Aly Tadros

Today, GuitarWorld.com presents the exclusive premiere of "Whim," a new music video — and new single — by Aly Tadros.

Since the release of her latest album, The Fits, earlier this year, New York-based (by way of Austin) Tadros has gained plenty of momentum, which has led to endorsements with Fender and Guild.

Her recent success is well earned, considering she spent the past four years playing more than 700 stages across North America and Europe, venturing as far as Egypt, Turkey and Mexico.

Now Tadros returns with "Whim," an intricately layered, surprisingly dark collaboration with Ben Balmer. On the track, and in the video below, Tadros plays her vihuela, a mariachi instrument.

"'Whim' was intended to be an old folk duet," Tadros says. "We originally wrote it on Ben's resonator, but once we got into the studio, my Guild D-55 sounded too crisp not to use. The intricate fingerpicking is on Juanita, my vihuela. She's a traditional five-string mariachi instrument from Michoacan. I'm pretty sure I almost died three times driving across Mexico to get her."

-by Damian Fanelli - Guitar World

(4/5 Stars)
"No time to waste," Aly Tadros repeatedly coos at the end of "Silence and the Truth" — and she means it. The Fits, Tadros' deliberate and refreshing second solo record, is a jazz-leaning folk tapestry full of easy-going yet impressive finger-picking, vocal bravado, and gypsy breakdowns that swirl like smoke plumes caught in the wind. Producer Duane Lundy (Jim James, Ben Solee), who worked with Tadros on her debut Things Worth Keeping, does a beautiful job here in focusing the listener's attention largely on the midnight river clarity of Tadros' voice. Particular bright spots include the gently rollicking "It All," the dreamy jazzy love spell of a title track, the longing and swelling lead single "Sweet on Me," and the poignantly sighing "Behind My Hands."

-By James Courtney - San Antionio Current

“Spacious and melodic, salty and moving, Aly Tadros alternative folk stylings tempts each listener out of the vacuum-sealed sterility of every day life. Her classical guitar writhes on the floor of the mind, haunted by the honesty of her lyrics. “ - USA Today

“The story of Aly Tadros can best be described as a citizen of the world’s refusal to become a backseat dreamer in exchange for an ordinary life” - The Aquarian Weekly

“Our newest music obsession is Aly Tadros, local Brooklyn based singer/songwriter.” - Brooklyn Happening

“Running the full gamut of emotion from the sweet beginnings of love and hope for happiness in ‘Sweet on Me’ to the growth of a woman bidding away the presence of a love gone bad in ‘But a Memory’ – I am left with the impression that I’ll be eagerly anticipating her next release and keeping my eyes open for what’s on the horizon for this talented young artist.” - Music Emissions

In a special night at Joe's Pub, a collection of singer-songwriters will be international flavor to their particularly unique brands of dreamy acoustic music. Gabriel Rios, from Puerto Rico but now based in Brooklyn, will be joined by Aly Tadros and Gina Chavez who carry equally diverse influences and layers to their sound. While Tadros was raised in Texas, she traveled extensively and it shows in her sound. Chavez has been one to watch in the Latin music scene while also finding time to do mission work in El Salvador. Together, the trio are sure to host a show you won't soon forget.
- By Brittany Spanos - Village Voice

Self-described in her Twitter bio as "Half-Egyptian, Half-Texan," it's easy to tell that Texas is always in Aly Tadros' heart: in conversation, all her stories begin and end there. The Laredo native began her career at 20 years old, when she was offered her first paid gig with a two-hour set time—the only problem was that she had just three songs. That didn't stop the determined folk-singer/songwriter. Since that night, Tadros has been performing for over four years as an artist who combines folk sounds from around the world, both contemporary and traditional. Tadros picked up Latin and Middle Eastern folk melodies, which can be heard throughout many of her tracks. Her sophomore album, The Fits, was released in January, and it's clear that her influences range from Fiona Apple and Ani DiFranco to Tom Waits.

Aly Tadros and singer/songwriter Ben Balmer collaborated on the track we're happy to premiere here, "Whim." Produced by Mark Hallman (who also worked with DiFranco and Brandi Carlisle), the ballad of love lost is more traditional than Tadros' solo work in the folk scene.

We spoke with Aly Tadros about streaking, songwriting without electricity and why Texas is much crazier than Brooklyn.

HOMETOWN: Laredo, TX

ON LIVING IN BROOKLYN: [laughs] I live in Bushwick. I'm further away from Williamsburg. It's funny. I haven't been in the city for a month now. It feels so far away. When I get off the road, I don't leave my apartment for two days at a time. It's terrible. It's way too easy to do that when you're self-employed.

HOW STREAKING AND ALCOHOL BROUGHT ALY AND BEN TOGETHER: [laughs] Ben and I were both living in Austin as songwriters at the time, but we actually met in Memphis at the Folk Alliance Conference. We were both on tour. He and I connected on this crazy night. Right after the conference in Memphis, we were both playing shows in Evansville, IN on tour. I was with my band and he was with his band. We got really drunk one night, and we were crashing at this guy's house who owned the venue that we were playing at. Everybody was really drunk, and Ben and I started trading songs back and forth. We really dug each other's songwriting and hit it off. The funny part is, while we were trading songs back and forth, all of our bandmates decided to get mind-blowingly drunk and streak up and down the block. At some point the front door opens and I see my percussionist naked. I'm like, "Oh, no." They're all running around drunk. It's raining and hailing out. The next day we woke up and watched the news we found out that there was a tornado in town that was a few blocks away and killed several people. I was like, Now we're connecting, and they were running around drunk. So, that was the night he and I really hung out. The best thing is, two months later we got back into town. I think Ben was there too. We were two blocks away and somebody saw us pull up to the street. Someone was like, "Are you with that band The Sweetness?" The Sweetness is this other band I was touring with. They were like, "You were the guys that ran around naked in the tornado a couple of months ago." So, that's how we met.

INSPIRATION OFF THE GRID: "Whim" happened a couple of weeks later at SXSW. Last year was when we started writing it. I needed a place to crash, and Ben was living in a trailer in a parking lot with no electricity, which sounds terrible, but it was actually really charming. It was totally candlelit. He ended up getting tons of writing done. I crashed in the trailer. He was like, "Hey, I just started this song and it's got a girl part. I think maybe you should write it." We started writing it in the middle of the night. We didn't finish it. A couple of months later we met up at Niagara Falls at a festival there. We sat near Lake Michigan, and we finished the song.

EVERYONE'S BEEN A PART OF "WHIM": I think everybody's been that person, unfortunately. We definitely made caricatures out of situations. It's definitely about pining after that person who doesn't give two shits about you. For women, sometimes you're the trophy. For men, you're just a pushover.

BIGGER IN TEXAS: I'm gonna say that Texas is always wild. I'm from Laredo, which is by the Mexican border. It gets to be a big celebration when I go home now because there aren't a lot of musicians that come out of Laredo. It's a largely Mexican town, so when we throw parties, they're really big. I have a CD release party on Saturday, actually, in Laredo for my album that just came out. There's a vodka tasting before then. I'm a little bit worried because last time I played in Laredo, my bass player ended up passed out in the street and ran up a $200 bar tab. Everyone at the venue was like, "That's awesome. I'm glad he h - Interview Magazine

Fans of both music and music-oriented talent shows (not always the same person) share one key common trait. They both realize that, no matter how beautiful a voice might be, it needs some sort of personality to be worth a damn. I say this not to denigrate pure talent, but to make the assertion that such gifts are kinda worthless if the singer doesn’t know how to use them with any sort of proficiency. Even the most gifted among us must find a way to exercise out talents as often as possible, since we’ll only get better with experience.

Thus, it’s that sort of “practice-makes-perfect” mentality that powers the whole of The Fits, the sophomore record from Aly Tadros. This Texas-born Egyptian woman possesses a deliciously subtle alt-folk croon that calls to mind a host of well-known influences, but she has painstakingly cultivated a sound all her own that manages to come across as both effortless and time-worn. To my ears, the most obvious comparison for Aly’s aesthetic is that of fellow Texan Shellee Coley, but if you’re looking for more established names, I’d describe her a mix of Neko Case, Fiona Apple, and Lucinda Williams.

The album instrumentation is rather straight-forward and simple, but the execution of supremely on-point. Plucked acoustic guitar and ukulele dance amiably with a restrained string section that alternates between being fiddle-forward or cello-concentrated. Light percussion (whether small trap set or hand drums) flit in and out of the mix for flavor, but the true protein in this musical meal is the strong alto vocals of Ms. Tadros. - Dryvetyme

Singer-songwriter Aly Tadros releases her sophomore album The Fits today. The record was produced by Duane Lundy, known for his work with Jim James, Ben Sollee, and These United States, and it reflects the lyrical intimacy for which Tadros herself has become known.

Check out the video premiere for her song “Sweet on Me” below. To celebrate the release of The Fits, Paste has joined forces with Tadros’s instrument ambassadors Guild Guitar to give away a Guild AD-5CE acoustic guitar. Visit the Paste contests page to enter to win, and check out Tadros’s video for “Sweet On Me” below. - Paste Magazine

On her second album, Tadros is nothing if not elusive, a storyteller determined to kick dirt on her footprints and throw us off the trail. Then, she’s always been tough to pin down. The Texas native spent time in Egypt, Spain and Mexico before settling in Austin, and she brings to her harrowing fingerpicked jazz-noir songs echoes of each country. One minute, she’s vulnerable and needy, imploring, “Say that you’re sweet on me,” and the next, she’s confessing, “I did a bad thing,” grinning like some unrepentant femme fatale. Singing over little more than upright bass, strings and her own acoustic instruments—guitar, ukulele and something called a vihuela—she spins little mysteries for us to unravel. - M Music & Musicians Magazine

Aly Tadros This up-and-coming singer/songwriter/guitarist is touring behind The Fits, a collection of wistful, winsome folk songs bolstered by Tadros' classical-inspired picking style. With Irvin Dally, J Wong. Sunset Tavern. 7:30 p.m. $8. - Seattle Weekly

Meet Aly Tadros: She's a gentle-voiced singer-songwriter from Laredo, Texas who's just released her sophomore album, The Fits (mazel tov!).

With her delicate lyrics and wispy vocal tone, Aly kind of reminds us of Ingrid Michaelson meets Colbie Caillat with a Southern twang (and with extra pretty hair).

Along with her single "Sweet On Me," Aly's just released a brand-new music video, and we'll warn you: It may be the cutest thing you've ever seen in your life/might derail you from making it into work because you spent all morning crying and now your mascara is running down your face.

At the top of the clip, we see Aly casually sitting on her bed with an acoustic guitar, strumming the sweet-sounding chords to her song like it ain't no thang. Next thing you know, two little girls appear (probably sisters) and start happily playing a game of "make believe" with their dolls. But instead of playing "house," the two girls play "band," casting Aly as the female doll, the male doll as Aly's band, and a toy truck as a tour bus!

"Sweet On Me" reaches new warm and fuzzy heights when the girls' game becomes a Michel Gondry-ish cardboard-cutout/diorama animation of Aly and her band traveling by bus -- first on the road, then by sea (except the sea is really a bathtub). We know it sounds a little confusing, but we assure you this video's worth a good cry a watch -- just lock yourself in your room, get extra makeup remover, nine boxes of tissues, a pack of Double Stuf Oreos, and you'll be all set. Also, another heads-up to all the chicks out there -- this video will probably make your ovaries explode. Don't say we didn't warn you!

by Jenna Hally Rubenstein - MTV Buzzworthy

The Mexican vihuela is the sort of instrument everyone has heard without really realizing it. Shaped like a fat-bottomed guitar, it’s a staple in most mariachi bands. In the hands of Brooklyn-based songwriter Aly Tadros, though, it’s something different: a resonant, softly-plucked folk instrument, better suited for late-night serenades than full-blown fiestas.

“Sweet On Me,” a track from Tradros’ upcoming album The Fits, finds her playing the vihuela over a backdrop of brushed percussion and background harmonies. Jazzy, earthy and smoky, it evokes everyone from Fiona Apple to a downcast Neko Case.

“I sat down with my vihuela,” Tadros tells us, “determined to write this whimsical, vulnerable tune. I was in the middle of a bad streak of writer’s block, so I read an interview with Tom Waits for some inspiration. He said something about how he pairs up the most nonsensical metaphors under the sun, as opposed to being precious, and the words find their own way of making sense later. Right after that, ‘Sweet On Me’ just spilled out. The song was finished in under an hour.”

- American Songwriter Magazine

When she was living in Mexico, singer-songwriter Aly Tadros once undertook an all-night drive to find a vihuela, a guitar-like indigenous instrument. That might seem crazy, but it’s hard to fault an artist for that kind of dedication to inspiration. On her upcoming sophomore album The Fits–out January 15–Tadros displays how this simple tool can become a catalyst for something much bigger.

Throughout her life, Tadros has displayed an inclination for traveling. She grew up in Laredo, Texas, but the small border town couldn’t contain her larger-than-life imagination. Tadros hopped around the globe for many years, taking in the sights and sounds of Turkey, Spain, and Egypt. She settled in Mexico for a spell, which is how she first came into contact with the vihuela after hearing it at a mariachi performance. Austin can even claim her–at least for an album cycle. Her 2009 debut Things Worth Keeping was hatched in our fair city, but subsequent tours and restlessness took Tadros up to Brooklyn, where she currently resides.

The Fits is packed full of Tadros’ observations of a well-traveled life, yet the songs are hardly scattered or slap-dash. Instead, Tadros uses her vihuela and expressive voice as a way to quietly focus on the small details: love, pain, beauty, and ugliness in equal measure. “Sweet On Me” mixes a jazz-inspired backbeat with a folk melody while the singer weaves a tale of yearning and sweetness, and you’ll be able to hear it in the live setting on December 27 when Tadros appears at the Cypress Creek Cafe in nearby Wimberley, Texas. - KUT Austin

Brooklyn based singer-songwriter Aly Tadros releases her sophomore album, The Fits, on January 15th. Originally from Laredo, Texas, as a teenager Tadros moved between Turkey, Spain, and her father’s native Egypt immersing herself in Spanish, Turkish and Arabic language studies. She developed a keen ear for contemporary and traditional world music and there are subtle world music influences in her beautiful songs. She left college at Sarah Lawrence to pursue her musical calling and released her debut album in 2009. - WXPN

Brooklyn’s Aly Tadros spent the last decade traveling across Egypt, Turkey, Mexico and Europe, adding surprising depth to the jazzy alt-country vocals she brings to sophomore album The Fits. Tadros’ ability to wring each note for all its potential nuance makes songs like “Silence and the Truth” and “Sweet on Me” instantly stand apart from the crowd, putting her in the same realm as Norah Jones or Over the Rhine’s Karin Bergquist. The Fits is one of those rare well-rounded albums which covers so much ground it can’t possibly soak in on just a cursory listen Like Come Away With Me, which Norah Jones turned into a diamond-selling juggernaut, this album delivers the musical goods piece by piece over extended listens, so by the time she’s had her way, these songs will have listeners tied up in knots as they try to grasp the moment when Aly Tadros won them over as fans for life. - Hear!Hear!

On her sophomore release, The Fits, Aly Tadros creates an album that makes you want to sit on the back porch with a glass of lemonade, watching the sun set and the lightning bugs begin to flicker in the darkness. With her skills as a singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, Tadros shows why her first album was no fluke. The Fits stands out as a fresh sounding piece of work in a bleak world of copycat hipster drivel.

“Silence and the Truth” and first single, “Sweet On Me,” immediately draw you into this record. There is just something honest and clean in Tadros’ voice makes you keep listening. On “The Cross Sticks,” she sounds as if she is channeling Johnette Napolitano of Concrete Blonde, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

Though it’s only January, The Fits is starting off 2013 on a great note.

The Fits is out now on Lost Ridge Records. - Honest Tune

June 20, 2012

A self-taught classical guitarist, Aly Tadros didn’t write her first song until just 5 years ago, as a student at Sarah Lawrence. Since then, Tadros has gone from dorm room to the Austin music scene and now New York. This singer/songwriter is hoping to break the stereotype of “chick with a guitar” and make her sound something that stands out to audiences, make her concerts an “experience” rather than just a typical set. I sat down with Tadros to talk about her launch into music and what’s coming next.

When Tadros began her college career, she had a very different vision of her future. She traveled extensively, living in Turkey, Egypt, and Mexico, her focus anything but music. Calling her turn to music a “gradual change of path,” it was an unfortunate accident that made music, at first, a form of therapy for Tadros. Her brother was seriously injured, and it was the night of the accident, the night where it seemed hope was lost, that Tadros wrote her first song.

From that point on, Tadros found herself practicing guitar consistently, preferring music to homework, and knew it was time for a change. Tadros left Sarah Lawrence after her sophomore year and moved to San Antonio, Texas. From then on her free time was spent writing, playing small gigs, and diving into the music scene in San Antonio and then Austin. “Austin has an amazing music community, and it’s not hard to make a living as a musician [there], but as far as the industry goes, it’s limited.” And this prompted her eventual move to the Big Apple.

Her time in Austin did, however, prove to be an invaluable experience, providing Tadros with contacts, networks, and exposure. Her first tour was a “collaboration tour” with three other singers she met in Texas, and her musician network expanded from there. Before long, Tadros met Chloe Charles, a singer with a style and vision similar to her own, and they remain consistent collaborators. As two members of The Sweetness, Tadros and Charles have toured Europe, the US, and now work out of Toronto and New York.

Moving to New York has been an inspiration for Aly, as this big city of dreamers forces you to “go big or go home.” This mentality has prompted Aly and the band to make new goals for themselves: “I want to make my live show more interesting, bigger, and out of the ‘singer/songwriter’ realm…make the show more of an ‘experience’.” Inspired by Anais Mitchell, Ani DiFranco, Fiona Apple, Aimee Correia, Tom Waits, and Morphine, Aly has a dynamic style that governs her writing: “sometimes you just want to make people clap and shake their asses a little bit!”

On Wednesday, June 20th at 11PM, Aly and her full band will be playing a show at Pete’s Candy Store in Brooklyn. “This is the first time some songs are seeing the light of day outside of the studio,” which should prove to be an exciting show for both the band and the audience. Performing with Aly will be Bryan Percivall (upright/electric bass and backing vocals), Charlie Rauh (lead guitar), Dave Scalia (drums), and Hannah Winkler (backing vocals).

For the rest of the summer, Tadros will be laying low, rehearsing for a fall tour, shooting videos, and preparing for the release of her new album. Tadros’ stock is on the rise, and I have faith that only bigger and better things are to come for this dynamic, dedicated performer.

- Hannah Keopfer - Inside New York

From the first time Aly Tadros hit the tri-state , with her CD, Things Worth Keeping, until she came into Evansville in February 2010, the fan base for this folk debutante has gotten bigger and more passionate. That February, Aly was in the middle of the Ragged Haggard Tour with Douglass Jay Boyd. Aly then hooked up with Toronto native, Chloe Charles, and another chapter began.

And again, in the middle of another February, the gypsy jazz caravan made another stop in the tri-state. This time, the duo had added a double bassist, Sam McClellan. Originally from Saskatchewan, Canada, Sam was originally a classically-trained musician. After finishing at University of Toronto, she ditched the by-gone era she had been existing in and headed wherever the wind would take her. That “wind” took her to Chloe Charles, where she was featured on Charles’ 2010 EP, Little Green Bud. Now she is an integral part of what Aly and Chloe are singing, adding synergy to the heart and soul of the group.

Their first stop in the tri-state was a Sunday night house concert at the home of David Wells. David was their host while here in this area. He has also been involved in some regional promotion and bookings for the band. They headed to WUEV 91.5 FM (wuev.org) on Monday for a sit down with Paul Mattingly for an interview and performance to get their fans ready for their Monday evening gig. If it’s Monday night, it had to be Lamasco’s Bar & Grille. The west-side tavern has steadily grown a well-deserved rep for the best and most eclectic entertainment in Evansville. Amy Rivers-Word knows how to show the tri-state a good time and this night was no exception. The ladies brought all they had to the joint and the audience was most appreciative.

The last stop on this whirlwind was Tuesday night at the Cafe Arazu in Newburgh, Indiana. Cafe Arazu has the intimate atmosphere just right for Aly, Chloe, and Sam. When I arrived about an hour after they had began their show, it was already SRO and everyone had a smile on their face.

With the diverse expertise and backgrounds of these sirens of the world, their popularity is in perpetual motion while they criss-cross between the Americas and the rest of the globe. We in the tri-state will miss them and hope for a return trip that is tentatively scheduled for the early part of Summer 2011. When they return, the ladies will come back under the banner of “Sweetness.” This will be the name of the group and it will then include Douglass Jay Boyd. If you’d like to connect with the ladies and the tour you can catch up with them at alytadros.com, chloecharles.com or “friend” Aly, Chloe, and Sam (Antlers) on Facebook. - EvansvilleNights.com Night Blog

January 18, 2011
by Gordon Raphael

[excerpt]

Briefly: Aly Tadros did a solo show at Gig as well, and I could only stay for 3 songs. I experienced her music as a modern woman master of 3 acoustic stringed instruments and with a voice that is so well tunes to her storytelling that it was like watching a masterclass on creative musical expression. I felt a memory of Joni Mitchell during the Blue phase that really speaks to me. Aly is frequently touring around the US and Europe, and I can truly understand why! We may be recording together in the coming months! - Rockfeedback.com

January 5, 2011
by Enrique Lopetegui

Technically speaking, Tadros is from Laredo and now lives in Austin. But it was here in San Antonio (where she lived for most of 2007) that she launched her career. A self-made singer-songwriter still in her early 20s, Tadros created a little gem of alternative folk-pop with her 2009 debut, Things Worth Keeping. But it is her infectious humor, perennial smile, and, especially, her warm vocal timbre that sets her apart. After too many collaborative shows nationwide (and a recent European tour), Tadros finally gave in to the pressure: “You know how you’re always harping on me to play solo?” she wrote me in an email. “I’m playing solo. COMPLETELY SOLO.” GIG is the perfect intimate venue for her music, both onstage and off. Also, she’ll be selling copies of her new live EP with Chloe Charles, Live from Eddie’s Attic. $7 cover ($5 extra and ID gets any size box, bottle, or jug of wine in), 9:30pm Sat, Jan 8, GIG On The Strip, 2803 N St. Mary’s, (210) 837-2787.
(Enrique Lopetegui) - San Antonio Current

January 17, 2011
by Greg Ackerman

About a week ago, we received a Facebook invite from a friend to see Aly Tadros at Momo's Club in Austin Saturday. Our source had mentioned her before so we checked out a few of her songs and videos. After giving Aly's music a thumbs up ( like the stand-up bass), we contacted her about covering the show. Ms. Tadros graciously replied and we accepted the invitation. Not only was Aly fantastic on stage, she reminded Examiner to stick around for The Blue Hit. Her enthusiasm was such that we took notice and opted to stay and see what Aly was so excited about.

It was Grace. By that, we mean the laviciously, beautiful, crooning voice of Grace Rowland, who is the focal point of The Blue Hit. It's not just Grace's voice that is captivating, it is her undeniable command of the performance. She does these whimsical turns about the stage, stands respectfully to the side to feature her band, David Moss on Cello and John McGee playing the guitar. And she sings with this out-of-this-world dreamyness. Together, the three musicians make spectacularly, gorgeous songs that allow Grace to lead the audience into her fantastical musical world.

Aly Tadros has all the elements required for long-term success in the the music industry. She's talented, intelligent and pretty, really pretty. What is refreshing about watching Tadros perform is her relaxed attitude on stage. She connects with the audience and makes sure it is the music that draws in the listener. Although she is attractive, her good looks are not the focus of her show, the music is. In the current, post-MTV music era we live in, folks often place too much emphasis on image and style without investing in producing substantial art.

Tadros has all the bases covered. Her songs are great, she's personable, and a fan told Examiner she is usually hesitant to see singer/songwrtier types but, "I really felt I could connect with Aly."

See a wonderful video recorded by BalconyTV on Saturday here.

Currently Tadros is scheduled for a couple SxSW showcases, a second European tour and a U.S. Midwest tour. See details here.

The Blue Hit have upcoming shows in Denton, Dallas and San Marcos, Texas. See tour schedule here.

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- The Austin Examiner

More Than Melodies
Indie Folk Artist Helps Ill, Disabled
November 12, 2010

For the last few years, Tadros has dedicated herself to two projects: music and non-profit work. In Austin, Tadros worked with a group called Care Communities.

Care Communities is a non-profit organization formed in 1991 to provide daily care and help for those with serious illnesses like cancer, HIV and AIDS. Tadros worked with a patient named Anna, and what started as a volunteer assignment grew into more.

"Anna needed rides to acupuncture and just wanted someone to hang out with her," Tadros said. "I ended up spending a lot of time playing music for her. We just became really, really good friends and I loved it so much. She was such a huge inspiration for me."

After Anna passed, Aly released her album Things Worth Keeping and started touring, but something kept tugging at Tadros while she was on the road.

"I felt restless, I wanted to be doing more and there was a part of me that felt that I should be volunteering or contributing my time somehow because I get so much from it in an altruistic way," Tadros said. "I didn't want to do music if it was all me all the time. I mean, you say it's for the fans and you want to share your music and music helps people, but a lot of time it feels like you're spending three hours a day on Facebook promoting shows because it's all about you."

Tadros' research on what she could do with her music to benefit more people than just regular fans, led her to discover Musicians on Call, a group that plays for hospitalized people.

The Musicians on Call model pushed Tadros towards the style of tour she is doing now – performing for those in retirement centers, assisted living homes and at The Arc, a foundation for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Her tour-mate, Chloe Charles, wasn't told about this until the middle of their first tour together, back in the summer.

"We were in Europe and the same feeling kicked up and I was thinking, ‘What am I doing this all for?'" Tadros said. "You know you're working towards something bigger, but it still felt like a selfish sort of thing – sell my merchandise and pay my bills. During the second week of the tour I was feeling really depressed."

This led to Tadros asking Charles to do this tour – just a plan back then – which Charles supported.

Six stops on the tour will be for those in assisted living, retirement communities or various Arc locations.

The entire tour will take place as Tadros takes an online class for lyric writing, which she said takes up multiple hours of her day.

"You're learning all of the clinical, intellectual sides of analyzing and putting together songs," Tadros said.

As the learning process continues for Tadros, she only hopes that she can give as much to the world with her music as she can take in. - The Battalion

This past Friday, I ended up going to watch a music act with my boyfriend at the Gypsy Den cafe. It was extremely lovely, and I was so glad that he enjoyed it. Ah, how I wish I would have had a camera with me at the time.

On top of that though, the performance by these two blew me away. Far more than anticipated. Aly Tadros and Douglas Jay Boyd. The played such a charming, passionate performance. It was terrific.

They are both traveling from Austin, Texas, with no fancy bus, just themselves. It was funny because throughout their performance, they kept mentioning how the gas is very expensive and California and that any of our donations would go straight to that. All in a humorous manner of course. They were so down to earth and friendly, it would be tremendously difficult not to take a liking to them.

Though this is from a little while back, this is what their performance looked like.
I really recommend anyone to check them out. They are two extremely talented people who definitely deserve the hype. After watching them on Friday, I just had to get both cd's. I have been listening to them endlessly since then! - Despising Life is So Passe - Blog

The dedication for Aly Tadros' Things Worth Keeping refers to the death of a beloved friend. But even without that information, it's clear some of these are songs of wistful yearning and desire for that which is just out of reach. What Tadros finds worth keeping in her songs stays near indie-folk borders – not so much the "Tom Waits on estrogen" she aspires to, but it's appealing and tender nonetheless. - Austin Chronicle

NPR Texas Music Matters
(KUT 90.5 - Austin Music Minute)
March 30, 2009
By Laurie Gallargo

:It's a lovely voice such as this so in tuned to one's heart:

Aly Tadros has seen the world. And at such a young age, no less.

The 22-year-old has made her home in and beyond the boundaries of the Lone Star State. She’s gone from Laredo, all the way to Istanbul, Cairo, New York City, and boomeranged back to San Antonio. But Austin is where her heart is - and where she makes lovely music that deeply explores the affairs of the heart. Her vocals tread softly, then swell, as she lays emotion out on the table in a mixture of jazz, blues, and roots musical stylings on acoustic guitar.

You can see Tadros play this Tuesday night in a great line-up at Momo’s, 618 W. 6th St. Her set begins at 11 p.m. Beforehand, you can catch Miguel Briones at 9:30 p.m., Paul Minor at 8:15 p.m., and Hunter James at 7 p.m. The Bell Curve follows Tadros at 12:30 a.m.
- NPR Austin

Title: Things Worth Keeping
Style: Folk/Acoustic
Rating: 3/5
By L. Anne Carrington

Among an array of self-released albums in what appears to be gradually becoming a ‘do it yourself’ world these days, Aly Tadros has joined the ranks with her new CD, Things Worth Keeping.

The album consists of bouncy beats combined with strings plucking over them, soft vocals that are bluesy yet flowing, an overall throwback sound from the 1960’s. “Paper Mache,” and “But a Memory” are two of the strongest tracks on the album, clever tunes that are a bit more modern than the folk sounds of previous decades.

Unfortunately, as good as this album is – from the well-written songs to Tadros’ own vocals – the entire folk theme is not all that original. On the other hand, Things Worth Keeping is a well defined work for a first time, self-released effort. - Indie Music Stop

July 28, 2009

07/27/2009

When Aly Tadros was offered her first paid gig, she had three original songs under her belt. The set called for two hours. She took it anyways. That gutsy attitude is sewn throughout Aly's debut album, Things Worth Keeping. Recorded and produced by Duane Lundy (Ben Sollee, These United States, Vandaveer), Things Worth Keeping is set for release on August 22nd and will be surrounded by a developing three month US tour that Aly, at the ripe old age of 22, is booking independently.

Spacious and melodic, salty and moving, Aly Tadros alternative folk stylings tempts each listener out of the vacuum-sealed sterility of every day life. Her classical guitar writhes on the floor of the mind, haunted by the honesty of her lyrics. Her influences range from the off-kilter Tom Waits, to the commanding Ani DiFranco, to the captivating Fiona Apple, leaving the listener to feel seduced, loved, left and wizened. In addition to her influences, Aly is frequently compared with the likes of Rachael Yamagata and Jolie Holland.

Before flamenco lessons and tennis tournaments, Aly jokes that she first wowed audiences as a Cardboard Fish in a community theater showing of The Little Mermaid in her home town of Laredo, Texas. She studied in Spain, Turkey and Egypt in high school and marched on to study middle eastern politics at Sarah Lawrence in New York before dropping out to pursue music full-time, playing over 200 shows in her first year alone. Aly may have soaked up her eclectic guitar style from Mexico to Egypt, but her words could only be born from the most deep and quiet places within her conscience.

Aly Tadros Tour 2009 (more dates tba)

Aug 2 Dallas, Texas
Aug 5 Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Aug 6 Tulsa, Oklahoma
Aug 7 St.Louis, Missouri
Aug 9 Evansville, Indiana
Aug 10 Terre Haute, Indiana
Aug 12 Louisville, Kentucky
Aug 16 Memphis, Tennessee
Aug 22 Austin, Texas
Sep 13 Seattle, Washington
Sep 16 Richland, Washington
Sep 23 San Antonio, Texas
Sep 30 Houston, Texas - USAToday.com

Review of "Things Worth Keeping"
August 2009

With a voice angelic as it is weather beaten, Austin, Texas’ Aly Tadros sounds distinctively romantic, sultry and motherly all at once on Things Worth Keeping. Her earthy delivery, along with soulful vocal timbre, lends a soothing vibe to the whole. Just to be clear, the album isn’t totally a laid back affair. Tadros can be witchy and dole out attitude with memorable results. She tempts just as she enthralls, and her throaty, heady vocals do anything but belie the strength in her voice.

Tadros can sound like Jewel without the contrivance and gimmicks. She has the maturity of Bonnie Raitt and the growl of Chrissie Hynde. Comparisons aside, you get the idea of what Tadros sounds a little like. She can remind you of a lot of singers, but barely, it’s merely coincidence. What resonates about Tadros’ vocals is that they sound fresh, sound genuine and from the gut. She sounds like a woman self aware and in control.

The songs on Things Worth Keeping are more stated than those crafted richly with catchy pop hooks. Tadros tells stories with slinky, cool craftsmanship centering around strong acoustic rhythms and her elegantly worn voice. There’s acid-tongue strength in ‘But a Memory’ and philosophical reflection on ‘Swingset’ in which she sings “Why waste time worrying about playing it safe/when we could give in to gravity and get carried away.” Additional musical flavors come from Ben Sollee’s cello on ‘Keep Up’ and the border-tinged ‘Dressing Room.’ But the ballad ‘One More Day’ is an album stronghold, sweet and soulful, and graced with Justin Craig’s keys. But it’s the brutal open-honesty of ‘Names We Forget’ that stands out the most. Things Worth Keeping simply highlights a performer with much to say and the grace to tell it indifferently.


Brian Tucker
Bootleg Magazine
Wilmington, NC


- Bootleg Magazine

February 6, 2008:

Her name is Greek but, once you speak to Aly Tadros, you always end up in Egypt or Pakistan.

A natural world traveler, she's a musical sponge who absorbs whatever she hears wherever she goes. And yes, because she's an independent, idiosyncratic female singer-songwriter, there are the inevitable Cat Power or Ani DiFranco comparisons, but the similarities are more ideological than musical.

The 21-year-old San Antonian remains a work-in-progress, but it's clear (even though she only picked up the guitar recently) that she was born to fingerpick and execute a perfect Cuban clave with her flamenco shoes (she's that great of a musical mess). Once she figures out which songs need banjo and violin and which don't, she'll be alright. In the meantime, the new Luna (still smoke-free, but now every seat is a good one) and the up-and-coming Tadros are the perfect match for a laid-back, fun, mysterious and warm night of pure singing and songwriting. 8pm Wed, Feb 6, Luna, 6740 San Pedro Ave., (210) 804-2433


- Enrique Lopetegui - San Antonio Current

Live Performance Review
One2One - Austin, TX
by Sarah Whited
August 2009

Material: Aly Tadros brings a mixture of humor, honesty, and playfulness to the stage. With wry and witty lyrics reminiscent of Jesca Hoop and acoustic prowess akin to Amos Lee, Aly explores the ironies and triumphs of life in a way that listeners can immediately identify with, regardless of the particular situation that gave rise to the song. Selections such as Names we Forget leave the listener chuckling about their own drunken follies, while songs like Swingset and Paper Mache instill a sense of reflection and distant yearning.

Musicianship:Aly (incredibly) manages to play cleanly and fluidly despite her long beautiful nails on both hands, and uses them as plectrums on the more intricate fingerpicking parts. This allows her to create both twanging lead lines and smooth supporting harmonies simultaneously on her acoustic Cordoba. Though Boyds mellow cajon adds a nice rhythmic feel, Alys powerful voice and confident playing fill the stage completely. Her singing slides from open-hearted and wispy to tortured and edgy, similar to the vocal transitions that Jeff Buckley perfected, which gives her a tremendous range of emotional and dynamic expression.

Performance: Aly has a magnetic personality that conveys a sense of easygoing familiarity and intimacy, a feat in a 2-story bar in the busy 6th Street district on a Friday night. Her light banter with the crowd engages their attention, and her short monologues give humorous insight into the origins and meanings of her songs. Alys confident guitar playing allows her to close her eyes or gaze around the room as appropriate without wasting her stage time looking at her hands. She sways, laughs, and treads a small space close to the microphone; this conveys a sense of movement without taking her away from center stage. Her body language is easygoing and tranquil, putting the crowd in a relaxed mood.

Summary: If Aly Tadros's music was a color, it would be a shimmering blue that changes from midday sky to deep sea. Her gig was more of an acoustic short story than a show, and her performances are the perfect place to take a date, get back to mellow, or just remember what it means to be human.


- Music Connection Magazine

http://eartaste.blogspot.com/2009/07/aly-tadros-swingset.html

Sunday, July 05, 2009

Aly Tadros - Swingset
(From "Things Worth Keeping")

“Watching you watching me in my sheets, could you see my smile hiding underneath? Seems like each moment your eyes find mine, I lose a little less reason to hide.” Sunday is good for a walk in the park, and recalling years gone by when going to the park and holding hands is a perfectly good way to spend an afternoon. I dream away while a dreamy voice sings of love “swaying so sweetly on a swingset so fine.” Even as Aly sings, she recalls that “talk is overrated”. A funny thing for a poet to say, but it’s true. Shoutout for the word-filled short story called Paper Mache (“baby, don’t you let them change you”). Aly’s voice is strong and self-assured causing an instant acceptance and understanding that her voice will be one we’ll be hearing for many years to come. Make contact at Myspace & watch for the release of “Things Worth Keeping”. A huge thanks to Jeff Smith for getting the word out. Aly Tadros
- Eartaste.com

http://www.sacurrent.com/music/story.asp?id=70340

Live review of "Sirens N'Boots"
collaborative show
San Antonio Current
July 15, 2009

By Enrique Lopetegui

Don’t ask me how Aly Tadros, Alyse Black, and Sarah Peacock managed to pull it off. The three share a natural songwriting talent and vocal skills, but could not be more different artistically.

Even though I’m tired of up-and-coming artists doing “collaborative show” after “collaborative show” instead of focusing on their own stuff — somehow these three singer-songwriters created magic with the simplicity of a good verse-chorus-verse and the balls needed to rock the house.

They sang their own and one another’s songs (taking turns providing back-up vocals and harmonies), and each had a chance to shine by herself, with or without the solid rhythmic section of Juke Wyatt on bass and Tom Dupree III on drums. Originally planned for three sets of 50-ish minutes, the show ended up as two concentrated, enjoyable sets of about an hour each, and the night never seemed long.

Not that she necessarily cares, but the Atlanta-born, Nashville-based, alternative-country-flavored Peacock (check out her solid Straight for Your Heart) seems to have all the ingredients for superstardom: hymn-like songs, a tremendous voice that hits every note (equal parts Janis, Alanis, and Heart’s Ann Wilson), and — in the context of this show — an ability to enrich other people’s song with tasteful, precise guitar fillers. In the moving “Marine Man” she asked and got an applause for “our men who serve,” and ended with the sing-along “Dream Bigger.” She stopped short of saying “if you work hard enough, you will make it,” thank God, but nevertheless she’s a vocal powerhouse who plays with conviction.
Sirens N’ Boots

Friday, July 10
Casbeers @ The Church
1150 S. Alamo
casbeers.com

No matter how hard Black (Austin via Seattle) tries to shake off her smoke-filled jazz-bar image, she’s nothing but jazz, even when she’s not doing jazz. But her keyboard work is a combination of simple chords economically and tastefully placed in the most illogical, unpredictable parts, and her songs flow with a groove all her own. She’s often and obviously compared to Tori Amos or Norah Jones, but somehow, especially in the ballads, she makes me think of a whispering Björk on the verge of a laugh attack (she’s constantly smiling, as if in a trance). Her songs swallow you whole, and there’s nothing you can do about it.

Aly Tadros — whose fine debut album, Things Worth Keeping, will be released in August — is no longer the up-and-coming Laredo-born fingerpicker who started making the rounds two years ago in San Antonio. After a little more than a year in Austin, she’s become an aggressive performer. She started her set with a fierce version of the usually mild “Linger,” using her third arm (her right heel, which she uses as percussion sparingly but always at the right time), and her acoustic songs became larger than life in a full-band format.

Black told the audience that “Blood & Wine,” a new song, “should be in a movie by Tim Burton,” and I imagined Bela Lugosi in Ed Wood saying, “Bevare ... ! Bevare ... ! These girls have songs ... ”

Yes, enough of them to go it alone as well.
- San Antonio Current

Folk & Acoustic Music Exchange
"Things Worth Keeping" Review
by Mark S. Tucker
(progdawg@hotmail.com).

August 2009

It's not often one hears a bit of Buffy Saint-Marie in any other singer, but Aly Tadros has that quality in her voice and compositions, though that attribute is a good deal more modernized…for which a quite decent chunk of credit goes to Justin Craig and his keyboards. Tadros and Craig also both play beautiful swirling guitars flowing around her singing while Robby Cosenza nails down the rhythm section in percussives pitched to straddle the line between gentility and emphasis.

Things Worth Keeping is solid folk drawn from the 60s, then brought up into the moment with small clever embellishments and a bit of sway and swing in cuts like Paper Mache. Tadros wields a voice that travels from lamentive to seductive and back again, often inflected at first with a touch of the various passions but never taken by them, remaining collected while focused and smoky. However, about halfway trough the disc, that changes and she rises up into a much more fiery stance, music following in kind, growing as restless and emphatic as her vocals.

I was frequently reminded of the more soulful side of Janis Ian, Dusty Springfield, and so on mixed with shades of the best pro backing vocalists: Lesley Duncan, Kiki Dee, and the like…though those ladies would never use the language Tadros employs in But a Memory—so, yes indeed, once again: a good deal more modern than her inspirations and sisters of yesteryear. Duane Lundy, the 'additional noise' maker, recorded the entire affair and did a fine job, placing the totality of the release in a dusky light, well defined but romantically shaded, matching the longing in Tadros' timbre. A good deal of thought went into Things Worth Keeping from all concerned, making it a very impressive debut release.
Track List:

* Swingset
* Serendipities
* Quiet Company
* Paper Cut
* Paper Mache
* Keep Up



* Linger
* But a Memory
* Dressing Room
* One More Day
* Names We Forget

All songs written by Aly Tadros. - Folk & Acoustic Music Exchange

Jul 24, 2009

Aly Tadros' debut album, Things Worth Keeping is scheduled for release on August 22nd, but for some reason it was on my calendar for next week (usually I schedule my review around the time of its release). Since Tadros is actually doing the touring thing with Alyse Black, I suppose it's still a good time to mention her album.

First and foremost, I think Tadros is pretty ballsy. Her first paid concert gig required her to play for two hours. She only had three original songs written then. She does have the drive to be a singer and, of course, entertainer.

Unlike many acoustic singer/songwriter type, she does come loaded with backing musicians (when she's playing live, it looks like she has drums, upright bass, guitar, and slide guitar). The full band comes in loud and powerful, especially during the second half of her album. Check out my favorite song from the album, "Linger". It starts off very explosive, but slows down it Tadros asks "how low will you go?".

As usual, strings like violins on "Serendipities" and cello - as played by Ben Sollee - on "Keep Up" always add a nice touch to anyway songs (usually making the song sadder). And speaking of sad, be sure to stay to the end for the hidden track. I think it's about a post-attack (rape?) crime and feeling helpless as the police officer states "you're not a victim if you manage to survive". With just the acoustic and aching Tadros' vocals made it very emotional.

Things Worth Keeping will be out soon-ish, see alytadros.com for more details - as I don't have any information on how to purchase her album. - VOX - WeHeartMusic