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criteria

criteriarocks

About Me

Picture, if you will, a diffident young professional. By day, he is entrenched in the beige, climate-controlled world of corporate law. By night, he tirelessly melds face-searing riffs with pounding, syncopated drums, awaiting a rock-n-roll miracle.Criteria's Stephen Pedersen need wait for that miracle no longer. And neither must you.Pedersen wet his pubescent feet playing with a score of Omaha stalwarts, rocking the house with Cursive through multiple tours and the band's first two full-lengths. Then he went to Duke law school, moving on to rock houses in Durham, North Carolina with The White Octave, who released two albums and embarked on several successful tours before Pedersen returned to Omaha in 2001.Finding himself band-less, living in a dim, mildewy basement for six months, Pedersen did the only thing he could do. He wrote an album called En Garde and started calling himself by a band name; Criteria. He recruited local musicians who similarly spent too much time in dim, mildewy basements to play the songs on En Garde, so as to not draw too much attention to himself.Those musicians were former bass player for Lullaby For The Working Class and Presto! Studios engineering wizard AJ Mogis; half-man, half-machine, drummer Mike Sweeney of Beep Beep; and the secret ingredient, six string shredder Aaron Druery. With their help, Criteria went from being the code name of a guy to being a proper band.Saddle Creek is stoked to announce the release of Criteria's second full-length, when we break: a startling display of fist-pumping anthems and contagious melodies hell bent on shaking the ass of even the most coolly aloof and cynical listener. when we break smashes out of the gate with its sing-along-equipped opener, “Prevent the World,” and refuses to relent for the duration of that which follows. Loud no matter the volume, Criteria deftly navigates enough punchy time changes to satisfy the smartypantses while keeping all those heads a’bobbing. Two words: Big Rock.Criteria will be touring extensively forever. Do not miss them in a town near you.

My Interests

Music:

Member Since: 4/25/2005
Band Website: criteriamusic.com
Record Label: Saddle Creek
Type of Label: Indie

My Blog

New Pics and . . . we're touring the east coast

Hi, Everyone. We're on tour! Check out www.criteriamusic.com for our current tour dates. Also, I put up some new pics. be well,stephen
Posted by criteria on Tue, 22 Aug 2006 11:42:00 PST

Back in the Saddle

After being de-railed in Portland for a day, the Armadillo (our van) is rolling down the road once again. We will make it to Boise for tonight's show. See you there!
Posted by criteria on Sat, 25 Mar 2006 01:20:00 PST

Seattle Show Cancelation

Hi, everyone.Criteria's van has been very bad. So bad that it won't let us leave Portland.So, sorry seattle, we really wanted to rock for you this evening, but ...it's probably not gonna happen.sadly,...
Posted by criteria on Fri, 24 Mar 2006 12:10:00 PST

oh, we're on tour, by the way

So we've totally embarked on a 6.5 week tour of the US and Canada. Good times ahead. We're hooking up with Poison the Well in a week or so. We play first so come early to check out the rock.peace and ...
Posted by criteria on Mon, 13 Mar 2006 10:24:00 PST

We're Going on Tour (Again)

Hello everyone. We're heading out for another US tour beginning March 12. For the majority of the shows, we will open for Poison the Well. So, come early (like 6ish) to check out the rock! in oth...
Posted by criteria on Fri, 24 Feb 2006 08:35:00 PST

Stream our entire record at the Saddle Creek On-line Store!

If you want to hear more cut and paste the following link http://store.saddle-creek.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen= PROD&Store_Code=SCOS&Product_Code=LBJ-081-2&Category_Code=Cr iteria you can liste...
Posted by criteria on Thu, 15 Dec 2005 03:08:00 PST

Snap!

Hi, everyone. We've returned safely from our UK/European tour. We made some friends. Rocked some kids and ate some delicious cheese. New pics for your viewing pleasure. East coast tour in Janu...
Posted by criteria on Wed, 14 Dec 2005 08:51:00 PST

Criteria UK/European Tour

Hello, all. We're headed to the UK and Europe starting November 17th. Check out our tour dates then come check out the rock! peace and love, Criteria
Posted by criteria on Thu, 03 Nov 2005 03:24:00 PST

VOTE FOR CRITERIA'S NEW VIDEO AT FUSE.TV!

Hey, everyone. Help out criteria by heading to www.fuse.tv and scroll down from the words "TV SHOWS" (which is in the upper left hand corner) for the program called "OVEN FRESH". Click on "OVEN FRES...
Posted by criteria on Tue, 25 Oct 2005 04:47:00 PST

Criteria made a Video

Hey, all. We've returned from a most enjoyable/rocking UK/European jaunt. Check out our video for "Prevent the World" at http://www.saddle-creek.com/whenwebreak/video.html enjoy! peace and ...
Posted by criteria on Mon, 01 Jan 1900 12:00:00 PST