 photo: leah schew |
Michigan-based, Pleasantly Aggressive Folk Duo Nervous but Excited (Kate Peterson & Sarah Cleaver) is two songwriters, two singers, two guitars, a mandolin, a violin, a few harmonicas, dead-on harmony, some vaguely choreographed dancing and a lot of laughter. Their original repertoire ranges in topic from smart, introspective narratives to the tactfully political… and they still dabble a bit in the love/post-love variety every now and then.
As these two ladies take the stage or any living room near you, you won't be able to deny the power of their laughter, combined with their genuinely emotive chords and words. These two women are not afraid to sing loud and sing hard. The sensitive tug of their voices can pull you through worlds of progressive politics, and their harmonies have been described as the kind that build so smoothly until suddenly they start to shake your insides.
The duo continues to navigate the endless road of music touring and are impressive in their search to find where their music lies and breathes within all of us. These are not two musicians that are just looking for audiences to play to. They are looking for audiences to sing to. To laugh with. To appreciate. To breathe in and to take home. Their humor has welcomed us all, their melody has held us, and their movement has energized us.
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  photos: kat petersen |
They are currently on tour supporting their latest album, Anchors, the first 100% carbon neutral CD release. NBE has worked with their indie label Riot Grrrl Ink to create the zero carbon footprint album (at least that they can find). Throughout the process NBE worked to avoid/offset all the energy used in the project, and used 100% post consumer materials for the packaging, and hence are calling it “Anchors: {the green album}”.
Musically, Anchors is many steps beyond what nbe has done in the past. Kate and Sarah’s unique vocal harmonies are enhanced by many talented players including Girlyman, Lyndell Montgomery and Chris Bathgate among others who joined them to color in the lines of the songs with a sweet-tasting assortment of warming-your-feet-by-the-fire-in-the-wintertime kind of instrumentation.
Since 2004, nbe has toured consistently in support of their 8 releases, Anchors (2009), {home}spun (2008 live), Bootleg from the Basement EP (2008), Once More... With Feeling (2006), eight live songs (2005 live), Torch Song Evolution (Winter 2004). Previous independent albums include Kate Peterson's 2005 release of Undone and Sarah Cleaver's 2004 release From Where I Stand.
They have played many established rooms and with artists such as Catie Curtis, Lucy Kaplansky, Utah Phillips, Melissa Ferrick, Cheryl Wheeler, Ferron, Toshi Reagon, The Butchies, Alix Olson, Bitch, Girlyman, Pamela Means, Chris Pureka and Ember Swift.
Nervous but Excited is represented by Riot Grrrl Ink and distributed nationwide by Goldenrod Music.
From coffee shops to festival stages they’ve lead people in laughing, singing and handclapping throughout the country for over three years.