Introducing: Avriel & The Sequoias

Another facet to the talented Avi Kaplan of Pentatnoix 

"Rustic and grave, it's a gorgeously somber and symphonic slice of introspective chamber/indie folk that's sure to stay with you."- PopMatters

Avriel & the Sequoias and PopMatters have teamed up to release the gorgeous new video for "Fields and Pier." The track is a first listen from the upcoming debut EP, Sage and Stone, set to drop June 9. "Fields and Pier" pays homage to the wild and beautifully unkempt world Avriel grew up in: "For the video, I wanted to show how my music is deeply connected to nature," he explains. "The strings are represented by the way the leaves tremble in the Northern California wind, the steady finger-picking is represented by the sun-kissed fields of Oregon and the cello by the slow, steady current of the Smith River." Watch the video on PopMatters HERE.

Sage and Stone is the debut independent release from the multi-talented and multifaceted Avi Kaplan, Grammy Award-winning performer and arranger of a cappella phenoms Pentatonix. Sage and Stone is inspired by and purposefully presents the full spectrum of Avi's folk palate without ever abandoning his talent for lush, layered vocals, intricate arrangements and tasteful acoustic performances. It's evident in every note on Sage and Stone, that Avriel Benjamin Kaplan has a reverence and respect for folk music that goes well beyond his years. Songs like "Fields and Pier" and "Sage And Stone" recall the sounds of modern indie folk artists like Iron & Wine and Bon Iver, while tracks like "Song For the Seeker" and "Sweet Adeline" draw clear inspiration from legendary artists such as Simon & Garfunkel and John Denver.

Avi's upbringing - in Visalia, CA, near Sequoia National Park - plays an integral part in his story and is a heartbeat in this new music: the majestic Sequoia trees are where he found inspiration and escape, and where he first discovered music in its most organic and truest form. Sage and Stone simply - and profoundly - pays homage to where Avi's passion for music was born, and is a stunning introduction to this different and exciting new chapter of his musical journey. It is honest and humble. It is thoughtful and unrestrained. It is Kaplan at his core - passionate, emotional, inspired and unapologetically vulnerable.

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On Mondays We Wear Paisley

Yee Haw!!! It's time to get your Paisley on!

Life Amplified World Tour: Live at WVU is the new live concert DVD and CD from multi-platinum country superstar, Brad Paisley. Paisley returned to his roots by going home to West Virginia for a special outdoor concert at West Virginia University. Straight off the wildly successful "Life Amplified World Tour," the show was shot with 20 cameras in front of a hometown crowd of over 15,000 people. Paisley played an electrifying 2 hour show that included many of his 23 number one singles, such as "Mud on the Tires," "Then," and a surprise rendition of "I'm Still A Guy," featuring Chris Young.  The show also includes a very special version of the John Denver song "Take Me Home, Country Roads," which has become an anthem for WVU.

 

The concert will air on PBS on Friday, January 27, 9:00 - 10:00pm EST and is titled Brad Paisley - Landmarks Live In Concert: A Great Performances Special. Paisley takes his unique skills as singer, songwriter, guitarist and entertainer back to his home state as well as to viewers everywhere.

 

The concert special was produced by award-winning director Daniel E Catullo III (Rush, Rage Against The Machine, Dave Matthews Band).

"I am so pleased to be partnering with Brad on the WVU show," said Catullo III, who is also the CEO of City Drive Films. "Being an alumnus of WVU this show is very special for me. To be able to bring WVU to the world stage is something I am proud to do and I couldn't think of a better artist to do it with than Brad, who has similar feelings of WVU, having grown up not too far from the campus. It has been a dream of mine to go back to WVU and put on a huge show, free for the students."

Songs included in the show are: Crushin' It, American Saturday Night, Water, Online, Perfect Storm, Letter to Me, This is Country Music, I'm Still a Guy (featuring Chris Young), She's Everything, Ticks, Country Nation, Old Alabama, Then, Beat This Summer, I'm Gonna Miss Her, River Bank, Take Me Home, Country Roads, Southern Comfort Zone, Mud on the Tires, and Alcohol.

Both the DVD and the CD/DVD can be ordered at the MVD Shop or on Amazon