Winterpills Light Divides CD

When Winterpills released their debut album in the fall of 2005, fans and critics alike scrambled to define what made it one of most significant musical discoveries of the year. Critics met the album with descriptions like, “Heavy with moments of sheer beauty”, “exquisite vocals”, “deeply moving…heartrending”, and “as textured as the best indie rock around.” Fans put the album in the Top 100 on iTunes and Amazon.com and made Winterpills a most requested band on radio stations across the country. A feature on NPR’s Weekend Edition followed along with performances on syndicated radio shows World Café, Mountain Stage and others. Now, The Light Divides ups the ante on the Winterpills’ shimmering, resonant, heartbroken pop glory. These songs, as musically sophisticated and delicate as any of songwriter Philip Price's career, and given otherwordly treatment by band members Flora Reed, Dave Hower, and Dennis Crommett, nevertheless feel essential, even familiar, like old friends. The hooks and harmonies have been burnished so that they glow from within -- it's as if Winterpills has brought to light the songs you were already humming to yourself, but didn't know it.

From the ashes of beloved cult folk-rockers the Maggies rose Massachusetts's Winterpills, who carry a similar if not identical flame. The album features Philip Price's strummily melodic minor-key tunes with lots of high harmonies, smart lyrics, and simple but affecting guitar parts. Price's high vocal register, matched with close harmonies, sometimes resembles Elliott Smith's, but he maintains a unique songwriting presence throughout. This is lovely, thoughtful music perfect for fireplace thawing.

Winterpills: Philip Price (vocals, acoustic guitar, keyboards); Flora Reed (vocals, keyboards, tambourine); Dennis Crommett (electric guitar, background vocals); Dave Hower (xylophone, drums, percussion); Jose Ayerve (bass guitar, drum); Brian Akey (bass guitar).

No Depression (p.122) - "Price writes poignantly melancholic, largely acoustic songs but delivers them with shovelfuls of sugar, backed by a talented and innately dynamic band."