THE GREENCARDS TO RELEASE ‘FASCINATION’ APRIL 21 MARKS DEBUT ALBUM FOR SUGAR HILL RECORDS

THE GREENCARDS
TO RELEASE ‘FASCINATION’ APRIL 21

MARKS DEBUT ALBUM FOR
SUGAR HILL RECORDS

With two Australians and an Englishman, THE GREENCARDS are probably the least likely Austin-formed/Nashville-based band you’ve ever heard. Their love and respect for country, Americana, blues and bluegrass brought them together in 2003 and–now signed to Sugar Hill Records–the trio will release their fourth album FASCINATION April 21 and tour extensively throughout 2009.

THE GREENCARDS have already toured with Bob Dylan and Willie Nelson, earned the Americana Music Award in 2006 for “Emerging Artist of the Year” and in 2008 landed a Grammy nomination (“Best Country Instrumental Performance” for Viridian).  Their urge to challenge themselves, to test the limits of any established genre, guided THE GREENCARDS–singer/bassist Carol Young and multiple stringed-instrument master Kym Warner from Australia, and violinist/violist Eamon McLoughlin from the U.K–on their first three albums. FASCINATION—marking their first album to be produced by Jay Joyce–is the band’s most daring accomplishment to date.

Meticulously crafted arrangements serve as springboards for exhilarating improvisations. Acoustic textures and Carol Young’s moving vocals shimmer in the light of Jay Joyce’s innovative production. “We’d heard all these great records that Jay had made with Patty Griffin, John Hiatt and so many artists we love,” Young says. “But how would he utilize the fiddle, cello, mandolin, bouzouki, and bass–the core of the band–without putting layers and electronic sounds on it? We were very pleasantly surprised at how he just wanted us to play the songs and let our instruments speak for themselves.”

THE GREENCARDS’ 2003 debut Movin’ On earned them early critical praise and an Austin Music Award for “Best New Band.”  They followed that up with 2005’s Weather and Water, of which Paste magazine said: “The ‘cards rely little on flashy romps, favoring moody, catchy lyrics and steady picking.  A comforting, intimate blend of genuinely performed roots music.”  The Austin American- Statesman noted:  “The key is the voice of bassist Carol Young, which approaches the vast ethereality of Patty Griffin on the breathtaking opener…the lightning quick communications between mandolinist Kym Warner and fiddler Eamon McLoughlin, which established The Greencards as a band to watch a couple of years ago, come in clearer on new instrumentals ‘Marty’s Kitchen’ and the stunning closer ‘The House on Vine Street’ (7/5/05).”

THE GREENCARDS will be on the road all year, with dates starting January 15 in Colorado. Their schedule will include playing several festivals including the Old Settlers Music Festival in Austin, Merlefest 2009 in Wilkesboro, NC, and the Telluride Bluegrass Festival in Colorado.

In a live review of a show by THE GREENCARDS, the Washington Post said that “it’s impossible to classify the Nashville-based band as simply bluegrass…Brit Eamon McLoughlin, so impressive with his liquid fiddling, and mandolinist Kym Warner, who defies expectations with thrill rides up and down the fingerboard…(4/18/07)”  

Please check out http://www.myspace.com/thegreencards or http://www.thegreencards.com/ for more.