ohio to michigan |
you are here : 9.2011 / buy itNBE's latest release is their most exploratory volume of work to date. “You Are Here” combines song writing finesse with a lush, yet edgy aesthetic. The release is just as enticing as those previous with a certain added, though understated, sense of both longing and adventure that shows this band is not willing to sit still. True to form, the songs are still infused with an earthly charm and a genuine sense of locality and experience, full of the kind of rawness and sincerity that most bands don’t dare attempt. Riding the same lines as Kate and Sarah’s vibrant personalities, “You Are Here” hosts are variety of styles throughout it, from the traditional Americana of Ohio to Michigan to the Pop-Folk of Puppeteer, OneFourThree and Blank Pages to Indie-Folk of Hiding Out finally to the Sultry Soul that is No Telling, there is something on this disc for everyone. NBE has even tossed in a humorous song, crowd favorite Happiest We’ve Ever Been, about the stereotypes of a certain sub-culture that they happen to exist within. “You Are Here” features instrumentation by NBE band members Susie Giang and Murray Stewart-Jones as well as guest appearances by some of the best Michigan talent including Chris Bathgate, Frontier Ruckus, Theo Katzman, Erin Zindle (The Ragbirds), Mike Lynch (Kid Rock) and Kaylan Mitchell (The Juliettes). |
you've lost that lovin' feelin' |
just the two of us (our duo doing duos) : spring 2010
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ashes |
anchors: {the green album} ::: spring 2009"ahhhh the instruments on the new CD, Anchors by Nervous But Excited are organic and rich like good soil. The arrangements are layered in a way that makes me want to listen and hear it grow. The songs are honest and dimensional. It's music to my ears." - Amy Ray of the Indigo Girls the first 100% carbon footprint free CD release in history. (at least that we can find). together with our record label Riot Grrrl Ink, we meticulously tracked all the energy used in the project, from the gas to get to the studio and the energy needed to power and heat it. all promotional paper items were produced using 100% post consumer materials. all energy that could not be avoided was offset through renewable energy credits. hence, we are calling it anchors: {the green album}. musically and lyrically, anchors is many steps beyond what what we've done in the past... the songs are representative of change and growth and groundedness. we worked closely with manager/musician/producer and friend susie giang to build and record the songs first as a duo. once that core was in place, we joined up with a slew of really talented national and local musicians in to add their layers to the songs, including Girlyman, Lyndell Montgomery, Chris Bathgate, Katie Sawicki, Chris Dorman and many more. together, we colored in the lines of our songs with a sweet-tasting assortment of warming-your-feet-by-the-fire-in-the-wintertime kind of instrumentation. it's from our hearts, and we hope you can feel it in yours too. |
Intro |
{home} spun ::: live, summer 2008
{home}spun is the essence of nervous but excited: live, alive and lively. |
bootleg from the basement ::: winter 2007this is a collection of songs we recorded in scott pryors bedroom really close to christmas in west philly. it is dedicated to the folks that continue to help us o u t o f o u r b a s e m e n t and on onto the road. as a thank you, you can purchase the real thing, or name your price here.dirt road is a favorite from several years ago. |
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lansing
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once more... with feeling ::: spring 2006
"Nervous But Excited sound neither nervous nor excited on Once More… With Feeling, but they had to have been excited upon finishing this album. Kate Peterson and Sarah Cleaver, with voices that hold hands in the dark, called upon a small group of friends to flesh out their modern folk sound and the result is captivating. With what at first sounds like traces of the 60s folk movement, they move through the eleven originals with ease and slowly leave the traces in the dust and leave you wanting more… with feeling. The songs reflect a variety of tones and moods, but they overwhelm with their softer love ballads. Unfinished Song uses a beautiful finger-picked base with single lonely plucks on mandolin to set the mood as voice laments "some days I hear you say things you've never said like how it was all worth it in the end/and most days you are an unfinished song/you come line by line as my days move along", a musical deep sigh if ever there was one. The mandolin strums chords over distant accordion and banjo and upright bass on Slow and Steady while the upfront, mildly brassy voice is made softer by other, round and mellow. Sunspot is moody as well and though Blessing is of the same tone, it stands a bit above thanks to the super tremolo guitar which weaves itself throughout. These ladies can rock as well. Wishlist is upbeat and uses what sounds like bowed bass and mild choppy violin or viola to set the pace and even throws in some Eleanor Rigby sounding strings for good measure. A bit softer but still upbeat, "Lansing" is a head nodder. A light choogling rhythm at the beginning of Mighty Ocean picks up steam and then slows and fades as does the musical dreamscape. Peterson and Cleaver save the instrumental Living Room, Early AM to maybe make a point: they can play as well as they can sing. Indeed, their instrumental prowess is the bedrock of every song, especially their work on guitar and mandolin, but it takes center stage here and is a great way to end the album, bowed bass and acoustic guitar riding into the sunset. A pat on the back should be accorded Nicholas Koby here. In addition to co-producing with Peterson and Cleaver, he adds real depth with his first-rate effort on the upright bass. Bottom line is, this is one pretty fine album, but Nervous But Excited are just good enough to make you wonder what they can really do. Well, if you're ever in Michigan, ask around. With music this good on CD, odds are that they have offers for live gigs on a regular basis. They are more than likely even better on stage." - Folk and Acoustic Music Exchange, by Frank Gutch Jr. |
eight live songs ::: fall 2005back in the day we used to go by kate peterson & sarah cleaver. nervous but excited was simply a commonly used expression. in an attempt to get our stuff together, we recorded the eight live songs EP live, in one take, at Uncommon Ground in Chicago on September 13, 2005. It was mastered in Lansing by Gary Reid. it's fun and imperfect and includes two covers that you can't find anywhere else - the forever popular Wagon Wheel and the traditional Moonshiner. |
mighty ocean coffee stained moonshiner it was nice 200 years whats left echo wagon wheel |
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torch song evolution ::: winter 2004the torch song evolution ep is a compilation of sarah and kate's very first collaborations, and select tracks from previous solo albums (Kate's Undone and Sarah's From Where I Stand). it was released in conjunction with the launch of their 2005 torch song evolution tour. sarah and kate define a torch song as one that's meaning and purpose, in it's many interpretations, has continued to inspire change within the world as it evolves.
songs that have sustained generations and have found a unifying voices for the folks that need them most. |
undone mighty ocean queen & holding 200 years sundays where i'm standin |
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undone ::: kate solo ::: winter 2004undone was recorded in lansing, MI by jason lantrip at trash180 studios and was kates first professional recording. the title track, undone, features sarah cleaver on vocals, nbe's first recorded collaboration. Review by Heather Corcoran, CoffeeHouseTour |
undone loophole more to me shiny apple coffee stained queen & holding it was nice whats left songbirds splinter |
from where i stand ::: sarah solo :::
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cry shotgun over where i'm standin sleepwalker india oil in water thank you change |
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more to me ::: kate solo ::: summer 2002a recording of kate's very first 9 nine songs, written between spring 2001 and summer 2002, more to me is an honest look at a young songwriter alone in a room. kate recorded these nine tracks in the michigan state university audio studios where she interned, and "mastered" the songs on her home pc. this album is only available digitally. |
more to me loophole the lines between half truth easy way out starving to please your song what's left splinter |