The Believers Bio
THE BELIEVERS are a band that effortlessly straddles indie rock and alt-Country, converting listeners nationwide in the process. Now on the brink of releasing their third album, Lucky You, The Believers continue to garner praise from all corners of the music world, described as "what Johnny Cash and The Tennessee Three might have sounded like if they'd jammed with the White Stripes" [David Burke, Rock 'n Reel Magazine] for their tunes that carry the suggestion of X, Gram Parsons, Emmylou Harris and Heart at the same time.
At the helm of The Believers are guitarists/vocalists Craig Aspen and Cyd Frazzini, who crossed paths in a chance meeting at the Seattle hipster watering hole the Sunset Tavern - one that Cyd insists was borne out of "divine intervention." After witnessing a rare acoustic open-mic appearance by Frazzini - a singer more used to belting it out in loud Seattle rock bands - a mutual friend introduced the two. "I was looking for a female backup singer," says Craig, jokingly adding, "I'm still looking for a way to break it to her."
"Right off the bat, we knew it was something special," says Cyd. They certainly didn't waste any time capitalizing on the newfound discovery - within three weeks of that first meeting, Aspen and Frazzini were in the studio with a handful of each other's songs to record their debut album Row, combining their mutual love of country-rock masters such as Steve Earle and Lucinda Williams with other diverse influences such as Concrete Blonde, the White Stripes and U2.
With Row and its follow-up, Crashyertown, the Believers were swiftly gaining a word-of-mouth reputation as one of the most exciting independent bands in the business. Paste Magazine declared, "Their voices wrap around each other in a beautifully lonesome courtship, belting out over canvasses of anthemic Americana rock and twangy country-folk." Americana UK called Cyd & Craig "a match made in heaven," and BBC2's Bob Harris declared them "brilliant." The Believers followed up on their UK buzz with a sterling live performance of "Crashyertown" on BBC2's Blackstaff Sessions.
It is then with much buzz and anticipation that The Believers are emerging with their newest effort, Lucky You. The album shows off the band's now expert versatility at genre-hopping and blending - floating country harmonies over four-on-the-floor rock beats and displaying a particular predilection for the folk tradition of the story song. Leading with the title track, the album immediately sets a harder, energized rock sound for The Believers, with the two effortlessly harmonizing over an incessant rock stomp reminiscent of X. "The song is about looking back on lost loves with no ill feelings," says Craig. On the track, Cyd belts, "Inside your sanctuary/It must be nice to be so very innocent/How lucky you are."
Elsewhere, the singer/songwriting duo tackle Hurricane Katrina's aftermath with the barn-burning twang of "Ring Ring Ring" and the country blues "Higher Ground." Rockers will inevitably drawn towards the band's transformative cover of Judas Priest's "You've Got Another Thing Comin'." Lucky You, featuring musical contributions from Band of Horses' Bill Reynolds, was produced by Aspen, Frazzini and drummer Stevie Adamek and mastered by legendary producer Ray Kennedy (Steve Earle, Lucinda Williams).
The Believers are preparing to take Lucky You to lucky audiences around the country, making believers out of everyone who discovers their catchy, instantly engaging blend of country and alternative rock. From the Sunset Tavern to the present day, the Believers' journey continues to be a fruitful and promising one.