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.
