Animal Years

Relix and Heineken present Brooklyn's Animal Years at the Round Hill Music Showcase. The indie roots rockers' debut album is Sun Will Rise. - Relix Magazine

On Thursday 8/27 and Friday 8/28, WFUV and Rockwood Music Hall will be hosting the latest installment of “Downtown Comes Uptown.” Four distinct artists, including Brooklyn-based buzzband Animal Years, will be spotlighted in two distinct settings. On Thursday, they will bring their songs and stories out of their typical stomping ground (the downtown club scene) to a new audience at Lincoln Center’s David Rubenstein Atrium. The following night, all four artists return to the Lower East Side for full performances at Rockwood Music Hall.

As MCU followers know, we love Animal Years and highly recommend that you check them out if you’re in the area! The other three artists performing are Morningsiders, Michael Daves, and Kate Davis. - Music Creates Us

PopWrapped are delighted to present this Animal Years exclusive.
After the success of their 2014 album Sun Will Rise, and having played to an array of packed venues since the band formed in 2013, Animal Years, hailing from Brooklyn, NY, have now delivered a little special something for their growing army of fans.
Recorded at SXSW’s Converse Rubber Tracks Studio earlier this year, their cover of “The Wire,” originally by female trio HAIM, with an undeniably catchy guitar riff and assisted by a strong vocal performance from front-man/guitarist Mike, is without question one of the best, if not THE BEST recording the band have done in their career and they should be immensely proud of it. The track also proves that the band are extremely versatile, and this can only serve them well as they continue to make huge leaps and bounds towards more established success.
The trio are currently working on their next album and, with tracks as good as this, cover version or not, fans should start getting excited now about what lies ahead. - Pop Wrapped

I first heard about the band, Animal Years, when I was contacted about an event at the end of August called “Downtown Comes Uptown,” a musical series where a bunch of bands and artists leave their normal downtown stomping grounds for one night to perform in front of a much different kind of audience: at the David Rubenstein Atrium at Lincoln Center. Being an enthusiast and supporter of music, especially local talents, I stopped by Lincoln Center, and was able to not only check out Animal Years’ set, but also speak to the guys in the band.

Animal Years, founded by lead singer and guitarist Mike McFadden in 2013, along with the additions of drummer Anthony Spinnato, bassist Anthony Saladino and guitarist Tim Emmerick, are up-and-coming in the local NYC music scene. The band has played many gigs in lower Manhattan and in Brooklyn, including Rockwood Music Hall, Gramercy Theater and the Music Hall of Williamsburg. Their debut album, Sun Will Rise, received rave reviews when it came out almost two years ago, and the band plans to release new music by the beginning of 2016.

All in all, Animal Years had a lot to say about their upcoming projects, including the new album, as well as what started it all.

animal years b&wPhoto Spencer Kohn
Where did the name, Animal Years, come from?

Mike: I named it after an album by Josh Ritter, called The Animal Years, and then we kinda of just put our own meaning behind the name, because I just liked the name, and I really liked the album, but I didn’t want to like place an emphasis on it being like about that album at all, so…

Anthony Saladino: I think it means different stuff for different people, I mean a lot of what we kinda talked about when he first brought up the name, “Animal Years,” was just the idea of living life a little bit more simply, and almost as if you only lived to be, you know, 15 to 20 years old. Living your life in a shorter span of time, how would you do things differently? And that’s kind of been, a big part of the ethos behind the band of just like, you know, dropping everything to do this and pursue music because there’s nothing else we would rather be doing.

How did you guys all originally meet?

M: Umm, Grindr (everyone laughs) We met…I had met Anthony through a mutual friend…

Anthony Saladino: His best friend that he grew up with was one of my friends from college.

M: And so he wanted us to come, well he wanted me to come down and play with them, just like a cover band at Elon. But it was Elon College, or Elon University, so we called ourselves the Kings of Elon and then he [Anthony] moved up to NY after college and just hit me up. I was in Baltimore and he was like, ‘Come up, and let’s do something with music,’ and then through mutual friends found him [Anthony Spinnato, drummer] a little later, and then Tim’s [guitarist], like, just the most recent past 6 months or so…

Tim: Yeah, I met these guys through another band that I play with. We were all on a bill together at Music Hall playing together.

M: He’s in another band called Jesus on the Mainline, it’s this huge 15-piece band.

So for people who have never heard you play, how would you describe your sound?

M: Just like Americana, indie-rock, singer/songwriter with the amps turned up…

Anthony Saladino: We all kinda have our own different thoughts on what we sound like…I call it Indie-Americana

Anthony Spinnato: Yeah I would say folk, and singer/songwriter with the amps turned up…

Do you guys have any major influences?

Anthony Spinnato: Beyonce. (laughs)

M: Mine are mostly singer/songwriters like Martin Sexton and Josh Ritter and Ray LaMontagne and when we write like John Prine, people like that.

Anthony Spinnato: Mike writes all the songs.

Anthony Saladino: I have musical influences, but they don’t affect this band. (laughs) In anyway shape or form. (group laughter).

If you could choose any artist to collab with right now, who would it be and why? Dead or alive.

Anthony Spinnato: Joe Cocker. That would be crazy.

Anthony Saladino: Yeah, but that’s like too on the nose, I feel like… I think it would be really cool to do something with HAIM. I think it would be a cool collab, but dead or alive…I can’t really think of who I would wanna work with…I don’t know that’s a tough one.

Now you guys released your debut album 2 years ago now?

Anthony Saladino: The first time it was released it was almost 2 years ago. September of 2013.

Are you working on any new music now?

M: Yeah, we’re mastering. So we’re almost done. And we’re probably going to be releasing the new album very early of next year.

How does this album compare to your debut one? Did you do anything different, mix anything up?

M: Yeah, we mixed everything up. These guys are playing on the album for the first time, or all 3 of them. The last one was with totally different musicians. We recorded in new places, mixed with a different guy. So, yeah everything’s different. So, it reflects in the music, you can tell.

Anthony Saladino: And I think it’s a little “pop”-pier, not like pop, but at least with the songwriting, catchy hooks

Anthony Spinnato: Also with the production…

Anthony Saladino: It blows the last album out of the water, in my opinion.

Do you have any other upcoming plans for releasing singles and/or touring?

M: Yeah, we got a whole plan. Single out next month, for sure right? (to band members)

Anthony Spinnato: Next month or the following month…definitely within the next 2 months.

M: Definitely a single out with shows, we’re going to be doing a couple that we’re still working on, and then you’re going to start seeing some content come out and stuff like the new album…we’re going to start pushing all of that pretty hard, pretty soon.

Do you have a favorite song off the new album?

Anthony Saladino: I do. It’s called “Friends.”

M: “Friends” is off the new EP. It’s tough. My favorite is a song called “I Was Born.” It’s about Baltimore and stuff.

How does playing in Baltimore compare to NY?

M: I mean there’s no back line in Baltimore. You gotta bring your own drums. It’s just totally different, there’s not many venues, there’s more opportunities here to just play live. Baltimore, the venues can be a little grungier, depending on where you go. Everything’s different. - Downtown Magazine NYC

While working on new music in the studio, Brooklyn roots rock trio Animal Years have shared a humbly anthemic rendition of “The Wire” (streaming below) by Los Angeles sisters Haim. As in Animal Years’ own songs, frontman Mike McFadden sings with both poise and passion on this guitar-blitzed cover, making it accessible yet formidable. Haim’s original was co-produced by Modern Vampires of the City wizard Ariel Rechtshaid and had electronic touches but Animal Years dust the song up with their own rafter-shaking thrills. Animal Years will play at the David Rubinstein Atrium at Lincoln Center on August 27th and at Rockwood Music Hall Stage 2 on August 28th. – Zach Weg - The Deli Magazine

It’s been a while since I first saw Animal Years. The Americana/roots-rock band had played Rockwood Stage 2 early last September in celebration of their album release. It’s been about a year since Sun Will Rise has been out and in my first time seeing them since, it became immediately clear that the band has grown and matured to the point where they’re ready to take on larger stages around New York. This time around I was seeing them at Brooklyn Bowl, my favorite venue in the city and one which in my opinion, is well equipped enough to allow bands to really spread their wings and showcase their ability. Animal Years took full advantage of playing such a great sounding venue as they took the stage on Thursday night.

They fit the stereotype of a Brooklyn band – denim, beards, old boots. They also fit the stereotype of rock and/or rollers – drinking generous amounts of Brooklyn Blast prior to show time and accepting an assortment of bras launched onto stage throughout the set. They do however set themselves apart from other bands around New York with their unique sound that mixes singer-songwriter roots with the amps turned up real loud.

Animal Years came into existence after frontman Mike McFadden used the money he made from licensing a song of his out to Pennzoil and Tim McGraw to move from Baltimore to NYC in fall 2012 to start a band. Fast forward a few years and you have a group of guys who have a packed Brooklyn Bowl in the palm of their hands. While it’s tough to quantify if most of the people in attendance were only there to see them, it doesn’t matter, the band had won everyone over by the time they finished their set.

Opening with the albums first track in ‘Meet Me’, their set running a just over an hour had the band slinging songs from the album. ‘Heart On Heart’, ‘Let Go of Your Head’, and ‘Rapture’ all made it into the set. McFadden pulled out a slower banjo version of ‘Sun Will Rise’ (my favorite of the bunch), showcasing his ability to perform a song as a unique experience and live expression, rather than a band trying to make the song sound exactly like it does on the album. It’s that kind of unique performance that gives Animal Years a head up on the competition. You can either drive a song or you can make it sit still and a true performer can get behind the wheel and let a song form a unique personality every time it’s played live. McFadden and the fellas of Animal Years have grown to the point where they start into the song and leave their chemistry as a band to handle the rest, allowing their performances to take each song to a new level.

I sat down for a brief conversation with the band before the show. The group of happy-go-lucky musicians are the kind of guys who seem to enjoy just being in a band, rather than taking themselves overly serious. They’re not taking things too easy by any means however, as they recently signed a publishing deal with Round Hill Music, who have proven song placement success with local bands Bronze Radio Return and American Authors. McFadden seems to have his feet on the ground and mind wrapped around how a band like Animal Years can and should realistically build a game plan to have success in today’s industry.

“An album is the same regardless of how we release it. I don’t know how much money you get from a record deal, it’s essentially just a bank loan right? You don’t really want to just sign to a label right off the bat, rather you build your team and BECOME a band that’s valuable to a label. We hired a publicist, then management, then distribution, then publishing. We now have all the elements, so if a label wants to come along and offer something we can benefit from then we’ll do it. Unless you’re selling millions and millions of records, I really don’t see the paycheck coming in.”

Clearly the band has been smart enough to take a few pages from Donald Passman’s All You Need to Know About the Music Business books, and they’re talented enough to get the crowds to sing and dance to their music once they’ve got them in the venue. They’re unique, blended genre sound is still their best asset however. They write guitar riffs and hooks that don’t have that stereotypical riff-driven sound to it. Take the guitar line from the intro to ‘Meet Me’ for example. It blends in so well with Mike’s vocals that the listener almost doesn’t notice it’s driving the song, yet orchestrated with the vocals well enough that it’s comes off as almost a backing to the lyrics. The same could be said for the chorus of ‘Let Go Of Your Head’, which also acts as the songs intro. It’s the unique song arrangements throughout their album that brings listeners ecstasy in an unconventional pop-music style. Mike shared his experience writing those songs that would end up on their debut album as a journey he’s taken since he was a young songwriter living in Baltimore.

“The album is a combination. Half of it was written when I still lived in Baltimore and the other half was once I got some money from licensing, moving to Brooklyn and leaving my life behind. So the album is really a unique blend of those two chapters- one half is ‘what am I doing with my life’, the other is more upbeat and something different. It’s three years of living and experience working shitty jobs. I’ve always had my own process and songs like ‘Rapture’ were written three years ago and I never thought it was ready to be on an album. I’ve never had a deadline though so I’ve always been able to do what I want.”

At the end of the day the band just seems happy to be steadily progressing on their own terms. There’s no pressure or expectations coming from anyone except them. It’s the calm collectiveness that allows them to relax and just have fun playing with each other. There’s almost as much smiling and laughing on stage during their show as there is music. Things are steadily starting to move forward for them, and in between each step, comes a fun show for the fans put on by a band having fun with each other. - Pancakes and Whiskey

Fellow Indie Shufflers, I have a treat for all you today. Enter Animal Years, the roaring four-piece Americana folk/rock band hailing from the one and only Brooklyn. These guys could bring down an entire arena with their smooth ringing guitars and frontman's Mike McFadden's hyponotizing vocals. Seriously, this guy has vocals that will fly you to a whole 'nother universe.

Today they're premiering the track "Leah" in anticipation of their upcoming album release Sun Will Rise on May 6th. "Leah" has such a feel good vibe about it, and makes you want to burst out singing while driving with the windows down. McFadden's voice is as smooth as butter, and perfectly accompanied by Anthony Spinnato on the drums. Matthew Indellicati does wonders with the guitar once the song hits the 3 minute mark, and with Anthony Saladino on the bass.

Animal Years has a few shows lined up for Spring: they'll be playing at the Black Cat in D.C. on May 7th, and the Rockwood Music Hall (Stage 2) on May 10th in New York. Follow the group's journey on Twitter and pre-order their album out next month. - Indie Shuffle

Brooklyn’s Animal Years brings a fresh face to indie roots rock. Their sound straddles the line between The Avett Brothers and Kings of Leon - an odd combination butt fittingly accurate (as you can see with just one listen.) It's the right sound for right now..

Singer Mike McFadden's strong, distinct vocals are driven forward - floating on top of the instruments on this new song, a bonus track from debut album, Sun Will Rise. The Deluxe Edition of that album will be out on 5/6/14, with four never before heard bonus tracks - one of which you are listening to today. "Got Nowhere To Go," is a hail of emotion, a rising sun anthem perfect for both the commute to work and a drive out into the night for adventure. It's hard to not feel good about the road ahead hearing this! - Ryan's Smashing Life

Firmly rooted in Americana Animal Years has been able to dust down the derivative to provide a freshness which has a broader internationalism to it, with influences from both sides of the Atlantic being brought together in an easy flowing sound. The quartet play with confidence and ease that belies the band only having been together for just over a year.

Animal Years deliver music which has a pulsating percussion that keeps the tracks moving forward, whilst a slightly fuzzed guitar gives a warming texture and a rumbling bass completes the back-drop to a powerful vocal. Whilst the songs have a radio friendliness to them, which as you know is typically a big turn-off to me, the band has achieved this by not lessening the genuine feeling and there are enough dramatics and switches to retain interest for those, like me, who prefer their music to be a bit scruffy at the edges.

A début thirteen track LP – Sun Will Rise (Deluxe Edition) was released in May. There is no non-deluxe version and I get the feeling these guys have a sense of humour as there is an LP that came out in 2006 by another artist with the title Animal Years (Deluxe Edition). This ability to smile, while creating music (which extends to their videos) well worth spending time with, marks Animal Years as an out-fit I intend to stay with for some time to come. - Emerging Indie Bands

The Band: Brooklyn indie rock outfit Animal Years

The Album: Sun Will Rise (Deluxe Edition), with four new bonus tracks, out May 6. Buy it on Amazon or iTunes.

Fun Fact: “For the music video for our song ‘Forget What They’re Telling You,’ we all dressed up in funky outfits and made a retro 70′s themed dance video,” says band frontman Mike McFadden. “We asked our friend Bailey Noble of True Blood to star in it. Look for it this summer.”

Liner Notes: “This record was recorded over a three-year span, mostly in Baltimore. It encompasses three years of emotions, ups and downs, and heartbreak. After I thought it and I were ready, I quit my job, packed up my stuff, and moved to Brooklyn. We finished the recording in Brooklyn, put together the band, and here we are.” - American Songwriter

Sometimes the best move a musician, or band, can make is to change their name to something a little more catchy. I mean it has worked for Bob Dylan, Nine Inch Nails and host of other folks that might want to change their image or promote themselves better. After releasing a few solo albums around Baltimore, Mike McFadden move to New York in late 2012 and took up the moniker Animal Years to play shows and release his 2014 debut album. Recruiting his former band mate Anthony Saladino on bass then adding drummer Anthony Spinnato and second guitarist Matt Indellicati to round out the lineup. The group is propelled by McFadden’s songwriting and enthusiastic vocal delivery which create some good tunes and catchy choruses.

There are a few bands that came to mind when I started listening to this album: Ponderosa and Local Natives. Since all three of these groups have a chill sort of vibe flowing through their music and the songwriting is pretty honest it was easy to draw some parallels. It would be possible to say that Animal Years could be aiming toward My Morning Jacket territory but they don’t have the sonic boom to back up the vocals. What I dig about MMJ is their excellent guitar ability; Animal Years have good songs but my headphones weren’t blown off by solos and that was fine since these songs could be sung around a campfire or in a club with people jumping around.

I am a sucker for good songwriting Avid Reader and there a few tunes on this album that seemed to display McFadden’s knack for writing an honest song with plenty of thought and feeling behind his lines. You must be interested by now so I’ll tell you that: ‘Let Go of Your Head’, ‘Rapture’, ‘Meet Me’, ‘Worried Mind’ and ‘Got Nowhere to Go’ are all good examples or places to start. You can tell that McFadden has been in the game for a few years and this is a big step in the right direction.

When I hear bands like Animal Years part of me always hopes they get some more notoriety since their songs and vibes could be embraced by a larger audience. Granted this isn’t loud rock, slick pop or some game show winner and that is why they might not be huge but I’m always optimistic. In the past few years’ smaller bands have taken a quieter approach to rock music and I, for one, seem to like it since there was about a ten year span when loud rock was pretty mundane depending on which side of the speaker you were on. This album was relaxing and welcome change to most of the punk rock I’ve been listening to as of late. Support a small band and I have no doubt they will appreciate your help. - Tune News

Did you know that "True Blood's" Sherriff Andy Bellfleur's daughter could dance? You do now.

Bailey Noble, aka Adilyn, shows off her moves in a new music video for indie rockers Animal Years, "Forget What They're Telling You."

Was the phrase "dance like nobody's watching" kicking around in 1972?

"Forget..." is off of the Brooklyn band's album "Sun Will Rise," which got a deluxe reissue in May.


Read more at http://www.hitfix.com/news/true-blood-star-bailey-noble-dances-mightily-in-new-animal-years-music-video#x4FwGwl4q7xDIUE5.99 - Hit Fix

Team Coco is proud to deliver a jolt of musical serotonin by way of Animal Years' new '70s-inspired video, "Forget What They're Telling You," directed by Max Cantor, produced by Animal Years' bass guitarist Anthony Saladino, and featuring Bailey Noble from "True Blood." Check out Animal Years' debut album Sun Will Rise on iTunes. - Fresh Noise @ Team Coco

You know it's summer in New York City when rooftop concerts start taking place. That said, I am a bit curious if such gigs take place in the freezing cold months. If they do, it's pretty messed up to have people get frost bite just to hear their favorite tunes. As I Google that or perhaps not (I waste time on the Interwebs but even I have to cross a line somewhere), let's move from my irrelevant curiosity to the purpose of this post. Earlier this month, Round Hill Music held a private event (hat tip to Heineken) atop a Manhattan roof (how's that for generalization and weird phrasing?) with two vastly different rising performers...

Brooklyn's Animal Years (real name Mike McFadden) makes some pretty amazing roots rock for quite some time now. Have a listen to his three previous releases or his latest Sun Will Rise record, and you'll feel good about the sweet melodies of his that really shine. See what I did there? I referenced "shine" after noting his record was called Sun Will Rise. My journalism professors would be proud. It's a play on words, and it worked quite well there. Well, it worked somewhat. Anyway, watch a roof top performances below, but first here's a Q&A I did with the talented musician.

HP: Sun Will Rise has some summer feel good vibes. American Authors and Oh Honey to name a few are putting out some really uplifting stuff lately. Is it safe to say you don't have to write about depressing shit to have a hit?

AY: Yeah, I mean look at two of the biggest songs of the year: "Best Day Of My Life" by American Authors, and "Happy" by Pharrell-- probably some of the happiest songs this year. I think a lot of people turn to music to lift their spirits and get motivated, so it's easy to explain why they're such big hits.

HP: You go by Animal Years now and it works in music. Would this have flown had you changed your name to that in high school? Like "Animal Years - please report to the principal's office?"

AY: I don't think so. I mean, in high school, I would have had to change my name legally and a lot of paperwork would have been involved. Luckily, bands change their names all the time, and they don't have to get the government involved.

HP: Good point. How is this latest album different than others in the past? I sense a difference but I want to hear it from you.

AY: My first album was very pop/country. There's still a lot of that on Sun Will Rise, but with a little grit and dirt added on. You can tell as I've gone through the years that life's challenges have influenced my sound and lyrics. I think you can also tell that I went from mimicking my favorite artists to developing a sound that's more my own.

HP: I do sense that indeed. Last question, how is this question different than the other questions I just asked?

AY: Well, this one has a "4" in front of it, and others, for example, have numbers like "3," "2," and "1." - Huffington Post

Bailey Noble fans listen up! True Blood‘s resident teen Halfling, Adilyn Bellefleur stars in Animal Years new music video for “Forget What They’re Telling You.”

The video opens to an obviously bored and isolated Bailey Noble. The voice over gives you a general outlook into the life of a lonely actress saying, “I was enjoying considerable success as an actress in motion pictures, but I was also very much alone.”

She then proceeds to walk towards an old television, thus starting the upbeat song that has you tapping your fingers on the table. Once the aspiring actress starts dancing, you [yourself] can’t help but get up & dance along with her. Check out the hit song that has Bailey Noble feeling a little less lonely and a lot more upbeat. - Pop Wrapped

Round Hill Music is pleased to announce their co-publishing deal with Animal Years. The four piece band joins Round Hill Music’s expansive client roster, which includes the likes of American Authors, Bronze Radio Return, and Bloodgroup. Animal Years will be playing an exclusive show with fellow Round Hill Music writers, Bronze Radio Returns this Thursday, July 31st.

Brooklyn’s Animal Years bring a fresh face to indie roots rock. With influences ranging from early Kings of Leon, My Morning Jacket, Young The Giant, The Wallflowers, to The Avett Brothers, Animal Years is driven by Mike McFadden’s crisp vocals and magnetic poise, as featured on their new record, Sun Will Rise, which was released May 6th, 2014.

Mike McFadden (lead vocals, guitar, and banjo), who adopted the moniker Animal Years to break out of the solo singer/songwriter category, is backed by Anthony Saladino (bass), Anthony Spinnato (drums), and Matt Indellicati (guitar). McFadden released 3 solo albums while living in Baltimore, MD, before moving to New York in October 2012. When McFadden moved to Brooklyn, he recruited former bandmate Saladino and newcomers Spinnato and Indellicati to flesh out his sound at live shows. ​

Their 2014 release, Sun Will Rise, bursts with free-wheeling, feel-good melodies, and smooth, ringing guitars. From the glorious opening track and first single, “Meet Me”, to rockabilly closer, “Walking Slow”, the quartet delivers indie rock with grace. Title track “Sun Will Rise” blossoms with country/folk tinges, and the dancy “Forget What They’re Telling You” crescendos with impassioned vocals and guitar strums. Sun Will Rise showcases the delicacy and introspection behind the songwriting and draws on the strengths of McFadden’s seasoned voice and multi-instrumental abilities.

Round Hill Music was founded by Josh Gruss in 2010, in partnership with Richard Rowe and Neil Gillis, as a boutique-sized music publisher offering high-touch administration and creative services to its songwriters. Since then, Round Hill Music has signed exclusive worldwide publishing deals with some of the industry’s most successful songwriters, while also building a stellar catalog of iconic songs.

Round Hill’s exclusive worldwide publishing deals now include an extensive range of talent such as prolific songwriter and producer, Marti Frederiksen (Mick Jagger, Def Leppard, Pink, Aerosmith, Carrie Underwood) and composer Chris Caswell (Daft Punk, Happily Ever After, Alvin and the Chipmunks, The Muppets), singer/songwriter Wade Kirby (Blake Shelton, Jason Aldean, George Straight), singer/songwriter Tatu (Eve, DJ Headhunterz), and Brooklyn rock band American Authors. - Radio Facts

We took a walk on the wild side at the Brooklyn Bowl this past Thursday with NYC's Animal Years and reconnected with our primal selves. This band is fierce - with a recently released debut album, "Sun Will Rise," energetic live performances, likeability and innate talent, their following is multiplying faster than feral wildlings.

Animal Years kicked-off the evening with the steady, bass-line in "Meet Me," an Americana-infused tune about rediscovering oneself through adventure after a devastating break-up. The lyrics are a candidly melodic way of saying, "it's not you, it's me!" Full, lush instrumentals cushioned the bittersweet lyrical blows as frontman Mike McFadden's voice soared, "I might seem like I'm running, but I'm just trying to find me..."

Surveying the venue and the herd before him, McFadden grinned broadly and roared with incredulity, "Brooklyn! Holy shit, what's goin' on?!" Raucous cheers erupted as Animal Years submitted to their next jam, "Heart on Heart," a gentler track giving off a distinctly Mumford & Sons vibe. The contemplative "Let Go of Your Head," showcased McFadden's impressive range and lofty vocals which prowled expertly amongst the multilayered instrumentals.

The band next played their latest addition, a new tune, "I Was Born." "This track can be about anything I suppose," McFadden mused, "but for me, it's about my hometown, Baltimore, Maryland..." A smattering of "woo's" rang out in the audience as McFadden reminisced about earlier days, leaving the crowd in a particularly contemplative mood.

McFadden switched from a guitar to his trusted banjo next for their latest album's title track, "Sun Will Rise." The countryfied tune paired unfaltering percussion with heavy, echoing guitars. McFadden's cries of, "I won't cry, the sun will rise...I'll be fine," seemed to have served as an invitation to one free-spirited concertgoer, as she responded by chucking her bra onstage. Well, if that is any indication of a prognosis, we resoundingly agree; "the sun will rise" and McFadden will be just fine.

Next up was the crowd-pleasing "Give It Up," before Animal Years dove headfirst into "Forget What They're Telling You," a Kings of Leon-esque track about letting go of reservations and insecurities, and embracing the present. "Rapture" saw Animal Years channel their inner Zac Brown Band, serving up a hearty dose of southern-style heartbreak.

McFadden wowed with "Leah," a B-Side from "Sun Will Rise." The track enraptured the crowd as they held on to his every word about losing his love, inducing chills with his wails of "Leahhhhh...I think my love is worth your time again..." "Worried Mind" was a clear crowd favorite, with heads bobbing to the drums unwavering pounding as McFadden continued to pine over his love interest.

"Walking Slow" concluded Animal Years' set; it's peppy, blue-grassy feel brought a fitting end to a commanding performance. Afterwards, demands on the band ensued, but luckily for us,
we had had a chance before the show to speak with the foursome about new fans, True Blood, and...Pennzoil?
Thanks so much for speaking with us! What's been going on with you guys lately?

MIKE MCFADDEN: Well, we just signed our publishing deal with Round Hill Music, and we're playing with Bronze Radio Return who is also with them. We're really pumped to be at Brooklyn Bowl, this is our first time! We've got a lot of people coming out tonight, we can't wait!

How'd you guys get hooked up opening for Bronze Radio Return?

MIKE MCFADDEN: Through Round Hill. Right when we signed, we saw that they were playing here and were like, "well, we should open for them," so tonight is just kind of a Round Hill night. It's only two bands, just us and them.

We loved your video for "Forget What They're Telling You," starring True Blood's Bailey Noble! How'd you get her to participate?

ANTHONY SALADINO: Let me take this one, guys [laughs]...I had worked on an indie film called "Hard Sell," and she was one of the actresses in the movie, she had a small roll. She came in one day and was like, "I love you guys, this is great," and she tweeted at us on twitter or whatever, she was really excited about it! So when we were coming up with ideas for the next music video...I knew that she had dancing experience, cause we had to talk about that for the film. I wanted to do something fun, that showed how lighthearted we are and that we don't take ourselves too seriously, so I kind of created the idea of the video around her. I pitched it to her not knowing if she'd want to do it, but had my fingers cross that she'd want to be involved, and right away she was like, "Done. I love it, this is awesome, let's do it."

ANTHONY SPINNATO: It was cool because he went out to LA to film the parts with her, and then we shot all the stuff with us in New York, so it was kind of effortless...

ANTHONY SALADINO: Well, it was a lot of work [laughs]

ANTHONY SPINNATO: Okay well it was a lot of work for him!

ANTHONY SALADINO: Originally, we wanted the whole band to go out there, but when we realized it just wouldn't make sense, we had to take some time to figure out just how to get the band in the video without it just randomly cutting to the band's performance. So that's when the idea of the TV came into play, and having her watching the band on the TV play.

Where do you guys get inspiration for your songs from?

MIKE MCFADDEN: Ah, man! I mean, everyday situations...a lot of this record was done when I was kind of in limbo about where I was going next. I was living in Baltimore and my music wasn't going so great at the time. I was putting out great stuff, but nobody was hearing it! So a lot of this record came from - half of it was like, "what the hell am I doing?" and the other half was written right when I knew that I was moving to New York. I sold a song to Pennzoilfor a commercial and got some money, and I was like "Wow," so I quit my job and had plans to move. So that part was like...leaving Baltimore, leaving everything I've been around forever.

So are all of you originally from Baltimore before moving here?

MIKE MCFADDEN: No, I wrote the record in Baltimore before we were even a band, then I moved here. I knew Anthony from jamming with him through a friend - we had played in North Carolina at his college and play gigs. He was living in New York and was just like, "when are you gonna come up and play music in New York? When are you gonna move here?" So we kind of put the whole band together there. I had the whole record ready to go, and I just moved up here so Anthony and I could put the band together and named it, and it kind of just grew.

Where'd your name come from?

MIKE MCFADDEN: Well, it was initially from a Josh Ritter album called "The Animal Years," and I kind of just created this meaning for it that I thought it meant. It's one of the best albums that I've ever heard, and I kind of wanted to know what it meant and, well, who knows what he thought, but I've always thought that in order to do this music thing, I've had to sacrifice so much and live so simply. I've had to kind of take it back to when we were really just animals, thousands and thousands of years ago, when literally all we really cared about was food, water, and companionship. I was like, "I don't care about money, I only really care about...shelter, friends, family...basic things." And then we came up with this term, "live your life in Animal Years." There's so much shit that everybody cares about that's just not important.

ANTHONY SALADINO: A lot of what the band's mentality is is just to look at animals and what they really need. We only have a short time here, so fuck it - let's just do what we want to do and really go after it, and not wait for someone else. That's a lot of people in Brooklyn's mentality though - making your own music, producing your own music videos, stuff like that.

MIKE MCFADDEN: He explains it a lot better than me!

ANTHONY SALADINO: Well I mean, we all have different takes on it...

MIKE MCFADDEN: I have a scripted response but can never remember it [laughs].

Is there anything you guys want to say to your fans?

MIKE MCFADDEN: Yeah!...What's up? [laughs]

ANTHONY SALADINO: Nooo! We love our fans, and it's so awesome to see for the past year how quickly the fan base has progressed. When we first started out, it was just our friends coming out to shows, and I think the first time it wasn't just them was maybe last December?

MIKE MCFADDEN: Yeah, we were playing and we saw all of these people in the front row that knew every word!

ANTHONY SALADINO: We had never seen anything like that before!

MIKE MCFADDEN: Yeah! We were like, "...who ARE you guys?! Who's friends are you?!" because that was always "our thing." They were like, "oh, we saw you as a suggested artist on Spotify, and listened to the album. We loved it, learned every word to every song, and then we looked you up online and you were playing like around the corner from us, so we went!" And they were at the show and we were like, "wow! We have fans! Like...REAL fans!"

ANTHONY SALADINO: It was so amazing too, the comments that we get will legitimately make our day. Like, we went and played a show down in Virginia that may have had five people in the audience, but one of those people sends a Facebook message saying just the nicest, sweetest stuff, and it really makes our day, and we love them so so much.

MIKE MCFADDEN: It really makes it worth it. And the most important thing is that playing for nobody sucks, so it's fuckin' great to have bodies out there. Whether or not they're our fans, it's just awesome. - Joonbug

Mike McFadden has long played the singer-songwriter role in the clubs and coffee shops of Baltimore.

But after moving to Brooklyn last year, the solo folk and rock artist formed a band and is now ready to perform in a new city to a new audience.

With a number of recordings from back home, and several new songs made since he moved to New York City, McFadden put together the new project Animal Years with bassist Anthony Saladino, keyboardist Kevin Johnson, guitarist Matt Indellicati and Anthony Spinatto on drums.

With a new album scheduled to hit shelves on September 17, McFadden and Animal Years are ready to hit the road.

I sat down with McFadden last week at Au Gourmet Cafe; at 126 Nassau Ave. in Greenpoint to discuss his past and just what brought him to Brooklyn.

How did your music change after starting Animal Years?

I started out playing acoustic guitar, so it was more singer songwriter-esque. I kind of decided to represent ourselves as a band. We are a band, but I’m the songwriter and I play pretty much all of the instruments on the album. Nobody has any creative input, and the last album I recorded on my own.

How did you first get into playing music?

Well, I had always been a singer, ever since I could remember. It was the one natural talent that I had.

When did that first begin?

I guess back when I was in church choir a long time ago, but I didn’t enjoy it. That was when I was like 10 or 11. I didn’t really enjoy music until I actually got into listening to music.

When was that?

Probably when I was like 14 or 15, I started to really enjoy music and research it.

What was the band that first got you?

Actually, it was probably rap music, like Outkast. That’s when I first started. I started to explore rap, and I did that for about a year and then my parents turned me on to John Prine, Bob Dylan, John Hyatt and The Band.

Do you think you’re parents were worried you got into rap music and that’s when they started getting you into their music?

No, actually I remember when we were driving to school, my dad worked for Baltimore city schools, he would have an Outkast tape that he would play. So my dad was always super open minded. I started listening to them, and when I started getting into playing the music, I just picked up a guitar when I was 15 or 16 and I just sort of taught myself.

Do you remember why you decided to get into that?

Some of my friends had bands in high school and I just really wanted to learn an instrument so that could be a possibility later, so when the opportunity came at any point I could just join a band.

Who was your biggest influence?

Singer-songwriters are what really inspire me. Ray LaMontagne is one of my biggest, Martin Sexton, Tallest Man on Earth and Jackie Greene. All those guys. I don’t know if you’ve ever heard of Ray LaMontagne before?

Yeah, didn’t he have a song on that commercial a few years ago?

Yeah, he had that dog food commercial. I couldn’t believe that because I had been listening to him for a while because Trouble was like my favorite album. It’s what really got me into songwriting. I really wanted to know the chords he was playing, how he wrote it, how he was singing, what the lyrics were about; that was really when I started to dissect music.

Did you always know you would end up being a musician?

When I started applying to colleges in my junior year of high school, I was already learning how to play guitar and writing songs. Looking back on it, I wasn’t really that good, but I always knew that I was a hard worker. I started my own landscaping business and I did really well with that, but I always just knew that college did not appeal to me and I never wanted any of the jobs that they were talking about applying for.

I wasn’t necessarily at all confident that I would be a musician, but I knew that could just make a much better living and be a lot happier right after high school if I did something else.

So you knew school wasn’t for you?

I was just never book smart. I didn’t care to retain information that I didn’t think was important, so anything I wasn’t interested in I would just zone out and do my own thing because it wasn’t important to me. All that stuff was just getting force fed in high school and I just hated it. People can be smart in different ways and there’s only one way to be smart in high school or school in general.

Did you play shows when you were in high school?

Yeah, I played a band show as Mike McFadden around coffee houses, the talent show. That was it, and then after school was when I started getting really serious about it.

So this is the first time you are playing as a band, and not under the solo name?

Yeah, but when I came here I had already recorded the album. I had a great band when I was leaving; I put out an album in Baltimore and put out a song that was on the radio down there called “Heart on Heart,” so when I moved here I knew a coup - The Queens Ledger

A Baltimore guy working out of Brooklyn, Mr. Mike McFadden has transformed from a solo artist to a rock n’ Americana frontman for his band, Animal Years (Anthony Spinnato, Kevin Johnson, Anthony Saladino, Matthew Indellicati), and we here at PEV couldn’t be happier to claim him as a native of our backyard in Charm City. Like us, he witnessed some of the greatest concerts of his life at the now defunct Recher Theatre in Towson, Maryland, and he knows just how sweet Orioles hats are.

McFadden and Animal Years are set to drop their latest record this week (9/17/13), a collection titled Sun Will Rise. We got to ask Mike what we should expect from the effort – he says “A work that spans multiple genres, this album has something for everyone…it’s all about my transition to New York and the people that I met and have left behind…I’ve always tried to blend my singer/songwriter tendencies with my desire to play with a rock band. That’s what made our record span different genres.”

If you’re in Baltimore next weekend, you must swing by one of PEV’s favorite venues – the 8×10 in Federal Hill on Saturday for the local Animal Years show. If you’re in New York, mark your calendar for the Sun Will Rise CD release party on September 17th at Rockwood Music Hall. Get to www.animalyearsmusic.com/ for all the details. There’s still much more to get into, so read on for all the answers to the XXQs below.

XXQs: Animal Years

PensEyeView.com (PEV): How would you describe your sound and what do you feel makes you stand out over others in your genre?

Mike McFadden (MM): Rock and Roll with folk and Americana. I’ve always tried to blend my singer/songwriter tendencies with my desire to play with a rock band. That’s what made our record span different genres.

PEV: Calling Brooklyn, New York home, what kind of music were you all into growing up? Do you remember your first concert?

MM: We’re all relatively recent NYC transplants from various places. We figured out the other day that if we stuck with our first instruments as kids we would have made a nice brass quartet. My first concert I ever played with a band was at a now closed venue in Baltimore called the Recher Theatre. I’ve had some of my best concert experiences at that place.

PEV: What was it like trying to break into the music scene in your hometown, when you first started out as a band? What was your first show like together as a band?

MM: New York is such an amazing place to grow a band and network with fans. Seeing ourselves now compared to our first show is amazing; we’ve grown so much since last year in our overall sound and confidence. We love to make new fans at shows, and New York helps our fan count grow exponentially as we keep playing live.

PEV: What can fans expect from a live Animal Years show?

MM: A ton of energy and a ton of Mike almost falling over from moving around too much on such a small stage.

PEV: What is the first thing that comes to mind when you step on stage?

MM: How much fun we’re all about have. I always think about who’s in the audience that’s never heard us before. It gets me pumped to put on a great show and win them over.

PEV: How has playing in Animal Years different from working with other artists or projects in the past?

MM: I’ve only operated under my own name, “Mike McFadden” in the past. Changing my stage name to Animal Years was a way to really feel like a band and have everyone who plays alongside me feel much more included.

PEV: What is the underlining inspiration for your music? Where do get your best ideas for songs?

MM: This record was all about my transition to New York and the people that I met and have left behind. I do a ton of driving in my truck since I’m always moving from one place to the next. A majority of my song ideas are recorded on my iPhone in my car before I forget them.

PEV: Thinking back to when you first started out, do you ever look back on your career and think about your earlier days and how you’ve arrived where you are today?

MM: Yes. The evolution of any artist can be pretty amazing. Just looking back on my earlier albums you can see a drastic change of writing style, a product of my discovery of all types of different artists and genres throughout the years.

PEV: What’s one thing we’d be surprised to hear about the members of Animal Years?

MM: I won’t disclose any more information than: “most of us met while playing in a cover band.”

PEV: Tell us about your latest release, Sun Will Rise. What can fans expect from this work?

MM: A work that spans multiple genres; this album has something for everyone.

PEV: What is the feeling you get after an album like this is complete and you can sit back and listen to it in full?

MM: Bittersweet. You’ve heard the song so many times in it’s production phase but hearing it fully realized, even though you know it so well, is a very gratifying experience.

PEV: What is the feeling you get after a song is complete and you can sit back and listen to it being played the way you envisioned?

MM: As the songwriter, the song will always sound different to me than it does to the rest of the band. What may sound fully realized to them may not be fully realized to me. Usually it will come when something little happens, like the guitarist will play a lead part just the way I played it on the record.

PEV: With all your traveling, is there one area you wish you could travel around and play that you have not yet?

MM: We’d love to head south! Austin, Nashville, Birmingham, Asheville, etc…

PEV: How have all your friends and family reacted to your career? What’s it like when you get to play in your hometown?

MM: We’re playing Baltimore September 21st and we can’t wait. Everybody back home has been very supportive of what we’re doing and it will be great to show them how far we’ve come when we hit the stage that night.

PEV: What can we find each of you doing in your spare time, aside from playing/writing music?

MM: We’re all pretty new to NYC. There’s always something new around the corner that’s waiting to be discovered. It’s always great to find some great food and drinks before a show in the neighborhood we’re playing in.

PEV: Name one present and past artist or group that would be your dream collaboration. Why?

MM: I was just listening to Billy Preston the other day; he was the unofficial 5th member of the Beatles in their later years playing keys. It’d be amazing to have someone of his caliber play with us.

PEV: Is there an up and coming band or artist you think we should all be looking out for now?

MM: A group called Leagues has an amazing record out that everyone should listen to.

PEV: If playing music wasn’t your life (or life’s goal), what do you think each of you would be doing for a career?

MM: Although you probably couldn’t tell from looking at me, I love endurance sports. So far I’ve ran one 1/2 marathon and 2 marathons. I’ve also hiked sections of the Appalachian Trial. I can’t really think of anything too specific but I would enjoy having a career working in the outdoors.

PEV: So, what is next for Animal Years?

MM: We’re releasing our record and playing our CD release party on September 17th at Rockwood Music Hall. There’s also a music video coming our for our single “Let Go Of Your Head” which is coming out soon. We’re playing 2 CMJ showcases in NYC this October and trying to hit every town we can on the east coast ASAP! - Pens Eye View

Brooklyn’s Animal Years bring a fresh face to roots rock. With influences ranging from early Kings of Leon, My Morning Jacket, Young The Giant, The Wallflowers, to The Avett Brothers, Animal Years is driven by Mike McFadden’s crisp vocals and magnetic poise. Although folk is among their key influences, Animal Years play vibrant rock and classic Americana not unlike fellow New Yorkers (We Are) Augustines.

Mike McFadden (lead vocals, guitar, and banjo), who adopted the moniker Animal Years to break out of the solo singer/songwriter category, is backed by Anthony Saladino (bass), Kevin Johnson (keys), and Anthony Spinnato (drums). McFadden released 3 solo albums while living in Baltimore, MD, before moving to New York in October 2012. When McFadden moved to Brooklyn, he recruited former bandmates Saladino and Johnson, and newcomer Spinnato to flesh out his sound at live shows.

Animal Years’ debut album Sun Will Rise is out today and can be streamed in its entirety via the souncloud player below. - Indie Is Not A Genre

‘Sun Will Rise’ brought Fresh Independence back to the past and forward with the present.

Call it Indie-Rock: Gravel Roots hence Milo Greene meets Imagine Dragons.

Whether it be growing up, down on love, or answers in truth: Animal Years has found common ground. Don’t miss the encore Album to any Summer playlist Available NOW.

TODAY Fresh Independence presents a sneak peek to our favorite track with a Music Video currently in production: Let Go Of Your Head, right HERE right now.

-Learn more about Animal Years when we recently caught up with Lead Vocalist Mike McFadden-

1. Home is where you story begins, tell us a bit about yours?

I’m from Baltimore. I started teaching myself guitar around 16 and writing songs soon after. My grandfather was a popular local radio & TV personality and inspired me to be creative.

2. To the unfamiliar with Animal Years, describe your musical style?

Indie rock with certain songs leaning towards americana. I love to use open folky chords and play them in a rock & roll style. For some songs I run my banjo through a Fender tube amp for a really interesting sound.

3. How did Animal Years and the name come to be?

I’ve released 3 records under my name Mike McFadden for the past 5 years. When I moved to New York last year I decided it would be beneficial to adopt a moniker to make the band appear more like a band and less like an acoustic songwriter.

4. Inspiration behind the Album, ‘Sun Will Rise’

The album is full of songs about up and moving to a new place, leaving people behind, and realizing that life can be a lot easier if you adopt a new, simpler way of thinking. Sun Will Rise is about that moment when you remember that you’re lucky to be alive instead of dwelling on everything thats not going well in your life. The basic lyrical theme is that if the sun rises the next day, you’ll get another shot at pursuing what you want to pursue.

Sun Will Rise

5. What song off the Album means the most to you and the story behind it?

Sun Will Rise! I love playing it live and thinking about how lucky I am to be in that moment right then.



6. Please introduce each member of the Band and what Animal best describes them:

Mike - Guitar and Vocals – Lion (My nickname is BigCat and our touring van has the Vanity plates to match)

Anthony Saladino – Bass – Honey Badger

Kevin Johnson – Keys – Jackal

Matthew Indellicati – Guitar – Moose

Anthony Spinnato – Drums – Wolf

7. Animal Years is hosting a Dinner Party:

What Album is playing?

Eddie Harris – Bad Luck Is All I Have

What is on the Menu?

I’d have the guys from the taco stand outside of my building cook for us. It’s run by twin brothers from Mexico and they’re the nicest guys ever. They always give me a shot of tequila when I get food.

Four influential people [past or present] are invited who is on the Guest List?

John, Paul, George, and Ringo



8. What are you guys up to when you are not making music?

Just like every other band in Brooklyn, we are transplants. Whenever we have free time it’s always fun to find new places in the city.

9. Something fans may be surprised to learn about you?

I didn’t start playing music until I was a sophomore in high school. I played on my school’s football team until I quit senior year because music had completely taken over my interests.

10. What could the world use more of?

Free spirited people. People who aren’t afraid to go after what they truly want in life.

11. Best advice given within the industry?

Try not to make the baby pooping face in your band promo photos. In other words, relax and try to not look so serious.

Animal Years

12. We will never…

Play “Freebird”

13. We will always…

Have fun when we’re on stage.

14. What does true love mean to you?

True love is when 5 grown men cram into a pick-up truck, drive for hours, and play a gig for little or no pay.

15. What is your most memorable moment in your musical journey so far?

We’re still a new band and are looking forward to all of the experiences that are ahead of us. We have such a great band dynamic that memorable moments are made often.

16. What is the glue that holds Animal Years together?

Playing live. Traveling and practice can put a strain on bands. When we play live we always come back to realize what it’s really all about.

AnimalYears01

17. If you could add any musician from the past or present into your band, who would it be?

I’d add Wayne Coyne from the Flaming Lips to add some wild theatrics to our live show. Mostly confetti bombs and rolling around on top of the crowd with the big plastic ball.

18. Shout-out to your current favorite Band or Artist?

I’ve been into this new band called Leagues recently. They have a song on their record called “Lost It All” which might be my favorite song of the year.



19. What can fans look forward to fro - Fresh Independence

Brooklyn-based band Animal Years will be playing Stage Two of the Rockwood Music Hall in New York City on Sept. 17, which celebrates the release of the indie rockers’ debut album, Sun Will Rise. The quartet was formed by Mike McFadden, already an accomplished solo artist, who took the name Animal Years and recruited the other members to complete the band’s live performances and to move forward from his singer-songwriter career. The album boasts smooth melodies and powerful guitars with a touch of folk to round out their emotional songs. - The Aquarian

With a sound that’s a perfect blend of Kings of Leon and the Lumineers, Animal Years should be the newest band on your radar. After the release of their album, Sun Will Rise, the band is creating a lot of buzz, ultimately gaining a large following. As of now, Animal Years is currently working on a new music video for their second single, “Let Go of Your Head,” listeners become engrossed by the honest lyrics and soothing melody. You can find similar songs like that off Sun of Will Rise. Animal Years is definitely a band you can relax to, or have a jam session with.I caught up with Animal Years’ Mike McFadden before their NYC release show to talk about Sun Will Rise, new collaborations, and shooting the video for “Let Go of Your Head.“

LJ: How did the band form/meet? Whose idea was it to start Animal Years?

AY: I’ve released three albums under my own name Mike McFadden. When I moved from Baltimore to Brooklyn last year, I decided I wanted to give the music I was writing a new name, that’s when I adopted the stage name Animal Years.

LJ: Congrats on finishing your new project, Sun Will Rise! What can fans expect from this album?

AY: A little bit of everything. Just like my previous albums, I like to cover different genres, and not brand myself as making one type of music. I like to call it Rock and Roll with Americana.

LJ: Are you nervous about the release show? Who’s going to be there? Will you play the entire album or perform it live?

AY: I haven’t been nervous for a show for a long time, we take our performances seriously and always practice heavily before shows so we’re feeling good! We’re gonna have some media, a bunch of friends, and fans there. We’ll be playing most, if not all, of the songs on the album!

LJ: What are three things you cannot live without?

AY: Not to sound cheesy but family, friends, and music!

LJ: Any bands you plan on collaborating with for 2014?

AY: We’ve been meeting a bunch of amazing bands since we started out here. Nobody in particular, but we’re definitely open to anything!

LJ: Talk about shooting your video for “Let Go of Your Head”. How was the overall experience?

AY: It was so much fun. We all just got together and shot us before, during, and after a show we played at Pianos. It really captures us in our natural element- which is what we wanted.

LJ: What’s your favorite song off of Sun Will Rise and why?

AY: I always look forward to playing “Rapture.” The guitar parts layer really well and we get a chance to slow down between all of the faster paced songs that we play.

LJ: What is on your playlist? Your top five songs out right now.

AY:
1. Leagues – “Lost it All”
2. The 1975 – “Sex”
3.The Walkmen – “On The Water”
4. The Tallest Man On Earth – “Leading Me Now”
5.The Dangerous Summer – “Catholic Girls”

LJ: What’s next for the band?

AY: We’re playing our CD release show in NYC at Rockwood Music Hall today (September 17th), and in Baltimore at the 8×10 on September 21st.

LJ: Anything you would like to share with our audience?

AY: Check us out on Facebook.com/animalyears and keep an eye out for our music video for “Let Go Of Your Head!” Also, our website is: www.animalyearsmusic.com

Sun Will Rise is out now! Purchase your copy on iTunes today: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/sun-will-rise-single/id695217552 - Limerance Magazine

With a rock anthem's arc, and a sprinkling of Americana thrown in for good measure, Brooklyn-by-way-of-Baltimore band Animal Years is making rock sound big again. Tracks like 'Meet Me' and 'Let Go Of Your Head' for instance, aren't soft and intimate moments. These songs stand as large, immovable mountains built on a solid foundation of blazing guitars in the back, and singer Mike McFadden's barnstorming tenor up front. The band's debut album 'Sun Will Rise' drops next Tuesday. Drop by the release part at Rockwood Music Hall Stage 2 at 8 pm to see how huge they make this small venue sound. - The Deli Magazine NYC

Sentiments of starting over, simplicity and gratitude live in Americana-inspired croons, warm guitar riffs and pounding drums throughout ‘Sun Will Rise,’ the debut LP from Brooklyn-based quartet Animal Years.

“Meet me, darling, I know this thing ain’t easy,” pleads frontman Mike McFadden in the opening seconds of ‘Meet Me,’ a gravelly ode to what once was. McFadden’s paced, thoughtful hesitation between each word coupled with his warm vocal twang softens the song’s overall message of leaving and heartbreak.

This theme stands strong throughout the entire album, which in itself listens like a journey. The songs, soaked with soul-searching and determination to find love again, emulate McFadden’s real-life trek from Baltimore to New York. Leaving a life behind, picking up band members along the way and settling in Brooklyn finally allowed him to orchestrate the completion of what would become ‘Sun Will Rise.’

‘Heart on Heart,’ continues the set with a lush, upbeat sound laced with swirling guitars, poppy choir vocals and an air of romance. This juxtaposes nicely alongside the down-tempo ‘Rapture,’ which conjures up rootsy vibes and vocal inflections reminiscent of Ryan Adams. The track dives deeper into McFadden’s songwriting abilities. In short, it’s a golden boot-stomping anthem that touches on the subjects of frustration and faded love.

At times, Animal Years are a tricky act to classify. Just as the southern wails and banjo strums seduce ears into believing the band can only create music rooted in country, they switch it up. Such is true on the stand-out ‘Let Go Of Your Head,’ which starts off with catchy, repetitive gang vocals (a la Ben Howard’s ‘Keep Your Head Up’) followed by a bellowing, honest request: “I wish a woman would say what she feels, instead of me wondering if this thing is real.” A radio-ready track like this showcases the band’s potential in today’s oh-so-profitable world of folk-pop. It’s also the second single off the record—and with damn good reason.

The title track fittingly embodies the record’s motif of leaving old ghosts behind and traveling to an unknown destination. The song presents a slow build, heavy country-inspired vocals and an interesting twang-laden mix of mandolin and guitar. As one of the most likable tracks on the album, it paints a future picture of the band opening for fellow folk-minded artists, like The Head And The Heart or The Lumineers.

The set ends with ‘Walking Slow,’ where a rolling train beat meets a pair of dueling banjos. It feels like a farewell celebration set under a rural midnight sky, sprinkled with embers from a blazing bonfire. McFadden’s voice crackles and belts down to the last few seconds —it marks an appropriately triumphant close to the record. Overall, Animal Years, a young band packed with promise, channel an eclectic array of acts from John Hiatt to Tallest Man On Earth to Cold War Kids. They possess an aura of honesty and it trickles through the veins of each track on ‘Sun Will Rise,’ a dusty leather-bound quest toward change and gratitude. In McFadden’s own words, “It’s about that moment when you remember that you’re lucky to be alive…if the sun rises the next day, you’ve got another shot at chasing whatever it is you live to pursue.”

Collaborations, tours, success…what comes next for the quartet is unknown but this aforementioned pursuit proves one thing: they’re hell-bent on trying. - When The Gramaphone Rings

Brooklyn's Animal Years, a group led by Baltimore-bred singer-songwriter Mike McFadden, are gearing towards releasing their debut LP, Sun Will Rise tomorrow, and we're thrilled to be sharing an exclusive stream of the entire album. Our initial taste of Animal Years offered a chromatic, genre-bending meld of many current rock genres. The record's title track tickles with McFadden's rustic country twang, which is reminiscent of a few by the name of Followill, and each of its additional eight songs present emotive blends of rock, folk, and country. Listen below. - Baeble Music

You rarely get to see someone before they blow up. Being present at the beginning of a great artist’s journey is perhaps the greatest gift that a humble music writer gets to receive. I believe I am so lucky in the case of Animal Years.

After seeing what can best be described as a simply amazing performance at the Rockwood Music Hall on Tuesday night I was able to sit down with the man behind the name, Mike McFadden.

First a breakdown of the performance: it was electric. Animal Years came bursting out of the gate with what I consider to be one of the many lead single caliber songs on the album, ‘Meet Me’. That one song got created a buzz in the room that was palpable. The band then followed in album order with ‘Heart on Heart’, and the crowd barely had a chance to catch their breath when ‘Rapture’ came in and completed the begging to be sung along to trio. The songs were so infectious and they were played with such fervor that in the precious few moments that McFadden took to switch guitars, there were members of the crowd already recreating the chorus of a song from an album whose release was only hours prior.

The performance ended with a jam called ‘Worried Mind’ that the band had previously never played before live. It was the victory lap that Mike and the guys deserved. After McFadden was able to actually rock banjo and captivate a jam-packed room, it was fitting that the final song be less about passion and raw emotion and more about having fun. It was a celebration for an amazing performance that felt like only the beginning.

McFadden on stage was a powerhouse; in person he was much more unassuming. We talked about leaving Baltimore for Brooklyn, the worst thing about music, settling scores through songwriting and success, and the ultimate theme of his latest album, Sun Will Rise.

On leaving Baltimore for Brooklyn…

I had a job at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore and I had been making music and putting out albums under Mike McFadden and I actually sold one of my songs to a commercial for Pennzoil. Getting the money from that I sort of just decided and there were things that were coming through and opportunities and I was like now’s the time to pick up and go. So, I quit my cushy salary gig at Hopkins and basically moved up here and started doing music full time.

On the worst thing about music right now…

The amount of shit talking that goes on. People are so much more inclined to talk about something they don’t like than talk about something they like. People can’t let other artists be. I love pop music. I listen to Katy Perry. I love listening to it but also study that kind of songwriting. Those people write songs and those people make a ton of money. It’s a formula man. Nobody can just let artists do their own thing and it sucks because people that start doing music now are terrified, even me. Because like people just talks so much shit. Sometimes I’ll be more worried about getting a bad review than getting a good review. I’m more worried about what people are going to hate than what people are going to love.

Is that something that you think about during the recording process?

It’s just like constantly when I’m writing a song. It’s just like, “Oh man, this might be corny or a certain crowd just isn’t going to like this and it’s just because so many people just bash other artists.”

Some songs on the album like ‘Rapture’ and ‘Let Go Of Your Head’ sound somewhat aggressive and I asked him if there’s an aspect of settling scored through his work.

In ‘Rapture’ I say the line “I’ll get the last laugh whatever it takes.” That’s some spoiled brat shit. Like “I have to win.” It’s like Mark Zuckerberg in that movie, he’s like, “We need to build it bigger, I have to win” (with a chuckle). He builds this massive company just so he can show off to this girl. Not only when I’m songwriting, it’s like with the success of the band. I’m like, “I hope she comes to this show and sees how cool fucking cool I am” (bursts out in laughter), it’s so lame. I have some songs in the works that are just like that.

While the album sometimes delves into the darker realms of relationships and breakups it’s important to note that it is named Sun Will Rise. No matter what darkness and negativity exists, McFadden attempts to find a silver lining. I’ll let Mike have the last word on the subject.

Sun Will Rise was my kind of like mantra to making life simpler by adopting a much simpler way of thinking. I would just dwell, so many people just like to dwell on everything and never focus on what’s awesome in their life and only focus on what’s shitty. I’ll complain about having work the next day, but I should really be thankful that I have a job. So Sun Will Rise is like, if I could just be happy that I could just live another day and the sun will rise, everything will be all right. You have another chance to do what you want to do. - Violent Success

Brooklyn-based band Animal Years revamp the indie rock music scene with their youthful glow and polished sounds. They’re folk-y, they’re pop-py and they’re charming-not to mention very talented. Their LP Sun Will Rise boasts catchy singles such as, “Meet Me.” Frontman Mike McFadden gives off almost “Modest Mouse” like sound with his smooth voice backed by Americana-folk sounds. If you’re an indie music lover, Animals Years is just what your playlist has been yearning for. - Downtown Magazine NYC

I was introduced to Animal Years this past June, during their standout set at New Music Seminar. Intrigued by their tight, dance-inducing live show, I wanted to learn more about this Brooklyn Americana rock act. While much analysis has been published of this young band’s “indie roots,” guitar driven sound, I was still curious about how the whole act came together. So a few weeks after New Music Seminar, I caught up with the band myself to find out the story of how it all started with bassist Anthony Saladino, vocalist/guitarist Mike McFadden, and drummer Anthony Spinnato, along with where the band is going, and all the fun they have had in between.

Like many musicians before them, Animal Years are New York transplants, by way of Baltimore. Since landing in Brooklyn two years ago, the relocation has paid off in easily measurable ways. They have earned spots on several major festival bills, featured tracks on major television shows like the CW’s Beauty and the Beast, and earned a considerable amount of praise from both critics and audiences. It’s a vastly different reception to what was happening in Baltimore.

McFadden, who has been writing and recording as a solo artist since the age of 18, describes his place in the Baltimore scene versus in New York. “Baltimore is great for certain genres of music, but I wasn’t having any success there. Very, very specific genres thrive there, and what I was doing just wasn’t one of them. But the minute I moved to New York and people started hearing this music, it was a whole different reaction. Songs that I put out on a record five years ago, people love here.”

McFadden’s decision to leave Baltimore and pursue music full time was sparked by the first sign that success could be possible, when he sold his first song, “I’ll Find My Way.” The prolific songwriter already had most of Animal Years’ debut album, Sun Will Rise, recorded by the time he got to New York, and decided he was done playing alone. He linked up with Saladino, a buddy from college, and Spinnato, another Baltimore native, and the group has been having a blast together ever since.

Saladino and Spinnato admit they originally thought Animal Years would just be McFadden’s backing band, and they’re still happy to be in a mostly supportive role, quickly praising their frontman for doing the bulk of the writing. But McFadden is just as glad to have the two Anthonys on arrangements, describing his experience with Animal Years as an especially cool collaborative experience.

While McFadden may be playing much of the same music that he was in Baltimore, he’s also approaching his art with a greater work ethic, driven largely by New York’s competitive atmosphere. “There’s no slacking off here, as far as music. If you’re going to half ass it like I was doing in Baltimore, you’re going to get chewed up and spit out.” Slacking off is certainly not something you can accuse this group of in 2015, as they have been hustling like mad through the major festival circuit, including an eight show run in ten days at this year’s South By Southwest.

(Apparently finding lodging for the behemoth Austin festival is as difficult for some bands as it is for audience members, since Animal Years spent the whole time camping in individual tents in a friend’s backyard.)

The band’s growing audience seems largely attracted by McFadden’s universally appealing lyrics. With themes of love and loss omnipresent, McFadden’s anthems are often cited as easily relatable, including by his own bandmates.

Spinnato beams about his friend and colleague’s work. “It’s very natural and relevant to people. Mike’s stuff can be about one person specifically, but it relates to a lot of different things. I think it’s great shit, and I love playing it.”

McFadden definitely welcomes the notes. He says, “I love feedback. I don’t get people who don’t want to hear and read every review. Tell me what you think about it. I love that, that’s why I’m doing this. People will come up and talk about a certain lyric, and I appreciate that because it kind of brings me back [to writing the song].” He recalls one memory that especially stands out of a fan who confessed he was eased through a break up with the help of “Rapture,” which opens, “Tell me how your life, just fades in time/Whisper as we pass the five and dime/If you were still around, you could read my mind.”

Fans will have new opportunities to connect with McFadden’s lyrics in the near future, as a new album is due out some time this fall. In addition to more accessible tracks, McFadden promises a sound that’s fun and “a little more poppy.” Saladino also assures there will be bigger hooks, and Spinnato, who engineered the record, is excited about the higher quality overall, as he says they’ve “attacked it with a lot more focus on hi-fidelity recording.”

In the meantime, the band just put out a little something to hold fans over, a cover of Haim’s “The Wire.” New York fans can also catch them at Rockwood Music Hall on August 28 at Downtown Comes Uptown.

As the band looks toward a seemingly bright future, their approach is just to keep moving forward as they have been. As Saladino puts it, “We’re going to throw [the music] at the wall and see what sticks.” - Joy Of Violent Movement

In Riffraf’s Indie Spotlight, we feature talented indie artists from around the world who create music, record, and tour without the support of a major label or financial backing.

Animal Years is the stage name of Mike McFadden. Based in Brooklyn, Mike is releasing his indie rock and folk infused debut EP, Sun Will Rise, on September 17th.

Today, we’re talking to Mike about the freedom of being an indie artist, random cover songs and the upcoming EP.

What led you to adopt the name “Animal Years” for your music?

I was performing for years under my own name. My music has become so much more band based and the name just didn’t fit the music anymore. I wanted to choose a name that I thought would match the music.

Do you think being an independent artist offers more freedom in what you write and record?

Absolutely. I love the fact that I have complete freedom over what I create.

What’s an underrated album everyone should listen to at least once?

The Wild Hunt by The Tallest Man On Earth. He’s a great lyricist and singer, and a phenomenal guitar player. I listened to this album on repeat while hiking sections of the Appalachian Trail.

What has been your strangest and/or most interesting gig?

We just played a show inside of an airplane hangar on Nantucket. The acoustics were awesome and we played for three hours before the police shut down the party.

What record/song/artist do you to turn to when you lack inspiration?

“Trouble” by Ray Lamontagne has always been one I go back to when I want to feel some emotions. He has so much raw power in his voice and lyrics.

What’s the most random cover you’ve played live?

We love to throw a cover in our sets, and we usually do something that’s different than our genre of music. We’ve recently done “Signed, Sealed Deliver” by Stevie Wonder, and “Hard To Handle” by Otis Redding.



What was the songwriting/recording process like for Sun Will Rise?

My original drummer, Paul Rabut, flew up from Miami to Baltimore to lay down drum tracks over fifteen song ideas. After that, I recorded the guitars, bass, banjo, and vocals over the course of a year. I also brought in some other musicians to record additional bass, banjo, and keyboards.

Was there a song on the album you found especially difficult to complete?

There were a lot of songs that I recorded that I couldn’t finish for this album without them feeling rushed. Some of these songs will appear on our next album. The songs on this record were ones that had a really natural, unforced, writing process.

What’s next?

Our record Sun Will Rise will be released on September 17th, and we’ll be holding our record release party that night at Rockwood Music Hall in NYC.

- RiffRaf - riffraf.net

Animal Years: Sun Will Rise - Animal Years‘ album, Sun Will Rise, is brimming with angst and passion and it all seems to draw from the spring of love and its complications. This is a love album. A lot of the tracks are about the negative aspects of love, but there is no pain without joy. Remember the feelings of love when you were young? They were impulsive and you’ve never felt anything so strong. Well, that’s what you get with this album. It is result of the feelings of young love and the relatability of the feelings is felt in the accessibility of the music.

Mark my words, you will be singing these tracks after only one round through this album. The first track, ‘Meet Me’, is perhaps the best sing along single. I love the song not just for its catchy nature, but also as a person who left their home town for greener pastures – I understand the feelings conveyed in the song. It’s all about leaving a town and a girl and the feeling that while people will have difficulty understanding, there is simply no choice. Leaving is not an option. I feel like this is a conversation that everyone with a girlfriend who’s left for anything has had. It could be the anthem for going away to school.

‘Let Go Of Your Head’ might be the most overtly aggressive song on the album. It starts off crazily with the line, “I wish a woman would say what she feels.” It feels a little misogynistic and it is, but if you think for a second that this isn’t something that every man has at least thought at some point, you’re mistaken. I personally love that there’s an artist raw enough to deliver such a line without apology. Right or wrong, the feelings are real, and that’s where the art lies.

Later in the album, tracks like ‘Sun Will Rise’ and ‘Forget What They’re Telling You’ deal with the other side of the coin. They feature a more positive outlook and a more country-inspired sound. ‘Sun Will Rise’ claims, “I’ve been down for a minute, but I’m back and I’m here to stay,” and it expresses the desire to “make things right.” It’s a celebratory song that says that even if there are bad things that transpire, like whatever spawned ‘Let Go Of Your Head’, everything’s going to be alright.

‘Forget What They’re Telling You’ attempts to spread the solace felt in ‘Sun Will Rise’. The vocals proudly proclaim to this woman that unlike the one featured in ‘Meet Me’, he simply does not “have the strength to leave you.” It’s all about forgetting everything and finding joy in each other. The feelings felt in this album are raw and real. Whether it’s expressing frustration over a relationship or finding solace in a sunrise, you’ll be singing for days. - Violent Success

Animal Years is a pretty new band. Their first single just came out, and a new album Sun Will Rise is due on September 17th. The debut song "Meet Me" is impressive. It's hard not to get swept up in its energy and forward drive. You can trace lineage in the impassioned delivery and folk touches to a band like the Avett Brothers, but mainly it feels timeless and classic. - Those Who Dig

Animal Years is a new indie rock band right out of Brooklyn, New York. While keeping a similar sound recognized by most alternative fans, they keeps their style original by intertwining folk and country touches into their music. Their debut album, Sun Will Rise, will definitely make an impact in today’s music scene.

The beginning track, “Meet Me”, makes a great first impression for Animal Years. It’s a magnificent opener to a great set of tracks. This song is catchy with relatable, story telling lyrics. “Heart on Heart” follows with great harmony and a similar alternative sound. While listening to the beginning of this album, as well as the tracks “Let Go Of Your Head” and “Forget What They’re Telling You”, bands like Young the Giant and Kings of Leon come to mind. The moving vocals and guitar riffs give these songs an aura of independence and bliss.

They interpret an alike sound, but keep their musical character unique with tracks like “Rapture”, “Sun Will Rise”, “Walking Slow” and “Poor Boy” differentiate Animal Years’ music with country/folk feel that reminded me of Mumford & Sons. Tracks like these single out Mike McFadden’s strong and versatile singing voice. Although some tracks on Sun Will Rise differ, McFadden manages to perfectly capture the emotion and style of each sound.

Animal Years is a new indie rock band right out of Brooklyn, New York. While keeping a similar sound recognized by most alternative fans, they keeps their style original by intertwining folk and country touches into their music. Their debut album, Sun Will Rise, will definitely make an impact in today’s music scene.

The beginning track, “Meet Me”, makes a great first impression for Animal Years. It’s a magnificent opener to a great set of tracks. This song is catchy with relatable, story telling lyrics. “Heart on Heart” follows with great harmony and a similar alternative sound. While listening to the beginning of this album, as well as the tracks “Let Go Of Your Head” and “Forget What They’re Telling You”, bands like Young the Giant and Kings of Leon come to mind. The moving vocals and guitar riffs give these songs an aura of independence and bliss.

They interpret an alike sound, but keep their musical character unique with tracks like “Rapture”, “Sun Will Rise”, “Walking Slow” and “Poor Boy” differentiate Animal Years’ music with country/folk feel that reminded me of Mumford & Sons. Tracks like these single out Mike McFadden’s strong and versatile singing voice. Although some tracks on Sun Will Rise differ, McFadden manages to perfectly capture the emotion and style of each sound.

In conclusion, Animal Years’ debut album is something you can’t miss. These fresh faces in the indie rock scene are worth listening to. The album consists of various songs all alternative music listeners can enjoy. Be sure to check out the album when it drops September 17, 2013.

- Vents Magazine

In all likelihood, you have not heard of Animal Years. They’re not the secret, “cool” band your hipster friend plays on his iPod or the new music discovery your mainstreamy girlfriend swears by. But they are simmering below the surface – and with “Sun Will Rise,” are sure to become both.

“Sun Will Rise” is the debut rock-pop album from four best friends who ditched the standard 9-5 to pursue a dream. The group had been playing covers and pop-up gigs on-and-off for years, but only recently gave into a cohesive, branded future together. “We all realized that at the end of the day, we had absolutely no intention of doing anything else,” says Anthony Saladino, bassist, “We all moved out here and just decided to jump in.”

Vocalist Mike McFadden, a Baltimore native with a Coca-Cola commercial feature and local radio play under his belt, leads Animal Years with gritty, folksy vocals and lyrics of heartbreak and rebirth. Think homegrown Lumineers vibe meets the instrumental drive of a more energetic band like My Morning Jacket. “Meet Me,” the opening track, sums up the group’s sound and style to-the-tee. The song rips through you, like a background track to the cathartic climax of some addicting indie love story. It’s the song you’d crank up for a purging, post-breakup cry (I’m a girl. I can shamelessly write such things), as are follow-ups like “Worried Mind” and “Poor Boy”.

“Let Go of Your Head” is another standout, an ode to Mike’s musical journey. “The song really answers the question of our band name. ‘Think in animal years’ – like you’ve got 15 to live and have to make the best of things. Just let go of the fear and go for it,” McFadden explains. This is the triumphant, belted masterpiece you’ll play on a long drive with friends, all singing along (though struggling to nail the high notes Mike rides so effortlessly). Song like “Rapture” and “Sun Will Rise” give a more country vibe, exuding Americana and optimism in both lyric and feel. The latter, I should mention, drops a guitar riff motif that will play in your head for days. Ala Mumford and Sons, all three tracks are accessible enough for the chick who likes whatever’s in The Top Ten, but artful enough for the pickiest of listeners. Even more, the members seem super accessible. While interviewing Mike (soft-spoken in a flannel with a 32 ounce beer) and Anthony (part-time comedian and writer with a non-annoying-though-mildly-infectious-laugh) it was so obvious that these are just good guys who want to be happy and play music day in and day out. And you notice that Mike, who wrote each song and decides the group’s sound and content, is fully supported by the three dudes who gave up a status-quo-lifestyle for his product. “I think Mike’s super talented,” Anthony praised after visiting one of Mike’s rapid-fire writing sessions, “writing music is the thing that truly does come naturally to him. And it’s awesome he’s figured that out.”

Animal Years has mastered the emotionality of music, the formula for pulling and tugging on your heart. But Mike’s voice, so raw and beckoning, makes me think there was never a “formula” at all – just the desire to play what one feels, say one what needs. That desire, now translated, strikes gold on “Sun Will Rise.”

For now, listen to “Meet Me” on Spotify or head to their show on the 17th at Sullivan Hall, 8PM. Pick up the album on September 17 and for full deets on upcoming shows and music stop by animalyearsmusic.com. Do it, - Sonic Eclectic

If I could get a green card to live in the States, I would move to Brooklyn in a heartbeat and run Inthejunkyard there! The amount of submissions I receive from bands in the area is staggering and they rarely come up short, as is the case with Animal Years (the latest Brooklyn-based band to get in-touch)

Animal Years is the adopted stage name of singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Mike McFadden, who lists his influences as ranging from; Kings of Leon, My Morning Jacket, to The Avett Brothers. The backstory goes; to get the project off the ground, Mike ended up moving to New York in 2012 from his hometown of Baltimore, where he then recruited Anthony Saladino (bass), Kevin Johnson (keys), and Anthony Spinnato(drums) to flesh out his sound.

The only track I’ve been able to get my hands on at the moment is “Meet Me” (from their forthcoming record) which as an abundant of feel-good melodies and is a really easy-going song to listen to, I am looking forward to hearing rest of the record.

Animal Years release ‘Sun Will Rise’ on September 17. - In The Junkyard Music

Meet Animal Years, Fresh Faces of Indie Roots Rock

Brooklyn’s Animal Years bring a fresh face to indie roots rock. With influences ranging from early Kings of Leon, My Morning Jacket, Young The Giant, The Wallflowers, to The Avett Brothers, Animal Years is driven by Mike McFadden’s crisp vocals and magnetic poise, featured on the forthcoming record, Sun Will Rise, due out September 17, 2013.

Free-wheeling, feel-good melodies and smooth ringing guitars shine on Sun Will Rise. From the glorious opening track and first single, “Meet Me” to rockabilly closer, “Walking Slow,” the quartet delivers indie rock with grace. Title track “Sun Will Rise” blossoms with country/folk tinges, and dancy “Forget What They’re Telling You” crescendos with impassioned vocals and guitar strums. Sun Will Rise showcases the delicacy and introspection behind songwriting and draws on the strengths of McFadden’s seasoned voice and multi-instrumental abilities.

Mike McFadden (lead vocals, guitar, and banjo), who adopted the moniker Animal Years to break out of the solo singer/songwriter category, is backed by Anthony Saladino (bass), Kevin Johnson (keys), and Anthony Spinnato(drums). McFadden released 3 solo albums while living in Baltimore, MD, before moving to New York in October 2012. When McFadden moved to Brooklyn, he recruited former bandmates Saladino and Johnson, and newcomer Spinnato to flesh out his sound at live shows. Animal Years’ debut album Sun Will Rise will drop in September.

Sun Will Rise, 9/17/13

http://www.animalyearsmusic.com/

- See more at: http://ventsmagazine.com/meet-animal-years-fresh-faces-of-indie-roots-rock%E2%80%8F/#sthash.1wvSa7bO.dpuf - Vents Magazine

After high school graduation Mike McFadden watched as his friends and fellow graduates moved on to attend college or enter professional careers. But that wasn't what Mike saw for his future...all he wanted to do was make music.

The self taught multi instrumentalist - guitars, bass, and he even plays an instrument called a banj-guitar, the instrument plays like a guitar but sounds like a banjo, - recorded his first CD as a solo singer songwriter when he was 17.

After leaving his native Baltimore for the "Big City" of New York", McFadden joined forces with Anthony Spinnato, Kevin Johnson, and Anthony Saladino to form the band Animal Years. McFadden says the name is representative of living in the moment - the care free lifestyle of an animal.

The band has just finished their debut CD "Sun Will Rise". The CD is set for a September 17 release.
The indie rockers have just confirmed an August 23 in New York City and; of course, will play a (new) hometown release party at the Rockwood Music Hall on September 17. McFadden said that the band is looking to play some dates in his hometown of Baltimore and in the Washington DC area sometime later this year. It will be the first time McFadden has returned home to play with the band.

Along with a new home and a new band, the past year has brought a new outlet for McFadden and his music when Penzoil, Coca-Cola, and 3M have all used used songs in their commercials. - All Voices

It could just be my imagination, but there seems to have been a big resurgence lately in US blue-collar alt-rock music. Perhaps this has been inspired by bands like The Hold Steady and The Gaslight Anthem, both of whom have enjoyed both critical and commercial success, plus in his decades-long career, Bruce Springsteen's stock has perhaps never been as high as it is right now, having transformed into the noble elder statesman of the scene. Animal Years are a new band from Brooklyn who follow very much in that lineage and will be releasing their album 'Sun Will Rise' in September.

The main creative force of the band is Mike McFadden who the press release describes as "seasoned but young", and judging by this song we'd have to agree. Whatever his age, this is a near perfect example of its genre and sounds like the work of a bunch of pros who are on top of their games. This is indie-rock with plenty of grandeur, but grandeur that's written into the song, not added in the production suite. The expected big chorus arrives and sounds like the potential stadium-slaying monster that it may become. There's nothing new to be found here at all, but that's not the purpose of the song. The purpose is to create emotional, passionate and evocative music, and in that respect it's mission accomplished. - The Sound Of Confusion

With their anguished vocals and jangly overlapping guitars Brooklyn's Animal Years provide a fresh outlook on an Indie Rock scene filled with an abundance of talent, many of whom will often get overlooked. Meet Me is the first track taken from their forthcoming album 'Sun Will Rise' and provides as good as introduction as any to their efflorescent melodies and high powered percussion styles. Can't wait to hear more. Stream it above now.

The band's debut album 'Sun Will Rise' is due out September 17th 2013. - Scientists of Sound