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The Canary Promise is a fairly new band on the Richmond scene, but their sound both hearkens back and looks forward. It looks back 20 years to grunge before it was a dirty word, and its melodic verses and groove based choruses look forward to as yet un-chartered musical paths.

After several permutations, The Canary Promise's genesis was in December 2008, though singer/guitarist/songwriter Jeff Hartman states they only fully realized themselves as a band fairly recently. Comprised of two old friends who reconnected through Facebook but played guitar together as early as the fifth grade (Hartman and lead guitarist Kyle Athey) and the solid rhythm section of Michael Del Bueno (drums) and new bassist Clay Hewitson, the band presented itself to Richmond in April 2010.

Lyricist-singer-songwriter-guitarist-writer-bandleader Hartman is something of a mystery. A one-time record store clerk whose musical tastes are as disparate as Thelonious Monk, Frank Zappa, and Kyuss, he wanted to put together something that returned to rock basics while also forging new harmonic mutations for their growing audience to ponder.

Per Hartman: "We noticed when we looked at the songs collectively that they were primarily riff-based - a quality sorely lacking in rock today."

Audiences are already responding to the band's first single "It's a Free Market, (baby)" - available exclusively as a digital download on the band's website.

"It's about selling the end of a relationship to someone who was fine with ending it anyway," said Hartman. "Trading love for financial success, and maybe realizing that wasn't all there is to life." That song, and B-Side "The Drought" can be previewed and purchased directly from the band on their website, www.TheCanaryPromise.com

Another early favorite is "(Broken) Tricycle" which has a catchy chanted one-line chorus over staccato guitars. Lead guitarist Athey adds distinctive but thematic solo work over Hartman's framework and the results are quite catchy.

Overall, this is a band with clever songs, energy, and lots of...promise. Keep an eye out for them on the Richmond scene.

Website: www.thecanarypromise.com

Vinyl Tease is the formation of Tina Marie, Mark Henderson and Tom Crosby. All very talented and experienced musicians from Richmond, VA that love to entertain. With covers and original sound, Tina, Mark and Tom engage audiences and your senses with melodic tunes that make you appreciate music all over again.

Tina Marie grew up in North Carolina and has been around music her entire life. Her dad was a guitar-playing singer and got Tina singing almost before she could talk. Although more of a guitar player now, her first instrument was piano. She also plays a little harmonica, mandolin, accordion and percussion. "I always loved to sing, and loved picking out harmonies. All through school I was always in any and every choir, chorus or vocal ensemble I could get into", says Tina. She played with various bands in Richmond all through the 90's; The Attics, Bart Chucker Band, Mad Marjorie and Whistler's Mother. In the late 90's, looking for an opportunity to do more of her original music, she moved to NYC, formed a band and performed in various clubs around NYC and Brooklyn.

After moving back to Richmond in 2005, Tina Marie formed a band, which ultimately also included the current drummer and bass player for Vinyl Tease. "We played together around Richmond for almost 4 years as Sister Sweet, until my long time vocal partner decided to move on to a new project. But the guys and I wanted to play on...and so we are, as Vinyl Tease", says Tina. They also play together in other musical projects, such as King Solomon's Marbles - where she sings and play percussion; The Lost Satellites, singing and playing keyboards, accordion, harmonica and various other instruments to add texture to the sound.

Considering how much she always loved music, Tina got somewhat of a late start in the industry. She asked, "Can a woman my age really make something major happen in music?" We shall see. Better late than never!

Website: www.tinamarie.bandcamp.com

Marionette draws on lots of the off-shoots of the rock and roll movement - with equal admiration for the great songwriters and the more abstract, noise acts that span across rock, psych, jazz, folk, alt-country, shoegaze, punk, whatever. Facing You is Marionette's (Richmond, Virginia) debut full length and features strong songwriting and unique male/female harmonies set against soundscapes of reedy accordions, grinding feedback guitars, bow scraping upright bass, hubcaps, half working organs and drum machines, field recordings, horns, and strings.

Before Marionette, Kevin Cornell was a jazz drummer with a love of the Beach Boys and 60's British psychedelia who also could sing and play any instrument he picked up. Adam Rose (guitar) relocated from NYC where great songwriters and avant garde noise and jazz regularly mixed. Marshall O'Leary (piano), was primarily a jazz tenor player. Kerri Helsley came to the band in 2007, bringing a voice and creativity that were a breath of fresh air. Brian Cruse (bass) joined in 2009 and has brought a looseness and enthusiasm that has added improvisational energy to live shows.

Website: www.marionettemusic.com

Richmond, VA, natives the Half Jeffersons formed in 2002 with the sole goal of writing tunes with extremely catchy punk/pop hooks. Ranging from fiery screamo rockers to gentle acoustic ditties, their songs took musical cues from an array of artists across several genres. Recording only three demos in five years while playing shows consistently, the boys stayed true to their craft and finally made plans to record their first full-length, ...A Splash of Color, with producer Kenny Shultz in 2007. Soon after its release, the band gained notoriety when their songs "With Regrets" and "A Splash of Color" were featured on MTV's Newport Harbor. After several tours up and down the East Coast, the band put live music on the back burner and turned their focus towards writing and school. The result was a growth in music theory, song writting, and producing that they culminated into the three year recording of their sophomore album "Chorus". The current members are: Franklin Massie, Justin Black, Parker Black, Mark Thom, Kenny Shultz, and Dietrich Teschner.

Website: www.thehalfjeffersons.blogspot.com

Crushed Purple came to life in 2009 from the ashes of local psychedelic rock band, The In and Outs. The current lineup features Mark Hines (vocals, guitar), Lauren Hines (keys, vocals), Justin O'Neill (bass, vocals), Jeff Davenport (guitar, vocals), Jim Noonan (percussion) and Will Warriner (drums). The band will be playing New York in May and is planning a week-long tour of the heartland in early August to include Asheville, Atlanta, Nashville, Memphis, St. Louis, Chicago, Detroit and Pittsburgh.

Website: www.myspace.com/crushedpurple