The mantra of the Friends?
Go put a smile on somebody’s face, go tell somebody they’ve got a place in this world, go tell somebody you wanna be friends with them.
For as much as Sammy Rae & The Friends may be a band, this collective of dreamers and artists considers themselves a family first. That all-for-one and one-for-all camaraderie ignites their unforgettable and can’t-miss live shows, which serve as a catharsis for both the musicians and their fervent audience. Fronted by singer/songwriter Sammy Rae and honed through years of touring, the group is capable of flourishing in any spotlight thanks to its signature blend of palpable chemistry, deft virtuosity, and vocal fireworks.
Their sound, which has attracted new fans by the thousands in the past few years, is a unique mélange of Sammy’s influences: classic rock, folk and funk and sprinkled with soul and jazz. Rae has been building toward this moment since moving to NYC from Connecticut in her early 20s. Finding herself without a built-in peer group, she simply built it herself: the literal and proverbial Friends. When she started playing shows, she made sure the audience was part of the family too. Everything that’s happened since – from EP’s “The Good Life” (2018) and “Let’s Throw a Party” (2021) to sold-out shows in major markets and secondary markets alike across North American and the UK & Europe, to high-profile festival sets around the world, including Bonnaroo’s main stage, Sound on Sound, All Things Go, and more – has been based on friends telling friends.
With the release of their debut album “Something For Everybody” in 2024, Sammy Rae & The Friends have come to represent more than just a band: they are a full-on movement being adopted with refreshingly diverse clientele. The band is currently working on their next album
Melt
Pulsing with the energy of their hometown New York City, ‘If There’s a Heaven’(out 9/13/24)is the debut album from indie band Melt. The band formed in 2017 and cut their teeth touring on the heels of their viral single “Sour Candy” over weekends in college. Called “one groovy super organism” by NPR, they are known for their ecstatic live set. In 2021, Melt released their‘West Side Highway’ EP and toured nationally, further developing their intuitive connection as players as well as cementing their status as a band to watch.
‘If There’s a Heaven’ presents Melt simultaneously at their most airtight and freewheeling–evoking the raw, communal spirit of Fleetwood Mac as well as the modern, danceable hooks ofMUNA. Recorded live to tape with producer Sam Evian (Big Thief), the eleven tracks spanexistential, feel-good pop (“Plant the Garden”), classic love ballads (“Your Name”) and lush,soulful rockers (“Heaven”). Melt’s debut is ajoyous, timeless soundtrack for coming of age andfinding oneself and one’s community. As emotionally stirring as they are groovy, Melt will movelisteners in every sense of the word.
