Republic Nashville's Eli Young Band is riding a huge wave this week following the release of their latest single, "Crazy Girl." Already impacting country radio by earning #1 (Billboard) and #2 (Mediabase) in most added for the first week, its also a hit with fans who took it to #1 on the iTunes country singles chart (15k+ downloads). The band, consisting of Mike Eli (vocals/guitar), James Young (guitar/vocals), Jon Jones (bass/vocals), and Chris Thompson (drums) have been working their way around the country on a radio tour promoting the new single, and stopped by KEEY-K102's studio on Wednesday for a private performance.
Eli Young Band jumped right in, playing the waltzing love-song "Crazy Girl" for us to enjoy. I may be corrected if I am wrong, but I feel like the 3/4 meter in this song sets itself apart from the standard rhythm of other songs being played on country radio today, in an intoxicating, beautiful way. This song's title and hook is seamlessly used between its two meanings. A similar use of wordplay is found on another single out right now, Eric Church's "Homeboy." The music video for the song which debuted at CMT.com at #1, is a literal take on the title, which I love since it highlights the band's good natured sense of humor ["Crazy Girl" video].
As a solid first single from their highly anticipated upcoming album, they have more where that came from! They also played for us "The Fight," a new song about perseverance through difficult times. Aly remarked that she loves (actually, she said it more like "LOVED!") this song's inspirational theme, which has a subtle delivery. Not only will EYB fans enjoy this easy-going ballad, with lyrics like "You gotta know what brought you here / you gotta lose to persevere..." I think the message will resonate with music fans far and wide. We also heard the first single to chart from their 2008 album Jet Black & Jealous, "When It Rains." This song was the band's ticket to the big leagues, which was penned by Mike Eli in the early days of their formation. They closed with their Top 10 single "Always The Love Songs" from 2008. Both of these have been in my music collection for years, and it was honestly such a thrill to hear them performed live!
Frontman Mike Eli's sincere Texas twang and the band's underlying rock-roots sound won these Yankees right over. To top it off, they were incredibly kind and we had a great time catching up with them about their hectic but exciting lives on the road. Considering the last time the band was in the area they opened at the Minnesota State Fair grandstand for Jason Aldean in 2009, we can't wait for Eli Young Band to come back to Minnesota for a full band show!
With an arsenal of new music ready for release (EP expected in May, full-length album expected this Fall), along with the support of the powerhouse team at Republic Nashville and an army of loyal fans, we know that Eli Young Band is on the upswing of a momentous period of their careers!
Enjoy the Music and Keep Rockin,
Beth and Aly
Read more at Independent Sky and follow us on twitter @indyskymusic
Setlist: Crazy Girl / The Fight / When It Rains / Always the Love Songs
"Crazy Girl" [buy on iTunes]
Eli Young Band jumped right in, playing the waltzing love-song "Crazy Girl" for us to enjoy. I may be corrected if I am wrong, but I feel like the 3/4 meter in this song sets itself apart from the standard rhythm of other songs being played on country radio today, in an intoxicating, beautiful way. This song's title and hook is seamlessly used between its two meanings. A similar use of wordplay is found on another single out right now, Eric Church's "Homeboy." The music video for the song which debuted at CMT.com at #1, is a literal take on the title, which I love since it highlights the band's good natured sense of humor ["Crazy Girl" video].
As a solid first single from their highly anticipated upcoming album, they have more where that came from! They also played for us "The Fight," a new song about perseverance through difficult times. Aly remarked that she loves (actually, she said it more like "LOVED!") this song's inspirational theme, which has a subtle delivery. Not only will EYB fans enjoy this easy-going ballad, with lyrics like "You gotta know what brought you here / you gotta lose to persevere..." I think the message will resonate with music fans far and wide. We also heard the first single to chart from their 2008 album Jet Black & Jealous, "When It Rains." This song was the band's ticket to the big leagues, which was penned by Mike Eli in the early days of their formation. They closed with their Top 10 single "Always The Love Songs" from 2008. Both of these have been in my music collection for years, and it was honestly such a thrill to hear them performed live!
Frontman Mike Eli's sincere Texas twang and the band's underlying rock-roots sound won these Yankees right over. To top it off, they were incredibly kind and we had a great time catching up with them about their hectic but exciting lives on the road. Considering the last time the band was in the area they opened at the Minnesota State Fair grandstand for Jason Aldean in 2009, we can't wait for Eli Young Band to come back to Minnesota for a full band show!
With an arsenal of new music ready for release (EP expected in May, full-length album expected this Fall), along with the support of the powerhouse team at Republic Nashville and an army of loyal fans, we know that Eli Young Band is on the upswing of a momentous period of their careers!
Enjoy the Music and Keep Rockin,
Beth and Aly
Read more at Independent Sky and follow us on twitter @indyskymusic
Setlist: Crazy Girl / The Fight / When It Rains / Always the Love Songs
"Crazy Girl" [buy on iTunes]
