The Brightslide
Orem, UT | Established. Jan 01, 2018 | SELF
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If you were thinking that indie folk already had a sweet disposition, then Cephas’ self-titled debut album is about to make that disposition seem a whole lot sweeter. Although they’re new to the music scene, this Provo/Orem-based trio’s album is something you would expect to hear on the radio—it’s that good. Robert Speiser (lead vocals/guitar), Melissa Alexander (vocals/bass) and Weston Paul (drums) join forces to give those in the Utah music scene a self-recorded, fresh take on the indie folk we all know and love.
The first few seconds of the first track, “Giants Among Men,” consist of some obscure sounds that melt into swift guitar strumming, gorgeous harmonized male/female vocals and rumbling drums that resemble pounding footsteps. This song creates amazing energy that stays consistent throughout the entire album.
It was extremely difficult for me to decide on a favorite song from this album because all of them were so lovely to the ear. Each one had me imagining myself in a different scenario, whether it was waking up on a Sunday morning in the forest during “Creatures of Migration” or picturing myself on the beach during “Sweet Talk.” When I gave “I Am The Shoe” a few listens, I realized that it was my favorite, purely because it was just quirky and fun. It didn’t sound like a typical indie-folk song, and the uniqueness of the lyrics really grabbed my attention.
Cephas are definitely up to something good. Not only do I love how satisfying these songs are, but I also love the handcrafted sound of this album. You can hear the DIY aspect in every song, which I find refreshing. It’s like I’m listening to it on a turntable when it’s actually just blaring from my computer’s speakers, and I love that so much about this self-titled gem. I could picture a lot of the songs being featured in independent, coming-of-age movie previews. I’m excited to hear what else these three have in store. Cephas are playing a show in honor of their album release on July 28 at the Velour Live Music Gallery in Provo. In the meantime, you can download their single, “Giants Among Men,” for free on their Soundcloud. –Zaina Abujebarah - SLUG Magazine
This Thursday, July 25th, Provo folk band Cephas will released their self-titled debut album. Relative newcomers to the Provo music scene, Cephas released the music video for their lead single, “Giants Among Men” last month ahead of this week’s release. This album is but one of several being released this week, with a dual EP release this Friday from The Solarists and Grey Glass. We don’t know what it is about the Provo music scene, but when it rains, it pours.
Cephas will be headlining their album release show at Velour Live Music Gallery – an impressive feat for a band so new, and one that will hopefully help them make some headway in the weeks and months to come. Joining them will be folk-rock locals Brother. and the female fronted The Crosswinds. Cephas was recently featured on City Weekly’s local release calendar.
The upcoming album will explore things like mental illness and wander lust. Lead singer Rob Speiser grew up in Wyoming. After starting several bands, he decided to pack up and move to Provo, UT with the hopes of pursuing music. “I wrote ‘Creatures of Migration’ a few years ago while I was in school,” he said during an interview with The Couch Series. “You feel stuck, you don’t get to do anything – life just seems so boring. You’re glued to a table. I wanted the lyrics to be about getting away – exploring the world.”
“Creatures of Migration” is just one of the eight tracks on the album. Each one is written from the perspective of someone Speiser admires or someone who experienced a difficult situation that left an impact on him. “I feel like a lot of Rob’s songs are about overcoming adversity,” says bassist Melissa Alexander. “When I listen to our music, I feel good.”
The release show is This Thursday, July 25th, at Velour Live Music Gallery. Tickets are $7 at the door (cash only). Doors open at 8PM. Make sure to like Cephas on Facebook and watch the music video for their lead single “Giants Among Men” below. You can download the song for free on Soundcloud. - Reach Provo News
(video interview)
http://kutv.com/news/2news-this-morning/cephas - KUTV CHANNEL 2 NEWS
(video interview)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g-T7at9dq6c - KPGR Pig Pen 88.1
Discography
Still working on that hot first release.
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Bio
The Brightslide is an indie-pop rock band, like Coldplay meets Twentyone Pilots. Having starting in 2016 as a trio-band called Cephas, The Brightslide has continued to stick with a formula for their music: simple and catchy. Currently, they're recording their first full-length album to be released this summer (2018). Along with their music, their live performance is a force to be reckoned with, with high energy and dramatic black lights.You can find much more about this up-and-coming band through their weekly videos on youtube, as well as facebook, instagram, spotify, and soundcloud.
Email at thebrightslide@gmail.com
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