What began as an 13 piece experimental orchestral project in 2006, got the attention of MTVU, films and TV ads, grew to a 25 piece collective by 2010, has now consolidated to a focused 10-piece acoustic pop orchestra in 2011.  The Noise Revival Orchestra worked with producer Danny Reisch to release their 3^rd EP, Songs of Forgiveness, in July of 2011.  Prior to a US release, TNRO successfully toured 4 countries in Europe to promote Songs of Forgiveness.  During their tour to Denmark, Iceland, UK, & the Faroe Islands, TNRO launched a new website featuring the new EP, new video’s, and a tour video blog.   The first single, Crushin On You, was released to numerous great reviews and was followed up with a video.

Upon TNRO’s return to Austin, the addition of a harp and full string section were added and have inspired songs for a full album to be recorded in early 2012 and subsequent plans for International touring.   In addition, Felix is recording music for the feature narrative film by Andrew Shapter, Teller & the Truth.

Band Members

Nathan Noise – The Voice
Amber Nepodal – The Ivories
Josh Brown – The Backbone
Ben Humphries – The Animal
Daniela Nunez – Flautist Veganist
Heather Coleman – La Jeder
Kim Charlotte - Cellist Delicatest
Alexa Skillicorn – Fiddler Cubana
Vince Pierce – Harpist Elegantist
Josh Frank – J1
Jeffrey Elliot – J2
Jessica June Kim – J3
Alexandra Jackson – AJ4

“The Noise Revival has a lot of guts, and I admire them for it. I admire the fact that they would put barrels of money into an extremely well-produced record of sounds that aren’t going to be well-received by the public at large. You see, The Noise Revival is somewhat akin to a more optimistic Pink Floyd- creating huge slabs of rock that are at times droning and at others complex and intricate. Ebb and flow is the lifeblood of the Noise Revival, and To The Seven Churches in the Province of Asia is basically one 60-minute song broken up into 9 slightly-easier-to-handle chunks (this very nature defeats the purpose of quoting song titles, which I won’t do very often during this review). It’s freaking awesome if you like that sort of thing- which I do, a lot. This album has some extremely strong songwriting and while the vocals could use a little bit of help, these songs are mostly instrumental, which only adds to their gutsiness.” Via Independent Clauses.

“Listening to the 9 tracks on To The Seven Churches…one gets the impression that if drugs were involved the album would be much better…The music is of a low-fi/experimental/indi rock nature, like Pink Floyd filtered through The Strokes with a dash of The Cure.  Overall:  This album definitely lives up to what the band set out to do; it takes time and effort to experience it fully.  This can be an enjoyable listen, but only if the listener is really willing for it to be.” Via AIA – U of Kentucky

“The title of the debut record from the Noise Revival, To the Seven Churches in the Province of Asia is one I’ve heard called pretentious on numerous occasions. Pretentious? Hardly. Instead, and as the album title would suggest, it’s quite an epic journey. Clocking it at close to an hour, and a lot of that being instrumental, this record is a dynamic, twisting, explosive blast of music that will if nothing else, keep you on your toes at all times. No two songs are even remotely the same; the long, gorgeous instrumental passages in “Strange Love” are a far cry from the dissonant riffing and howling vocals of “Don’t Give Up the Fight.” Via Punknews.org.

Austin, Texas scenesters The Noise Revival are ready to bring you to your knees with “To The Seven Churches In The Province Of Asia.” The band’s concoction of keyboards spouting electro pop with indie rock riffs comes off as part whimsy and part classical interlude as they combine for lighter than air trances and quick moving beats. Light some incense, some candles and get ready to pray. Via PlugInMusic.com.

Capcity Free Press

 

“Austin’s incredible expanding trend hits the deEP end hard. What was once local quartet Noise Revival has multiplied to collective status with its debut EP as the 13-piece chamber experimentalists Noise Revival Orchestra Experience. This version of the EP, released earlier this year, comes via a USB drive and features interpretative remixes by DJ Jester and Ernest Gonzales, accenting the band’s propulsive, dual-drummer-helmed mix of trumpet, French horn, trombone, and anthemic guitar. Check “Last Breath” for a big ol’ 1980s rave-up that comes out of nowhere.” Via The Austin Chronicle.

It’s not just going to be an overdose of tasty barbeque that puts people in a trance Friday night at Lamberts. No, you’ll be able to get a hefty portion of ambient, experimental orchestral sounds when The Noise Revival Orchestra Experience lays into their set at the release party for their latest 5-song E.P. Via Austinist.

Once upon a time in a land where rock and roll was new, the vinyl record reigned supreme. Large though they were, the vinyl record remained popular with its subjects throughout the sixties and seventies. Later, it was dethroned by the much smaller cassette tape, which was then overthrown by the now-familiar compact disc. But technology progressed, and mp3 players challenged the compact disc’s dominion. Supporting this challenger is The Noise Revival Orchestra Experience, a band that has recently released their new music not on a CD, but on a USB drive.

“It’s a bit of an ode to the DIY punk movement in the 1970s,” Nathan Felix, frontman of the 13-member group, said. “Just think of it as a progression of digital DIY.” Via Independent Clauses.

The Noise Revival Orchestra Experience is odd conglomerate, as their name suggests. The outfit has been around for several years in various malleable forms, swelling to as many as 13 members. Supposedly disillusioned with the typical indie opportunities around town, the Orchestra seems to have become something of an open-member vehicle for experimenting with style, and the result is often spectacular. The new EP, which was released on USB drive, follows 2005’s To the Seven Churches in the Province of Asia, a title which sounds preposterous enough to be used by Six Organs of Admittance. TNROE lives up to their grand scope, however, and though the necessarily elaborate reach of their arrangements and songs is often overwhelming, have produced a surprisingly strong 5-song set. Via Austin Sound.

Joining FukySuk and Jester on the bill are the Noise Revival Orchestra Experience, a 13-piece experimental chamber band that uses vibrant sound collages to spread their “gospel of the noise.” Drawing inspiration from John Corgliano’s Circus Maximus and John Mackey’s Red Line Tango, the ensemble deftly blends traditional garage-rock instruments with orchestral horns and percussion for a dense, organic sound. The Austin-based group started in 2006 with nine members, and recently released their first EP, the haunting TNROE, on a USB thumb drive encased in a plastic test tube.

“They’re kind of like Arcade Fire, if I had to make a comparison, but really cool and very influenced by classical music,” says Jester, who remixed the track “Scarlet” for the group. “I would label it sophisticated, and I’m raising my right eyebrow while I’m saying it, like I’m hanging out with Remington Steele in a hot tub with some girls.” Via San Antonio Current.

Noise Revival Orchestra Experience and DJ Jester interview

Podcast

 

A clipping from The Onion

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Usually being called desperate is not a good thing. But in the case of the raw and ethereal quality of this unconventional team of dreammakers, you’ll understand why more music should be. This Austin based band is incredible. Via MTVU

Austin’s 13-piece Noise Revival Orchestra Experience asked members of ArtSlam!, a local collective that stages San Antonio multimedia events, to create Christmas-themed works as the band plays. It’s part of the band’s experimentation with its bigger-than-life persona, which has previously resulted in the band giving performances dressed as pirates, guests at a masquerade ball, and perhaps for this event, naughty elves.

“People are just trying to expand and test their artistic capabilities,” says Nathan Felix, founding member of the Noise Revival Orchestra Experience. “I know for me, I’ve been really bored by music the last three or four years. Don’t get me wrong; there’s a lot of great music out there, but I feel like I want more than just going to a show and not getting any curveballs.” Via San Antonio Current.

During your luxury Texas vacation, discover The Noise Revival Orchestra Experience, the latest loose knit line that connects the unique styles of chamber music with orchestral compositions. The music draws influences from modern classical music’s compositional flow from movement to movement. The eclectic sounds and experimental rhythms create a musical landscape that is dynamic and textured, and richly epic. Via Top 5 Orchestra Experiences.

Elmore Magazine article

Bitch Magazine article

Austin M+E Magazine Article

Usually being called desperate is not a good thing. But in the case of the raw and ethereal quality of this unconventional team of dreammakers, you’ll understand why more music should be. This Austin based band is incredible. Via mtvU.

Peice Five Live in Austin, Texas.

Make some noise for change

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Felix reports that he’s working on a new album, but also passed along this little collaboration with the always entertaining Paul Banks. Called “BMBT” (which stands for “Be My Baby Tonight”), this is a pretty damned epic 4-minute flash of chamber backed pop-soul, with Banks laying it out for all he’s worth. Via Austin Sound.

 

Enamored with mood, compositional structure, atmosphere and sounds, The Noise Revival Orchestra paints a musical canvas of transparent moods, an alchemy of emotion and poignant lyrical messages.  Via Fox 7 Austin

 

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Nathan Felix is a busy man – keeping the Austin/Danish collaboration The House of Songs running, writing symphonies, starring in indie movies – and leading the classical/pop crossover combo The Noise Revival Orchestra.  That band has an EP out, and a video debuting this Thursday.  Indie Sounds caught up with Nathan during a spare moment, and asked some quick questions … Via Indie Sounds

KUT 91.7 Music Minute by Laurie Gallardo – Via KUT.org

Kodeordet for dette orkester er balance, og her finder de den kun på ‘Crushin On You’, hvor den ambitiøse instrumentering fintunderbygger en god lille popsang.  Via Soundvenue

Songs Of Forgiveness è il loro quinto lavoro e, sebbene non possa giurare sia il migliore, di certo non dovrebbe dispiacere a quanti, anno dopo anno, si sono appassionati agli screening melodici di Paul Simon, alla grandeur dei Polyphonic Spree e, più in generale, a tutta la musica pop in grado di intrecciare ricerca e piacevolezza negli stessi gesti.  Via Roots Highway (IT)

The tracks are fun to listen to, connecting the diverse instruments decently, augmented wonderfully by Nathan Felix’s Strummer-esque vocals.  The EP has a jovial, care free sound to it as well, giving it the ability to be an album anyone can listen to when they’re having an off day, and sure to make a fantastic mood even better.  Via The Reykjavik Grapevine

Den jævnaldrende med Malone, Nathan Felix, tog os et nyt sted hen med sin mere ekspressive orkesterpop med trompet, violin og tværfløjte. Backing-bandet for i aften, Leaving a Small Town gjorde, hvad de skulle med deres gode forståelse for genren, og Felix følte sig i gode hænder. Felix lignede en helt anden type og ikke en, man ville forbinde med folk og rock fra de sydlige stater. Det sydlige præg var der dog, med en mariachi-inspireret spansk sang, som kombineret med hans, hold fast, japanske David Bowie-ekspressivitet i “Dance The Night Away” gjorde ham til et memorabelt bekendtskab.  Via Gaffa

With the help of Danny Reisch, The Noise Revival Orchestra have created an EP full of beautifully symphonic pop songs that are melody rich and very danceable … A major highlight throughout the whole EP was the work being done on the violin and the flute. These instruments bring a folk rock sound to all of the songs and drive the emotion behind the songs.  Via Ovrld

Top 25 Austin Ep’s of 2011 #15-#6 Via Ovrld

they manage to convey a varied sound-scape that is memorable and persuasive.  The title track has a ambient aura of Africa.  Sapphire features some elegant playing from guest Warren Hood and Daniela Nunez’s flute on a song that laments lost love.  Via Lonesome Highway

Orkesteret, som spiller akustisk pop musik, har indtil videre indspillet tre EP’er, og været på en mindre tour, som førte dem forbi Danmark. Forbindelsen til Danmark blev blandt andet skabt fordi skabelsen af sangen ‘Dance The Night Away’ er sket i samarbejde med Peter Smith. Bandets lyd er let, sommerlig om man vil, og det nemt at genkende indie-stemningen i numrene.  Via FriMusik

Catchy, sincere, and a little danceable, these light-hearted songs speak of hope, love, and still having fun in a world sometimes filled with pain. “Crushin on You” is one of these fun tunes, singing of new romantic love. The production sounds great, and the songwriting is also pretty impressive musically and lyrically. Via Indie Vision Music

I received some really relaxing tunes from a orchestra called ‘The Noise Revival Orchestra’, and hey! this blog is not all about hard pumping electronic tracks. I’m really open minded. These fellas from Austin Texas just released their EP ‘Songs Of Forgiveness’. They have just returned from a European tour, in which they played in Denmark, London, Iceland, and the Faroe Islands with great response! OH, and on a side note – the girls in this orchestra is pretty damn hot!  Via J.Munch

Here are some custom Nike Dunks we painted for our friend Nathan who heads up the band The Noise Revival Orchestra.  Via Mofoz Visualz

The pop-songs by TNRO are a perfect example of complex arrangements, but at the end of the day they sound like catchy tunes.  The best tune is the closing track (Sapphire), where Warren Hood’s melancholic violin seals the sunset of this joyride.  Via No Depression

Overall, this is an incredibly unique and interesting EP. Critics are fickle, always asking bands to change or not change, depending on what we like or dislike about them. (Sorry.) The Noise Revival Orchestra has pulled off the rare feat of moving forward in their sound while still retaining things that made them great.   Via Independent Clauses

…the intricate and captivating Noise Revival Orchestra. Via Unweekly Austin

One of our more high-profile orchestral/rock acts in town, The Noise Revival Orchestra are hosting a performance at Lambert’s to showcase a new video for their song “Songs Of Forgiveness,” shot and edited by David Schulte…Via Austinist

The Noise Revival Orchestra is a band that shows off the diversity of the music scene in Austin.  Via KXAN

The collective’s twee indie folk compensates size for substance, but endearing closer “Sapphire” strikes the perfect balance between the two. Via Austin Chronicle

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