Early Ape
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
Music
Press
Just in time for the holidays, Early Ape presents you with a perfect stocking stuffer. Their new offering, Science Colony, to be released in celebratory fashion this weekend, takes full advantage of their praised songwriting skills and their unique blend of grunge, pop and straight up contemporary rock.
The songs are bright and cheery with a futuristic edge. The pop sounds complement the grunge feel and the eyes-wide-open lyrics. It all adds up to knowing that life ain’t easy, but it’s definitely worth living. And worth living well.
With every riff and chorus, you can hear how much Early Ape loves what they’re doing. They haven’t been at it long, but they make a tight group and it’s clear they have much to offer. Already they’ve expanded to add a keyboardist since their last release and we are all the beneficiaries of a richer sound.
The Ape may be Early now, but after this release, they will be right on time. My favorite album from any band is always the album right before they hit it. You know that’s the album on which they did their best, most personal and distinctive work because it’s what got them noticed. Science Colony is that album. A sunrise is exceptionally beautiful for a reason. Catch Early Ape during theirs.
There you go. No need to spend hours at the mall trying to decide what to get for everyone. Be Santa’s little helper and give the gift of Early Ape. Who wouldn’t want to wake up on Christmas morning to find some Ape under the tree?
by, Kathy Landin - BitsandWatts.com
Tonight rock trio Early Ape is making their way to The Grape Room to celebrate the release of their newest EP, Science Colony. Former Philadelphia Boys Choir superstar Nate Rylan shows off his vocal chops on this new batch of power-pop gems. The polished, bouncing tunes remind me of the effortlessly catchy numbers cranked out by modern songwriting great Adam Schlesinger (Fountains of Wayne, Ivy). The EP has stadium-sized hooks with the energy and humility of a band on the rise. While micro-genres are steadily outnumbering the amount of actual bands playing music, this band makes it easy for critics by embracing the sounds of many pop-rock greats. The simplicity of the bands sound is one of their biggest strengths by tightly executing their shimmering rock stylings in their latest recordings. Don’t miss out on this intimate show from a band that could someday be opening for one of the massive bands they take cues from. The Grape Room, 105 Grape St., 8pm, $7, 21+ - Adam G.
- The Deli Magazine NYC
Early Ape will celebrate the release of its second EP, “Science Colony,” with a performance at The Grape Room in Manayunk on Saturday.
Inspired equally by the smart pop of Joe Jackson and Spoon and the contemporary rock sounds of Jimmy Eat World and Metric, the band’s music works to bring together the melodic sound of modern rock and the introspective lyrics popular in the singer-songwriter world.
“Science Colony” describes a search for true connection in a time of paranoia, disinformation and semantic degradation. Its mix of futuristic synths and a grunge/power pop fusion creates the perfect balance of tension and fun, thanks in part to singer and guitarist Nate Rylan’s songwriting.
Early Ape’s fresh indie sound has won awards from the John Lennon Songwriting Contest and Rylan’s voice often draws comparisons to Phoenix frontman Thomas Mars. The group is rounded out by bass player/producer Adam Winokur (Ben Arnold Band and Electric Farm) and drummer and multi-instrumentalist Joe Baldacci (of the Zoe Kravitz-fronted Elevator Fight and defunct sensation Nouveau Riche).
Saturday’s CD release party will also celebrate the first live performance and official addition of synth player/keyboardist, Adam Flicker, to Early Ape’s lineup.
Also on the bill Saturday are 28 North and Jeff Thomas with special guest Eric Bazilian (The Hooters).
The Grape Room is located at 105 Grape St.
Show time: 9 p.m.
Information and tickets: 215-930-0321; graperoommusic.wordpress.com.
- Courier Times/PhillyBurbs.com
Nate Rylan knows a thing or two about music. The singer and guitarist at the helm of Early Ape had damn well better; he teaches it for a living at Independent Rock (an offshoot of Paul Green School of Rock, where he got his start). His band’s songs have a learned sense of keys, chord changes, time signatures, and music-theory thingamabobs that us civilians might not notice immediately—but those in the trenches will tell you make the difference between a song that’s merely okay and a piece of pop perfection. Early Ape definitely skews towards the latter; the band’s self-titled debut EP had a serious Pernice Brothers feel, and its new Science Colony sounds very A.C. Newman. Especially this cut, “Human Zoo,” a hooky number that furthers Early Ape’s evident thematic fixation. Sci-fi power pop, perhaps? To that end, I challenge Rylan to write a song with a chorus that goes “You maniacs! You blew it up! Damn you!” Not only am I sure he can do it, I’m sure it will be awesome. - The Key from YROCK on WXPN
"Take drum, bass, guitar. Add crunchy-chorded poer pop laden with hooks. Mix in three guys who look like they just finished working the overnight computer-tech shift. Let buzz begin. The fine local band Early Ape has the pop formula down without being formulaic." - Michael Harrington, Philadelphia Inquirer - The Philadelphia Inquirer
"A very fun, Pernice Brothers, jangly power pop thing going on, on their self-titled EP" - John Vettese, YRock on XPN - John Vettese, YRock on XPN
"I FRIGGIN LOVE IT...I love the sound...these guys are good :)" - Frank Pereira, Editor/Vice President - Philly Music Zone - Philly Music Zone
"Listening to Early Ape's 'These Aren't The People' - sounds good" - Bits and Watts (twitter) - Bitts And Watts (Twitter)
"Early Ape made a November splash and, suddenly, dozens of people wanted to know who this group, headed by Nate Rylan, was ...'THE' band to watch..." - David Wannop, Montgomery News - Ticket Magazine
Discography
1) COMING Fall 2011: New Album, recording Feb. 21st-27th 2011, details TBA
2) SCIENCE COLONY - The New 8 Song EP From Early Ape
(Released Dec, 2010)
Radio
Human Zoo
Heal
To and Fro (J. Boggia)
Enemies
Golden Age
I See You
Crazy Sound
2) Early Ape EP:
(Released Feb, 2010)
City of Lost Children
These Aren't the people
It's Real
What Did You Do?
Photos
Bio
”Refreshing, retro, reinvented,” Early Ape is inspired equally by the smart pop of Joe Jackson and Spoon and the contemporary rock sounds of Jimmy Eat World and Metric. Their music works to bring together the melodic sound of modern rock and the introspective lyrics popular in the singer/songwriter world (Origivation, Dec. 2010).
Early Ape's second release, “Science Colony”, describes a search for true connection in a time of paranoia, disinformation, and semantic degradation. It's mix of futuristic synths and a grunge/power pop fusion creates the perfect balance of tension and fun. That mix is thanks in part to singer and guitarist Nate Rylan's songs - described as "power-pop gems" by The Deli Magazine NYC, who compared Rylan to “modern songwriting great Adam Schlesinger (Fountains of Wayne, Ivy).” Their fresh indie sound has won awards from the John Lennon Songwriting Contest and Rylan's voice often draws comparisons to Phoenix frontman, Thomas Mars. The new EP also features a rocked out cover of locally lauded and internationally recognized singer/songwriter Jim Boggia's song "To and Fro." Kathy Landin of bittsandwatts.com says of Science Colony, “my favorite album from a band is always the album right before they hit…the album on which they did their best, most personal, distinctive work because it’s what got them noticed. Science Colony is that album.”
The group is rounded out by the immensely talented bass player/producer Adam Winokur (Ben Arnold Band and Electric Farm) and the incomparable drummer and multi-instrumentalist Joe Baldacci (of the Zoe Kravitz fronted "Elevator Fight" and defunct sensation "Nouveau Riche”). The Science Colony release party will also celebrate the first live performance and official addition of synth player/keyboardist, Adam Flicker, to Early Ape's lineup.
As relative newcomers, Early Ape has already been recognized as one of the region’s most talented and promising groups, eliciting generous praise for their first self-titled EP from Origivation Magazine and from Y-Rock on XPN's Philly Philes twice in 2010, along with popular acts Man Man, Illinois, and The Dead Milkmen . The group was nominated for featured artist by the Deli Magazine in 2010 and regularly appears in the publication's self-generating list of Top Bands. They can be heard on 93.3 WMMR, 93.7 WSTW's Hometown Heroes, Y-NOT Radio, Graffitti Radio.com and more. Early Ape's exhilarating live show is seen at exciting venues in Philadelphia, Brooklyn, and other Eastern States, as material from their previous release enjoys regional airplay in many of the same places. Their music has been successfully licensed to TV ventures and, most recently, their song "These Aren't The People" was prominently featured on Season 7 of Roadtrip Nation on PBS, as well as the soundtrack for the season. As the Philadelphia Inquirer said, “Let Buzz Begin.”
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