Biography

There's a rockin' new musical monster looming on the horizon and ready to jump out of your stereo speakers with a brand new sound this year. In fact, with the upcoming release of their debut album "Hide and Go Seek," 2008 might just turn out to be the year of Elephantbear, a group of ultra-talented young rockers from upstate New York.

The band, fronted by the promising young songwriter and guitarist Mike Pedersen, has already won comparisons to artists like Snow Patrol, Ben Lee, and the Foo Fighters because of their smartly written, deftly executed, and highly original brand of rock. Sharing the songwriting duties with Pedersen are his longtime friend and collaborator, the multi-talented percussionist Tim Collins and bassist George Facteau. Collins, who plays drums for Elephantbear, grew up playing and writing music with Pedersen in their hometown of Plattsburgh, N.Y. and is also a noted jazz vibraphonist.

The band members draw on their own diverse individual influences to create a pop-rock sound that seamlessly incorporates elements of funk, punk, classic rock, jam rock, and jazz into one unique and vibrant groove. Other musicians who appear on "Hide and Go Seek" include drummer Simon Lott; bassist Matt Clohesy; Ulrike Schmitz on violin; Chris Hoffman on cello; tenor saxophonist Matt Blostein; Brian Coogan on piano; Joe Kaczorowski on alto sax; Alex Jeun on trombone; Tom Barber on trumpet, and keyboardist Matthias Bublath.

The band comes out charging with the hook driven "Eternally Incomplete" as the opening cut on "Hide and Go Seek." This song, as with all of the band's material, displays the band's radio ready songwriting style as well as Pedersen's crafty guitar playing and Collins' driving drum work. Their artfully contrived original compositions, coupled with the band's skillful musicianship and carefully orchestrated pop arrangements, make for really complete pop-rock tunes that easily outdo anything you'll catch on the airwaves or MTV these days.

The album's title track, "Hide and Go Seek," deals with the record's pervasive theme of unrequited and broken love before busting into a Dave Matthews-esque groove punctuated by a fantastic sax solo by guest artist Matt Blostein. "Stronger Me" is another example of Elephantbear at their best. The lyrics on this track, penned by Pedersen and Facteau, are particularly strong on this track. "Ive been so afraid to give you a piece of myself / Long ago I took my emotions and placed them on a shelf / Now I'm starting to see that I'm coming back around / Now I'm starting to see I'm picking up what I once put down." Accented by Collins' well-placed glockenspiel chimes and catchy piano riffs, this tune really shines.

Another one of the album's many highlights and perhaps its best all-around cut is "Green Canvas Box," a straight-ahead rocker with a signature synthesizer hook that will definitely resonate in your ears long after the song's stopped. This is definitely quintessential modern alternative rock, typified by Pedersen's wailing vocals and crunchy guitar riffs and drummer Collins' fresh backbeat. It'll probably remind you of a few popular mainstream acts, but still carries that distinctive Elephantbear edge that they've become known for.

You don't have to read "Between The Lines" to guess that Elephantbear is a band with a bright future. This quirky, catchy song adds another dimension to "Hide and Go Seek" and features some brilliantly original instrumentation that demonstrates the young group's versatility. Again, the songwriting provides the foundation for this wonderfully unique tune, providing the perfect showcase for a songwriting team whose sophisticated songs belie their age in years and a band that is definitely on their way up. After hearing "Hide and Go Seek," we believe you'll agree.

For more information on Elephantbear or to arrange an interview or on-air performance with the band, please contact JPMC Music Inc. at 802-860-7110 or via email at svanetten@jpmc.com.