tag:lowrayband.com,2005:/blogs/news?p=3News2021-08-17T07:53:24-12:00LowRayfalsetag:lowrayband.com,2005:Post/61108202019-10-01T12:00:00-12:002021-08-10T06:29:18-12:00Summer shows and T-shirts
<p>Hey better late than never right? So maybe we have ben snoozing on updating the website for a bit. </p>
<p>We played some great shows this spring and summer at First Ave, The Turf Club, Highland Fest in Saint Paul, Shut Down third Street in Winona. Thanks to everyone who came out to rock! We will soon have some new shows to announce stay tuned. </p>
<p>We have been working on new tunes and doing some recording we will see where that goes in 2020. </p>
<p>We do have some sweet new T-Shirts in Men's and Women's fitted sizes created by Ray West at Chelsea Printworks in Saint Paul. Here is a link to <a href="https://lowray1.bandcamp.com/merch/womens-fitted-a-team-t-shirt-with-free-columbia-download" data-imported="1">purchase</a> <a href="https://lowray1.bandcamp.com/merch/womens-fitted-a-team-t-shirt-with-free-columbia-download" data-imported="1"><br></a></p>
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<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/394776/d6074ca334f884e0f67d62bd91644a74d2aab4a8/original/lowraytshirtshirt.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MzAyeDQwMyJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="403" width="302" /></p>
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LowRaytag:lowrayband.com,2005:Post/61108192019-01-26T12:00:00-12:002021-07-20T09:01:20-12:00Winter Tour Dates
<p>Exciting news! We're hitting the road this winter to play some great shows in Rochester, Red Wing, Kansas City, Des Moines, Mankato and Duluth over the next couple months. Check out our <a href="/shows" data-imported="1" data-link-type="page">SHOWS</a> page for more info, or scroll down for dates. Hope to see some familiar faces and make some new friends out there!</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/394776/db8fa6782c7d6395fe213959f8007c8886964c79/original/lowray-winter-tour.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NTg4eDM5MyJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="393" width="588" /></p>
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<p><strong>Friday, February 1 <br></strong><strong>Rochester, MN</strong></p>
<p><strong>THE SUBURBS AT THE CASTLE WITH LOWRAY</strong></p>
<p>6:30 PM </p>
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The Castle<br>121 North Broadway Avenue,<br>Rochester, MN 55906 <br><hr>
<p class="date"><strong>Saturday, February 23</strong><br><strong>Red Wing, MN</strong></p>
<p class="event_title"><strong>BIG TURN MUSIC FESTIVAL</strong></p>
<div class="event_time">8:30 PM</div>
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<p class="event_title">American Legion<br>218 West 4th<br>Red Wing, MN 55066</p>
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<p class="date"><strong>Thursday, February 28<br>Kansas City, MO</strong></p>
<p class="date"><strong>LOWRAY, BLUE FALSE INDIGO, THE LITHOGRAPHERS, THE CREEPY JINGLES</strong></p>
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<p class="event_time">8:00 PM</p>
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<p class="event_title">miniBar<br>3810 Broadway Rd<br>Kansas City, MO</p>
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<p class="date"><strong>Friday, March 1<br>Des Moines, IA</strong></p>
<p class="date"><strong>LOWRAY AT VAUDEVILLE MEWS</strong></p>
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<p class="event_time">6:00 PM</p>
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<p class="venue">Vaudeville Mews<br>212 4th Street<br>Des Moines, IA </p>
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<p class="date"><strong>Saturday, April 6<br>Mankato, MN</strong></p>
<p class="date"><strong>PORCUPINE, RAD OWL & LOWRAY</strong></p>
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<p class="event_time">8:30 PM</p>
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<p class="venue">The What's Up Lounge<br>701 N Riverfront Dr<br>Mankato, MN</p>
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LowRaytag:lowrayband.com,2005:Post/61108182019-01-21T12:00:00-12:002021-07-06T16:52:34-12:00WATCH: "What I Need" Video
<p>Hey all, check out this "new" video for the song "What I Need" off our 2017 EP <em>Columbia</em>, featuring lots of cool behind-the-scenes footage of us tracking at the Terrarium. For various reasons, we didn't get around to releasing this until now. Better late then never, right? Our super brilliant friend Jeremy Krzmarzick shot and edited it. Give it a look won't you? </p>
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<div class="video responsive"><div class="video-container"><div class="video responsive"><div class="video-container"><iframe frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/rLC19oKeiNE" width="560" allowfullscreen="" class="wrapped wrapped"></iframe></div></div></div></div>
LowRaytag:lowrayband.com,2005:Post/61108172018-12-30T12:00:00-12:002021-04-09T22:25:30-12:00Classic Minneapolis; An interview with Daniel Fowlds of LowRay
<p>Thanks to <a href="http://ghettoblastermagazine.com/classic-minneapolis-an-interview-with-daniel-fowlds-of-lowray/" target="_blank" data-imported="1">Ghettoblaster </a> and Timothy Anderl for the great interview with Dan!</p>
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<p><a href="http://ghettoblastermagazine.com/classic-minneapolis-an-interview-with-daniel-fowlds-of-lowray/" target="_blank" data-imported="1"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/394776/132f4bbf4283468df9ba0f50420508df810226b6/original/ghettoblaster.png/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NjI3eDc2MCJd.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="760" width="627" /> </a></p>
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<p><strong>When did you first begin writing the material for <em>Friends and the Fakers</em></strong></p>
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<p><em>A few of the songs or at least song ideas have been around for a couple years. About half were new and written since the release of our EP from 2017. The song “Let Me Be” was written a week before we recorded the album and James and I probably played it three times before going into the studio. It was fresh to say the least. My phone has a voice memo app filled with songs, ideas for lyrics, melodies, riffs, progressions, rhythmic bits.</em></p>
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<p><strong>How did your paths cross?</strong></p>
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<p><em>A good friend of mine Ian Prince and I were working on a solo album years ago which was the start of Pill Hill and I need someone to mix it. He suggested a friend of his named James Irving who was doing recording and mixing at the time. He was living in Minnesota while his band the 22-20’s were between tours and albums. He mixed the album and recorded some of it also. We hit it off but didn’t actually play music together until years later.</em></p>
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<p><strong>The video for first single “Friends and the Fakers” is hilarious and a bit meta. Where did you come up with the story behind it?</strong></p>
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<p><em>James and I met with Adam Dunn the director at Keys restaurant which is a local favorite in Saint Paul. We explained the ideas behind the song. He had already heard it and he pitched the sitcom idea and a few others. We liked the sitcom retro concept and it seemed to fit with our criteria for the video. We didn’t want to appear in this video and we didn’t want another “dudes playing guitars and lip syncing video.” We wanted to save that for video two or three. Just kidding. Maybe. Adam Dunn actually has a cameo in the video as one of the crew which is meta funny.</em></p>
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<p><strong>Our current faves on the record are “I’m Sorry” and “8 Track Tapes.” Dan, is there a song in particular that holds a special place in your heart?</strong></p>
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<p><em>Glad you like them. “I’m Sorry” is special I suppose. Many are really. With “I’m Sorry” it’s so simple but I think that might be what makes it work. I remember writing it wondering if I needed to add a bridge or more lyrics for the second verse. I had written some but it felt better with the most simple message. I played that song for my wife at home the night I wrote it. She pretty much melted which doesn’t usually happen when I play her a new song I am working on. I connect emotionally with the lyric and that always moves me when we play live. It seems to translate to the crowd which is always a charge. The dynamics go to extremes in that one. Sometimes James is barely hitting his drums and by the end he is smashing them. “Palisade” is another since it is my father’s life story but that’s a long story.</em></p>
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<p><strong>It’s hard to put our finger on exactly why this is, but the record has such a classic Minneapolis vibe to it. It’s almost like it came out in the early ‘90s and was somehow just unearthed. Was there an intention to tap into an old-school sound or was this organic?</strong></p>
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<p><em>I was born in Minneapolis and lived here my whole life. I started playing music in the gulp ’80s. It is probably hard to take the Minneapolis sound out of me although I don’t really know what that is actually. James and I were both going through an ’80s phase during the recording. We did make some deliberate choices in production trying to capture some of what we love on the records from that era. I know it did influence the way James wrote his drum parts really minimizing the fills, working on reducing the parts down to the essentials. I think I had to talk him into a few fills. We recorded using only vintage guitars into old amps into old microphones into a Neve at the Terrarium in Minneapolis with Jacques Wait. Then our new friend the famous Jim Scott mixed it out in LA on an older Neve with a real plate reverb. With the exception of tracking to Pro tools, it was done the way records used to be done for the most part. That did color and impact the final sound.</em></p>
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<p><strong>Do you plan on filling out the lineup and touring?</strong></p>
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<p><em>We are working on some possible UK/EU dates in the spring. </em></p>
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<p><strong>What current artists are you listening to these days? Any Minnesota artists that we should be aware of?</strong></p>
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<p><em>My wife got me kinda hooked on Wild Moccasins from Texas. Earworms for sure and the singer is amazing. There is so much talent here in the Twin Cities. Recently I caught a Kiss the Tiger show they were super fun.</em></p>
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<p><strong>What’s next in the world of LowRay</strong>? </p>
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<p><em>Get this album out there so people can hear it. Play a bunch of shows and make a couple videos. Lather, rinse, repeat. In all seriousness we are proud of this record and hope it finds an audience. </em></p>
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LowRaytag:lowrayband.com,2005:Post/61108162018-12-01T12:00:00-12:002018-12-02T02:07:53-12:00Indie Source Reviews Friends and the Fakers
<p>Thanks to <a href="http://www.theindiesource.com/cnt/3211/" target="_blank" data-imported="1">Indie Source</a> for the lovely review of Friends and the Fakers!</p>
<p><a href="http://www.theindiesource.com/cnt/3211/" target="_blank" data-imported="1"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/394776/a4fc1cf9430ebfcaf2499b940a32ebd2141b78da/original/indie-scene.png/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NTc5eDgwMCJd.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="800" width="579" /></a></p>
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<p><em>American rock duo LowRay’s debut album Friends and the Fakers presents us with a wonderful fusion of 60’s pop melodies and streamlined alternative rock that recalls elements of the Paisley Underground. Broken into ten fiercely original tracks that each help us to understand a different layer in the band’s richly textured sound, Friends and the Fakers is a record that doesn’t shy away from experimentation but remains committed to a particular identity from start to finish. These songs are very curt and to the point structurally, often imagistic and lyrically evocative, and above all else meticulously crafted. LowRay might be a new face in indie rock, but they’ve got the attitude and execution of seasoned pros.</em></p>
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<p><em>Guitarist Daniel Fowlds’ play in the bulk of this album is steeped in psychedelia, but it never trots into overindulgent territory. The title track and the patient “Waiting for You” are cerebral by nature and blissfully airy, and they act as a worthy counterbalance to the addictively dark grooves in “Palisade” or the melancholy in the slow ballad “I’m Sorry.” Fowlds touches on a lot of musical ground here and experiments heavily with old school R&B harmonies that really add a unique color to the songs, particularly in jazzier numbers like the gorgeous “Let Me Be.”</em></p>
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<p><em>The other half of LowRay, drummer James Irving, doesn’t disappoint listeners with his play or allow his skilled partner to overshadow the slender but boisterous beats. The countrified Americana that we find in “Lonely Tuesday Night” would probably sound entirely different were it not for the bittersweet pitter-patter of Irving’s drumming, which tugs at our heartstrings just as hard as Fowlds’ lyrics do. The looser “There’s a Place” shows off his more relaxed side, while “Western Song” showcases Irving’s terrific knack for staying on pace in even the most churning of compositions.</em></p>
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<p><em>Some of the songs on Friends and the Fakers feel like they’re actually excerpts from what could be amazing live performances that wouldn’t restrict LowRay from really taking these untamable grooves out for a spin. “Sooner or Later” is a Heartland stomp-rocker that I can imagine would light up a crowded roadside bar or a packed theatre just the same, and “8 Track Tapes,” which is already as eccentric as they come, could possibly become the lynchpin of a sublime extended jam. Their compositional bones are strong and equally full of pop hooks and stylish instrumental parts, which indicates to me that LowRay has tremendous potential as a touring act.</em></p>
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<p><em>If this first record is representative of what’s to come out of LowRay’s camp in the future, Irving and Fowlds are going to be in for quite a ride as they embark on the next few years of their career. Friends and the Fakers is a very accessible, fun record that I found just as enjoyable to listen to as a collective piece as I did cherry picking through its tracks casually on a rainy afternoon. Lyrically these songs are a combination of contemplative dialogues, witty anecdotes and brooding confessionals, with the music providing an exquisite soundtrack to accompany them. Friends and the Fakers is an engaging listen for sure, but it’s also a very easy record to pick up and get into without ever having heard LowRay perform before.</em></p>
LowRaytag:lowrayband.com,2005:Post/61108152018-11-22T12:00:00-12:002021-08-11T20:20:21-12:00Music Existence Reviews Friends and the Fakers
<p>Thanks to <a href="https://musicexistence.com/blog/2018/11/20/lowray-releases-friends-and-the-fakers-lp/" target="_blank" data-imported="1">Music Existence</a> for<em> </em>the wonderful review of Friends and the Fakers!</p>
<p><a href="https://musicexistence.com/blog/2018/11/20/lowray-releases-friends-and-the-fakers-lp/" target="_blank" data-imported="1"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/394776/ac4a9938907c059ad53ce34f8222b6c12e367770/original/music-existence.png/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NjgyeDc4MyJd.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="783" width="682" /></a></p>
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<p id="E67"><em>For only being comprised of two musicians at its core, Minneapolis-based LowRay’s harmonies are larger than life and vibrantly full of tonality in their debut album Friends and the Fakers, which hits record stores and streaming sites this November 9th. LowRay are an unknown band to most of the world outside of the Twin Cities, but the rhythms they unleash in this record are not the typical fodder of amateur players. Opening with the cuttingly relatable title track, guitarist Daniel Fowlds squanders no time before laying into an enormous melody that saturates drummer James Irving’s beat in a kaleidoscopic harmony that is as rooted in midcentury pop music as it is shoegaze. Over the course of the nine songs that follow, listeners get to know LowRay one decadent note at a time.</em></p>
<p id="E87"><em>The slow songs on Friends and the Fakers – chiefly “I’m Sorry,” the moving “Let Me Be,” and of course, the stone cold “Palisade – flirt with R&B framework shamelessly, and their shaking melodies echo through our brains long after we’re done listening to the record. “Palisade” has the swagger of a 1980s club song with none of that era’s pretentious artificiality in its mix. Fowlds’ voice seeps through the chilling percussion with a fragility that is breathtaking, only to come undone at the 2:50 mark and impart a cratering vocal harmony that sears its passion into us unforgivingly. The emotion is as bold as the tone is, and there’s never any question as to whether or not Fowlds is being sincere with us.</em></p>
<p id="E97"><em>You can definitely hear traces of LowRay’s Upper Midwestern roots in tracks like “Waiting for You” and “There’s a Place,” but both Fowlds and Irving avoid recycling any sounds or styles of the past. The effervescent guitar play in “8 Track Tapes” and the staggering “Lonely Tuesday Night” is delivered to us in a equalized mix that doesn’t favor a fat bottom-end, which helps us to really appreciate every gilded nuance in the strings. The ironic tone that most of the lyrics take isn’t nasty or sarcastic by design, but it does pack a really rebellious punch that makes it a lot edgier than your average pop song. Other than the stately “Western Song,” most of Friends and the Fakers isn’t dependent on a steady rhythm or an even pace to yield a really focused sound; instead, this record puts all of its trust in the eccentric, unpredictable command of its two star players – and still ends up coming out on top.</em></p>
<p id="E107"><em>Friends and the Fakers is a very ambitious debut album, more so when you compare it to the lot of similarly stylized releases in 2018, and LowRay manage its sprawling design seemingly without any difficulties. The content here is extremely diverse, but it all gels together with a poppy cohesiveness that is sealed by the excellent soundboard work provided by Jim Scott and Ian Davenport. As a blueprint of their sound, LowRay’s debut album leaves little for us to ponder moving forward and perfectly encapsulates the style and artistic persona of a band that is ready to take their aesthetic to the next level, and it also offers us a glimpse into what could be one of the most intriguing approaches to Americana that I’ve heard in some time. I’m eager to see how they develop these rhythms on their next release, which hopefully won’t be too far down the line.</em></p>
LowRaytag:lowrayband.com,2005:Post/61108132018-11-20T12:00:00-12:002021-07-02T20:20:15-12:00INDIESHARK Reviews Friends and the Fakers
<p>Thanks to the great folks over at <a href="https://indieshark.com/music-reviews/lowray-friends-and-the-fakers/" target="_blank" data-imported="1">INDIESHARK</a> for the awesome review of <em>Friends and the Fakers!</em></p>
<p><a href="https://indieshark.com/music-reviews/lowray-friends-and-the-fakers/" target="_blank" data-imported="1"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/394776/1966b6a6d4729e5cee74a649dbfeeb4eb4c6d3d6/original/indieshark.png/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NzU2eDU4NCJd.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="584" width="756" /></a></p>
<p><em>The muscular riff that introduces us to the eponymous first track of Friends and the Fakers doesn’t waste a second before nudging all who press play on indie rockers LowRay’s debut album into the searing heat of the pair’s decadent sound. Mechanically stretching our palates out right alongside its soaring melody, this opening salvo has plenty of opportunities to devolve into a mess of tuneful white noise, but it resists the very notion every time. The pointed lyrics of front man Daniel Fowlds are consistent and thick next to this bruising groove, but as we move into the supple “Western Song” and eventually towards the simple acoustic jaunt “I’m Sorry,” the sonic assault becomes more poetic than rhythmic, and Fowlds’ emotional lyrics ascend to the forefront of our attention. </em></p>
<p><em>“Western Song” incorporates sampling of Americana-flavored folk rock with a dash of the jangly riff rock that got us started in the title track, and drummer James Irving keeps it tightly wound with his precise timekeeping. “I’m Sorry” is an acoustic ballad centered on Fowlds’ inviting drawl, which anchors a lot of these songs within the realm of pop music despite their rambunctiously experimental attitudes. We’re not expecting “8 Track Tapes” when it comes smashing through the tender smoke rings of “I’m Sorry,” but it makes itself at home with an anti-fundamentalist groove nonetheless. Some might call this record a direct result of the surrealism movement in contemporary indie rock, but personally I think that giving other musicians credit for what is obviously something of LowRay’s own unique design would cheapen the integrity of what they’ve done in their rookie offering.</em></p>
<p><em>Friends and the Fakers finds its penultimate sweet spot half way through its track listing in the compressed R&B song “Palisade,” which moves with the nimbleness of an assassin and points us towards the richness of its shadowy harmony. The lyrics are icy and the music is unapologetically stoic, but the evocative effect that comes through the almost Gothic delivery of both is quite difficult to avoid if you’re within earshot of its grandeur. “Waiting For You” slaps us a coat of polished pop optimism onto the record as we press forward, only to be met with contrast in the pastoral ballad “Lonely Tuesday Night” and later on the opulent “Let Me Be,” which is easily the most aesthetically-pleasing track on the album cosmetically.</em></p>
<p><em>If “Let Me Be” exists to prove to us that LowRay can play with jazz theory in their indulgent strain of pop without sounding off-kilter, “Sooner or Later” must have been conceived to show us that Fowlds can get gritty with his psychedelic riffs as well. There’s a smoldering edge to the guitar parts in this song that is akin to harder varieties of rock than what the majority of Friends and the Fakers presents us with, but it doesn’t feel like a desperate attempt to validate Fowlds’ ego as an axeman. Actually I think that if anything it shows off just how multidimensional these guys are; there’s no technique they’re intimidated by and no groove too peculiar or ambitious for them to tackle head-on. “There’s a Place” finishes us off with a divine hook that is strong enough to make the track a good single, and it captures the totality of what the record offers without being too anthological in its structure (it runs just a hair over three and a half minutes in length). Overall I really loved Friends and the Fakers, and if LowRay amplify some of their more electrifying left-field attributes I think they have the potential to reign supreme in the American pop scene much sooner than later. -Mark Druery </em></p>
LowRaytag:lowrayband.com,2005:Post/61108142018-11-15T12:00:00-12:002021-08-11T19:15:48-12:00Indie Band Guru Reviews Friends and the Fakers
<p>Thanks to <a href="https://indiebandguru.com/lowray-friends-and-the-fakers/" target="_blank" data-imported="1">Indie Band Guru</a> for such a thoughtful and glowing review of<em> Friends and the Fakers!</em></p>
<p><em><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/394776/465def6df0a7bf1f81b868a7b1ee7a97ff1aae7b/original/indie-band-guru.png/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6ODI5eDgyMiJd.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="822" width="829" /></em></p>
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<p><em>With a blustery but cathartic release of steamy melodies spilling into one another, the title track in Friends and the Fakers ushers us into the sonic adventure that is the debut album of rock n’ roll duo LowRay with a radiant glow. Faceted with a dreamy groove that spins around in a drunken sway and accented with introspective, somewhat self-aware lyrics, the song layers one heavy tone atop another but makes sure to stop just short of becoming overwhelming.</em></p>
<p><em>As the hum of the warm electric guitars fade away and we get into the swing step of the aptly titled “Western Song,” the pace receives a kick in the pants from drummer James Irving, who dexterously walks us into a bluesy rhythm that makes for a refreshing follow-up to the indulgence of the title track. Singer/guitarist Daniel Fowlds whispers his lyrics plainly and sweetly in between the bursts of grinding organ and guitar vibrato, and it isn’t until he starts in on the acoustic “I’m Sorry” that we realize this is just the tipping point of his abilities. “I’m Sorry” pendulously stares down the barrel of a smoking guitar lick that punctuates the acoustic strumming with impunity, but our singer isn’t about to let its rattling ominousness steal the limelight from his poetic verse.</em></p>
<p><em>Following a startlingly bluesy conclusion to track three, “8 Track Tapes,” a zany pop number that reminds me a lot of a cleaned up Seattle sound, takes center stage and injects a vinyl-quality melody into the mix that brightens up the dark trail left behind by its predecessor. It doesn’t take long for LowRay to jettison back into the vortex of spacey post-punk though, and “Palisade” might just be his most haunting contribution to Friends and the Fakers. Driven by a reverberating bassline that puts so much pressure against Irving’s drumming that it feels like the track is about to come apart at the seams, “Palisade” is sensuously mischievous and seriously attentive to the littlest of details. Every nuance in this song’s studded groove is essential to its elegance, from the rigidity of the percussion to the radiant minor key crooning of Fowlds. This is a hard track to forget, and I can already tell it’s going to become a favorite of LowRay fans in the future.</em></p>
<p><em>“Waiting for You” isn’t quite as cinematic as “Palisade,” but its glassy opening melody is so sharp that it’s able to stay sonically on-par with the rest of what we’ve heard so far. Once the song warms up and gets into its groove, it actually boasts a lot more cumbersome harmonies than what it initially suggests, and I would say that ultimately it’s one of the most elaborately constructed songs on the whole of Friends and the Fakers. “Lonely Tuesday Night” tosses in a splash of old-fashioned Americana before giving way to the jazz-spiked “Let Me Be,” which throttles as much emotion at us as “Palisades” does bass-heavy confidence.</em></p>
<p><em>The Nazareth-inspired intro on “Sooner or Later” put a big smile on my face when I first played this album from beginning to end uninterrupted; not only does LowRay know how to be ironic and reverently creative with their music, they also know how to be witty and earnest. The cavalier “There’s a Place” wraps up Friends and the Fakers on a particularly upbeat note, and upon its conclusion, it leaves in its stead a couple of questions about what we just experienced. Is LowRay’s virgin album a formal projection of their definitive sound, or is it but the first stepping stone in a long evolutionary journey? At any rate, it’s a stellar way to enter the recording scene, and I for one couldn’t be more impressed with its artistically virtuous, substance-filled material. – Scottie Carlito</em></p>
LowRaytag:lowrayband.com,2005:Post/61108122018-11-12T12:00:00-12:002021-08-17T07:53:24-12:00POWERPOPAHOLIC Reviews Friends and the Fakers
<p>Thanks to <a href="http://www.powerpopaholic.com/2018/11/valley-lodge-and-low-ray.html" target="_blank" data-imported="1">POWERPOPAHOLIC</a> for the great review of<em> Friends and the Fakers!</em></p>
<p> <a href="http://www.powerpopaholic.com/2018/11/valley-lodge-and-low-ray.html" target="_blank" data-imported="1"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/394776/0a0b4646315b9ba628c58d41f23a11c4493a0529/original/lowray-cover-banner-web.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6ODEyeDQwNiJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="406" width="812" /></a></p>
<p><em>Minneapolis-based Americana rock duo LowRay, featuring singer/guitarist Daniel Fowlds and drummer James Irving produce a solid debut with more than its fair share of catchy rock and roll. The opening title track is a strong melody buoyed by chugging riffs and crisp harmonies. “Western Song” slows the pace a little, as Fowlds vocals resemble Jon Bon Jovi through its steady rhythm. The ballad “I’m Sorry” is a true emotional gem as he earnestly sings “doesn’t matter who’s right.” The catchy “8 Track Tapes” and “Waiting For You” both benefit from excellent guitar hooks.</em></p>
<p><em>While it can’t maintain the same level of catchiness all the way through, the musicianship is top notch. The ’70s styled strut of “Sooner Or Later” will have you yelling for more cowbell, and most of the songs here deserve repeat listens. Check out this talented band as they are officially highly recommended.</em></p>
LowRaytag:lowrayband.com,2005:Post/61108102018-11-08T12:00:00-12:002021-07-04T18:41:48-12:00New Record Out Today, 89.3 The Current picks "Friends and the Fakers" for Song of the Day
<p>Our debut full length <em>Friends and the Fakers</em> is out today! Many thanks to <a href="https://www.thecurrent.org/feature/2018/11/09/lowray-friends-and-fakers" target="_blank" data-imported="1">89.3 The Current</a> for picking the title track as their Song of the Day. Listen to <em>Friends and the Fakers</em> on all major streaming services (Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, etc.) and order your limited edition banana yellow, 180 gram vinyl from <a href="https://lowray1.bandcamp.com/album/friends-and-the-fakers" target="_blank" data-imported="1">our Bandcamp page</a> if you like what you hear. Better yet, pick up a copy in person tomorrow at our <a href="http://lowrayband.com/news/friends_and_the_fakers_lp_release_show:_saturday_november_10/" data-imported="1">album release show</a> at the Hook and Ladder in Minneapolis, featuring support from Porcupine, Little Man and Ryan & Pony (of Melismatics and Soul Asylum fame)! Doors: 8PM | Tickets: $10 in advance, $15 at the door</p>
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<p><a href="https://www.thecurrent.org/feature/2018/11/09/lowray-friends-and-fakers" target="_blank" data-imported="1"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/394776/90d8f1a6aa1986c28b38202e188a688e6f199769/original/thecurrent.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6Njk3eDY5NyJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="697" width="697" /></a></p>
LowRaytag:lowrayband.com,2005:Post/61108112018-11-07T12:00:00-12:002021-06-13T22:21:39-12:00Panther Portrait: LowRay
<p>Thanks to the <a href="https://www.northerniowan.com/9525/showcase/panther-portrait-lowray/" target="_blank" data-imported="1">Northern Iowan</a> for the coverage of our recent show at the Octopus on College Hill in Cedar Falls! We had a blast and hope to return soon. </p>
<p><a href="https://www.northerniowan.com/9525/showcase/panther-portrait-lowray/" target="_blank" data-imported="1"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/394776/80bf616703800a2bdc4b57dd3568b531fcbe5958/original/octopus.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6ODcxeDY3NyJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="677" width="871" /></a></p>
<p><em> Twin Cities band LowRay played at the Octopus on College Hill last Thursday, Nov. 1. Band members Daniel Fowlds and James Irving created LowRay in 2015 after they had both taken a break from the music industry. </em></p>
<p><em>Lead singer and guitarist Fowlds is a Minneapolis native who has played in bands since the 80’s. Fowlds said he is most confident on guitar and vocals but occasionally uses a keyboard to write some of the band’s songs. Irving, who plays drums for the band, grew up in England. His music career began while he was still a teenager. </em></p>
<p><em>Fowlds writes all of the songs the band plays while Irving helps polish them. On their band website, Fowlds and Irving touch on the fact that they bring in other people to play with them for live gigs. “People come in and add their own flavor,” Irving said. </em></p>
<p><em>LowRay’s newest LP, “Friends and the Fakers,” comes out on Nov. 9 and has 10 tracks that mix classic FM radio rock with power pop, soul, R&B, new wave and country. For more information on upcoming shows and news about LowRay, students can visit their website www.lowrayband.com or follow them on social media. – Adriana Miene<a href="https://www.northerniowan.com/staff/?writer=ADRIANA%20MIENE" data-imported="1"><br></a></em></p>
LowRaytag:lowrayband.com,2005:Post/61108082018-10-29T12:00:00-12:002021-03-24T23:42:54-12:00Surviving The Golden Age Premieres Lyric Video for "8-Track Tapes"
<p>Thanks to <a href="http://survivingthegoldenage.com/lowray-8-track-tapes/" data-imported="1">Surviving The Golden Age</a> for premiering our brand new lyric video for "8-Track Tapes," the second single off our debut full-length LP, <em>Friends and the Fakers</em> — out Friday, November 9th on vinyl, CD and all online streaming services.</p>
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<div class="video responsive"><div class="video-container"><div class="video responsive"><div class="video-container"><iframe frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ezoDAVRarVk" width="560" allowfullscreen="" class="wrapped wrapped"></iframe></div></div></div></div>
<p><em>Minneapolis-based duo, <a href="http://survivingthegoldenage.com/tag/lowray" rel="noopener" target="_blank" data-imported="1">LowRay</a> are preparing to release their new album, Friends and the Fakers on November 9th. Surviving the Golden Age is excited to premiere their new lyric video for “8 Track Tapes.”</em></p>
<p><em>If you are not in your 40s, there is a good chance you do not remember 8-track tapes. The only reason I know them is there was an 8-track player in my high school art classroom. We would listen to such classics as Frank Sinatra “It Was a Very Good Year” and Englebert Humperdinck’s “Release Me (and Let Me Love Again).” LowRay’s “8 Track Tapes” sounds nothing like those but the lyric video does bring me right back to art class. Lyrics to the track appear magically on 8-track tapes as they go by in a conveyor belt-like fashion. If you like power pop bands like Big Star or <a href="http://survivingthegoldenage.com/tag/posies/" rel="noopener" target="_blank" data-imported="1">the Posies</a> and you have nostalgia for your ’68 Mustang, LowRay is right in your wheelhouse.</em></p>
LowRaytag:lowrayband.com,2005:Post/61108092018-10-23T12:00:00-12:002018-10-31T10:38:00-12:00The JW Vibe Reviews Friends and the Fakers
<p class="font_9">Thanks so much to <a href="https://www.jwvibe.com/single-post/2018/10/24/LOWRAY-Friends-and-the-Fakers" target="_blank" data-imported="1">The JW Vibe</a> for the kind words regarding our forthcoming LP, <em>Friends and the Fakers</em>.</p>
<p class="font_9"><a href="https://www.jwvibe.com/single-post/2018/10/24/LOWRAY-Friends-and-the-Fakers" target="_blank" data-imported="1"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/394776/0a0b4646315b9ba628c58d41f23a11c4493a0529/original/lowray-cover-banner-web.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6ODA0eDQwMiJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="402" width="804" /></a></p>
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<p class="font_9"><em>In their glowing intro to the premiere of the humorous video for “Friends and the Fakers,” the title track to emerging pop/rock duo LowRay’s first full length album, the premier indie music website Popdust offered: “Minnesota is famous for artists like Prince, The Replacements and Husker Du. Soon we’ll be able to add LowRay to that list. Amen. Any album this well played, engaging and enjoyable should inspire such optimism.</em></p>
<p class="font_9"><em>Yet one listen to the track, which sounds like a brooding, slow rumbling, harmonically picture perfect Tom Petty outtake (which would be perfectly at home, say, on the recent collection An American Treasure), lets us know what's what. LowRay's enduring success will likely be due not to a purely original sound but from the unabashed exuberance that Minneapolis native Daniel Fowlds (singer/guitarist) and British born drummer James Irving bring to their colorful twist on the fantastic array of classic influences that infuse their passions. </em></p>
<p class="font_9"><em>Nothing wrong with balancing delightfully catchy, crisp and edgy, and dreamy, lilting and soulful, alternating cool vibes from track to track, as long as they’re sincere eminently infectious and enjoyable. The duo, who first met when Irving, a recent transplant to the Twin Cities, was hired to mix an album for Fowld’s then-band Pill Hill, bring their crackling chemistry to the bluesy, banging skiffle shuffle “Western Song,” and trip delicately into classic Beatles acoustic strumming territory (with a crisp electric harmony line and solo) on the heartfelt “I’m Sorry.” </em></p>
<p class="font_9"><em>The real charm here comes from the intense moodswings, taking us from the soaring, high energy harmony pop of “8 Track Tapes” and the driving rock jangle of “There’s A Place” to the Bryan Adams-esque grit of “Lonely Tuesday Night” and haunting, introspective soul of “Palisade” and “Let Me Be.” Both Fowlds and Irving are veterans of other bands who bring the best of their cumulative experience to create something both wildly fresh and comfortably familiar to a sound that will no doubt fulfill Popdust’s prophecy somewhere down the road.</em></p>
LowRaytag:lowrayband.com,2005:Post/61108072018-10-15T12:00:00-12:002021-04-09T22:24:09-12:00The Big Takeover Debuts New Single "8-Track Tapes"
<p>We are truly honored to have an all-time favorite music magazine/website <a href="http://bigtakeover.com/news/SongPremiere8TrackTapebyLowRay" target="_blank" data-imported="1">The Big Takeover</a> debut "8-Track Tapes," our second single from our forthcoming <em>Friends and the Fakers LP — </em>out Friday, November 9th!</p>
<p><a href="http://bigtakeover.com/news/SongPremiere8TrackTapebyLowRay" data-imported="1"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/394776/b7f4e8a233d77fb8edd2245f5d8abe59254496cf/original/the-big-takeover.png/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6OTg1eDg4NiJd.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="886" width="985" /></a></p>
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<p><em>Minneapolis-based Americana/rock duo <strong>LowRay</strong>, featuring singer/guitarist <strong>Daniel Fowlds</strong> (<strong>Pill Hill</strong>) and drummer <strong>James Irving</strong> (<strong>22-20s</strong>), will release their debut album, Friends and the Fakers, on November 9th. The LP will arrive on limited edition banana yellow opaque vinyl and will also be available on all major online streaming services.</em></p>
<p><em>Though the duo’s partnership is only a few years old, LowRay’s sound is self-assured and well-worn, and it exudes a timeless quality that refuses to adhere to any one style or trend. A record release show is scheduled for November 10th at the Hook and Ladder in Minneapolis.</em></p>
<p><em>The Big Takeover is pleased to premiere a cut off the album, the engaging and melodic throwback “8 Track Tapes” (Remember those?). The tuneful, laid-back power pop number is filled with bright harmonizing vocals, shining guitar lines, spacey to subdued keyboard notes, a supple bass line, and a shakin’ drum beat.</em></p>
<p><em>Frontman Dan Fowlds comments on the song, revealing, “As a kid growing up we had an 8-track player in our ’77 Chevy Caprice Classic. I thought they were fascinating but never really understood how flipping between the tracks worked. Unless you have used one, it may not make sense. Sometimes late at night you can have thoughts that come at you out of nowhere followed by another that keep you awake and you can’t shut them off. There is something similar to the way my brain works and how 8-track tapes players play. “</em></p>
<p><em>Fowlds concludes, “When tracking that tune James’ daughter <strong>Sue</strong> was in the studio with us. I was laying down guitar while tracking and she was dancing. A great memory from the sessions. <strong>Jeff Victor</strong> did the keys for this track. All of the synth sounds were of ’80s origin. We have a version of this somewhere with the keys way out front and it sounds more like a Gary Newman song. Jeff is amazing!”</em></p>
LowRaytag:lowrayband.com,2005:Post/61108052018-10-08T12:00:00-12:002021-07-04T21:31:02-12:00GIGsoup Reviews "Friends and the Fakers"
<p>Many thanks to <a href="https://www.gigsoupmusic.com/news/new-music-news/lowray-break-it-all-down-on-friends-and-the-fakers/" target="_blank" data-imported="1">GIGsoup</a> for the kind review of "Friends and the Fakers." Our new album comes out in exactly one month!</p>
<p><a href="https://www.gigsoupmusic.com/news/new-music-news/lowray-break-it-all-down-on-friends-and-the-fakers/" data-imported="1"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/394776/fc67ea5f58e1653eb1bcfc31195d986f9f68883f/original/gigsouplowray.png/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6ODYweDUyMyJd.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="523" width="860" /></a></p>
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<p><em>Minneapolis-based Americana rock duo LowRay, featuring singer/guitarist Daniel Fowlds (Pill Hill) and drummer James Irving (22-20s), announce they will release their debut LP, Friends and The Fakers, on Friday, November 9. Friends and the Fakers will be released on limited edition banana yellow opaque vinyl. The album will also be available on all major online streaming services.</em></p>
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<p><em>All songs are penned by Fowlds, who takes a storyteller’s approach to lyric writing, though more often than not his material stems from personal experience. Case in point: the incendiary lead single and title cut from Friends and the Fakers, which recalls Damn the Torpedoes-era Tom Petty—both stylistically and in its cautionary message, which deftly blends heat-of-the-moment angst with detached wisdom.</em></p>
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<p><em>“It’s about being treated like shit by someone you thought was your friend,” Fowlds explains. “But the point of it is, you made the choice to waste a bunch of your time with that kind of person. You have to learn from that experience and make better decisions moving forward.”</em></p>
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<p><em>“Friends and The Fakers” is heavily stained with classic rock jams and influence. The relatable lyrics, “You get your joys between the friends and the fakers, givers and takers, superstar-makers…” stick out like a nail in your skull. – Merrit Crowe</em></p>
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LowRaytag:lowrayband.com,2005:Post/61108062018-09-30T12:00:00-12:002018-10-09T02:01:17-12:00NeuFutur Magazine Review of "Friends and the Fakers"
<p>Shout out to <a href="http://neufutur.com/2018/10/lowray-friends-and-the-fakers/#more-61144" target="_blank" data-imported="1">NeuFutur Magazine</a> for the great "Friends and the Fakers" review! </p>
<p><a href="http://neufutur.com/2018/10/lowray-friends-and-the-fakers/#more-61144" data-imported="1"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/394776/c9b8245432961a21fbe8e3ea415fed51b0c25f4d/original/neufutur.png/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MTY2MHgxMDcwIl0%3D.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="1070" width="1660" /></a></p>
<p><em>On “Friends And The Fakers,” LowRay is able to make alternative rock attractive again. With dreamy vocals, fuzzy guitars, and on-point arrangements, the track builds upon the sound of Del Amitri and Delirious? while having LowRay forged forth with their own unique approach.<span id="more-61144"></span> The guitar/vocal dynamic is highlighted through Friends and The Fakers, a deliberate decision that ensures that each part is shining as brightly as possible. LowRay make an easy-going effort that has a much deep side to it chugging just below the surface. We’d love to hear more from the band in the months and years to come.</em></p>
LowRaytag:lowrayband.com,2005:Post/61108042018-09-19T12:00:00-12:002021-06-19T15:31:50-12:00Friends and the Fakers LP Release Show: Saturday, November 10
<p>Were excited to announce the Friends and the Fakers LP release show will be taking place Saturday, November 10 at the Hook and Ladder Theater & Lounge in Minneapolis, featuring sets from our pals Porcupine, Little Man and Ryan & Pony (of Melismatics and Soul Asylum fame). Doors: 8PM | Tickets: $10 in advance, $15 at the door | Tickets on sale tomorrow (Friday, September 21) at noon!</p>
<p>Get Tickets: <a href="https://www.ticketfly.com/purchase/event/1766976" data-imported="1">ticketfly.com/purchase/event/1766976</a></p>
<p>More Info: <a href="http://thehookmpls.com/event/lowray/" target="_blank" data-imported="1">thehookmpls.com/event/lowray</a></p>
<p>Facebook Event: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/260160064637070/" target="_blank" data-imported="1">facebook.com/events/260160064637070</a></p>
<p><a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/260160064637070/" target="_blank" data-imported="1"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/394776/4028842d9bd5044ccc481a6a787e775c580512fa/original/releaseshow.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MTkyMHgxMDgwIl0%3D.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="1080" width="1920" /></a></p>
LowRaytag:lowrayband.com,2005:Post/61108032018-09-17T12:00:00-12:002018-09-20T01:31:54-12:00Vents Magazine Review "Friends and the Fakers" Video
<p>Thanks to <a title="Vents: LowRay release new music video for Friends and the Fakers" href="http://ventsmagazine.com/2018/09/18/lowray-release-new-music-video-for-friends-and-the-fakers/" target="_blank" data-imported="1">Vents Magazine</a> for the great review of the "Friends and the Fakers" video! Vents covers the best of the indie, unsigned and mainstream music scenes.</p>
<p><a href="http://ventsmagazine.com/2018/09/18/lowray-release-new-music-video-for-friends-and-the-fakers/" data-imported="1"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/394776/52bdc6d5c44872a79c73d00885ea424d93f52b12/original/ventsarticle.png/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MTI0Mng5NTYiXQ%3D%3D.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="956" width="1242" /></a></p>
<p><em>We all know about the deep musical history of Minneapolis-St. Paul. But what about the region’s sitcom history? Some of the most famous television programs to hold the attention of viewers for a comic half-hour were set in and around the Twin Cities: The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Coach, Get A Life, even the proto-sitcom The Many Loves Of Dobie Gillis. Artists from Minnesota aren’t merely heirs to Prince, Husker Du, and The Replacements. They’re also inheritors of a comic storytelling tradition that found its expression on the small screen.</em></p>
<p><em>LowRay knows all about that. Although drummer James Irving is originally from England (before coming to the States, he played in the incendiary blues-rock outfit 22-20s), this is a Minnesota band through and through, and they’ve become star attractions in the competitive local scene. Their music has the inventiveness, tunefulness, and incisiveness we’ve come to expect from Twin Cities artists. And in their smart – and often very funny – clip for “Friends And The Fakers”, they pay sardonic but loving tribute to the situation comedies of the ’70s and ’80s.</em></p>
<p><em>The wit will come as no surprise to the group’s followers. Frontman and guitarist Dan Fowlds, who made a name for himself in Minneapolis bands Pill Hill and Bump, has a well-deserved reputation for crafting thoughtful lyrics. Columbia, the debut LowRay project, featured six sharply-written, keenly observed songs – and it earned the duo a devoted following among fans of grown-up pop-rock. “Friends And The Fakers”, the first single from the upcoming LowRay full-length, picks up right where Columbia left off. It’s a meditation on trust and authenticity, and it’s also ferociously catchy.</em></p>
<p><em>In fact, it’s every bit as much of an earworm as those great TV themes you surely remember from your childhood (or just from late night repeats). Adam Dunn’s video for “Friends And The Fakers” has been made to look like the titles to a vintage sitcom, right down to the establishing shots of a city skyline and suburban house and the blocky, One Day At A Time-like letters superimposed on the screen. We’re introduced to a cast of friends – and fakers – who mug for the camera, prank each other, and generally act as giddy and impertinent as situation comedy characters regularly do. But when one of them gets tired of the masquerade and demands a little sincerity from his peers, his apostasy – and his seriousness – only offends the rest of the cast. Is there any room for honesty in a world of frauds and fakers? </em>– RJ Frometa</p>
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LowRaytag:lowrayband.com,2005:Post/61108022018-09-12T12:00:00-12:002021-04-09T22:26:38-12:00Popdust Premieres Video for "Friends and the Fakers"
<p>Cool news! Leading music and pop culture website <a href="https://www.popdust.com/lowray-2604310781.html" target="_blank" data-imported="1">Popdust</a> just premiered our offical video for "Friends and the Fakers," the lead track and title cut from our forthcoming LP. Check it out and let us know what you think!</p>
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<div class="video responsive"><div class="video-container"><div class="video responsive"><div class="video-container"><iframe frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/9GPSP5N2XRk?rel=0" width="560" allowfullscreen="" class="wrapped wrapped"></iframe></div></div></div></div>
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<p>Via Popdust:</p>
<p><em>Minnesota is famous for artists like Prince, The Replacements, and Husker Du.</em></p>
<p><em>Soon we'll be able to add LowRay to that list.</em></p>
<p><em>LowRay, a pop-rock duo from the Twin Cities, premieres their music video for "The Friends And The Fakers" today. The song is the first single from LowRay's forthcoming full-length album. Paying homage to Minnesota's heritage of sitcoms like The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Coach, Get a Life, and The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis, the song contemplates the elusiveness of honesty in a world overflowing with posers and fakers.</em></p>
<p><em>Made up of James Irving (drums), who played with England's blues-rock band 22-20s, and Dan Fowlds (vocals, guitar), who played with Pill Hill, and Bump, LowRay's debut EP, called Columbia, features six tracks and garnered oodles of fans for the duo.</em></p>
<p><em>Opening with gleaming Tom Petty-like guitars atop a compact and contagious pop-rock melody, "The Friends And The Fakers" reflects retro flavors harking back to The British Invasion, only with contemporary energy and iridescent harmonic colors. Fowlds' nasal tenor exudes delicious drawling tones, as silky vocal harmonies inject the tune with coruscating textures. The lyrics consider the paucity of trust in human interrelations when confronted with pervasive ambition and self-serving deception.</em></p>
<p><em>"Who can you trust / When you're needing a friend / Who can you trust / If it's all just a scam / When we share / Openly from the start / The leeches feed on us / And stamp on our heart / You get your choice / Between the friends and the fakers / The givers and takers / The superstar makers."</em></p>
<p><em>The video, directed by Adam Dunn, interprets life as a television sitcom, introducing the cast of players, most of whom are phonies seeking only personal aggrandizement. The natural desire for sincerity is regarded as heresy.</em></p>
<p><em>"The Friends And The Fakers" glows with tight, intent harmonics, both captivating and alluring, as well as Fowlds' stunningly dense voice. LowRay certainly has it going on.</em></p>
LowRaytag:lowrayband.com,2005:Post/61108012018-07-20T12:00:00-12:002020-09-09T21:49:23-12:00"Friends and the Fakers" LP Artwork Revealed!
<p>We're excited to share the artwork for our full-length LP <em>Friends and the Fakers</em>, which will be available for purchase on limited edition yellow opaque vinyl this fall! Keep checking back over the coming weeks as we'll be unveiling new songs, a new video and much more!</p>
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<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/394776/069ba19df67dd77b8fcbea63943c023cb483d592/original/lowray-cover-art-web.jpeg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NzAweDcyMSJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="Friends and the Fakers" height="721" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;" width="700" /></p>
LowRaytag:lowrayband.com,2005:Post/61108002018-06-29T12:00:00-12:002021-07-02T22:55:58-12:00Supporting Matthew Sweet at the Turf Club
<p>We had a blast last night at the Turf Club supporting the legendary Matthew Sweet and his incredible band. Thanks to all who showed up early to rock out with us — it was a hot and sweaty and absolutely amazing show!</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/394776/9050694ed8f614389ee8d3a939da0cc0d7003054/original/lowray-turf-1.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NDU3eDMwNiJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="LowRay Mathew Sweet Turf Club 6.29.18" height="306" width="457" /> </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/394776/b80852e1541e87ed3eb359ca3315bf0e107cb063/original/lowray-turf-2.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NDU4eDMwNiJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="LowRay Mathew Sweet Turf Club 6.29.18" height="306" width="458" /></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/394776/be17014b1cbdbf809d594aab9dff737bd628afb8/original/lowray-turf-3.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NDU3eDMwNSJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="LowRay Mathew Sweet Turf Club 6.29.18" height="305" width="457" /> </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/394776/77677352404d840446cbc70fc3b4febbadd11b17/original/lowray-turf-4.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NDU3eDMwNSJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="LowRay Mathew Sweet Turf Club 6.29.18" height="305" width="457" /></p>
LowRaytag:lowrayband.com,2005:Post/61107992018-04-11T12:00:00-12:002018-08-26T21:38:54-12:00WATCH: LowRay Performs "Columbia" at Mortimer's
<p>LowRay performs "Columbia" at Mortimer's in Minneapolis — April 12, 2018.</p>
<p></p>
<div class="video responsive"><div class="video-container"><div class="video responsive"><div class="video-container"><iframe frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/LWQp2x7r7X0?rel=0" width="560" allowfullscreen="" class="wrapped wrapped"></iframe></div></div></div></div>
LowRaytag:lowrayband.com,2005:Post/61107982018-03-25T12:00:00-12:002018-08-26T10:41:02-12:00Uptown MPLS Mortimer's Residency
<p style="text-align: left;">The first show of our <a href="https://www.facebook.com/mortimersmpls/?rf=141275569243920" target="_blank" data-imported="1">Mortimer's</a> Residency in Uptown Minneapolis was an absolutely blast. Thanks to everyone who came out and rocked with us! See you next month on <a style="font-size: medium;" href="/shows" target="_blank" data-imported="1" data-link-type="page">Thursday, April 12th</a> for another awesome night of music with <a style="font-size: medium;" href="https://www.facebook.com/valettheband/" target="_blank" data-imported="1">Valet</a>, <a style="font-size: medium;" href="https://www.facebook.com/pg/deadhistoryband/about/?ref=page_internal" target="_blank" data-imported="1">Dead History</a> and <a style="font-size: medium;" href="https://www.facebook.com/pg/privateoates/about/?ref=page_internal" target="_blank" data-imported="1">Private Oates</a>.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Make sure to sign up for our email list at the bottom of this page, and follow us on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/LowRaymusic/" target="_blank" data-imported="1">Facebook</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/LowRayBand" target="_blank" data-imported="1">Twitter</a>, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyWhAjSmADWLxAWpzW8hRDQ" target="_blank" data-imported="1">YouTube</a> and <a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-377838818" target="_blank" data-imported="1">SoundCloud</a> to stay up-to-date on all things LowRay. <br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/394776/8c038764b1b5ca7287d90bbf07eb3c697e810909/original/mortimers-march2.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NDU3eDMwNiJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="306" width="457" /></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/394776/38c17ccd445643df3f8cb7e45d7a5074428e7546/original/mortimers-march1.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NDU4eDQ1OCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="458" width="458" /></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/394776/985e34cd2eb0e22884dfca03dc2c14e8f382878e/original/4dsfs.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NDU5eDM0NCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="344" width="459" /></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/394776/85d6ceb0a3d3865ecfded5b61d1265af71b3b0a3/original/mortimers-march5.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NDU5eDMwNiJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="306" width="459" /></p>
LowRaytag:lowrayband.com,2005:Post/61107972018-01-03T12:00:00-12:002020-10-16T21:27:21-12:00Winter Studio Sessions
<p>More time making new at <a href="http://www.the-terrarium.com" data-imported="1">The Terrarium</a>! We can't wait to share our new music with you all later this year. Trust us, it'll be worth the wait.</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/394776/bc8ab640e0dad0cfe361e54e5c8ce26944059c65/original/studio2-1.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NTEzeDM4NSJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="385" width="513" /><br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/394776/bcb69f360e38c1500c246f1e9ee92fabedaed594/original/studio2-2.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NTE0eDM4NSJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="385" width="514" /><br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/394776/b3468136fed52d5eb5899af826391d68acafb84c/original/studio2-4.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NTE2eDM4NSJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="385" width="516" /><br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/394776/6b5feb200136bd66b6d0a54dafaafc1c3ec7f6cf/original/studio2-3.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NTE4eDM5MCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="390" width="518" /><br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/394776/db1c2fd8aff759c7b555f74ae68165f137306d83/original/studio2-5.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NTE5eDY5MiJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="692" width="519" /><br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/394776/ccc9a21e808b728fbc652cb9edb860314f5ba735/original/studio2-6.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NTIweDY5NSJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="695" width="520" /></p>
LowRaytag:lowrayband.com,2005:Post/61107962017-12-04T12:00:00-12:002021-06-02T15:53:03-12:00WATCH: "Columbia" Lyric Video
<p></p>
<p>Lyric video for the title track from our debut EP, <em>Columbia:</em></p>
<p> </p>
<p></p>
<div class="video responsive"><div class="video-container"><div class="video responsive"><div class="video-container"><iframe frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ycBGzSh4RdE?rel=0" width="560" allowfullscreen="" class="wrapped wrapped"></iframe></div></div></div></div>
<p></p>
<p><br><em>I used to dream I owed a PK Ripper</em><br><em> Skyway mags I’d ride forever wheelies</em><br><em>Across the street in the shitty apartment</em><br><em>His mail order bride would carry in his groceries </em></p>
<p><em>Are you in there<br> Can you see me out of your window <br>It’s time to go ride the hills at <br>Columbia </em></p>
<p><em>Don’t be late he mumbled as we were leaving <br>Tomorrow comes early still you needed to pack <br>Didn’t want to move to South Dakota<br>He didn’t ask you but you never have much to say </em></p>
<p><em>Are you in there<br> Can you see me out of your window <br>It’s time to go ride the hills at <br>Columbia<br> Columbia </em></p>
<p><em>The wind is blowing the leaves fall off the trees now <br>I can’t hear the birds sing anymore<br>His music fills the air like a tonic<br>His car starts and slowly he pulls away<br>He pulls away <br>He pulls away </em></p>
LowRaytag:lowrayband.com,2005:Post/61107952017-11-19T12:00:00-12:002021-01-30T03:38:13-12:00November Studio Sessions - Photos
<p>We are hard at work at <a href="http://www.the-terrarium.com/" target="_blank" data-imported="1">The Terrarium Recording Studio</a> in Northeast Minneapolis, getting ready to bring you all some killer new music! Our first full-length album is in the works ...<br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/394776/24071265e8932de88e51fbe2a2898177632a0848/original/1.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MzY0eDI3MyJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="273" width="364" /><br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/394776/4e506b4a52e8f26372f3d8cb7f69e9640348b610/original/4.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MzY3eDI3NSJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="275" width="367" /><br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/394776/8db0bd9f00f1033e757a1eae5c12a18947bdedc9/original/5.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MzY5eDI3NiJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="276" width="369" /><br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/394776/e0fd82709f028998bbe5cb1523f914837a5bad83/original/2.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MzY4eDQ5MSJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="491" width="368" /><br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/394776/90bb56f3186db8479dbf082892b8541d17a2c823/original/3.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MzY5eDQ5MyJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="493" width="369" /></p>
LowRaytag:lowrayband.com,2005:Post/61107942017-10-23T12:00:00-12:002021-04-16T18:57:36-12:0012 Questions with Daniel Fowlds
<p><strong>12 Questions with Daniel Fowlds:</strong></p>
<p><strong><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/394776/420868aaf9c43776f599313874bc5bf7b6723379/original/live-2.jpeg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MTE4M3g3ODciXQ%3D%3D.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="787" width="1183" /></strong></p>
<p></p>
<p><strong>1. What was the first band you played in?</strong> </p>
<p class="p1"><em>Laissez Faire was my first band that recorded and gigged. We were in high school and from different schools so it seemed more legit and was. We played the Minnesota State Fair, First Avenue and we were the house band on the Joey Sparrow Show. Pretty big time! I'm still friends with all the guys and a couple members are still active in the Twin Cities music scene. </em></p>
<p class="p1"> </p>
<p class="p1"><strong>2. Do you play in any other bands? </strong></p>
<p class="p1"><em>Not at the moment.</em></p>
<p class="p1"> </p>
<p class="p1"><strong>3. How many and what instruments do you play?</strong></p>
<p class="p1"><em>Mostly guitar really. A bit of mandolin and piano. I played drums in high school marching band but even then guitar was what I wanted to be playing all the time.</em></p>
<p class="p1"> </p>
<p class="p1"><strong>4. If you could be any animal, what would you be and why? </strong></p>
<p class="p1"><em>I would be my dog, she has it pretty good.</em></p>
<p class="p1"> </p>
<p class="p1"><strong>5. What was the most memorable concert you’ve ever been to?</strong> </p>
<p class="p1"><em>Wow, I'm not sure — I've been to so many great ones! I camped overnight with my sister to get David Bowie tickets back in the late '80s and got 6th row I think? Peter Frampton played guitar for that show it was pretty awesome.</em></p>
<p class="p1"><strong> </strong></p>
<p class="p1"><strong>6. You're stranded on a desert island... What three items would you bring? </strong></p>
<p class="p1"><em>Not an item but my wife, plenty of fruits and veggies and a guitar.</em></p>
<p class="p1"> </p>
<p class="p1"><strong>7. How did you become a musician?</strong> </p>
<p class="p1"><em>Got my first guitar when I was five from my aunt Margo. I told her I didn't need lessons; I already knew how to play it. Not quite! I took piano for a few years, but didn't like it. In hindsight, the approach probably wasn't suited to me. When I started buying rock records I started playing my guitar all the time; I'd caught the bug.</em></p>
<p class="p1"> </p>
<p class="p1"><strong>8. What famous person (dead or alive) would you most want to have dinner with?</strong></p>
<p class="p1"><em>The entire Obama family.</em></p>
<p class="p1"> </p>
<p class="p1"><strong>9. What is the best advice you've ever received?</strong></p>
<p class="p1"><em>Have balance in your life from my first guitar teacher Doug Thompson.</em></p>
<p class="p1"> </p>
<p class="p1"><strong>10. What musician(s) influence you the most and why?</strong></p>
<p class="p1"><em>Hmm. Maybe the Beatles? I think everyone knows why.</em></p>
<p class="p1"> </p>
<p class="p1"><strong>11. What is your favorite food and drink?</strong></p>
<p class="p1"><em>Green Earth breakfast from Seward Café on the West Bank in Minneapolis.</em></p>
<p class="p1"> </p>
<p class="p1"><strong>12. Do you have any pets?</strong></p>
<p class="p1"><em>Our dog Bootsie Collins, and our cats who are great but will remain nameless for security reasons.<strong> </strong></em></p>
LowRay