Black Keys, Eminem, Lil Wayne, Loretta Lynn, Neil Young and 53rd GRAMMY nominees Mumford & Sons to non-mainstream artists such as Aunt Martha, Bassnectar, Cristina Black, DJ Logic, School Of Seven Bells, Twin Shadow, and a lot more in between... - GRAMMY.com

On June 13th, 2011, Tim Noyes took the time to answer the six questions we always like sending to any band who will answer them. A big "thank you" to him for taking the time to humor us. Stay tuned for my take on Bloodshot after the jump.

If you weren’t a musician, what would you be doing these days?I'd probably be a high school English teacher - I taught in The Bronx, up by Yankee Stadium, for a few years before we all started to play in the band full time. If I ever have to go back to a "real" job, teaching would be my first choice. Maybe in another country this time.

What’s the most memorable live show you’ve played so far? What sticks out about that show?
Maybe it's because it's so fresh in my mind, but our set at Bonnaroo yesterday was a pretty amazing experience. The crowd was so supportive and enthusiastic and we really fed off that and I think it pushed us to a new level as a band. I don't know if I've ever had more fun on stage, I'll say that. Plus, it's Bonnaroo and the energy is so great throughout the whole weekend. People are there to celebrate and get excited about music and it's just a really great place to be as a performer.

As musicians, I’d love to hear what YOUR dream concert lineup would be…
My Morning Jacket - with Delta Spirit as the opener. Those are two of the best live acts out there right now. We saw MMJ on Friday night and I thought I was going to die. Such a great show.

If you had to pick one track to introduce Aunt Martha to listeners, which would it be?
Wherever You Wanna Go. We've been telling people who ask that we play folk rock & roll and I think that song is a good example of what we bring to the table as a band. There's an acoustic guitar and violin, and we can play some soft songs, but we like to get a little rowdy too and bring some heat. Especially at our live shows - I like to think we step the energy level up a notch from our recordings.

Be honest, what song(s) do you sing in the shower?
I'm not much of a shower singer, honestly. But as I'm writing this Garrett (our drummer) is belting out a little "Wake Up" by Arcade Fire.

Is there a question you always wished someone would ask you about the band/your music/anything other topic of interest that no one ever has? What question? What answer do you have lined up for that question?
Question: What was the last band fight you guys had?

Answer: It was a beautiful Saturday night in July of 2009. We had just played a show in Madison, WI and were grabbing a slice of pizza before heading back to our friend's house. As we were about to walk into the pizza place, Garrett got a phone call from his best gal. Intuitively, I know that he would want a slice, so I got one for him. We brought the pizza back to the house and Garrett threw a fit over the fact that I had got him only one slice, instead of two. I thought that the one slice was pretty generous in itself, considering he hadn't even asked for one. He pointed out that I had bought myself two slices, so why only the one for him? We argued about this late into the night and both went to bed angry. But then we woke up and remembered that we're best friends forever, and that was that - we haven't had a band fight since.
It took me awhile to write about Aunt Martha. Not because I wasn't immediately smitten with the band's warm melodies and thoughtful lyrics. No, it was because I just HAD to find the right way to describe the feeling I get from their music. Remember, I'm a southern girl so please see this next statement as the high praise I intend it to be . . .

Bloodshot by Aunt Martha is comfort music in the way that my momma's meatloaf and mashed potatoes is comfort food. It's warm and rich. It's the kind of simplified, stripped down, honest fare that leaves you feeling happy and content. Lately it's become my go-to music for those moments when you just don't know what you feel like listening to. It just fits a wide range of moods.

The band hails from NYC and were it not for my uber-enlightened and open mind, I might have written them off as damn Yankees and moved on. However, when Discovr (download the app here) tells you they're akin the The David Mayfield Parade you must listen (at least you must when you love Dave like y'all know I do). I mean, Discovr also listed Seth Avett and Chris Brecht alongside Aunt Martha. Yankees or not, I had to have a listen. I've been listening for over a month now and every time, the experience gets better.

Aunt Martha is made up of Tim Noyes, the bearded front-man who left behind a life as a high school English teacher when the band became a full time gig. Garrett Leahy left law school to play some ferocious drums for this three piece group. Brian Kim owned and operated a taco truck before joining Aunt Martha as the bass player and violinist. Together, the three blend driving rock tempos with the comforting feel of folk music to create perfectly tuned comfort music.

Bloodshot is a five - Brown Jug Music

For most people, Bonnaroo is a chance to catch a dozen favorite bands in the blazing hot sun in the space of four days amongst the unwashed and unruly. Some of us, if we're lucky, come away from the experience with new favorite bands. As media, we get a heads up on bands that we may not have been aware of before, which is what happened with Aunt Martha about three days before the fest. We had our schedule all planned out, but then someone told us about the band of men and I confess that we were rearranging our Sunday lineup before the first track had finished playing.

When a band's music hits you that suddenly, when you fall head over heels before the second verse starts, you know that you have to pay attention. It's a special thing, finding a new band to love. You want to share them with everyone whilst simultaneously keeping them all to yourself, and that's exactly why Aunt Martha are your new favorite band. Their brand of indie folk-rock is absolutely gorgeous, weaving sweet guitar and violin around stark lyrics delivered brilliantly by front man Tim Noyes. It is the lush promise of a band who are about to be huge. We promise, you will fall. in. love.
We missed our chance to speak face to face at Bonnaroo, so I grabbed a make-up chat with the band of men this week and had a bit of a look back at Bonnaroo. Read on for some great insight into the festival from a band's perspective:
Hi guys! Let’s start off with a brief introduction of the folks in the band. What are your names, and what do you do?

Tim Noyes – vocals/guitar
Garrett Leahy – percussion
Brian Kim - violin

So what’s the story behind the name Aunt Martha?

Fair question. My Aunt Martha, great as she is, was not super supportive of my choice to pursue music when there are so many safer bets out there. Accountant, lunch lady, etc. So when we put the band together and needed a name I figured Aunt Martha would be a good choice and a way to have a little fun with her.

Was this your first Bonnaroo? We caught your set on Sunday at the On Tap Lounge and were blown away.

Ah, thanks. Yes it was our first Bonnaroo and we made the most of it. We played 4 sets ourselves and caught some amazing sets by other acts.
What was Bonnaroo like for you guys? Did you end up having a “Bonnaroo Experience” at any point in the weekend?

Amazing. We had been looking forward to it since they announced that we were playing in April. Bonnaroo is something special, I’ve definitely never experienced anything like it. I guess anyone can have their own “Bonnaroo experience” but the closest that I came was at The My Morning Jacket set on Friday night. We had just finished up our own set and Garrett and I were in the artist area waiting for the band to come on. As soon as they jumped into that first song I had this rush of energy come over me and I just felt lucky to be playing at the same festival as this great band. Does that make sense? It just put the awesomeness of Bonnaroo into perspective in a really cool way.

I know exactly what you mean from the perspective of a media person, it's an amazing feeling. You mentioned that you caught some of the other bands' sets. Any favorites?

MMJ, for sure. Arcade Fire was great – that was the first time I had seen them live. And then we caught a lot of lesser-known bands that really impressed. Fences, Givers and Tristen in particular. They were great.

We really got into your “Bonnaroo Cover Madness” project. Can you tell us what made you decide to tackle covering 18 songs by different Bonnaroo artists? Which was your favorite cover?

Thanks! We had been covering “Mermaid Parade” by Phosphorescent, another band we love who played at Bonnaroo. Were were playing it on a day off in Montana in early April at like 2am and had the idea to try and cover as many Bonnaroo bands as we could before the festival. It seemed like a good way to get people excited about it and a chance to push ourselves musically in that a lot of the songs we covered were way out of our comfort zone. Personally I liked “Ms. Officer,” by Lil Wayne. I think that melody is catchy as hell and he raps slowly enough that I can actually sing the words. Check out our Eminem cover to see what happens when I actually have to rap instead of sing. Bad news.
I've seen it! I don't know, I think you have a career in hip hop if you ever decide that folk rock isn't for you. So you’re in the middle of a short run of shows supporting Matthew and the Atlas, right? How is that going?

So far so good. Last night was our first show with them here in NYC. They’re great, particularly live. Good guys/gal too.

What is your favorite song to play live, and why?

It definitely depends on the venue and the crowd, but we’ve been playing a newish song “Lulu” towards the end of every set these days and it’s definitely a fun one. It’s a little harder than the stuff on our EP and people tend to get into it. We’re looking forward to getting it ready for the next re - The Ruckus

New York City is filled with artists to watch. On any given night you can walk into a club in the Lower East Side, Williamsburg, Park Slope, or the West Village, and find artists strumming away in hopes of reeling in new fans or gaining attention from taste-makers. Sometimes, bands come to the New York stage to express themselves creatively and aren’t looking to be discovered. Others are dedicated musicians who work hard to make something out of their musical careers. Aunt Martha, is one of those hard working, extremely dedicated bands, and it shows.

On an early summer evening I stepped into the Mercury Lounge not knowing what to expect. Walking into the venue, I could feel a vibe of friendship and positivity. Not the kumbaya- granola eating- flakey type of positivity, but the kind you experience when someone is being welcomed home. The room was packed with fans and friends alike, all eager to see Aunt Martha perform. The band launched into a 45 minute set of folk inspired rock that was heartfelt, and polished. It was clear from watching Aunt Martha that this effort is a highly orchestrated outfit, and that every member has it’s place. While it is currently popular to create a wall of sound and have several musicians take turns on various instruments, this is not what Aunt Martha does. In a world of renaissance men and women, seeing specialists perform is a nice change of pace.

I watched the band closely. The lead vocalist/ guitarist’s soothing vocals, perfect timber and rhythmic strumming carried each song to it’s hypnotizing destination. However, the driving force in the band was the laid back drummer and didn’t do anything splashy, but allowed the drums to be tasteful. He meticulously carried out each stroke with conviction, without over stepping any sound barriers, or playing any look-at-me type of fills. While many drummers lean on the crash cymbals for dramatic effect, Aunt Martha’s drummer relied on his toms to have a create significance. Another subtle yet intriguing factor, was the use of violin. It isn’t one of those instruments that gets lost in a mass of sound. Instead, the violinist stands stage left and makes use of his excellent pitch to insert important melodic riffs that set mood and tone. The bassist was also tasteful, and would hang back when necessary, but during other dramatic lifts played melodic lines that sounded more like parts for a lead guitar. Every musician in the band had it’s moment to stand out, and that kind of playing can only come from practice, hard work, camaraderie, and most importantly good talent.

Originally, hailing from the Boston area, the three founding members of Aunt Martha are Tim Noyes, Brian Kim (violin/bass), and Garrett Leahy (drums). Most recently Grant Zubritsky (bass) a New York local, has been playing with Aunt Martha, and was this show’s bass player. At the tail end of 2008, Tim, Garrett, and Brian, formed Aunt Martha and quickly released their first album titled Candy Maker. The self released album broke during the summer of 2009, and the band immediately acquired a following. Although they hail from the Boston area, the guys relocated to New York City and pursued day jobs. Diverse in their personal lives, Tim held a job as a NYC public school teacher, Garrett a law school student, and Brian owned and operated a food truck in Jersey City. All noble professions, but the members of Aunt Martha had some other ideas.

In the spring of 2010 frontman Noyes decided to leave his teaching gig and dedicate himself to music full time. The other members of the band followed suit, and the band began a rigorous touring schedule. Since then they have been non-stop, and have a small but loyal fan network that runs from Washington D.C. to Portland ME. Technically, they are based out of a cabin somewhere in New Hampshire, but currently their home address is wherever the road takes them. On this summer evening I got a peak at their current address, and a taste of their latest EP, Bloodshot.
The EP Bloodshot, is a really tight and focused effort that picks up where their first release, Candy Maker left off. Released back in February 2011, Bloodshot contains five Aunt Martha gems. Each song is an excellent representation of the band, and makes for a strong EP. The EP’s title track “Bloodshot”, is a song that begs for it’s listener to take a closer listen. Just like singer-songwriter Damien Rice pulls you in with his poetic lyrics, Aunt Martha takes you to the same level of sincerity. Lyrics like “I wanted to crash your party but I couldn’t find your house, I wanted to touch your body and kiss you on the mouth” are sung with such honesty that its easy to commiserate with Noyes’ pleas of “Bloodshot, what do you want?” Songs like “The Lake” crescendo into driving excitement while violin and drums work together to cradle Noyes’ gentle and romantic lyrics. The lyrics are delicate, yet straightforward and conjure up images of summer nights and love letter - Culture Mob

Adam checks in with Vance on his summer vacation and sits down with the guys from Aunt Martha to chat about Bonnaroo, salad bars and tour van jocularity. Featuring music by Bear Hands, Aunt Martha and Letting Up Despite Great Faults. - Ear Candy (Podcast)

How exactly can you turn your hobby of writing music into a sustainable and profitable career? Where do you even begin? Are there specific steps that every successful songwriter must take? What’s the formula?

Like many people out there, Tim Noyes didn’t really dive into music until he was about 18 years old. It started as a creative hobby, but has since grown into a legitimate career for the singer/songwriter. In just those few years since he picked up a guitar, Tim and his band Aunt Martha have released an EP and a full-length album, are preparing to record their second full-length, have toured the country, penned a publishing deal, were selected to play at Bonnaroo, and had their material placed in television shows — the sky seems to be the limit for him.

Trying to create a sustainable career as a songwriter is never easy and there is no master formula for success. But it can happen — Tim will tell you that.

After Tim started mastering his guitar and songwriting chops, he decided to move to New York City to surround himself with music and improve his material. It was here, before the eyes of the world’s harshest music critics, that Tim would tirelessly refine his sound. Sometimes it would be a dive bar, other times it would be as an opening act, and other times it would be at a college open mic night — but this was where he needed to be. Tim devoted the majority of his time to writing and performing, sometimes playing upwards of 5 shows a week!

It was after one of these solo shows that Tim met future band mate Garrett. The two had a mutual friend and thought it would be a good idea to work together and create some kind of collaborative musical project. As Tim explains, the formation of Aunt Martha wasn’t a necessarily a seamless experience:

“We were bad. I would go over to Garrett’s apartment in Brooklyn and we would play songs in his living room…and it was bad. But there was enough good stuff buried in there to warrant getting a rehearsal space and taking it a bit further. We added Charlie as a guitar player because he was really the only guitar player we both knew. Brian came on about a year later because we were about to go on a month tour and needed a bass player. It was all kind of sloppy with how everything came together — we were all just friends that happened to play music. We never expected to play shows at first, it was just something to do after work. But we kind of just let things play out, and I guess it’s working so far.”

Aunt Martha’s music is written solely by Tim in a somewhat methodical process. The songwriter spends months preparing ‘batches’ of new music and ideas to share with the rest of the band. Then, as a band, the group gets together and adds their own supporting ideas and thoughts, as the songs transform into their final shape. This creative process began to yield some incredible results as the group started developing a core fan base and turning heads with each successive concert they played.

In 2010, and after a string of successful shows, Aunt Martha’s manager Zach Diaz, facilitated a showcase for the band at The Living Room in Manhattan’ s lower east side, in front a few label and publishing executives. Zach’s contact at a publishing company liked what she heard from the showcase and invited Tim to come play a solo set in their office. It must have went well, because within a couple of months Tim was offered and signed a publishing agreement with BMG Rights Management. Shortly thereafter, Tim and Aunt Martha received the news that one of their songs would appear on an episode of Pretty Little Liars on ABC Family, and that there are also a few more placements in the pipeline.

The good news kept flowing in late 2010 when Tim was informed that Aunt Martha was being invited to play at Bonnaroo in 2011. The band had been touring constantly for months at a time – and it was something they all genuinely loved to do. Additionally, touring and playing shows is really the main way new bands can create demand and attention for themselves, and what better place to perform than at one of the world’s most recognizable and successful music festivals — Bonnaroo. Tim gave us some insight into how this booking came about:

“We kind of lucked out with Bonnaroo this year. Our manager knows the folks that book Bonnaroo, so he gave them a copy of our EP and I guess it worked it’s way up the ladder. We’re playing 3 sets and hopefully it will be a great momentum builder as we continue touring throughout the summer and fall. At the very least, it’ll be an amazing experience that most bands are not lucky enough to take part in.”

In an attempt to create some promotion leading up to Bonnaroo, Tim had the idea of starting an exciting cover project for Aunt Martha. In the weeks leading up to Bonnaroo, Tim would be releasing cover songs from artists like Freelance Whales, Arcade Fire, The Black Keys, Matt & Kim and The Strokes. The hope was that t - Songtrust

We’re going to give you our top 15 picks for can’t miss shows at Bonnaroo (which is really hard with a lineup like that), in no particular order. And yeah, you should see Arcade Fire and Lil Wayne, but these are some others.

Aunt Martha/ Sunday, June 12th @ 12:30 Sonic Stage & Sunday, June 12th @ 2:40 On Tap Stage
Jessica Lea Mayfield/ Friday June 10th @ 12:15 This Tent

Some of you may call it cheating to cover two artists by posting a video of one of the artist covering the second artist. Well, some of you are assholes and a bit bossy. I prefer the people who will look at this at think, “my, that’s efficient,” because that’s what it is.
Aunt Martha and Jessica Lea Mayfield are similar in a lot of ways: two emerging artists with folksy sounds and an impeccable ability to story tell through their songs. I love this cover Aunt Martha did of Mayfield’s “Sometimes at Night,” so I thought I’d kill two birds with one post.
My brother encouraged me to listen to Jessica’s stuff about a year or so ago when he befriended her while living with her brother. I listened to one of her bigger singles, “For Today” and just didn’t buy it. For days after that, I found myself singing that song and finally listened to it again. I dove a little deeper into her stuff and I can’t tell you quite what made me fall in love with her, but something did, I encourage you to seek that “something” out as well.
Aunt Martha is a little more fresh to the scene than the well-seasoned (albeit only 22 years old) Mayfield, but they have a world and a half of potential. And I’m 94% positive my adoration of them has nothing (or very little) to do with one of their members wearing what looks to be a San Francisco Giants hat in their press photos.
It’s the type of music with lyrics such as, “I wanted to crash your party, but I couldn’t find your house,” but it’s easy to listen to in a really compelling way. I saw about 15 seconds of a video of them performing and knew they were a band to watch.

Enjoy this cover and check out both group’s original stuff before Bonnaroo to prepare for all the greatness. - TheFiveThreeSix.com

On my way to the Westcott Theater Wednesday night, my taxi slid across the road, drifting every corner. I was clenching my teeth for the five-minute drive that felt like a lifetime. Luckily, I arrived safe, and so did the bands Civil Twilight, A Silent Film, and Aunt Martha. Though small, the niche audience made it to the show with energy not to be deterred by a prototypical Syracuse snowstorm.

The New Hampshire trio Aunt Martha opened the show, their third and final appearance on the tour. Though the crowd was unfamiliar with the music, the band held the listeners’ attention throughout the show. Amongst that audience were Jack Maurillo and Tristan Sullivan, who both were very impressed with the set, and left with two specific favorites, “The Neighbor Song” and “No Excuses” (recently featured on the ABC television series Pretty Little Liars).

This was Aunt Martha’s second Syracuse appearance in 2011. “We came to Funk N’ Waffles about a month ago.” said Brian Kim (bass, violin), “We like it here. Unfortunately, every single time we come here, about three times, the weather has been terrible.” Immediately following the show, Aunt Martha started their drive to Boulder, Colorado, a 28-hour trip that would kick-off their solo tour across the Western states. - WERW Radio - Syracuse NY - March 2011

An Introduction to Something Great - Following three months of touring the country behind their new album, New Hampshire based indie folk trio Aunt Martha have met many a restless heart and left many a fan in their wake. The young, impressive threesome have impossibly (but deservedly) been named as an act at this years Bonnaroo Music Festival where they stand to meet many thousands of like-minded souls from the stage.
Singer Tim Noyes' voice is arresting and immediately relevant. The storytelling on the new songs from the Bloodshot EP (2011) would appear to be churned from souls older (depths much deeper) than the years on these young bones. The use of drums and violin are remarkable in the way they fill the air full of emotive light. The closest thing I have heard this year is Hey Rosetta!, a favorite act from Canada. This comparison should not be taken lightly. Hey Rosetta! are accomplished, seasoned players and (just in case you failed to notice) there are only but three members of Aunt Martha. There's something special happening on that stage.

The road ahead has much promise and excitement in store. We will be there watching and we will not be alone. Best wishes boys. There are many miles to go before you sleep... - RSLblog.com - May 4, 2011

"Aunt Martha brings you heartfelt, earthy songs. The kind you can wrap your mind around and sink your teeth into." - Jezebel Music - April 2009

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Originally from New Hampshire, Aunt Martha joined the streets of Toronto after successfully convincing the boarder of Canada that yes they are musicians, and that yes they weren't getting paid to play shows... the pains of starting at the bottom, huh guys? They were really cool though.

If you aren't familiar with the band, here's what you need to know. Aunt Martha is Tim Noyes(guitar/vocals), Garrett Leahy(drummer), and Brian Kim(violinist/bass), a folk trio who have independently released both a full length album and an EP, which PS. are both available on iTunes. They're playing SXSW this year and are currently touring the US playing a show every other night. They have an article in Cosmo Girl and have recently recorded a Daytrotter session that has yet to be posted. They aren't signed, but give it a couple more months and it should be a done deal.

Aunt Martha played their second show in Toronto at a location called The Naco Gallery, possibly the smallest place I've ever seen a show. You could literally touch the back wall in 8 steps... it was an intimate show to say the least. Set up on the ledge of the window, Aunt Martha assembled to play. A guitarist, a violinist, and a Drummer... this was totally my scene. Playing songs from both their CDs including solo covers by each of the members, Aunt Martha really showcased their love for the music. They sounded really good too, I especially liked how organic the sound was... because the venue was so small, there was so need to real technicals. Light taps of the foot were appreciated on a whole new level... They were good! What I particularly liked was Brian's cover of Ashamed by Deer Tick... very nice. They put on a good show and were really interactive with the crowd... love them! - LouderThanThat.com - March 2, 2011

Aunt Martha (Wilmot, New Hampshire) harks back to the days of folk balladeers, yet mellifluously blends modern rock songwriting and musicianship into attention grabbing—and yes, sometimes amazing—listening. While touring the the east coast, frequently in New York, Aunt Martha has cultivated a following who appreciate their seemingly fragile to boldly passionate renderings of original songs about the joy and struggle of life and love. (Maybe you have to call an unsigned folk rock male trio amazing if Seventeen Magazine seems to think so.)
Self-releasing two albums (Candymaker and Bloodshot) and a single (“No Excuses”), which have received critical and fan kudos in the span of less than two years, unsigned folk rock heroes Aunt Martha proves indie musicians can be a major influence on today’s music culture.

Listen to Aunt Martha live on the Cherry Stage (inside), 1:45 pm. - Indie Radio Rocks The World: 2011 SXSW Preview - March 16

New York, January 31, 2011 – Wilmot NH based indie folk trio Aunt Martha is set to release their new EP “Bloodshot” on February 1st. Originally based out of New York City beginning at the end of 2008, the band relocated to Wilmot NH during the summer of 2010 shortly after the departure of one of the original members. With a new trio lineup, their days were soon occupied by nothing other than rehearsing and writing, and they soon had more than enough material to pick from for a new recording.

The five songs featured on Bloodshot are a small slice of an increasingly diverse body of work, fueled by front man and lead singer Tim Noyes. It is Noyes, the creative spark of the band, who provides the foundation for the emphatic drumming and violin laced textures that characterize this EP. Produced by Chuck Brody, whose recent credits include Bear Hands’

Burning Bush Supper Club (2010 Cantora Records),

Bloodshot is simultaneously well polished and full of raw emotion that is, in a word, captivating. - BMG - February 2011

Aunt Martha’s stunning EP, Bloodshot, is a five track follow-up to their 2009 self-released full-length, Candymaker. Everything about this epic effort captures just how much the [now] trio has evolved since forming less than 2 years ago.

Bloodshot is undeniably bigger and better. Producer Chuck Brody [other credits include Bear Hands, Ra Ra Riot, Galactic, Tegan and Sara] helped to elevate their overall sound while still maintaining the integrity of their individual strengths. The result is a much more polished kick-drum thumping, violin plucking take on the attention-grabbing rawness we loved on Candymaker.

Tim Noyes [songwriter, frontman, guitarist] still manages to dominate with his lyrically-enhanced infectious vocals. He sincerely delivers a powerful performance that continues to enthrall listeners. Brian Kim adds superlative textures to Bloodshot that either didn’t exist [violin] or weren’t quite as pronounced [bass] before while Garrett Leahy unleashes forceful beats that keep your foot tapping the whole time. Each song on the EP is memorable in its own way, but there is a common thread that holds it altogether and makes it flow as one cohesive unit.

The title track, “Bloodshot”, opens with a solitary acoustic guitar that is reminiscent of the simplicity on Candymaker. However, as it blossoms it unexpectedly reveals a much richer and fuller sound that continues throughout the entire EP. The violin delicately accompanies Noyes’ vocals during “The Lake”, and even more appropriately unveils a theatric melody that passionately carries the song from start to finish. Dramatic drum and bass heavy elements on “Omaha” compliment the end-of-the-world narrative that Noyes’ croons. But somehow he tones down the potentially dark and mysterious vibe with his comforting voice. The intense mood continues to lighten as they tenderly transition into the first half of “Wherever You Wanna Go”. Post-bridge, gears shift to welcome back the band’s newly exposed intensity before the closer “2016? acts as the calm after the storm. It’s still layered with various textures, but they are presented in a more laid-back manner.

This amazing compilation will be digitally self-released through iTunes February 1st. In the meantime, be sure to pre-order here! Aunt Martha is also gearing up to play numerous dates throughout the country from now until their van breaks down – so check out their website to see when they are playing a show near you. - Sick of the Radio - February 2011

Man. Tim Noyes has a bee-yoo-teeful voice. Listening to their brand-new EP, Bloodshot, it's tempting to draw comparisons to your favorite folk artists — but a specific reference doesn't really matter, because Noyes' voice grabs the part of your brain that processes all things familiar and never lets go. Noyes, Garrett Leahy and Brian Kim are Aunt Martha, a glorious tribute to the aunt in everyone's family who, days away from taking her final vows to become a nun, cast off her habit in favor of living on a commune and growing organic arugula. This Aunt is filled with worldly wisdom and incredible stories about her days as a wild child. And that's the kind of feeling you get when you listen to Aunt Martha: a feeling of well-traveled and weathered folksters with never-ending stories to share. - BeaconPass.com - preview for 2/18/2011 show at The Living Room in NYC

But it's not just the old-soul vocals and weighty song themes that characterize Aunt Martha. Even the band will admit that it's their unique instrumentation and set up which enriches their sound. "I play the guitar and do most of the singing," says Tim. "Garrett plays the drums and sings and Brian will switch between the violin or the bass. It's cool because when Brian plays the violin we have a particularly interesting sound. There are not too many bands with acoustic guitar, violin and drums." (For the record, we looked into this and could only find a small handful!)

With all the right pieces seemingly in place, it felt only natural to pose the classic question: so, where's the record deal? In their response, the band seemed as cool, as calm and as collected as their music. "We're happy in any situation that allows us to play music for a living," explains Tim. "Whether that's no label, and indie label or a major, it's all great to us. This is the first time that the band has paid our bills so the goal is to keep going as long as we can. Garrett was in law school, so if the band doesn't work out we're hoping he'll go back, become a lawyer, make a ton of money and then let us live in his garage. Or his basement. Either way, he's the backup plan."

Well, with full length album already available on iTunes, and a new EP release date just around the corner, if these boys keep doing what they're doing we'd bet our entire law school tuition check that there's no backup plan needed.

-Jenna Hally Rubenstein



- Seventeen - October 2010

Wilmot NH based indie folk trio Aunt Martha had to reinvent themselves after they had moved out of New York and one of the original members of the quartet had called it quits.

On their new EP Bloodshot they go for a raw, basic approach of their songs, with Brian Kim's violin sounding sad an soothing at the same time. Lead singer Tim Noyes has come up with great lines such as "I wanted to crash your party, but I couldn't find your house" in the title track and "Friday night, I'm falling down the stairs" (Wherever You Wanna Go). Garrett Leahy adds depth to the tracks with imaginative drumming, becoming a third lead player.

A tight but loose trio that can play with confidence and swagger, performing acoustic music that packs a punch. - Here Comes the Flood - February 2011

It’s easy to respect a band whose members have awesome beards and mustaches. But it’s when the front man and lead singer, Tim Noyes, captivates you with his raw voice and genuine lyrics that you realize you’ve stumbled across something very, very special.

Aunt Martha is made up of Tim Noyes (vocals, guitar), Brian Kim (bass and violin) and Garrett Leahy (drums). They have recently left their home base in NYC to travel the open road in their rival van and play gigs throughout the Northeast. Of course these humble gentlemen don’t ever make their devoted fan base in the big city wait too long for their next Aunt Martha fix. They have been regularly performing at their home away from home, The Living Room, monthly since the summer. Sadly, their final NYC show of the year was on December 8th – but they made quite an impression as usual.

“Diega” started the set off perfectly. The audience responded well to Brian pulling out his violin plucking skills to compliment Tim during the verses. It was a great, fun way to get the crowd ready for what was to come. Next up was “Wherever You Wanna Go”, a beautifully written and arranged song. It really showcased each of their individual talents, as well as their overall range as a band. Tim started it off sweet and honest, but when Brian switched from the bass to the violin for the bridge, he and Garrett really took the intensity of the song to the next level.

“2016? and “Bloodshot” continued to give off the mysterious, yet inviting vibe that filled the intimate room before they switched gears to an upbeat oldie, but goodie, “Detroit City”. And, of course, they didn’t disappoint during their end-of-the-world drama “Omaha” or a crowd favorite “Neighbor Song”. Catching “The Lake” live was an intensely satisfying experience. It started off with quiet lyrics and a melodramatic violin. But as it progressed…and the drums hit…and the cymbals crashed, you could feel [and hear] the passion radiating from each of them.

When Tim moved into “Feet” I swear you could hear a pin drop as the crowd was being hypnotized by his effortless charm. This magical song showcased both his unique vocal talents and strong songwriting abilities. Everyone’s hypnosis was quickly broken as they swept into “Lulu”, which was an amazing close to such an intimate and endearing set. It kept the attentive audience on the edge of their seats wishing that there were still a few more songs to be heard. I think it’s safe to say that their last major show of 2010 was a huge success.

Aunt Martha is so up-and-coming that it’s likely their name might not ring a bell to most. However, I believe them to be one of New York’s selfishly best kept secrets that we are going to have to share with the rest of the world very soon.

If you want to hear what all the hype is about for yourself, check out their previously self-released album Candymaker. But be sure to keep your eyes peeled for a new release next year.

Trust me and take a listen. You can thank me later. - Sick of the Radio - December 2010

AUNT MARTHA – Fri., Feb 18 ? 10:30PM at The Livingroom

Aunt Martha are in the middle of a busy 3-month tour, stretching from New England to California, and as far south as Tennessee. The trio from Wilmot, NH are travelling the highways with a van (though I’m imagining it as a rumbling 1970’s station wagon on 3 tires and a donut) full of earth n’ wood folk-rock songs that are nicely anchored in melody and lyrics. They’re not “traditional,” though they adhere to the time-tested tradition that — if the songs are good –everything else will take care of itself. The drums are steady, the strings and harmonies are textural, and the vocals tell a story, and they manage all of those things with plenty of skill and sincerity. FREE//154 Ludlow St. - The Lo-Down NYC - February 2011

"I wanted to crash your party, but I couldn't find your house," sings Tim Noyes, all husky-voiced and bleary-eyed on the song "Bloodshot." It's a funny, intimate and relatable line that drew me into the earthy violin-laced sound of Aunt Martha. The band—a folk trio from New York with one album (Candymaker) under its belt—is now readying the release of their recently finished Bloodshot EP. This is acoustic guitar-driven storytelling, but it's richly shaped with furious drumming, crooning violin and Noyes' highly listenable voice. - Everybody Tastes - December 2010

"With catchy, melodic riffs, nicely-crafted lyrics...Martha's boys seem poised to get some attention other than their cheek-pinching grandmas." - SonicYou.blogspot.com

"With rasping yet lulling vocals, the lyrics captivate as the beat dances, tripping, light and upbeat." - SoundtrackRevolution.blogspot.com