Music:
Member Since: 11/4/2007
Band Website: skyslopemusic.com
Band Members: Voice, Acoustic Guitars, 12 String, Banjo - Peter.
BIO:
Peter Matthew Kasen was born in Miami, Florida. He studied Guitar, Composition, and Arranging at Berklee College of Music, utilizing all these skills in several bands in Boston, MA before going solo. Took some years off, only to return to the music world, as Propel.
Propel released its first ep "A YEAR WORTH FORGETTING" on May 15th of 2005 in Berkeley, CA where it all began. Touring followed up and down the west coast of the United States, with over 260 shows played in his wake.
Propel was than signed to Muted Records (US), in Dec of 2006, and Released "ANTIQUE SCARS", and more touring into Arizona, and other states ensued.
Peter than went with his birth name, and gained attention from Europe. PMK was signed to Smoking Frog Productions (UK), in November of 2007. His Debut Full Length (10 songs), "DUST, DOORS, AND DEBT" was just released on April 4th of 2008.
In May of 2008, PMK signed with Sky Slope Music of NYC, who will handle all Public Relations, Booking, and Label Activities for the East Coast of the United States.
Expect a US Re-Release of "Dust, Doors, and Debt" to be forthcoming in Sep of 2008.
PMK in June of 2008, signed with West Coast Upstart Balancing Act Records who will handle all booking, press and radio for Peter on the left coast of the US.
Expect a New ep to come Sep of 2008 by Balancing Act Records, with 4 previously released songs, as well as a brand new single in the near future.
Touring in the US will be a few one off shows in LA/NYC in late June & July prior to a full West Coast Tour of the Pacific Northwest and Northern California markets, beginning August 1st of 2008.
In September, Peter will conduct his first East Coast Tour, including the entire Tri State Area and down into the Southeast of the USA, sponsored by Sky Slope Music
Influences: Rober Zimmerman, Leonard Cohen, Nick Drake, Kurt Cobain, Billy Corgan (Gish), Elliott Smith, Jeff Buckley, Jose Gonzalez
Anyone who tours without fear and takes their careers into their own hands. Also known as D.I.Y.
and I felt the need to add this....
A distaste for songwriters who rely on loops, effects, and the like to hide the fact that they cant do it on their own.
Sounds Like: RADIO:
Shhh Radio.com (Buenos Aires, Argentina), Radio Fog (Sweden), KGRG (Washington), 104.7 FM (Los Angeles), Kill Radio (Los Angeles), Pulse Radio (Los Angeles), Insomnia Radio (Los Angeles), UK Music Review (Europe), 89.9 FM (Washington), KFOG (San Francisco), Limewire Radio (California), WLRN (California), KCSB (Santa Barbara), Wet Radio (Santa Monica), Seattle and Beyond FM (Seattle, WA), Northwest Radio (Portland, OR)
PRESS:
Peter Matthew Kasen is a very talented singer-songwriter. He has just released a new CD called "Dust, Doors and Debt" and I urge you to listen to it. I have found it to be very personal and deeply affecting.
Album Liner Notes.com
Formerly known as Propel, Peter Matthew Kasen had already released a couple of EPs and traveled prolifically on almost constant self-funded tours around the US for approximately two and a half years, building a large fan base, prior to leaving for the UK.
Peter then signed with Smoking Frog Productions during the latter half of 2007, this time using his real name for his music creations. "Dust, Doors and Debt" is the recently released debut full-length album from Peter that his many fans have eagerly awaited. Peter and his music can be found on MySpace and Smoking Frog.
I recently reviewed the following selected tracks from the album, and am led to recommend that you purchase a copy to hear these, and the rest, for yourself.
Underneath One
Peter's regular smooth tonal voice slides and glides over the "real" natural guitar, offering a revolving melody. A rolling tune carrying that special voice the regular fans long to hear.
Impact
With folky tones, Peter's voice strokes across this gentle tune like a hand would a cat's back. My head was gently nodding, swaying along, only caught by the strong, touching, personal message within the lyrics - "Father, I am sorry…" You can feel the emotion contained inside these words.
Bethany
Once again, a powerful lyric frosts the cake of folky twang amidst the drifting guitar. You need to play these tracks through at least twice in order to fully appreciate and capture concentration of both the words and the tune.
Thinking Out Loud
The melody curls and twists, building possible stories within this instrumental track. It gives optional tales to search for in the sound of a rocky, bouncy, addictive tune.
Ascot Ridge
A simple yet effective song, showing Peter's vocal versatility at its best. With lyrics such as "make you feel like you"re at home', you need - as always with Peter's work - to check out both sides of the song, both lyrical and melodic.
-Music Ouch.com/Written by Madeliatte
"Propel is Peter, a musician of the coast of California that devises a dense and intimate rock in the linea of authors of renown as Nick Drake."
- PopChild Records - Barcelona, Spain:
"Passionate and emotional, emo is not the word for Propel. It's raw. It's acoustic grunge. It's San Francisco."
- nowontour.com
After being sent some songs by a Mr Peter Mathew Kasen, and listening to them over and over, I've decided to attach a safety warning. PMK has an intense voice that will have you weeping by the end of the three song E.P. "Antique Scars". You don't need to listen to the lyrics intently to realise that the songs are deeply emotional and written with feeling, care and delicacy. A mix between Andrew Lipke and Jose Gonzales, PMK has a voice that will have you wondering why you haven't stumbled upon him before.
You may think that my first few words are negative, and i must therefore apologise to Peter, because I adore the short E.P. I like an album that messes with emotion, an album that you can't just have playing in the background, an album that simply cannot be ignored. PMK is an artist with intense talent who should not be left out of the picture. His debut album "Dust, Doors, and Debt" will be released in the UK in April 08 and I beg you ladies and gentlemen, give this man the credit he deserves and take a listen.
- Susan Ford Music Reviews - Edinburgh, Scotland UK:
"Track three "Collapse and Fade" is the highlight of the disc and seems particularly suited to appeal to fans of The Shins and Death Cab for Cutie. Overall, this short disc is intriguing enough to make you wonder what Kasen could do given the opportunity and backing to record a full length disc. Definitely worth picking up."
- Rock Star Gallery - Orange County, CA:
"Dynamics, Shifting from loud to soft sections, Underneath deep probing lyrics, and Flawless guitar parts."
- CD BABY - Portland, Oregon:
Record Label: Sky Slope(US)/Balancing Act(US)/Smoking Frog(UK)
Type of Label: Indie
