Local Music News

John Stanek has been writing and performing in Atlanta for the past decade in various forms. Formerly lead vocalist for bands as diverse as southern alt-rockers “The Mule Thieves” and indie dream-pop outfit “God’s Green Earth,” John’s solo acoustic material falls somewhere in between, drawing upon classic rock influences with a contemporary alt-folk leaning. Lyrically, there is a mixture of melancholy with an omnipresent hinting of hope, which has drawn many comparisons to Travis and Coldplay… but the voice is more along the lines of Bono, having the range to go from soft crooning to full out wailing if warranted. The music (produced to perfection by Donovan Cox) is sparse, yet richly textured with deep resonating piano and bass, sounding like it could have been taken from a Rick Rubin/Johnny Cash session in 2002.
With his heart always firmly on his sleeve, songs like “Should I Ever Wake,” “Long Ride Home,” and “Flavor of the Month” will remind you that human existence isn’t always such a drag, and that even if it is at the moment… maybe it can get a little bit better. “In the night, be the light.”
http://www.myspace.com/johnleonstanek

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Podcast: Download