Jo Henley is not a person. Or a coffee-colored article of clothing. Jo Henley is an original, Boston-based roots-pop band whose catchy songs and accessible sound has made them one of the most exciting young Americana acts working today.
Determined to bridge what they felt was an ever-widening gap between roots and pop music, longtime friends and collaborators Andy Campolieto and Ben Lee set their sights on forming an ensemble capable of injecting modern sensibility into a sound steeped in the spirit and instrumentation of traditional American roots music. To bring their black-and-white sketches into full color, the duo turned to one of New England's finest fiddlers in Tim Weed, and added the seductive jazz-inflected country drumming of Tien-Yi Lee. Veteran of the Boston music scene, bassist Harry Hussey rounds out the current lineup. Led by Andy Campolieto's warm and engaging tenor, as well as Ben Lee's standout fretwork on guitar, dobro, and lap steel, the quintet released their debut EP, Long Way Home, in October 2006, immediately drawing praise of critics such as Michael Hochanadel of the Daily Gazette, who wrote, "It has guitars, fiddle and a spry rhythm section with a thumping lope. And it has really, really good songs." Featuring "Fingerlakes" and the infectious fan favorite "Voyeur Love," Long Way Home became the blueprint for the band’s signature country- and bluegrass-tinged pop sound.
In spring 2008, armed with a fresh batch of road-tested originals penned by Campolieto, the group recorded their full-length follow-up at The Recording Company in Upstate NY. Sad Songs and Alcohol is a 12-track collection of tattered tales of lost love and broken dreams told against a shimmering backdrop of acoustic guitars, fiddle, mandolin, banjo, train beats, and weepy steel guitars. Featuring the standout playing of bassist Tony Markellis (Trey Anastasio Band), the new record finds Jo Henley in top form and has sent ripples throughout the roots music scene. The self-released Sad Songs and Alcohol has caught on with listeners across the country, climbing to number 61 on the national Americana charts (AMAs) as recently as January 2009. The band has been featured on television, radio, festivals, and continues to win over audiences with its high-energy performances and well-crafted songs. Jo Henley will tour the East Coast extensively this year, from Portland, ME to Nashville, TN, as well as a string of shows across California in February and March. This summer they will begin work on a new album, which they expect to release by year's end.
WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING...
"Their seven-song album 'Long Way Home' has a rural, serene sound without being static. It has guitars, fiddle and a spry rhythm section with a thumping lope. And it has really, really good songs—reminiscent of Gram Parsons, “Workingman’s Dead†or the less rowdy side of the New Riders of the Purple Sage." Michael Hochanadel, The Daily Gazette.
"No one will ever confuse Jo Henley with The Byrds or The Flying Burrito Brothers. But Lee and his cohorts craft fine alt-country tunes laced with heart-on-sleeve lyricism and deft, tasteful musicianship." Dan Bolles, Seven Days.
PRESS FOR SAD SONGS ANG ALCOHOL...
Michael Hochanadel of the Daily Gazette says, "[Sad Songs and Alcohol is] sincere, strong and sweet music, with an acoustic bluegrass/folk authenticity and tuneful pop sensibility."
Greg Haymes of the Times Union calls the new album "sparkling." He goes on to say, "The disc features a good batch of acoustic alt-country originals by Campolieto, as well as a fiddle-fueled romp through Hank Williams’ "Why Don’t You Love Me (Like You Used to Do)?"
"By aligning themselves with the bland country rock quartet [The Eagles], Jo Henley sells themselves short. The Byrds would be better avian cousins--these bluegrass inflections are more "Eight Miles High" than "Tequila Sunrise." Because on Sad Songs and Alcohol Jo Henley keeps their country stylings poppy enough for the indie kids, but authentic enough for the local barn dance. The gospel flavor that inflects tracks like "Take Me Back" adds some extra punch to the proceedings. The style suits Andy Campolieto's strong tenor as he unselfconsciously belts out the words while legato violin lines dance over bouncy banjo plucking."...Ray Padgett, The Noise
"Jo Henley might not be a household name for you yet, but with the quality and passion they can lay in their songs, they are sure to make a name for themselves in the area and in time all over the place. The songs are written and played with care and honesty and Jo Henley is a band with character. A band that plays true music!"...Inner Ear magazine.
"For a record with the phrase “sad songs†in the title, this album is anything but. The smooth, clear voice of Andy Campolieto delivers feel-good country minus the twang. The fiddle and harmonica solos on this album give Sad Songs and Alcohol its nostalgic, two-stepping sound, while bridging the gap between country and pop with a set of tracks that would attract any music lover, including the “everything but country†crowd. The blending of a traditional country sound with a soulful pop undertone makes them good songs, yet the well-orchestrated strings paired with the clean vocal harmonies makes them great songs with even better arrangements."...Laura Wiley, Northeast Performer.
Buy Sad Songs and Alcohol Here:
I edited my profile with Thomas Myspace Editor V4.4 (www.strikefile.com/myspace)
