River of Suns began as the culmination of a long-standing musical partnership between Asa Anderson and Padric Payton, the multi-instrumentalists and songwriters who founded the eclectic and ever-evolving project. Clearly, the two musicians were not limited by their numbers; they recorded all the instruments on their debut LP, Scattered Atoms, in their apartment in 2007. In the summer of 2008, at a late night jam party in his hometown of Topanga, California singer Padric Payton was reunited with childhood friend and talented emcee, Brando Farr. After having lost contact for almost 20 years, Payton recognized Farr immediately as he danced through the crowd blowing the blues through his harmonica. The friendship was instantly rekindled and Farr was soon invited to join the band, contributing rhymes, harmonica, and background vocals. That same summer also brought the addition of seasoned funk bassist Rich Thomas, another Topanga native who heard the group playing at a party and hopped up on stage with no rehearsal. The additions of Thomas, Farr, and drummer Sean Winchester have brought the influence of native tongue style hip-hop and funk into the already soulful and rootsy rock stew that is River of Suns.
On the rise in the ever saturated Los Angeles music scene, River of Suns puts as much energy into their live performances as their introspective and unique songs. In addition to a recent deal with MTV Networks, the band also inked a licensing deal with Rescue Records in May of 2008 and has already had songs placed in several primetime network television shows, including "Life As We Know It", "Everwood", and "Quarterlife". Blending beautiful chords into an accessible format, soulful riffs into a rhythmic delivery, Payton is able to float his passionate lyrics and calming voice over a warm bed of surging sound while Farr peppers the grooves with rapid-fire rhymes. At their best, the band of soul brothers is able to evolve and improvise, always searching for the right way to deliver their message...
View the complete River of Suns tour schedule
