The Currys

The Currys’ Christmas Tour

The Currys brought their annual Christmas show to the Heartwood Soundstage, and there was a large, adoring crowd that came for their skintight harmonies, infectious stage humor, and fine songwriting. The Currys are fun. They enjoy playing, and they clearly enjoy having fun themselves when they do it. The have a huge following in Florida, having grown up in the panhandle before relocating to Virginia, and their annual Christmas tour sells out in most venues. With the addition of Heartwood’s outdoor stage, there was plenty of room for their fans for this last show of the tour. In spite of a chill in the air, the venue had added firepits and propane heaters to provide a comfy atmosphere.

The family band (brothers Jimmy and Tommy and cousin Galen) just released their fourth studio album Keepers in October. All of the Currys are songwriters, and the new album shows a clear progression toward more adventurous songwriting and is a well-rounded folk/rock collection of original songs. Along with some Christmas standards and some unrecorded original Christmas songs, their sets include some of the songs that their fans have loved: “Fault Lines,”, “Jose,” “Wrecking Ball,” and “Firestarter.” I was really looking forward to hearing live versions from their newest album, and they provided some solid examples: the title track “Keepers,” the heart-achy “Running Into You,” the hopeful “If You Really Want,” and the Motown vibe of “The Right Things.”

Their slightly twisted original Christmas songs were a treat. The evening kicked off with “I’ll Be Home for Christmas But Only If You Leave” and later in the set we got “Get Off of My Roof,” told from the perspective of a kleptomaniacal child who gets coal every year and is banned from KB Toys for life. “Present is Now” is a more traditional tune that again has an R&B vibe.

Covers of “Blue Christmas” and “Last Christmas” kept things seasonal. One surprise to me was Peter Yarrow’s “Light One Candle,” a 1982 Peter, Paul and Mary Hanukah song that celebrates the Maccabean liberation from the Greek Empire.

The Currys’ self-deprecating humor (including Galen’s jokes, that vie for the worst jokes you’ve heard this or any other year) and off-the-wall observations keep the audience engaged; they’re accessible and unpretentious. You don’t get a night full of angst-ridden anthemic tunes, so don’t expect Blood on the Tracks or Bat Out of Hell. What you do get is carefully crafted substantial folk/soft rock songs presented with beautiful harmonies and subtle instrumentation. At times they are reminiscent of the Thorns, the short-lived early 2000s “supergoup” with Matthew Sweet, Pete Droge and Shawn Mullins. Both of these bands featured ethereal harmonies and quality songwriting. If you get a chance to see The Currys, go for it. You just don’t see disappointed people leaving a Currys show. - Music Fest News

The Currys have been kicking it around the Americana scene for a number of years already. Their new record, This Side of the Glass, is enriched by both the soil and the sun. Tommy, Jimmy and Galen Curry magnetize with closing number “Garden,” from which the album’s title is drawn, and it’s the kind of timeless performance, serene and soothing while lugging about the heavy melancholy of the world’s troubles. Even the choral “ooo”s have a rather towering, undeniable weight to them, leaving the listener both parched and satiated. - B-Sides and Badlands

Excellent songwriting and vocal harmonies. The Currys have a sound that is unique and very pleasing to the ears.

This Side of the Glass contains fourteen songs that explores questions of perspective, an advantage that the band has since it contains three songwriters. The songs defy categorization into any one genre: the country nostalgia of “Gulf Coast Home” complements the folk-pop sensibility of “Pin You Down,” while the guitars and gang vocals of “Soon Enough” pay unmistakable homage to Paul Simon’s “Graceland.” The sounds of the haunting pedal steel by Sam Whedon adds to “Good Or Bad,” supporting the lush vocal harmonies. “Anywhere Other Than” has a full band sound with organ and pedal steel. “Jose” has a solid two horn brass sound of trombone and trumpet. Lyrically, This Side of the Glass is deep in meaning and flowing in structure. Each Curry offers his take on the time-worn threads of life and love, contributing to the album’s diversity of introspection and social commentary. Likewise, each in turn ruminates on the paradox faced by every performing songwriter: how to balance one’s roles as both the author of stories and the object of storytelling. A solid outing from a band that is diverse in sound, style and substance. This Side of the Glass has something for everyone and encompasses outstanding songwriting and harmonies. That’s the short of it! - Staccatofy

The Currys – “Fault Lines”
-If you’re new around here, then let me tell you a secret; I’m a sucker for harmony vocals. I absolutely love when they come with an enjoyable song and a melody that pulls you in. The Currys have a real good one with “Fault Lines” that allows the vocal harmonies and the pseudo-country composition to convey the message well. It’s a fun track that mixes a number of our favorite genres. - Ear To The Ground

With a style as timeless as their subject matter, The Currys offer up a sweet slice of backroad Americana with their album-opener, “Fault Lines.” Utilizing organ, country-style guitars, and sweet vocal harmonies, “Fault Lines” manages to capture the intimacy of singer/songwriter bluegrass with the warm and uplifting energy of classic country standards. Airtight vocal harmonies feature are a constant, adding a communal and intimate vibe that makes for a more personal listening experience. The trio display their songwriting chops through a diverse instrumentation that results in a more dynamic composition that keeps the listener engaged while taking them on a sonic journey. All in all, “Fault Lines” soothes and flows like quiet backroad, making this one great song to lift you out of those Tuesday blues. - Hot Lunch Music

Charlottesville-based Folk-Rock trio The Currys, consisting of brothers Tommy and Jimmy Curry and their cousin Galen Curry, have just unveiled their brand new single Garden, taken from their upcoming 3rd album, This Side of the Glass, out today, March 1st.

I am absolutely in love with their stirring vocal harmonies that create such an enchanting atmosphere to this Folk track. Really enjoying the orchestration in the intro and then we are immersed with lush guitar strums and emotive piano keys. These guys sure know how to create a captivating song which got me hooked after the very first listen. There's something magical in this song that really got me dying to share it with you guys. Check it out below!

Speaking about the song the guys said,

"Garden was written after a Thanksgiving we spent with our grandmother. It's inspired by the realization of just how mysterious other people's lives are, even those of the people close to us. The song seeks to capture a shared sense of nostalgia as the narrator watches a loved one out the window, sitting idly in the garden, remembering." - Caesar Live N Loud

With a tempting blend of smooth vocals, gorgeous melody, and acoustic folk, The Currys have created a beautiful ode to the reality of life. The half-truths, the fleeting moments, and the little compromises we make every day, somehow add up to this honest narrative about the daily grind, enveloped as it is in the trappings of jazz-rock and folk harmony.

The central message is of acceptance, and humility. The universal theme to any sort of awakening is the infinity of existence itself.

"Then I learned I was nothing; a rock on the shore."

Once we understand the purity of our own experience, we are able to let ourselves go, and join the dance of life. Jose, the latest single from The Currys, is a celebration of the magic and impermanence that lives inside each moment.

"All you’ve done and all you’ve been, won’t ever get it back again."

The third studio album by indie outfit The Currys consists of melodic folk rock built on three-part family harmonies and insightful lyricism. This song is featured on our Lost Treasure - Indie Rock playlist. - CHILLFILTR

Florida’s the Currys prove that the most powerful musical harmonies often come from groups of family members, rather like the Avett Brothers and Jamestown Revival. Jimmy and Tommy Curry and cousin Galen Curry are the heart of the indie folk group with their tight as a rubber band, three-part harmonies. Emerging from the oyster bars and restaurants of the Florida Gulf Coast, the band recently headlined the Florida Folk Fest and have developed enough of a strong following that they were able to crowdfund their sophomore album West of Here, releasing in March. “If I Find It” is the first single from that upcoming release and it’s an infectious tune to say the least. We hope to see them at the Americana Festival in Nashville this fall.

Galen Curry says, “If I Find It” is the first single from West of Here, but it was one of the last songs written for the album. We went into the studio with just a few pieces for the tune, but the arrangement evolved during the sessions and turned into one of the strongest songs from the new album. Hope you like it!” - PopMatters

Avett Brothers, Kings Of Leon, the National… and the Currys! Rock’s famous family bands had better watch out, because brothers Jimmy and Tommy Curry and their cousin Galen Curry are turning out infectious, radio-ready Americana tunes laden with the tight-harmonies only kin can provide.

For those of us who weren’t invited to the annual Curry family reunion, where, as teens, they first started jamming for some lucky relatives, the boys are about to release their second full length album, West Of Here, a follow up to their 2014 debut, Follow.

When the band began, they stuck close to roots, with a strict focus on heavy harmonies and layered instrumentation of the mandolin and guitar. Now, with a growing fan base behind them, thanks in part to national tours that connect them with listeners all around the country, the brothers are widening their reach, experimenting with new tunes that lean into the sounds of rock and soul. The latest single from their upcoming release, “Firestarter,” exemplifies this new turn, with a sauntering guitar line and jangling keys, the song is rooted by a driving bass-line that makes the song a certifiable jam. The lyrics are sexy and playful, drawn out by the soul tinged lead vocals, “I can dip my mouth in honey, hon/but the sentiment is gonna come from a little bit deeper.”

Keep your eye out for West Of Here, set for release on March 25th, and listen to “Firestarter” below. - Elmore Magazine

The Currys

"If I Find It"

Florida's the Currys prove that the most powerful musical harmonies often come from groups of family members, rather like the Avett Brothers and Jamestown Revival. Jimmy and Tommy Curry and cousin Galen Curry are the heart of the indie-folk group with their tight-as-a-rubber-band three-part harmonies. Emerging from the oyster bars and restaurants of the Florida Gulf Coast, the band recently headlined the Florida Folk Fest and have developed enough of a strong following that they were able to crowdfund their sophomore album West of Here, releasing in March. "If I Find It" is the first single from that upcoming release and it's an infectious tune to say the least. - Colorado Daily

Have mercy y’all, The Currys have announced their return with their sophomore LP West Of Here, out March 25th. The latest LP finds brothers Jimmy and Tommy Curry and cousin Galen Curry once again wrapped in their own modern brand of harmony rich Americana. West Of Here showcases each of the family members’ songwriting chops and is a welcome addition to today’s contemporary folk landscape.

True to its title, West Of Here is an album born after The Currys spent nearly two years on the road before settling down in the studio with producers Chris Keup and Stewart Myers (Lifehouse, Jason Mraz); the LP holds plenty of warm, wistful tracks, swirling piano, mandolin, bass, guitar and light percussion into the same package, with hooks and harmonies leading the charge. Like the Avett Brothers, The Currys know when to crank up their rootsy stomp, but they are just as inspired by the epic sweep of Bruce Springsteen and the rhythmic soul of Marvin Gaye. - Mother Church Pew

Anchored by the elastic, entwined harmonies that only seem to exist among kin, The Currys have announced their return with their sophomore LP West Of Here, out March 25th, 2016. The follow up to their 2014 debut effort Follow, the latest LP finds brothers Jimmy and Tommy Curry and cousin Galen Curry once again wrapped in their own modern brand of harmony rich Americana. West Of Here showcases each of the family members' songwriting chops and is a welcome addition to today's contemporary folk landscape.

True to its title, West Of Here is an album born on the road. Following their debut Follow, The Currys spent nearly two years on the road before settling down in the studio with producers Chris Keup and Stewart Myers (Lifehouse, Jason Mraz). The LP holds plenty of warm, wistful tracks like "Restless" and "Hold Me Here,"swirling piano, mandolin, bass, guitar and light percussion into the same package, with hooks and harmonies leading the charge. Like the Avett Brothers, The Currys know when to crank up their rootsy stomp, but they are just as inspired by the epic sweep of Bruce Springsteen and the rhythmic soul of Marvin Gaye.

The next single off the upcoming album, "Firestarter" was unleashed by Elmore and is available HERE

It's been years since The Currys played their first songs together as teenage boys, swapping tunes during a series of annual family reunions. West of Here pays tribute to that history, but it pushes the band forward, too, with one foot in the folksy sound of The Currys' influence and the other pointing toward something new. In addition to building their fiercely loyal following, the group are continuing to stretch their creative range, contributing the entire soundtrack to the documentary Dooder & the Lighthouse, which has already been accepted to the Gasparilla Film Festival and the Palm Beach International Film Festival. - Broadway World

The Currys

Follow/Self-released

It is easy to get lost in the beauty of the debut record from this local Americana outfit. Between the three relatives (Jimmy and Tommy Curry are brothers; Galen is their cousin) either trading vocal duties or out-and-out making the hairs on your neck stand up with fantastic three-part harmonies, there’s a lot of energy on this album. And as for the content, the guys touch on a variety of relationship-centered subjects like resisting infidelity (the bluesy pop rock number “Inches From You”), moving on from a past lover (the jangly rock track “You’re Getting Smaller”), or analyzing an unhealthy relationship (the rip-roaring bluegrass track “Wrecking Ball”). The folk track “How a Man’s Supposed to Die” extols the virtues of living life without regrets, but the title track takes the cake with subtle ambient noise and the Currys’ stirring vocals making for a solid debut from a promising new band. - C-ville Weekly

Charlottesville-via-Florida band The Currys’ have been making waves with their own brand of contemporary folk, and they are finally releasing their debut album, Follow after playing the 60th Florida Folk Festival with Billy Dean and touring the Irish countryside. Follow perfectly encapsulates this band’s pitch perfect blend of rich harmonies and deep emotions. Nowhere is this more evident than on the album’s eponymously titled “Follow,” a stirring minute and a half a capella performance perfectly and beautifully performed by the band.

The band’s folk leanings lends itself to the current trend today, but instead of large anthems in the guise of folk, The Currys truly play gentle, meandering folk that occasionally builds itself to anthem-like qualities. Instrumentally, they take influence from groups like Crosby Stills & Nash and the Grateful Dead, but more importantly, The Currys’ rich harmonies are also influenced by the same bands. Obviously, it’s almost impossible to match the vocal prowess of these legendary groups, but The Currys certainly come close. The difference is the harmonies are of CS&N, but their music is inherently modern while still giving a loving tip of the hat to the vocal groups of the 60s.

Some of the album’s greatest moments is precisely that: the small moments that add character and depth to the overall product including the aforementioned “Follow” and the just as short “How a Man’s Supposed to Die,” a song as sparse and haunting as it is beautiful and moving. It’s these songs that make the roaring chant “Nothing Good” all the more fun. Follow truly is a full-album experience, well-rounded, and wholly enjoyable from start to finish, with moments to make you laugh, moments to make you cry, and moments to make you let loose. Follow will be self-released by the band on April 29th, and I highly recommend checking it out. - The Big Takeover

Parked cars lined the rain drenched streets of Sopchoppy last Saturday evening as people from all directions came to From the Heart Recording Studio to listen to the rich vocal harmonies of The Currys – Tommy, Jimmy and Galen.
A little after 8 p.m., and to a packed house, they began the concert with an entirely acoustic number, a new song by Jimmy.
Their gentle voices all worked together, the room of people still and silent, as they were drawn into a musical trance. When the opening number ended the audience erupted in loud applause. And that was just the beginning.
During their opening set, they talked about the pounding rain that greeted them that afternoon as they arrived to set up for the concert.
“It seems like every time we come to Sopchoppy, it rains,” said Tommy.
Jimmy jumped in, “We drove all the way here with no rain at all and as soon as I got out of the car, I felt a huge raindrop hit my forehead.”
Everyone laughed.
The Currys consist of brothers Tommy, 26, and Jimmy, 23, Port St. Joe natives, and their cousin Galen, 26, who grew up in Potsdam, N.Y. Their dads are brothers.
Tommy and Jimmy have been playing music together at venues and bars around Port St. Joe for years. During annual trips south for the Curry family reunions in Florida, Galen started joining his cousins for gigs.
Between songs, the three had a raucous banter between them which gave the audience a sense of the family connection. And they admitted to the small tightly-packed crowd that they were being used as guinea pigs, and trying out some new songs on them.
“We’ve got some new songs you probably haven’t heard yet,” said Tommy, “Jimmy has been writing up a storm,”
During the Saturday evening performance, they also played a few covers by musicians they admire – Gillian Welch, Ray LaMontagne and Irish folk musician Glen Hanson.
Some local musicians turned up to listen to the trio.
In attendance was Mimi Hearn, of Mimi and the Hearndogs, a local musician who toured with the Currys along with From the Heart Recording crew last summer around Ireland.
“I just love them all. We had so much fun in Ireland together,” laughs Hearn, “I never had to drive anywhere. It was great.”
They took a break about an hour into the concert and offered people to stretch their legs. Concertgoers mingled in the kitchen, munched on Rick Ott’s homemade pimento cheese spread, and enjoyed their BYOB libations.
After the break, Tommy opened the second set with a popular song with the crowd titled, “Hold on,” a catchy love song about a girl, of course.
It is the third song on their six song CD, simply titled The Currys:

“She’s got a way of holding everything against me –
like I’m the only man she knows with the devil inside.
She’s got a way of knowing just what gets to me –
And every word she needs to say to make it turn out right.”

Next up, the three songwriters are headed to New York City in August for a few performances, and then will be focused entirely on recording their first full length CD together in Virginia.
They raised over $12,000 through kickstarter.com, a fundraising site for creative projects, to produce the album.
They are now attempting to raise more money in order to promote their CD and to tour, taking it “on the road.”
As they wound down the evening, the audience demanded an encore.
So, the three paid homage to gospel music and their own southern roots with a medley of “Amazing Grace,” “Swing Low Sweet Chariot,” and finally “Down in the River to Pray.”
On their website they explain, “The Currys’ music reflects the experiences they’ve had growing up in the South. In a sense, their songs are not just theirs — they belong to all the people they’ve played for over the years.”
To listen to The Currys, and to follow them as they begin their next musical phase, visit their website, www.thecurrysmusic.com. - Wakulla News

Brothers Jimmy and Tommy Curry, along with their cousin Galen, formed the kernel of The Currys years ago in Port Saint Joe, Florida, honing their brand of home-grown folk ever since.

After recording a self-titled EP in 2011 and touring Ireland somewhat extensively in 2012, the band uprooted and moved from Florida to Charlottesville, Virginia where they enlisted the help of two new honorary Currys; Matt Kauper (bass) and Johnny Humphreys (percussion).

The extended family band are about to release their first full-length, Follow.

The album is a product of their intertwined talents backed by crowd-funding via a successful Kickstarter campaign in late 2013, smashing their $12k target and netting a total of $19,804.

The loyal backers will be rewarded with mainly new songs, as well as some older tried-and-tested compositions from their EP (namely ‘Water From The Well’, ‘Hollow Bones’ and ‘Catharsis’).

Folk has re-invented itself over the past decade or so, but The Curry’s organic, stringed tones ring true – they’re the real deal, and their grassroots support base validates this sentiment.

The Currys EP was essentially melodic contemporary folk in its purest form, carrying the flame of what musicianship was all about before Dylan went electric, while Follow is slightly more upbeat, articulate and switched-on, resulting in a more folk-rock presence.

Recorded at White Star Sound in Charlottesville over a four week period, Follow is full of rich, comforting harmonies and charming lyricism across the 12-strong track listing. The storytelling is especially touching as we are left to decide for ourselves which of the lines are based on true events and which are simply poetic expression.

“We played with matches once when young, but years have robbed our puerile fun, we need infernos now to leave the ground” – ‘Catharsis’

The track ‘Catharsis’, for example, talks of playing matches as children, which sounds like adequate imagery for a harmonised ballad about absconding – but it could also be inspired from two naughty brothers and a cousin who played with matches and nearly burned the “whole mess down”. Objectively, that doesn’t make it a better song, but it adds an extra level of authenticity to the album which is already personable and endearing.

Catch a live show with The Currys if you’re lucky enough to be in or around the east coast, and be sure to get yourself a copy of Follow when it is released on 29 April, 2014. - The Doughnut Magazine

POTSDAM - A Potsdam native says a popular crowd-sourcing website called “Kickstarter” enabled him to obtain enough funding to record a solo album.
Now, Galen K. Curry is hoping contributors will chip in again so The Currys - a band he has formed with two cousins - can hit the studio to record their first-full length album.
“I grew up in Potsdam. I’ve been playing in bands there a long time. My parents and friends still live there, so I have a connection to the place,” Mr. Curry said during a telephone interview from Virginia, where he and The Currys will be touring, along with gigs in Washington, D.C. and West Virginia. He said they’ve been playing around Florida all summer.
The Currys, he said, is a family band based out of Port St. Joe, Fla., that includes two brothers, one cousin and a rhythm section. The melodic folks rock group has been playing together casually for the past three to four years and have performed all over the United States and Ireland. They have also been the subject of a PBS documentary.
One of members was a school teacher in Connecticut and quit teaching last year to focus on music.
“This is his first summer of not being a teacher basically,” Mr. Curry said. “We’re getting more serious. Now it’s full-time. This will be our first full-band release.”
Still, he said, their music is one part of their lives.
“We all still have part-time things to do. Some people are more serious about it than others,” said Mr. Curry, who works as a part-time nanny. “I watch little kids.”
He described their music as “a mix between pop and bluesgrass-y.”
The former frontman of the north country rock band The Beds, Mr. Curry moved to Virginia after high school, where he attended the College of William and Mary.
After graduating, he passed on an opportunity to attend New York University’s music therapy program, opting instead to move to Texas and concentrate on his first album.
Mr. Curry had used Kickstarter as a platform last year to convince donors to contribute $8,000 for the release of his second album. He had recorded his debut album, “Some Perspective,” in 2010. The fundraising site for creative projects had been launched in 2008.
“The last time I got funded. It was a complete experiment for me. I didn’t know what to expect. It was awesome,” he said, noting he had support from the north country and Florida.
Now he hopes music lovers will support their next project. As of Tuesday they had 175 backers who had pledged $17,611, putting them over their goal of $12,000 with the pledge period ending at 12 a.m. Aug. 13.
“They’re not charged when they make a pledge. They’re charged when the goal is made. Then we go to the studio,” Mr. Curry said.
He said they “pretty much know 90 percent” of the music they plan to record when they hit the studio. With extra funding, he said, “we’ll probably be able to cut a few extra ones. Right now we’re kind of playing it safe.”
Donations can be made at www.kickstarter.com/projects/1396350862/the-currys.
The Currys are offering special gifts for those who make pledges. For $5 or more, “You have our heartfelt thanks. And as a bonus, The Currys will dream about you for one week,” they said.
For donations of $10 or more, “Receive a digital download of the new album + everything listed above,” they said.
On the upper level, for those who donate $1,250 or more, “The Currys will come to your backyard/house and put on a full band show for you and your friends.”
A $2,000 donation will entitle the donor to be named “executive producer of the new record,” they said. “You will be listed in the album credits and have early access to the tunes as they are being recorded.”
For now, Mr. Curry said, they’re looking forward to hitting the studio to begin their work.
“We are chomping at the bit to record,” he said. - The Courier Observer

Looking for an album with beautiful harmonies, expert lyricism while still offering up-beat melodies? The Currys have managed to incorporate all of these aspects along with a plethora of stories and genius instrumentals into their new twelve track album Follow. The songs that these artists take most pride in are “Water From the Well”, “Come on Home”, “Hollow Bones” and “Inches From You”. Their pride is not in vain since every song on the album will affect you in a different way, conjuring up new emotions as you go. If that’s not the definition of music, I don’t know what is.

Jimmy, Tommy and cousin Galen, complement each other’s vocals in a way that only family can. They create and embody amazing harmonies from “Wrecking Ball” to “Nothing Good”. These small town boys have obviously spent a lot of time playing music together; honing their big time sound. They have found a way of incorporating the greatest pieces of so many genres into one place, that place is Follow.

Early last year, Matt “Trixx” Kauper and Johnny Humphreys joined The Currys bringing their bass and drum styles, which ended up meshing beautifully. Matt encompasses the songs with his driving bass lines where Johnny comes in with an almost atomic timing and perfectly initiated fills. These two essential components help to round out the tracks keeping it organized yet still adding a fun and funky side. Once the five-piece was complete, they relocated to a townhouse in Charlottesville, Virginia to start compiling this awe-inducing album.

It’s is almost impossible not to be moved, physically and metaphorically, by the gorgeously composed tracks on this album. You are guided through a life-time of experiences: love, heart-break, times of strength and moments of weakness. They have an admirable ability to convey real experiences that real people can easily and seamlessly relate to. The use of creative devices in their lyrics is masterful to say the least. They paint complex pictures and tell elaborate stories not only with their words but also with their song-writing structures. A group that can allow themselves to be completely consumed by their music is hard to come by but The Currys are one of those rare and refreshing exceptions.

Follow will be officially released on April 29th 2014. Until then they will be performing shows all over the eastern United States. Check out their site to see when they are playing near you and more information on this album. - WordKrapht

An Interview with Galen Curry

We at The Gadfly Press are launching a new initiative to bring more artistic and culture reporting into our coverage. We will be bringing you writing on a whole host of topics, from television to interviews with musicians. Give us feedback about what you like and don't like in the comments section.


Galen Curry is a singer/songwriter currently based out of Austin, Texas. He is embarking on an effort to create a new album titled Narrative Gravity and is crowdfunding the endeavor through Kickstarter. This will be his second solo album after 2010's Some Perspective. The Gadfly Press talked with Galen about his musical influences, the state of music in general, and the interesting title of his new project.






Who are your biggest musical influences?
My Dad always listened to songwriters like Bob Dylan and John Hiatt when I was growing up, and that certainly left a big impression on me stylistically. When I started to get old enough to make my own musical choices in high school and college I became obsessed with artists like Jeff Buckley, The Beatles, Damien Rice, Prince, Bob Marley, The Band, Billy Joel, and the Beach Boys. Recently, more contemporary songwriters/bands like Bob Schneider, The Guggenheim Grotto, Josh Ritter, and Dawes have all been important discoveries for me.

What sparked your interest in becoming a musician?
I’ve always been into music. I took piano lessons when I was young and played clarinet and bassoon throughout middle and high school. Singing has always been my main love though, and I’ve always enjoyed singing in choirs and different types of vocal groups. Potsdam High School had a great music program, and my instructors (mainly Tammy Madeja and Theresa Witmer) and peers really helped me feel confident in my earliest musical endeavors, which spanned from jazz band to chamber singing to an a cappella group. My interest in music was solidified by a combination of that awesome early support system and the rush of fronting my first rock band.

Some people have criticized the internet for killing the music industry, but how do you think the internet has affected independent singer/songwriters such as yourself?
I’ve never been an independent songwriter without the internet, and I certainly use it all the time for music related operations. Before the internet, I wouldn’t have been able to do what I’m doing. My impression is that fewer musicians are depending on record labels to front money for touring, recording, etc. primarily because labels can’t depend on guaranteed CD sales anymore. Most music can be found online for free. It’s definitely rough having to find money for all the expenses involved with being a musician (hence my Kickstarter campaign), but it appeals to me to be in complete control of my own trajectory. I don’t have the funding I would with a label, but I own all my music and the internet allows me to promote it. The music industry isn’t being killed, things are just changing.

You've just launched a Kickstarter project to fund your upcoming album. Have you had experience with crowd-sourced funded projects before?
I’ve donated to a couple Kickstarter campaigns in the past year or so, but before that, buying Girl Scout cookies is the closest thing I can think of.

Your new album will tentatively be called Narrative Gravity. What is the meaning behind the album title and what do you envision for the album?
The Center of Narrative Gravity is philosopher Daniel Dennett’s attempt to answer the question of the nature of self. For Dennett, selves are abstract objects; useful fictions similar to centers of gravity in physics. Basically, he proposes that the self is a combination of all the stories told -- by you and others in your life -- about your life. You try to make sense of the world around you, others make sense of you in their world, and the combination forms your identity. I’m not really doing it justice, but it’s really interesting and worth reading about. Most of the songs I’ve written for this album are about characters finding a place in the world or trying to justify decisions that were made, so I think Narrative Gravity fits nicely. It also sounds cool.

Has moving to Austin influenced your music in any way?
I think that any change of scenery and lifestyle affects songwriting. And there are so many talented musicians in Austin that it is both daunting and inspiring.

How would you describe your musical stylings?
Usually I tell people I play folk rock or alt-country, but the more I write, the more I have fun trying out new styles. As long as the songwriting is solid, I like to think I can get away with a little genre-hopping.

What are your thoughts on funding for the arts (especially music programs) in schools?
Well, as I mentioned before, the music program in high school was a large part of why I became so interested in music, so I am certainly for as much funding as possible for the arts - The Gadfly Press

Whether "I Tore Down a Mountain," or "Oh, Mama," the clever hooks and chorus lines of Galen Curry’s music nourish the listener with a gentle calm. Winner of the 2010 First Amendment Writes competition held by The Thomas Jefferson Center for the Protection of Free Expression, Curry is undoubtedly a blossoming voice in Charlottesville's local music scene and beyond.

But it isn't the land of Hooville Curry considers home, it's Potsdam, a small town in upstate New York, where his family moved when he was just five-years-old. "That's where I grew up," he says. "It's where I became active musically." And active he was. Curry honed his music skills playing piano, bassoon, clarinet, guitar, and singing in choirs throughout Lawrence County, eventually forming his first rock band, The Beds.

"[It was with The Beds] when I instantly fell in love with being a front man. We played a ton in upstate, and did a few short tours around the northeast, hitting a lot of hot spots like NYC, Boston, Burlington, and everywhere in between."
.... (see link for more) - The Nervous Breakdown

It is not easy to kick off a musical
career with any sort of grace or
confidence, let alone with success.
B u t t h a t ’ s j u s t w h a t
Charlottesville’s singer songwriter
Galen Curry has done. He now
faces the challenges that all upand-
coming local-level musicians
face: How to make people aware,
how to make enough money to
live on, how to book decent gigs,
and how to then still find time to
write new music and evolve as an
artist.
Curry grew up in Potsdam, New
York (although he was actually
born in Charlottesville).After four
years at The College of William
andMary (and a degree inMusic),
he has returned to hisroots in Central
Virginia to try his hand at a
music career. He fronted an altrock
band in Potsdam called The
Beds and a rock/funk/pop band at
WilliamandMary calledUltraviolet
Ballet. Now left to his own devices,
Curry has taken on the role
of a singer/songwriter and recorded
his debut solo album, Some
Perspective, an 11 track alt-coun-

Galen Curry
13
try record featuring a full band of
Curry’s very talented friends. The
record was made at The Sound
Studios in Charlottesville andwas
released early in the summer.
Curry’s songs are witty, clever, at
times emotional, and he seems to
have a knack for revealing universal
truths. For example, his song
“I Hope You End Up with Me”
includes the astonishingly simple
yet poignant line “remember
you’re human, you’ll do anything
for love.” Live, his stage presence
is gigantic and he gets so into the
performance that the audience
can’t help but do the same.
A Man with a Plan
Having originally applied toNYU
to study music post-grad, Curry
ended up deciding to put grad
school on hold to try to “make it”
as a musician. Performing is
Curry’s forte (which is evident in
every one of his public appearances;
he is a born front man): “I
was going to go to NYU next semester,
but I kind of postponed
that because I want to perform. I
just like doing it, and if I canmake
money doing it, that’s perfection.”
As a young songwriter with a
highly-trained voice, clever lyrics,
and interesting arrangements, he
most certainly has a shot.
Curry had been in Charlottesville
for over a year and frequented
open mics and did some solo
acoustic shows in venues like The
Mudhouse coffee shop when he
decided to take hismusical career
to the next level: He took on the
challenge of where to begin headon
by deciding to record a fulllength
album.
Recording It
The songs on Curry’s album are
all originals. He wrote them over
the course of a few years and decided
it was time to get them on a
record. Curry had done a little
home recording with his previous
bands, but never any in a professional
studio: “I’ve always hated
doing recording before because I
really don’t knowthatmuch about
it. And, I had never worked with
an engineer before, but, actually
working with an engineer was the
best part forme. Home recording
is like driving a car you’re not
comfortable driving. The guy I
worked with, James McLaughlin
is his name, knows what he’s doing,
and it definitely shows on the
final project.”
A huge challenge new artists face
is financing the initial recording.
Curry was lucky in that he has so
many musical friends who could
lend him their talent. Plus, they
were surely happy to get to play
on an album full of interesting
original material. He got that full
band sound and his songs fleshed
out very nicely.
June 18 of this year marked the
official release of Some Perspective,
and Curry marked the occasion
with a CD release party at
The Sound Studios. Themusicians
who played on the album formed
a full band and put on a spectacular
show, which sold out.
Now What?
Now that Curry has an album
under his belt, he is actively booking
gigs and seeking press. He
also aspires to be a touring musician,
even though it is a difficult
thing to pull off at this stage: “I
want to play asmuch as I can, and
tour when economically viable.
It’s tough to put together tours as
an ‘unknown.’” He has been doing
shows around Virginia, usually
with some form of a band.
Like most musicians, Curry must
also continuously put himself out
there. He launched his website,
www.galencurry.com, right before
he releasedSome Perspective.
He also has a Facebook page, a
Myspace page, a ReverbNation
page, and a Twitter account. He
got professional photos taken, got
T-shirts made, and sells his CDs
and mp3s online at CD Baby and
Amazon.
Curry managed to get a rave review
in a New York music magazine
called Fourth Coast Entertainment.
You can read it at
www.fourthcoastentertainment.com.
He also received a feature spot in
the July issue of Status Hat at
www.statushat.org. This kind of
press is exactly what helps put a
local-level musician on the map.
As he sellsmore albums andmerchandise
and plays more paying
gigs, Curry plans on saving
money to record a sophomore album.
Check out his websi - Americana Rhythm Music Magazine

Galen Curry / Some Perspective
---Art E. Grymes
In his debut LP Some Perspective, songsmith
Galen Curry, former frontman of successful Potsdam
rock band The Beds and Central Virginia funkrock
ensemble Ultraviolet Ballet, weaves a patchwork
tapestry of distinctly American love songs.
Sonically speaking, the album draws from
the gamut of American pop music institutions.
Some tunes are logical continuations of Curry’s
previous work: the blues-rock influence of early
Clapton is unmistakable on “My Chance at Love,”
and the blistering guitar work on “Make Me Sing”,
the hardest rocking song on Some Perspective,
recalls the rambunctious atmosphere of the live
performances upon which Ultraviolet Ballet built
its name. Other songs reflect Curry’s sojourn
in the deep south with a profoundly country/
western affect, eminently the title track and the
alt-country rambler “I Tore Down a Mountain”.
“Blue Roses” shows off an acute R&B sensibility,
while the pop balladry of Billy Joel clearly
informs album closer “She Don’t Wait on Me.”
Tying together the genre-hopping instrumental
work is Curry’s versatile tenor. The real catching
allure of Curry’s various musical projects
has always been his unique vocal presence and
in that regard nothing has changed on Some
Perspective. His love of big harmonies with female
backup vocalists pervades the album, but
does nothing to obscure the raw power with
which his singular voice carries each and every
tune. Curry variously channels Jackie Wilson
(“Blue Roses”), Jimi Hendrix (“All that Matters”),
and Bill Monroe (“Some Perspective”), all the
while maintaining a style recognizably his own.
Lyrically, Curry isn’t especially concerned with
telling stories or making heavy thematic statements,
but instead with simple and concise characterization.
He doesn’t seek to reinvent the wagon
wheel nor spin it and declare that it pulls slightly
to the left. Instead he is content to observe, admire
and pity the idiosyncrasies which cause it
to spin just so. Each song on Some Perspective
is a first person monologue and, although various
objects of love and obsession are prominent
in the testimonies, in the end each song centers
on the narrator himself. In other words, although
most of the lyrics are ostensibly directed
towards an other, they all boil down to soliloquy.
In essence, each of Curry’s songs is an unfailingly
pithy character study of an American lover.
And these lovers are a diverse bunch. From
the prodigal son of “Oh, Mama” to the desperate
voyeur of “You & Me” to the weary cuckold of
“Since You Left My House,” each protagonist is,
in some sense, a model of human frailty. But the
one particular weakness they all have in common
also serves as the album’s inherent optimism, and
perhaps its lasting theme. When Curry sings the
words “remember you’re human” on the rollicking
bluegrass number “Hope You End Up With
Me” we expect a droll reminder and reconciliation
of our failures. Instead he provides us with
a mission statement: “and remember you’re
human/there’s nothing you won’t do for love.”
Galen Curry will be playing at the Potsdam Summerfest
Mainstage on July 8th and at LaCasbah in
Potsdam NY on July 9th. Some Perspective will be
on sale at these events & can also be ordered from
his website, http://www.galencurry.com. --- - Fourth Coast Entertainment Magazine

Curry Offering "Some Perspective"
By JORDAN KILTY
TUESDAY, JULY 6, 2010


POTSDAM - Music is one of the few things that can elicit so many different emotions, according to Galen Curry, a Potsdam native hoping to make music his career.

His debut album, Some Perspective, was released on June 18 and as Mr. Curry, 23, describes it, it's a mixture of alternative, country and folk rock.

"I tried to make this album eclectic genre-wise," Mr. Curry said. "It's interspersed with slower tunes, some faster tunes and there's one straight-up rock song. It runs the gamut of different genres, and it's hard to feel just one mood when you're listening to the songs. I tried to take listeners many different places with this album."

Some Perspective, however, isn't Mr. Curry's first foray into the musical world. Growing up in Potsdam, Mr. Curry played the clarinet and bassoon, sung in school choirs and was even a member of an a cappella group.


His venture into rock music came his sophomore year of high school when he joined The Beds, an alternative rock group that broke up when its members went to college.

"The band organically fell apart. There wasn't any dramatic scene where someone got angry and smashed their guitars on stage. We're all still friends," Mr. Curry said, adding that he will be reuniting with some members of The Beds this month when he plays Thursday at the 43rd annual Potsdam Summer Festival and Friday at LaCasbah in Potsdam.

Mr. Curry left The Beds and upstate New York in 2004 to attend the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Va. where he received his bachelor's degree in music and joined the funk rock group Ultraviolet Ballet.

"The nice thing about a band is you get used to everyone's different playing styles that you just get into the groove when you're onstage," Mr. Curry said.

But, like The Beds, the members of Ultraviolet Ballet went their separate ways after college. Not wanting to stop playing music, Mr. Curry decided to go solo. Although he said he misses the cohesive feeling of playing with a full band, he feels going off on his own was the right step for him.

"In a band, everyone's tastes and personalities create a different style, a different sound. Playing solo, this is my music, these are my choices and I am extremely happy with the album I created," Mr. Curry said, noting that producing an album was something The Beds and Ultraviolet Ballet had always hoped to accomplish but never did.

Mr. Curry wrote all the music and lyrics for Some Perspective himself. Some of the songs on the album had been simmering on the back burner for years, while he wrote others within the past few months specifically for the album, Mr. Curry said. But he noted that his album is not an autobiography.

"My inspiration comes from many different things. Some of the songs are rooted in real life, based on life experiences that I've had, but some songs are about fictional characters," the musician said. "It's fun to come up with different scenarios for the characters. Anything can happen."

While he was finishing the album, Mr. Curry got accepted into New York University's music therapy program but is postponing his attendance because he said now is the time to focus on promoting his album.

"I'm happy with my decision to postpone NYU," Mr. Curry said. "I'm proud of my album. Before, I've always just done home recordings of my songs, but this album is my first release done in a real studio with a producer and professional musicians."

Some Perspective was recorded in Virginia in only one month and then it was sent to New York City to get mastered, Mr. Curry said. He kicked off the album's release with a sold out show in Charlottesville, Va.

Not signed to a label, Mr. Curry does all the promotion himself, relying on the Internet to help spread the word. The musician maintains MySpace and Facebook pages, a Twitter account and a YouTube channel.

Although a label would make distribution and promotion easier, Mr. Curry said he's having fun doing it himself, and he enjoys the freedom that comes with being unattached to a label.

"It's nice that I can play at the Potsdam Summer Festival. I wouldn't get to do small shows like that if I were with a label. I get to see my family and play music and it's perfect. If someone asked me to get signed to a label tomorrow, of course I would do it, but for now, this is totally working out for me," Mr. Curry said. "At this point, I just want people to hear my music. It's more about promotion, not money."

Mr. Curry said his goal is to make enough money off this album so he can get started on his second, which he hopes to have ready within a year or a year and a half. And after that, all he knows is that he wants to play music for the rest of his life.

"Being on stage is the best feeling in the world to me," Mr. Curry said. "There is little hope in me becoming terribly successful, but even if there were no hope at all, I would st - Daily Courier Observer

Anchored by the elastic, entwined harmonies that only seem to exist among kin, The Currys have announced their return with their sophomore LP West Of Here, out March 25th, 2016. The follow up to their 2014 debut effort Follow, the latest LP finds brothers Jimmy and Tommy Curry and cousin Galen Curry once again wrapped in their own modern brand of harmony rich Americana. West Of Here showcases each of the family members’ songwriting chops and is a welcome addition to today’s contemporary folk landscape.
True to its title, West Of Here is an album born on the road. Following their debut Follow,The Currys spent nearly two years on the road before settling down in the studio with producers Chris Keup and Stewart Myers (Lifehouse, Jason Mraz). The LP holds plenty of warm, wistful tracks like “Restless” and “Hold Me Here,”swirling piano, mandolin, bass, guitar and light percussion into the same package, with hooks and harmonies leading the charge. Like the Avett Brothers, The Currys know when to crank up their rootsy stomp, but they are just as inspired by the epic sweep of Bruce Springsteen and the rhythmic soul of Marvin Gaye.
Lead single “If I Find It” kicks off with gentle mandolin chords and builds to the signature familial harmonies, at once intricate and revitalizing. The track premiered with PopMatters and is available below.

It’s been years since The Currys played their first songs together as teenage boys, swapping tunes during a series of annual family reunions. West of Here pays tribute to that history, but it pushes the band forward, too, with one foot in the folksy sound of The Currys’ influence and the other pointing toward something new. Having grown a loyal following who have been instrumental in allowing the band to express their unique sound on both their debut and sophomore records, the band will embark on yet another nationwide tour where they are sure to impress old and new fans alike. - With Guitars