Nine Times Blue

"Great songwriting talent with a distinctive, unique voice. It's new and fresh, but with a hint of "Have I heard this before?" A great combination that draws you in." - Bryan Holmes (The Producers)

"For those who like their power pop with a rockier edge, although that said, there are enough jangly guitars and melodies for this to sit comfortably in anyone’s collection. Delivers classic sounds evoking thoughts of the classic era of Power Pop, whilst also conveying a sound and style which is very much in the now." - Ice Cream Man, Power Pop and More (Ding, Ding!)

"Modern, mature, rock/power-pop...in cahoots with the Matthew Sweet/Fountains of Wayne/Crowded House/Gin Blossoms/Jellyfish school of Beatlesesque guitar groups." - Big Takeover Magazine (Jack Rabid)

“Looks like it’s time to tell the boomers to buzz off with their hippie crap nostalgia because this set makes it sound like the ‘80s are in the air. With the opening riff bringing you back to the time just before MTV, when power pop met AOR and the last crop of real rockers was getting their stuff together before hitting the arenas, the ‘80s are back and the kids that loved them are in control.” - Midwest Record (Chris Spector)

“Nine Times Blue is one band that gets it right. The infectious pop hooks and catchy lyrics on Falling Slowly show that these guys have done their homework, and that they are the real thing. The leadoff title track is reminiscent of The Gin Blossoms with its bouncy rhythm. ‘I Can’t See You’ finds lead singer Kirk Waldrop channeling The Smithereens’ Pat DiNizio, while the lovely ‘Serena’ sounds like what might happen if Crosby, Stills & Nash teamed up with DiNizio and his boys for a song. ‘Fun and Games’ just might be the best Elvis Costello song he never wrote. While the influences on the album are obvious, the music is undeniably original...Here’s hoping that Nine Times Blue gets the widespread recognition they obviously deserve.” - Charleston Post and Courier (Devin Grant)

“Falling Slowly is an album that is rife with enthusiasm for their collective inspirations, fueled by an obvious desire to articulate that enthusiasm in their own work... they have succeeded admirably.” - Blitz Magazine (Michael McDowell)

"Driven by trade mark jangly guitars, [Nine Times Blue] delivers old style power pop tunes similar to The Connells, Producers and Gin Blossoms while keeping it fresh and new. In today’s musical environment it is refreshing to hear their music." - The Examiner (Chris Martin)

"“Falling Slowly” could be played on rock radio right now, and should be, but it could also have comfortably rested on playlists back in ’94 or ’95. Waldrop’s voice makes him sound like he’s related by blood to Pat DiNinzio, so if you still listen to Green Thoughts or Smithereens 11 once or twice a year, you’ll be happy." - Popdose (Rob Smith)

“… catchy melodies and tight harmonies… the jangling guitars play off a heavy bass sound. The production is precise, which gives the music a crisp and clear sound. They blast out of the speakers with energy and continually draw the listener back with a return to established chord patterns. There is an economy to their sound which keeps the focus on each song’s structure. Nine Times Blue have released a fine debut album… It’s a perfect album for the car stereo system and dance floor.” - FAME (Mark S. Tucker)

“I was pleasantly surprised by their single “Falling Slowly.” Very relevant to what is currently being played on both traditional radio as well as internet stations like PANDORA and NWCZ Radio. A combination of great lyrics…great songwriting…backing vocals and solid musicianship…mixed and mastered by two-time Grammy-winning producer Don McCollister, who’s worked with such top-selling artists as Sister Hazel, Indigo Girls, Third Day and Shawn Mullins…and NOW, Nine Times Blue…it will come as no surprise to me if I hear any of their songs on a new hit show on HBO or Showtime. It has a timeless sense about it in that it also reminds me of the theme song that the Rembrandts did for Friends as well as movies like American Pie. I could go on and on, but this is a very commercial-ready band with a great new single, Falling Slowly that has soul and fire driving it……I have been falling slowly in love with Nine Times Blue.” - The Ripple Effect

“The band channels an ‘80s energy to much of their music, particularly ‘I Can’t See You’ and the glorious ‘Million Miles,’ both of which soar into the musical stratosphere. They add just the right amount of pop sheen to the dreamy sounding ‘Serena,’ which to my ears is one of the top tracks on the disc. All along, Waldrop’s vocals are first-rate, as is the instrumental work from the rest of the band. In fact, the guitar work on ‘Grace’ could definitely serve as a textbook example of how to do it and do it right. All around, an impressive album from a band that seems to be going places – quickly!” - Music News Nashville (Chuck Dauphin)

"Marrying crisp, radio friendly but thoroughly infectious hook-lines with effective guitar work and a down to earth production, songs such as “Million Miles”, “Fun and Games” and the inspiring title number are the work of songwriting craftsmen. Nine Times Blue are poised to fashion a bright future for themselves." - Rocktologist (Daniel Pavlica)

“And the south shall rise again. Here is the full length debut for this Atlanta-based power pop quartet. While it won’t change the results of the civil war, this southern concoction is worth a listen.
The first band that came to mind when I laid ears on this disc was Sister Hazel, whose Fortress is one of my favorite records of all time- so I didn’t exactly spill my diet coke with excitement when I found out producer Don McCollister had worked with them, not to mention Shawn Mullins and Indigo Girls. I can hear it in the construction of the songs- overdubs sure, but no excessive layering. Mostly acoustic guitars at work here, resulting in a warm and friendly sound.
Bryan Holmes of The Producers observes that the band has “great song writing talent with a distinctive, unique voice, and yet the songs maintain a familiarity that radio will like.” While some would think it’s a crime punishable by 30 days in the hole, I see nothing wrong in crafting a batch of semi-catchy songs that many people might actually like. I applaud their total lack of conviction in being hipper than thou. The songs are melodically simple and easy to digest, good company on a sunny day, and if there wasn’t 3 feet of snow on my front lawn and below freezing temperatures, I could very well be on the front lawn tossing a Frisbee as this blares from the new speakers the missus got me for Christmas. Hey- it could happen.
Like most people, I compare music I’ve never heard before to stuff I already know, and I very nearly get the same vibe from Nine Times Blue overall that I get from Sister Hazel’s Strange Cup Of Tea off of 2000’s Fortress. That makes this a winner in my books.” - Gonzo Online

“Hailing from the great city of Atlanta, Nine Times Blue are a band that writes and plays radio-ready songs that would be as at home on an AM station as they would on FM. With the new album, Falling Slowly, it easily makes you think of any other number of bands with the same appeal. The Smithereens, Matchbox Twenty, Gin Blossoms all immediately come to mind within the first few notes. And, you know what? There’s nothing wrong with that at all.
The title track will have your feet tapping and your fingers playing air drums the first time you hear it. These are great songs that make you want to sing along with them over and over. Other stand outs include “Grace,” “Million Miles” and “Serena,” and show that this band has the chops to deliver not only a great record but a promising future. So, do yourself a favor and track down Nine Times Blue’s Falling Slowly. Your ears will thank you.” - HonestTune (Brett Bickley)

“Nine Times Blue takes its name from a Mike Nesmith song, a fitting choice for a group rooted in power pop, one of the genres that made up the music of the Monkees, Nesmith’s former band. The Atlanta-area based quartet serves up a pleasing mix of memorable melodies and heartfelt lyrics that recalls the work of Crowded House, the Gin Blossoms and the Smithereens. The title song kicks off the album with a jangly blend of electric and acoustic guitars. Jason Brewer’s propulsive drumming provides a rhythmic kick to “Crazy to Think,” a romantic kiss-off song by Kirk Waldrop, the band’s principal songwriter. The soulful “Grace” receives an assist from Philadelphia-area musicians Brett Talley and John Faye on guitars and backing vocals, respectively. “Serena” invites comparisons to the jangly pop of early ‘80s Marshall Crenshaw. “I Can’t See You” offers a burst of musical energy with its layered guitars and vocals, while “Silent Words” is a creative slice of pop songcraft.” - Icon Magazine (Tom Wilk)

Power Pop, so named by Pete Townsend, has always been one of rock's most loved sub-genres and for good reason. With its emphasis on song structure, melody, strong lead vocals, and heavy guitar riffs that don't meander into long solos it's music that is readily accessible.
Power Pop was part of the makeup of everyone from the early Beatles, The Kinks, The Who (pre-Tommy), The Raspberries, Nick Lowe, Squeeze, The Posies, Marshall Crenshaw, and a host of others. More recent acts such as Fountains of Wayne and Del Amitri have also become important representatives of the style. Now we can add to the list, Nine Times Blue, a mighty fine new quartet named after an old Michael Nesmith song.
The Atlanta outfit's debut CD, Falling Slowly, could easily have been a hit if it had been released in an era when groups like this one received regular radio airplay. The disc is loaded with ten original songs that check in at a concise thirty-eight minutes. The band sounds a lot like Arizona's Gin Blossoms (especially on the loud, barn-burning title track) with a little Smithereens thrown in for good measure (catch the heavy bass intro to "Million Miles" as an example of the latter).
Nine Times Blue's chief songwriter and lead vocalist, Kirk Waldrop, is obviously the man in charge and he should make no apologies for being the leader. He handles all of the challenges required of him as easily as any veteran who has ever rocked.
Falling Slowly is not pretentious, nor deep, but it's music isn't trite either. It's also one of the best albums I've heard from a fledgling outfit in a long, long time. - Bloggerythms (Charlie Ricci)

[Nine Times Blue] have developed a sound that channels such artists as The Smithereens and Marshall Crenshaw and in places reminds one of elements of The Squeeze and the Gin Blossoms. The first full-length album by Nine Times Blue proves that power pop is alive and well in the Atlanta area. - Seattle Post (David Bowling)

Atlanta, Georgia-based Nine Times Blue (named after the Michael Nesmith song) is helmed by singer-songwriter and guitarist Kirk Waldrop, who previously fronted The Features from nearby Athens in the mid-90s. Waldrop ingeniously models his catchy writing style and jangly rock arrangements after seminal powerpop influences Squeeze, The Smithereens and The Gin Blossoms, while craftily infusing his radio-friendly originals with a more cutting edge plushness that renders them newly germane.
Particular pleasures include the set-opening, plaintively bright title song, a tambourine-steadied confessional ‘Fun And Games’ (with echoes of The Beatles and Kinks abounding), the slowly unwinding, melodically contemplative ‘Groove’, a drum-pounding, rousing ‘Silent Words’ and the Byrds-like closer ‘So Much Time’. I’m smiling.
- Shindig Magazine (Gary von Tersch)

“When was the last time you had your spirits lifted by a power pop group you've never heard of and kept coming back to its disc because it sounds so fresh and invigorating? This debut album from an Atlanta-based rock quartet, Nine Times Blue, hooks listeners with its great rhythms, intriguing lyrics, vocals, and foot-stompin' melodies. There's nothing fancy about the quartet -- but the sound is rich and rewarding, with lyrics that are intelligent, but not pretentious.” - Toledo Blade (Tom Henry)

With the release of his first single, Kirk Waldrop has been given the chance to show off what only those who frequent the Washington Street Tavern have known about.

Waldrop's rugged voice, combined with the confident percussion of drummer Mike Wiese (a University student and member of Honeydog Lovewagon), the catchy bass lines of Eric Leland and the infectious hooks of guitarist Adam Leland, make this a solid rock-folk debut for both Waldrop and his label, Democrat Records.

Waldrop is relatively new to the Athens area, but should be making a prominent mark on the local scene. And the wise move of Democrat in signing Waldrop as its first client will hopefully make way for much of the other fabulous, yet unrecognized talent. - Care Thompson

Clean-cut jangly rock. There's a hint of Southern flacor here, but the debt is owed to R.E.M., not Skynard. Both songs on this cassingle ("Reasons Why" and "So Much Time") have the same kind of roots rock jangly feel of much of John Couger Mellencamp's work - or maybe the Ass Ponys without the wierdness. Lyrically, the songs are very straightforward and Waldrop knows a good chorus when he hears one - that's why you hear the chorus about 13 times in each song. I don't know if I'll ever get "Reasons Why" out of my head! It would be easy enough to throw some grungy guitars and a lot of feedback, but Waldrop is content to do his own thing, and that works for me. This is high quality stuff. - Marc Pilvinsky

"'Reasons Why' and 'So Much Time' are sugary sweet, Matthew Sweet, bubble-gum pop tunes."

- Gregory Nicoll

"'So Much Time' and 'Reasons Why' recall John Mellancamp's pop rock from 'Scarecrow'." (http://www.indie-music.com) - David J. Klug

Nine Times Blue capably carries on the tradition of power pop, a guitar-driven music that stays in a listener’s mind with Matter of Time. The quartet, named after a Mike Nesmith song, delivers the goods with a fast-paced, extended-play CD of half a dozen songs. - Icon Magazine (Tom Wilk)

“After a solid debut, Kirk Waldrop and the band continue to forge ahead with melodic rock in the tradition of The Gin Blossoms, Fountains of Wayne and Matthew Sweet – heavy on the guitar licks and earnest on the lyrics. The band sounds even tighter here, with a more balanced sound than before. “Falling After You” is a pretty mainstream single that non power-pop fans will gravitate to. “Matter of Time” is the collaboration of Waldrop and Cliff Hillis, but my favorite track here is “Only Lonely (The Shovel Song)” where Kirk has a terrific guitar solo under the chorus. Give it a spin.” - Powerpopaholic (Aaron Kupferberg)

“Any band named after a Monkees tune gets major coolness points right off the bat. When the songs are solid and non-cliched, the lead vocals are passionate with just the right balance of grit and sweetness, and the playing is sharp and varied, well, that’s the icing on the cake. Kirk Waldrop writes and sings all six songs on the EP (save for one co-write with fellow pop dude Cliff Hillis) and the results sound to me like a less mannered Darius Rucker fronting a really tight indie pop band. Trust me, it’s a good thing. - Goldmine Magazine (John Borack)

“The band’s new EP, Matter of Time, contains six beautifully crafted, timeless pieces of bass-guitar-drum melodic rock that ends far too quickly.” - Pop That Goes Crunch! (

“[Nine Times Blue has] the same DNA as Arizona's Gin Blossoms and they also owe a debt of gratitude to a host of other bands who preceded them including Fountains of Wayne who sound like they've penetrated Waldrop's soul too. This means that music lovers who have an affinity for rock that is straightforward, well sung, well played, and professionally produced have some new stuff to add to their collections.” - Bloggerhythms (Charlie Ricci)

“Every so often, a band comes along that figures out how to do pop music right, and their work jumps right into the ear and saturates the brain, waking the heart up, everything coalescing into precisely what this sub-genre of music was intended to do. Ya gotta have progrock, ya hafta have jazz, and you should be into good avant-garde, but you also need great pop, and, that being the case, both of Nine Times Blue's CDs should be in your collection.” - Folk and Acoustic Music Exchange (Mark S. Tucker)

“Nine Times Blue have created a record that sounds great cranked up on the car stereo. Here’s hoping for a short length of time for their next release.” - Icon Fetch (Tony Peters)

“In a world where “melodic” and “rock” rarely come together anymore - there’s Nine Times Blue.” - Icon Fetch (Tony Peters)

“If sheer enthusiasm counts for anything at all, then Nine Times Blue could be destined for the top of the charts. And given their radio-ready approach, there certainly is that possibility. Now, with a new EP, aptly entitled Matter of Time (a follow-up to their well-received debut, Falling Slowly), the Atlanta-based band hits another high mark, one which reaffirms their commitment to craft.” - Blurt Magazine (Lee Zimmerman)

“Nine Times Blue has been praised for their first album Falling Slowly and they have a contender with this newest release, with their modern sound and great harmony as a band. The songs are catchy, easy to listen to, and the acoustics are just one of the band’s strength as a group as a whole.” - Celebrity Cafe (Elizabeth Learned)

“Each track on the E.P. lights up the day in which the Georgia sunshine is as deep and languishing as the rich heritage of the area, the songs are catchy, instantly likeable and above all written by a band who understand the pleasure it will give to many. Following on from the band’s first release, Falling Slowly, Matter of Time is record in which to collapse into and which will spur even the hardest of deflated spirits.” - Liverpool Sound and Vision (Ian D. Hall)

“Power pop band Nine Times Blue has just released a six-track EP,Matter of Time. It is the second release from the band, following their impeccable debut, Falling Slowly. The Atlanta-based alternative rock band capture and maintain a modern rock sound rooted in 60s pop songwriting. The result is an infectious experience that combines decades of worthy influences.” - Parcbench (Greg Victor)