| Bio: |
Bayard Russell is a singer-songwriter performing in the NYC area. He has released his debut solo album "Selftitled," which is available on CD Baby and iTunes, and performs at New York venues such as Kenny's Castaways, The Fort at Sidewalk Cafe, and Trash Bar; and in festivals like Make Music NY, Astoria Music Now!, The Interdependence Project Festival and the annual IMC Festival. In addition to his solo work he is the lead vocalist, bassist, and songwriter for garage rock trio Negative Ken, which performs at New York venues including Arlene's Grocery, Don Hills, Snitch, Crash Mansion, Suite 16, R Bar, The Orange Bear, and Pussycat Lounge.
Russell grew up in the suburbs of Indiana, influenced equally by The Beatles and Ice Cube. Classically trained in piano from age four, he discovered the guitar in high school and his passion for pop music blossomed. He moved to NYC after graduating from Dartmouth College with a major in philosophy and a minor in music. He has written for and performed with the bands Karess, Clean Slate, Funkelstiltskin, The Very Nerve, and Matt Jones Band. He currently writes and records out of his home studio in Astoria, NY.
PRESS QUOTES FOR 2008
"Here is some deliciously sweet indie pop from NY artist Bayard Russell -- think John Mayer meets The Postal Service...some very honest lyrics that make you take light of a situation that would otherwise cause you to shudder in pain." - AudioDrums.com, July 2008
"Should stardom befall on Russell, and there’s no reason to see why it won’t, this debut is a glaring reason for him to keep the music coming from his bedroom, as well as his heart." -Northeast Performer Magazine, June 2008
"If you like Elliott Smith (and who doesn't?), then check out Selftitled." -Vox, March 2008
"Bayard does not overpower, but empowers my emotions... And, lets face it, the synthesizer production at the end of this cut is insane. Fun insane." -Eartaste, February 2008
"The release has a lofi, not over worked, raw edge to it that creates a nice feel. With its wide variety of techno sounds and dance beats, intermixed with an alternative meets Indie pop sound, with a dash of playfulness and experimentation added in makes Bayard Russell's Selftitled a release worth buying." -The Music Freelancer, February 2008
"Bayard Russell's musical concoctions are best described by the concept of flavor. Selftitled, his debut album, samples generously from the spice rack of genre as he seeks to uncover his musical identity. Somewhere between techno-indie and alternative-pop, Russell exhibits no shyness in self-discovery...His lack of genre definition is both interesting and admirable as he integrates the eclectic sounds that begin to define him as an artist." -Playback:stl, February 2008
"A wonderful find in amongst my in pile. I love the simplicity of the arrangements which really allows the tracks to shine. With one small blemish in a field of great tracks, this is definitely a great album, especially for fans of a more acoustic sound." - Indie Launchpad, February 2008
"The disc may outwardly look like nothing special, but all that individuals need to do is stick the album in and be placed on clouds of indie rock that will float them along for the better part of an hour." - Neufutur, February 2008
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