Press
“Benny Marchant comes through with several richly melodic tunes on his debut, Conversations Missed EP (Marina), including two versions of the infectious title track. It’s inviting enough to make one want to pursue the L.A.-based singer-songwriter’s full-length debut…”
–Sam Gnerre, DAILY BREEZE (Torrance, CA), December 30, 2010
“The LA rock/folk singer-songwriter’s voice quivers while he delicately sings heartfelt lyrics that deliver an amicable feeling of comfort. Marchant bears similarities to Tom Petty and Nick Drake, and his wistful voice adds charm that brings out the emotion in his lyrics. From the more upbeat rock sounds of ‘Conversations Missed’ to the country-influenced ‘Been Too Long,’ the four-song EP is genuine and blends acoustic and electric guitars, an xylophone, violin, drums, shakers and a synth.”
–Ashley Eliot, LACANVAS.COM, January 24, 2011
“Conversations Missed features Marchant’s unique blend of catchy folk-rock that is personal, yet has pop appeal. Marchant is a master of making complex melodies sound simple and eliciting impromptu sing-alongs, even before you know all the words…While painting an intimate portrait of his own emotions, Marchant’s songs are universally accessible.”
–Brian Willett, BLOGINITY.COM, September 13, 2010
“There is a new singer/songwriter that can best be described as a blend of Tom Petty and Ben Harper. His name is Benny Marchant and he is a dynamic rising talent with vocals so incredibly soulful that it is hard to believe he is not already being played on every national radio station.”
–Dana Feldman, EXAMINER.COM, November 11, 2010
“Benny Marchant is one of the most promising new artists to emerge in 2010.”
–Markos Papadators, SUITE101.COM, January 11, 2011
“Half of the CD is folksy acoustic rock material, while the other half of it has a little of The Eagles zest to it. A hint of country and 3/4 of pure rock mixed with lazy folk calls for a tasty blend of sleepy intimacy, and rock ballad catchiness…My favorite song on the EP is most definitely, ‘A Better Way.’ With melancholy riffs and a touch of cello that emerges smoothly into the song, he tells a story of heartbreak and longing. It has a sense of disparity that captures my attention immediately, the hope of ‘the one who got away’ to return.”
–Melissa Garcia, THELIVEOC.COM, September 2010
“Benny Marchant has everything he needs to stride forward into the world of musical success…So far, he’s making excellent progress. After hearing his music online, I knew he had some serious chops but I was expecting a mellow, Americana-flavored singer/songwriter performance. Benny can croon with the best of them, but he can do so much more than that. He can stretch out his vocal chords to sound a little like Ben Harper, or soften his throat to almost sigh into the microphone. Even when he’s jamming with his band (and his band can jam) he keeps total control over his occasionally raw-around-the-edges voice.”
–Laurel Kathleen, BESTNEWBANDS.COM, October 16, 2010
“…loaded with talent, Marchant and company delivered a solid set of tunes which fit in perfectly with the intimate surroundings. Benny Marchant is an exceptional singer/songwriter who is bound for bigger stages when 2011 rolls around…Marchant and company can really deliver the goods, whether it’s a sweet acoustic reverie or an all-out rock and roller. The title cut ‘Conversations Missed’ and the melancholic ‘Been Too Long’ are hit singles in the making, and they were very well received within a live setting. Quite a few new tunes where played, displaying an energy and passion perhaps signifying an even rockier musical direction for Mr. Marchant. The songs and the artist were warm and introspective, recalling top notch performers such as Jackson Browne and Duncan Sheik. When the band closed with the dynamic ‘Killing Me,’ there was little doubt that Marchant and his crew had won over the crowd and left everyone wanting to hear a whole lot more.”
–Ken Morton, HIGHWIREDAZE.COM, December 23, 2010
“’Conversations Missed’ and ‘Cold Weather’ are two very melodic and more poppy songs. The juxtaposition between the upbeat guitar riffs and Marchant’s melancholy lyrics in ‘Conversations Missed’ made the song somewhat haunting. It was definitely unforgettable and seems like a great choice for a title track.”
–Frances Vega, NEONTOMMY.COM, November 5, 2010
“His folk-rock style is reminiscent of many musicians before him, but Benny’s style is clearly all his own. His songs are heartfelt, emotional, and delightfully enjoyable to listen to…Benny Marchant’s EP release Conversations Missed, which is leading up to the release of his full-length album Cold Weather in 2011 is a true dream come true!”
–Adam Rothenberg, ADAUMBELLE’SQUEST.COM, October 22, 2010
DT: JANUARY 25, 2011
FR: LIBBY COFFEY/ANGELA VILLANUEVA/MITCH SCHNEIDER, MSO
LOS ANGELES SINGER-SONGWRITER-MUSICIAN
BENNY MARCHANT
PREPARES FOR
‘COLD WEATHER’
DEBUT FULL-LENGTH OUT TUESDAY, MAY 31
FOLLOWING CRITICAL ACCLAIM OF ‘CONVERSATIONS MISSED’ EP
TITLE TRACK “COLD WEATHER” TO IMPACT RADIO MARCH 7
Singer-songwriter-musician BENNY MARCHANT is ready for COLD WEATHER, his debut full-length album due out Tuesday, May 31 via his own imprint Marina Records. The album–produced by renowned producer Joe Chiccarelli (Radiohead, White Stripes, My Morning Jacket, The Shins, Manchester Orchestra, Minus the Bear)–follows BENNY’s critically acclaimed 2010 EP, CONVERSATIONS MISSED. The title track “Cold Weather” will officially impact radio March 7, although it has been picked up early by several stations.
The songs on the EP–“Cold Weather,” “Been Too Long,” “A Better Way” and two versions of “Conversations Missed”–introduced BENNY’s haunting alternative folk-rock and offered a sample of what’s to come on COLD WEATHER.
“I didn’t want to give too much away, but I really wanted to give a great and balanced representation of myself and the upcoming full-length album,” says BENNY. “I think I did a good job with that. I want the listener to know that I’m not trying to be a catchy commercial pop artist.”
Fans, music journalists and radio programmers have all responded positively to the music on the EP. BENNY has garnered airplay at over 20 stations nationwide, including Sirius/XM’s The Loft. CONVERSATIONS MISSED also attracted attention from the media. Sam Gnerre of the Daily Breeze newspaper in Torrance, CA highlighted BENNY in his year-end picks for 2010: “Benny Marchant comes through with several richly melodic tunes on his debut, Conversations Missed EP (Marina), including two versions of the infectious title track. It’s inviting enough to make one want to pursue the L.A.-based singer-songwriter’s full-length debut…” (12/30/10)
Ashley Eliot of the Los Angeles bi-monthly arts and lifestyle magazine LA Canvas praised, “The LA rock/folk singer-songwriter’s voice quivers while he delicately sings heartfelt lyrics that deliver an amicable feeling of comfort. Marchant bears similarities to Tom Petty and Nick Drake, and his wistful voice adds charm that brings out the emotion in his lyrics. From the more upbeat rock sounds of ‘Conversations Missed’ to the country-influenced ‘Been Too Long,’ the four-song EP is genuine and blends acoustic and electric guitars, an xylophone, violin, drums, shakers and a synth.” (1/24/11)
Brian Willett of Bloginity.com said “Conversations Missed features Marchant’s unique blend of catchy folk-rock that is personal, yet has pop appeal. Marchant is a master of making complex melodies sound simple and eliciting impromptu sing-alongs, even before you know all the words…While painting an intimate portrait of his own emotions, Marchant’s songs are universally accessible.” (9/13/10) Elsewhere, Suite101.com’s Markos Papadatos proclaimed, “Benny Marchant is one of the most promising new artists to emerge in 2010.” (1/11/11)
Dana Feldman of Examiner.com is also an early supporter: “There is a new singer/songwriter that can best be described as a blend of Tom Petty and Ben Harper. His name is Benny Marchant and he is a dynamic rising talent with vocals so incredibly soulful that it is hard to believe he is not already being played on every national radio station.” (11/11/10) Adam Rothenberg of the New York culture and art blog AdaumbellesQuest.com called the EP “a true dream come true,” noting “his folk-rock style is reminiscent of many musicians before him, but Benny’s style is clearly all his own. His songs are heartfelt, emotional, and delightfully enjoyable to listen to.” (10/22/10). Additionally, Francis Vega of USC’s NeonTommy.com said, “The juxtaposition between the upbeat guitar riffs and Marchant’s melancholy lyrics in ‘Conversations Missed’ made the song somewhat haunting. It was definitely unforgettable and seems like a great choice for a title track.” (11/5/10)
The upcoming LP COLD WEATHER is representative of the Annapolis-native’s diverse and honest work. His music is personal, yet relatable, diving into feelings of love, loss, journey and victory. The title track, “Cold Weather” is especially meaningful for the artist. “That is probably one of my favorite songs on record,” says BENNY. “It was originally a kind of poppy tune I had written for a side project, and then it changed a bit as I began working with Joe on the EP. I wrote a different bridge for it altogether, a Simon & Garfunkel-ish bridge, because again I listened to the classics, so that kind of took it to a whole other level. Lyrically, it’s one of the songs that says, ‘I’m not alone, I’m actually with somebody and I don’t care what anyone says, I’m so excited that I am in this moment.’ ‘Cold Weather’ is just kind of like a metaphor for life.”
BENNY and his band–Walker Gibson (keys/guitar/vocals), Hubie Wang (electric guitar), Spencer Wright (bass) and Steven Robinson (drums)–will perform in Los Angeles at Tommy’s Place on the USC Campus February 12 with additional shows to be added soon. Laurel Kathleen of BestNewBands.com experienced BENNY’s live show and said, “Benny Marchant has everything he needs to stride forward into the world of musical success…After hearing his music online, I knew he had some serious chops but I was expecting a mellow, Americana-flavored singer/songwriter performance. Benny can croon with the best of them, but he can do so much more than that. He can stretch out his vocal chords to sound a little like Ben Harper, or soften his throat to almost sigh into the microphone. Even when he’s jamming with his band (and his band can jam) he keeps total control over his occasionally raw-around-the-edges voice.” (10/16/10)
For more information on upcoming news and dates, visit: www.officialbennymarchant.com.
To read a Q&A with BENNY, go here: http://www.msopr.com/?q=node/5906
http://www.officialbennymarchant.com/
http://www.myspace.com/bennymarchantmusic
http://www.facebook.com/BennyMarchant
http://twitter.com/bennymarchant
For BENNY MARCHANT publicity, contact:
Libby Coffey 818-380-0400 x224 LCoffey@msopr.com
Angela Villanueva 818-380-0400 x232 AVillanueva@msopr.com
Mitch Schneider 818-380-0400 x235 MSchneider@msopr.com
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