Two Seconds To Midnight

Scottish singer-songwriter Zig Payton and Californian string player Hannah Hens-Piazza were in Queens, NYC, in 2008 rehearsing in a wine bar before it opened to the public their acoustic side-project, intended as an entertainment between other projects. But when Detroit drummer/producer from Josh Moyer joined the duo, a proper band was born. With the help of some musician friends they released their debut LP "Architecture" in 2010, followed this October with their self-titled sophomore release. Here's the hurt, the hole, the bliss, the fire, propelled in tunes where warm strings melt with icy guitar lines and poignant lyrics. The Radiohead comparison suits them well, not only in terms of sounding similarities, but also in what regards to freedom and ambition to push them forward musically. Ladies and gentlemen, is almost midnight and we are floating in space. - Bloodbuzzed

You could say a lot of things about Two Seconds to Midnight. From powerful guitars, wood-chopping strings, and singer-songwriter Zig Payton's towering alto. But what most immediately grabs me upon throwing on their last record 'Architecture,' is how many ideas these guys have.

As aggressive as they are soft and ethereal, Two Seconds to Midnight are natural forebears to the kinds of cinematic expeditions you've heard from Mogwai or Sigur ros. You never know what you're going to get, and that's why I had to make my way through the whole record before putting it down. The band's self-titled sophomore release drops Saturday, October 5th. Pre-order today or pick it up at their Record Release show on the same day at Arlene's Grocery (9:45 pm doors). - Mike Levine (@Goldnuggets) - The Deli Magazine LLC / Mother West, NYC

So much can be said about the evolution of a band.

Over 50 years ago, for example, a teenaged duo called The Quarrymen would one day become a foursome known as The Beatles, with their music going from the cutesy "I Want to Hold Your Hand" to the trippy "I Am the Walrus." Sure, that's an extreme example using the most famous band in music history, but the case has been made -- a case which holds true with the Astoria-based, six-member band Two Seconds to Midnight.

With that in mind, there's an obvious history lesson to be learned about Two Seconds to Midnight's constituents before we get to the music they produce.

Years ago, when Oasis was one of the hottest bands around, a young lad in Perthshire, Scotland named Zig Payton had become inspired to pick up a guitar and learn some of their songs. By learning E, A and D chords, Payton wasn't just inspired -- he was playing Oasis tunes in no time. "That was the beautiful thing about Oasis: they were so simple, at least in their early days. I learned three chords and could play half of their back catalogue," admits Payton, with a chuckle. From there, he would spend some of his free time learning the ins and outs of songwriting and production technique.


"The Forgotten" by Two Seconds to Midnight
Although he had teenage aspirations of becoming an actor, a career path which was a longtime top priority, he became disenchanted with the idea and switched his focus to music. Looking back, Payton says, "I found that doing music was a lot more gratifying than acting because it was a lot more on my terms. If I went up there and did a show that was bad, it was entirely my fault. It wasn't like, 'oh, the director was terrible.' I was completely in control of my own destiny, and that was a lot more interesting for me."

Nine years ago, at age 20, Zig Payton would leave the UK and come to New York for acting school. A year later, acting fell by the wayside and music came to the forefront.

Payton's first band on American soil was aaron and Mordechai, primarily composed of friends he made in acting school. While proud of the music the band produced and enriched by the overall experience, Payton wasn't thrilled with the band's direction. "We had good musicians in the band...but they were actors who were doing music as a sideline thing; having fun. But it taught me how to be in a band; how to communicate with people musically and in a rehearsal without hurting feelings or egos."

It also taught him that his music would have a flair for the dramatic, in the form of a string section.

Not long before the time Payton was settling into America, a couple of talented young ladies named Hannah Hens-Piazza and Emily Snow were attending NYU. During their sophomore year, the two became friends while playing in a string quartet together -- Hans-Piazza on the viola and Snow on violin. They would go on to graduate with music performance degrees, entirely classically based, with almost no idea they would one day end up in a rock band together. The impetus for such, however, might be blamed on Hens-Piazza, who always had a taste for music that went way beyond Bach and Tchaikovsky and Mendelssohn. Says Hans-Piazza, "I like classical music, but I don't put it on in the background. I've always liked other music."

That taste for "other music" would essentially bring Hannah Hens-Piazza and Zig Payton together.

Not long before the demise of aaron and Mordechai, the resident violinist, Sylvia Milo, had to miss a couple of gigs. Sylvia would then introduce her friend Hannah Hens-Piazza, who also happened to be a fan of the band, to Zig Payton, so as to have her fill in on those gigs. That introduction would change everything. Payton and Hens-Piazza's friendship flourished as aaron and Mordechai perished, but the connection between the two would lead to much bigger things. Not long after the disbanding, while attending a party together, Zig Payton would suggest that he and Hannah Hens-Piazza start a band together -- just a duo of guitar and viola.

With that, Two Seconds to Midnight was born.

The pieces fell into place pretty rapidly thereafter. Hens-Piazza suggested bringing her friend Emily Snow, now married and going by Emily Long, into the band. Two Seconds to Midnight was suddenly a trio, composed of a singer/guitarist, a viola and a violin. Explains Payton, "the first nine months of the band was the three of us jamming out, with occasional help from other musicians." During this time, the band's chemistry grew along with their catalogue. "Hannah and Emily had been friends for so long and we all got along so well...it became so organic," says Payton. The time had come for the band to play their first real gig.

Although still going through growing pains and feeling out their own sound, Two Seconds to Midnight would perform several solid gigs. It was a particular performance at Astoria's Hell Gate Social, however, which was solid enough that it would change the ban - The Examiner

(excerpt) "Architecture is particularly complex and vivid for a debut album, and a solid work that any rock fan should explore, especially one that enjoys sounds on the more experimental side. What’s most intriguing, however, is that it’s just the start." - No Surf Music

'Opt1m1sm' featured on Radio Crystal Blue's Novus Ordo radio show best of new music 11/28/10. - Radio Crystal Blue

Two Seconds To Midnight carries the torch passed on by the likes of The Jesus and Mary Chain and Radiohead. Their first album, “Architecture”, 8 tracks long, features aggressive guitars, ethereal strings and pounding drums that will at times make you dance and other times make you weep.
Their live shows are where the band really shines, though. Their intensity adds extra punch to album standouts “The Forgotten” and “Feeding Frenzy”, and new songs like “Survivor Guilt Anthem” will leave you wanting for more. - VH1/MTV Networks

Two Seconds To Midnight carries the torch passed on by the likes of The Jesus and Mary Chain and Radiohead. Their first album, “Architecture”, 8 tracks long, features aggressive guitars, ethereal strings and pounding drums that will at times make you dance and other times make you weep.
Their live shows are where the band really shines, though. Their intensity adds extra punch to album standouts “The Forgotten” and “Feeding Frenzy”, and new songs like “Survivor Guilt Anthem” will leave you wanting for more.
- Mike Lopez (head of programming VH1 Classic/MTV Networks) - VH1/MTV Networks

Opt1m1sm (Single) featured on 'Sound Opinions' (Chicago Public Radio) Episode #248 - Sound Opinions (Chicago Public Radio)