The modest beginnings play out in the The Dead Trees [Myspace] music in the best way – there’s no artifice here, not much “production” to speak of, just a bunch of good musicians doing what comes naturally on a batch of deceptively elegant songs. Two guitars, background vocals here and there, a manic drum fill when necessary. It all feels easy and right. Says Michael: “We don’t deprive any of our songs. They’re like our children, all different and each as important as the next. We’re just borrowing from our heroes and trying to raise a family.”

Learn more about The Dead Trees “after the jump”

“Shelter” [mp3]

The Dead Trees are:
Matthew Borg – guitar
Noah Rubin – drums/vocals
Tad Dahlhoff – bass/vocals
Michael Ian Cummings – vocals/guitar

Matthew, Noah, Tad and Michael weren’t really a ‘band’, exactly, when they began work on what would become the Fort Music EP, which saw a self-release widely supported through the Coalition Of Independent Music Stores in spring, 2008. They were longtime friends and had played around Boston in various configurations for years, but when they gathered in Dec ’06 to record some new songs of Michael’s there were no grand plans to see through or deadlines to meet. They had an engineer friend and a couple hundred bucks and some notions about maybe making some back to basics rock and roll. As Michael puts it, “these days, the only way forward is backward.” Luckily for everyone, that approach seemed to work just fine, and after two weeks in an Allston, MA basement they had Fort Music all wrapped up and, more importantly, were most definitely a band.

Since those basement sessions things have happened pretty fast – the band sent some CDs around, and next thing you know The Dead Trees were supporting Albert Hammond, Jr. on a national tour, did The House Of Blues in LA, Webster Hall in NYC, just about burned down the Metro in Chicago, and abandoned a broken down van somewhere in Iowa. There were showcases at Spaceland and Mercury Lounge and interest at labels was piqued. Now being represented by the management duo of Bryna Gootkind (Melissa Ferrick, Port O’Brien) and Ryan Gentles (The Strokes, Albert Hammond, Jr.), they’ve relocated to Portland, Oregon where they set to work on their debut LP, King Of Rosa. After signing a Japan-only deal with Japan’s leading indie label Five Many Army, the band was invited to perform at the Summer Sonic Festival in Tokyo and Osaka in the summer of 2008 in support of the upcoming release.

Shortly thereafter, King Of Rosa found a home with Milan Records in the U.S., bringing The Dead Trees back home to roost.

The band is going to be on the road this November supporting Little Joy after supporting Albert Hammond Jr. last year and Milan Records are releasing their debut full length, King of Rosa on Oct 21 (CD, digital) and Nov. 4 (LP).

The band plan on touring in support of King Of Rosa throughout the fall/winter of 2008, and into 2009.

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