Poor Remy

Active since 2010, alt folk trio Poor Remy has stepped thing up a (big) notch in 2013 with their four song debut EP "Still Sleeping," which features enthusiastically strummed acoustic guitars, basic percussions, a remarkable amount of two to three part harmonies mostly sung at the top of their lungs, and melodies ranging from the haunting ('Wrecking Ball') to the uplifting ('North Carolina' - streaming). The band topped our Best of NYC 2013 Open Submissions ALT FOLK category with a staggering 9.16 rating (out of 10). - The Deli Magazine

Poor Remy is an Ohio-bred indie folk band comprised of Adrian Galvin on banjo, Andrew D’Amico on guitar & harmonica and Kenneth Polyak on guitar & violin. The trio met while studying philosophy and other dark liberal arts at Ohio’s Kenyon College in 2010 and are now based in New York.

Poor Remy’s appreciation for the roots of folk music is clearly evident in their boisterous banjo rhythms and an indie rock vibe saturates their music but there is something more to the group’s sound that does not quite translate when you label them simply as ‘indie folk.’ There is a pop catchiness that permeates their hums and harmonies that has the potential to get a lot of people who would not normally listen to ‘folk’ music to tune in and stomp along.

“I don’t need you, but I want to…”
This new track “North Carolina” is a perfect example. The group wastes no time throwing earworms at you with plucky banjo rhythms and soothing humming kicking in right at the start, setting the stage for the chorus where the songs lyrical linchpin kicks in: I don’t need you, but I want to… Adrian tells us this about the non-traditional love song: “I want to need you, but I can’t let myself be so vulnerable, that’s way too dangerous… Its about a girl and its about something not being right, but its more about the battle with ones own emotional capacity rather than a lament about loss.”

“North Carolina” is off of Poor Remy’s forthcoming EP Bitters due out November 12th. Follow them on Twitter, like them on Facebook.

Listen To “North Carolina” - mtvU

When you first listen to a new band, it's difficult to avoid making reminiscent connections to music past. While many will produce an immediate, "Ah, this is a bullshit ripoff" reaction, some will perk your ear as a subtle homage. Brooklyn, by way of Gambier, Ohio trio Poor Remy caught my consideration with the latter technique. Since I was late to the jump on their initial single "Wrecking Ball" off their second EP, Bitters, my first taste of Adrian, Andrew, and Kenneth came from "Ghost". The song lured me in with its calming opening 50 seconds, whose gentle picks and harmonized howls sucked me back to some old, emotive Elliott Smith sit-down, but when you least expect it, things suddenly pick up into a folk-jangled sing-along set to the style of tomorrow. And by 'tomorrow', I mean a new sound that hasn't set itself loose on mainstream audiences, and I'm excited for a band like Poor Remy to help usher in this future. - Baeble Music

Ohio folk rockers Poor Remy — who now spend most of their time in New York — take the worn and faded tropes of indie folk music and turn them inside out, drawing out the heart and inclusivity without resorting to lazy sentimentality. The trio, comprised of Adrian Glavin, Andrew D’Amico, and Kenneth Polyak, met in 2010 while all three were attending Kenyon College in Ohio. Finding that they shared a passion for the same threads of music, they began writing and recording and playing in their home state of Ohio, which led to a nationwide tour in support of their debut EP, Still Sleeping, in 2012. Drawing on aspects of traditional folk and modern indie rock for their richly harmonic songs, the band will once again share an EP’s worth of new material with their fans in the form of Bitters, which is due out sometime this fall.

For our first taste of Bitters, the band has chosen the glistening harmonies and exquisitely detailed acousticism of “Wrecking Ball.” Punctuated by gorgeous strains of violin and banjo, the track showcases each band member’s talents, while constantly shifting its musical perspective. The trio’s vocals intertwine with the rising instrumentation in a beautiful cacophony of sounds — all pitched together in a striking acoustic symphony. Even without the addition of notable percussion, there is a sense of forward momentum and progression that keeps the song from ever feeling static or stuck in rote genre characterizations. Whether the band has realized it or not, they’ve given new life to a genre overrun with banal and lethargic bands and artists who simply mimic the past in an attempt to cover over their own shortcomings. Poor Remy have no need to cover up anything. Let’s hope that they can take back the banjo from Mumford and Sons.

Beats Per Minute is pleased to premiere the lead single, “Wrecking Ball,” from Poor Remy’s upcoming EP, Bitters. - Beats Per Minute

Poor Remy
Bitters
Self-Released
Street: 11.12
Poor Remy = Lullaby for the Working Class + (The Civil Wars – Jenny Lewis)
Simplistic musicality is complemented well with heavy harmonizing on this album. The combination expresses angst and fulfillment simultaneously without sounding contradictory. While the album was only four songs long, I was not left wanting. The violin section on “Wrecking Ball” is gorgeously bittersweet and articulated melancholy skillfully. Poor Remy have found a way to reiterate a modern twist on a quintessential style of American music, without sounding routine or unimaginative. This can be attributed mostly to their constant harmonizing. Seriously, there isn’t a single lyric where only one person is singing. Folk transforms into alt-country at the end of “Cave Eyes,” concluding the album pleasantly. Try this one out for a hiking trip or a day in nature. –LeAundra Jeffs - Slug Magazine

There’s something going on in Queens. From hip-hop’s Action Bronson and World’s Fair to the croony organic vibes of Freelance Whales and now Poor Remy, there must be something in the water up there.

The new Bitters EP from Poor Remy isn’t due for release until November 12th, but we got ahold of it yesterday and we’ve been listening to it since. The four-track collection of jangling homegrown-sounding pop (we said pop because we think it’s going to be popular) is a test in sitting still if we’ve ever heard one. Do you like the banjo? Listen to this and try disliking a banjo–because these dudes kill it with a banjo. The harmonies are so clean on this EP that everything else is just a decoration. The bass tones are so strong that we’re not mad at the violins. Like we said, it’s all just laced around really strong vocals.

Check out the EP a few days early below and find the guys on Twitter HERE. Check out more jams on their Soundcloud HERE. - NYLON guys

One of my main criticisms of modern music is its reliance on the relationship between an individual and a computer. Over the past few months, this trend has caused me to vigorously search the Internet for a group that emphasizes the collective music making process. When I first heard Poor Remy, I immediately identified with their group harmonies and collaborating parts that could never exist independently.

After I started listening to their newest EP, Still Sleeping, I became so intrigued with their music that I decided to send them an email asking a few Interview questions that I might include in a piece for WAVES. The fact that they responded with detailed and thoughtful answers truly demonstrates their passion for making and spreading art, no matter how small or far away the venue may be. This attitude combined with a raw and natural sound that makes you want to laugh, cry, sing, and scream all at the same time is a sheer recipe for great music that will truly service your ears and soul. Give their music a listen (link provided above) and check out what they had to say: - Waves

When it comes to Poor Remy, expect to hear a lot of two things, harmonicas as well as harmonies. The trio of Adrian, Andrew and Kenneth fuse together a collection of folky instruments and gang vocals to create a frenetic yet surprisingly soothing energy in their music.

Harnessing a beautiful folk and bluegrass sound, you’ll get plenty of fun and unexpected rhythms on this short EP.

According to a little short they have on their BandCamp, “Still Sleeping EP was produced in the swampy entrails of the WKCO recording studio in Gambier, OH at Kenyon College. Poor Remy wrote, recorded, and spent many sleepless nights producing this record. Needless to say, we’re probably still sleeping.”

It seems those many sleepless nights were worth it, as the band managed to pull off an EP filled with nothing but catchy choruses and interesting instruments. Listeners are greeted with chanting vocals from the onset with the title track, Still Sleeping. With expert guitar picking and an air of let’s-randomly-start-singing-and-harmonizing vibe all around, it’s a very catchy cut that starts the melodic chaos of the record.

Center and Bones follows closely and entices with its banjo ridden starter. Filled with harmonicas and bayou-style guitar strumming, it’s a lovely uptempo single. On the other hand, Fever Lee and Drinkin’ All Night, complete the short compilation.

Still Sleeping EP is one of those compilations that does best after a few listens. Thanks to the easy listening harmonies, you’ll find yourself swaying and chanting along without much effort. Really charming and worth checking out. Grab the download over at their BandCamp. It’s available at a name-your-price option. - FrostClick

Today is a folk/bluegrass day and it was Poor Remy’s Facebook page that convinced me to deem it so: “We like to yell. We write songs together. We stamp our feet. There’s a lot of hand-clapping. Enjoy our hamboning music.” So in other words, put down that second (or fifth) cup of afternoon joe. These guys are about to inject so much energy into your bones you won’t need it.

With their new self-produced EP Still Sleeping, Poor Remy takes us back to bluegrass basics – soaring vocal harmonies, wailing harmonicas and plucky banjos. A great reminder that simple and straightforward doesn’t have to mean quiet and serene. In fact, if you’re in Gambier, Ohio it just might mean the very opposite.

Check out the video of the EP’s title track “Still Sleeping.” Stream and name your price on bandcamp. Make some friends who like to yell and stamp a lot. - The Muse in Music

I’m a sucker for harmonies and harmonicas. Luckily, Poor Remy‘s “Center and Bones” has both.

Browsing Bandcamp on my couch and blasting the air-conditioning while the sun melts everything outside is my staple activity this summer, and today, I found “Center and Bones,” off of Poor Remy’s EP Still Sleeping. The track is simple but gritty. All three of the guys in this band provide the vocals, and their voices combine in raw strength, with climbing melodies that highlight the band’s talents in harmony and in unison alike. And the harmonica licks are pretty sweet, too.

If you like their sound, be sure to check out and purchase the Still Sleeping EP on their Bandcamp. - Sunset in the Rearview

It's been a while since we've posted an acoustic/folk artist; it seems like ages ago that a fan stumbled upon our site and told us about Little Sur. But it's all in good timing, though. (I'm moving to NYC, and so is Poor Remy so hopefully I'll catch them busking around Brooklyn).

Here's why we love them: they are catchy and genuine. It's as simple as that. One hook after another, their single "Still Sleeping" has got me doing quite the opposite. Poor Remy is one of those rare artists who develops hooks that, even if you get them stuck in your head, you still love them. (When's the last time you thought, "Man, I just LOVE that Katy Perry hook!" after humming "I'm Wide Awake" all day long? Yeah, it doesn't happen often.) - College Roots

Raw and unbridled enthusiasm.

You know why I like Poor Remy so much? Because I know I could join in and they wouldn’t miss a beat. These are singalongs for any late summer (autumn??) night.

I want to be their friend. - Knox Road

Indie-folk mixed with gang vocals is a combination that seems to be making big waves lately. By coupling the combo with some bouncy backroom blues, the Ohio trio Poor Remy has been able to carve out quite a comfortable sound in their too-short-but-sweet Still Sleeping.

Sounding something like a fusion between a twangy version of Good Old War and the early, yelpy vocal stylings of Brand New, Still Sleeping is a lively, upbeat folk effort that can easily lodge itself in your brain. At times, without having listened to it for a few days, the bluesy chorus of the title track creeps back into my head, making me wonder how they’re able to craft such catchy tunes. The full-band-focused gang vocals of “Fever Lee” and “Drinking All Night” are also strikingly similar to Kishi Bashi‘s recent masterpiece 151a, and provide for some seriously addictive toe-tapping, rhythm-focused experiences.

Poor Remy sounds like a fun band to watch live. Their demeanor, both lyrically and musically, is upbeat and carefree – something that always translates well to the stage. Though I haven’t seen them live, photos and such hint at some good times to be had. Though the four short songs tend to blend together (because EP’s are like that), there’s no reason not to enjoy the pleasant melodies and vocal harmonies saturating Still Sleeping.

At the moment, it’s available as a pay-what-you-want download, so pick it up while you can. Hope they spend a bit more time in the studio next time and record a full length (which, according to their BC page, will be “in the coming months”). - Bandcamp's Best