Hailing from Orange County, Yellow Red Sparks have already been featured by Daytrotter, CMJ, Paste plus a heap of other music blogs and are about to hit the road in conjunction with the release of their self-titled LP. Their new video for “A Play To End All Plays” is now on NPR…
Good coffee, cold weather, friends, family, trials, and tribulations. For some, these are the ins-and-out of everyday life. But for Yellow Red Sparks, this daily make-up holds the inspiration for their craft. The California based indie-folk trio possess a staggering ability to take seemingly normal circumstances, rewrite them with an uninhibited honesty and wistful beauty, and turn them into vivid scenes as told through their unique brand of cinematic folk.
Originally a moniker for California-based solo performer Joshua Hanson, Yellow Red Sparks now represents a trio, also comprised of Sara Lynn Nishikawa (upright bass/vocals), and Goldy (drums/vocals). Together, the three recreate Hanson’s songwriting by blending lush harmonies and haunting melodies with softly echoed vocals, as so effortlessly demonstrated on their first self titled album, released January 29, 2013.
The self-titled release is a spartan collection of short stories that, as principal songwriter, Joshua explains, is but a foreword into a much grander narrative. “Just like being human, this record as a whole goes through many emotions and each song on its own is meant to paint a portion of a picture,” he muses. ” I don’t believe that it’s possible to share everything a writer is feeling or trying to convey within 3 ½ minutes of a track.”
From the high energy guitar of, “Scents And Sensibility,” to the heartfelt strings on, “Happiness Comes In A Box,” Yellow Red Sparks‘ first release is a mature accomplishment for the band, and garnered attention from an extensive range of tastemakers. The band have since gone on to win two accolades for their local OC Music Awards in the Best Folk category and opened for the likes of Local Natives, Sea Wolf, The Jezabels, and Aqualung.
Their forthcoming video for single, “A Play To End All Plays,” provides a powerful visual for the haunting track which, for the band, “really stands on it’s own from the rest of the record,” says Joshua. The video provides a hauntingly dark, and theatrical portrayal of a seemingly doomed relationship, as penned by Hanson. The track’s chorus is backed by a choir of children, reminiscent of the eery 1960’s film, “Village of The Damned,” further adding to the imagery. The video is set to premiere on NPR whose editor Bob Boilen instantly fell in love with the magnetic orchestration.
In anticipation of their recent album release, the band will be hitting the road in May, bringing their intimate and emphatic live show to audiences across the country. Tour dates below.
YELLOW RED SPARKS TOUR DATES
Friday, May 10 @ Mickey Finns – Toledo, OH
Saturday, May 11 @ The Basement – Columbus, OH
Monday, May 13 @ Boulder Cafe – Rochester, NY
Tuesday, May 14 @ Smiling Moose – Pittsburgh, PA
Wednesday, May 15 @ Milkboy – Philadelphia, PA
Thursday, May 16 @ The Saint – Asbury Park, NJ
Friday, May 17 @Union Hall – Brooklyn, NY
Saturday, May 18 @ Jimmy’s Bar & Oven – Brookline, MA