Mike Ferraro
Hoboken, New Jersey, United States | SELF
Music
Press
Mike Ferraro & The Young Republicans “grew up in suburban North Jersey during the Grunge ’90s” and names Nirvana, The Beatles, and Neutral Milk Hotel as major influences on the band’s musical endeavors. This next song, the title-track off the band’s 2008 record, was definitely penned after a long night of binge listening to In An Aeroplane Over The Sea. The slow rolling buildup led by an acoustic guitar toting Ferraro that eventually climaxes before floating back down to earth is an appealing Jeff Mangum tactic that Ferraro and the gang put their own spin on…be sure to check out the band’s 2011 full-length What’s Yours Is Mine… - Speak Into My Good Eye
Mike Ferraro & The Young Republicans – What’s Yours Is Mine (Independently released CD, Pop)
The debut full-length release from Hoboken, New Jersey’s Mike Ferraro & The Young Republicans. The first thing that everyone will notice about this band is the unusual lead vocalist. Mike Ferraro has a strange drawl-like way of delivering his lyrics…coming across something like a cross between The Velvet Underground and Dinosaur Jr. In addition to Ferraro, the band includes Ralph Capasso on drums and Jonathan Andrew on bass. Twelve smart cuts here including “To Greet You With A Smile,” “The Way It Feels,” “You Were Free,” and “Metal Heart.” Housed in a cool digipak sleeve that features some totally cool artwork. Quite a nifty little package from this up-and-coming band… - BabySue.com
MIKE FERRARO & THE YOUNG REPUBLICANS – What’s Yours Is Mine (www.mikeferraro.net)
Delivering 12 perfectly crunchy’n’punchy pop-rock songs that not only bristle with a nifty blend of snap and tunefulness, but also offer a finely affecting line in regret and introspection, this album definitely does the trick. The raspy vocals possess a certain ragged charm while the rippin’ guitars, neatly poppin’ basslines, and peppy drums keep things bounding along at a constant forward-ho clip. The basic tone is pretty downbeat, but still quite moving and reflective just the same. A sturdy and touching little winner. - Jersey Beat Magazine
MIKE FERRARO -- LOVERS ONLY LOVE (4/5 stars)
(November 3, 2004 review/Demo of the Week featured artist)
"A UK listener recommended I get in touch," says New Jersey-based Ferraro. Thanks to whoever gave us props, as this is blimmin' ace.
Traditional summery melodies whose lineage can be traced back from Ben Kweller via The Shins to Evan Dando, it's surprising that Ferraro hasn't yet been picked up on by a British label.
Music this sweet is universal.
- by John Earls
An engagingly nice and upbeat 3-song serving of tight'n'tuneful singer-songwriter folk-pop done with a winning surplus of delicate melodicism and low-key thoughtfulness. Mike Ferraro's endearingly slight and nasal vocals radiate an utterly likeable blend of laidback charm and delicate wide-open sensitivity. The sweetly harmonic arrangements, tastefully filled out by gently strummed acoustic guitar, cool rippin' Casio keyboards, and subdued, yet steady drums, really hit the soothing sonic spot with dead-on sonority and accuracy. Possessing all the warmth and appeal of a fine fall day, this nifty little item sizes up as a disarmingly modest, but surefire winner.
www.jerseybeat.com
- by Joe Wawyrzniak
North Jersey’s Mike Ferraro ogles indie-pop with the tainted eyes of a good songwriter trapped in a going-nowhere music scene. Fortunately New York City is just a stone’s throw away so that he can peddle his wares up north where it’ll be properly appreciated. With synths (Casio’s no less!) fused alongside his guitar based indie sound, Mike Ferraro is one artist that’s sure to emerge from the bubble. Impressive short demo—let’s hear a full length.
www.smother.net - by J-Sin
Mike Ferraro--Lovers Only Love
Untroubled acoustic pop-rock brought up to date with nice n’ simple Casio moves, playfully droning penetrating the folkish air. ‘Lovers Only Love’ is wrapped in just over 2 minutes, very unfussilly, but with sufficient quirk to suggest that you don’t need to go over the top to bring a contemporary freshness to the singer/songwriter thing.
www.vanityproject.co.uk - by Skif
3 tracks of pleasurably minimal acoustic folk/rock. Very atmospheric and instantly reminisces Bob Dylan and Neil Young, but it’s not as obvious as that. This is more gritty and on the punk rock side of the fence. It’s definitely got a hint of Vic Ruggiero’s solo acoustic stuff too…very honest, very exposed. I have a lot of time for this stuff…especially when it’s so sincere.
www.NoFrontTeeth.co.uk
- by Marco NFT
Thursday, August 19, 2004
"Ferraro's acoustic guitar playing is tense, precise, and tightly locked in with the vocals. The interlocking six-string performances on "Baby Brother" are quietly accomplished. When strumming, Ferraro keeps his instrument under firm control -- but it's when he picks that Mike Ferraro takes on its starkest, coolest, and most attractive quality." - NJ.com
Discography
What's Yours Is Mine (February 2011)
Performed, recorded & mixed by Mike Ferraro, Jonathan Andrew & Ralph Capasso.
Engineered by Ralph Capasso.
Mastered by Tom Ruff (www.asburymedia.com).
Trombone on “Dangle” by Kevin Orsini.
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Awful Killers EP (2008)
recorded and mixed by Ralph Capasso and Mike Ferraro.
graciously mastered by Tom Ruff at Asbury Media.
Mike Ferraro: guitars/vox
Ralph Capasso: drums/percussion/keyboards
Jonathan Andrew: bass guitar
“Favorite Picture” recorded and mixed by Ed Donohue.
Mike Ferraro: guitars/vox
Ed Donohue: organ/guitar/percussion
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'Someplace Between First & Last' EP (2005)
a home recorded collection.
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three song self-released EP (2004)
recorded by wayne dorell (yo la tengo, stephen malkmus) at the pigeon club in hoboken, nj; mastered by alan douches at west west side music, tenafly, nj.
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Mike Ferraro's music has been played on both internet radio and college radio stations, in particular, No Love for Ned, Top 100 list on MP3Songs.com, www.blowupradio.com on the web and WRSU (Rutgers Radio) in New Jersey and KAOS in Olympia, Wa.
music is available at www.mikeferraro.net
Photos
Bio
Growing up in suburban north Jersey during the grunge ’90s (circa 1991: The Year Punk Broke!), all young Mike Ferraro wanted to do was rock. But as Mike soon learned, rocking out to his favorite bands on the radio simply wasn’t satisfying enough. For lying dormant throughout these formative listening years were clandestine aspirations to sing and play guitar–maybe even for a project of his own someday. And learn he did: first covers of rock songs by the likes of Nirvana, The Beatles, Guided by Voices and Neutral Milk Hotel, eventually finding his own voice in original compositions, beginning in earnest while attending Rutgers University.
Since those autumnal collegiate nights, Mike has refined his singing and songwriting in a variety of projects ranging from a home-recording collaboration to an acoustic coffeehouse duo to a frenetic rock trio and back again, all the while favoring melody over gimmickry, minimalism over complexity, with the song itself always the focus. Ferraro’s evocative work has been compared favorably to its major influences while simultaneously transcending the pastiche so common among the hordes of retro-imitators and indie rock hipsters. As John Earls noted in his Planet Sound featured review of Mike’s Pigeon Club demo: “Music this sweet is universal.”
Both solo and with a band, Mike has played regularly throughout NJ and NYC, and beyond, with notable appearances at Maxwell’s in Hoboken, NJ, opening for Lou Barlow (Dinosaur Jr., Sebadoh, Folk Implosion) and at Don Hill’s in NYC for the surprise debut of Norah Jones’ glam rock side-project, El Madmo. Other highlights include: a string of solo dates in the UK (spring 2005), releasing a ten-song cassette compilation, Forgotten How to Lose, for Italy’s Best Kept Secret label, and seeing a song from that release, “Song for Friendship,” featured on NPR’s All Songs Considered: Open Mic and the now defunct, legendary indie rock station WOXY.com.
With a re-tooled power trio in tow, comprised of Jersey indie rock veterans Ralph Capasso on drums and Jonathan Andrew on bass, Mike Ferraro & the Young Republicans are poised to destroy as many stages, parking lots, and VFW halls as necessary in pursuit of indie rock domination.
To that end comes What’s Yours Is Mine, the trio’s debut full-length. Recorded on the cheap in their dilapidated Hoboken warehouse practice space and in various bedrooms and living rooms throughout Hudson County, this striking and meticulously crafted album is sure to thrill rock fans young and old alike.
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