Boston, MA. (Top40 Charts/ Green Light Go) Xenia Dunford's sultry smoky voice is made to be seen and heard, so it's no surprise she and her band have been invited to perform at such legendary venues as The Viper Room, House of Blues, The Hotel Café and Key Club as well as Canadian
Music Week. If a picture is worth a thousand words her voice is the instrument to paint that scene, while her song, "Killing Kind of Love," provided the perfect musical backdrop in recent ads of ABC's Revenge.
"Lonely
Streets combines the eclectic mix of east coast pedigree with west coast cool into a cocktail sophisticated enough to tempt the most discriminating palate yet as smooth and relaxing as a Pacific sunset. Pay attention folks, this is how it's done."
-William Hurley - The Alternate Root Magazine
Xenia Dunford's evolution has been a fast one. Her 2011 self-titled EP featured heavy amounts of jazz, piano ballads and pop, while her second release, 2012's Lonely
Streets EP, saw her mixing those same elements with more rock and acoustic sensibilities. With the release of her first full-length album, His & Hers, Dunford's evolution continues as she adds even more musical variety to her repertoire with hints of folk rock, country and Americana appearing throughout this album. It's astounding to look at the progression she's made in such a short time.
"What drove me to play the piano in general was that I was a singer with no means of expression," Dunford says. "My first EP was kind of like an experiment. I had a bunch of material, but I didn't really look at the bigger picture of what my songs could be."
Fast forward a few years and listeners-and Dunford herself-now have a much clearer idea of what her songs can be. While in a number of ways His & Hers remains similar to her first two releases-all three incorporate jazzy elements, healthy doses of piano, Dunford's honey-sweet smoky vocals and insightful lyrics-the album also stands out as the most cohesive piece of work she has created. Produced by Charlton Pettus, the twelve songs on the record-which features nine new tracks and three from the Lonely
Streets EP-navigate through the ups and downs of life and encourages the listener to blaze their own trail. This is fitting considering Dunford's desire to do her own thing, musically.
"I taught myself how to play piano and I haven't been classically trained or anything," Dunford says with a laugh. "Anytime I play people look at my hands and say they are pretty much backwards and I play weird, but I love that I've developed my own style!"
Whether singing about how difficult it is to leave all you know behind on the piano ballad "Home Waits For Me," crooning about a handsome stranger she can't get out of her mind in the bluesy piano rock number "A Way About You," or extolling the virtues of being yourself and accepting others for who they are in the soulful Americana rock number "Rhyme and Reason," Dunford gives impassioned performances throughout His & Hers. Musically, "1963" stands as the best example of how His & Hers creates a bridge to Dunford's musical past and future while immersing itself squarely in the present. The song's upbeat pop-meets-folk-meets-Dixieland-jazz sound, combined with guest vocals by Parker Richey, showcase many of the familiar and new dynamics that are to be found on this record.
"The album title touches on the fact that my guitarist and songwriting partner,
Scotty Mlodzinski, and I pretty much did everything fifty-fifty here," she says. "I love folk and Americana but I also have elements of jazz and soulful pop.
Scotty played in blues and rock 'n' roll bands and he brings that rootsy blues vibe to the table. We have this melting pot of genres that gives the record old school flair with a modern, unique sound at the same time. We meticulously crafted these songs and spent a lot of time working and arranging every little detail."
This attention to detail paved the way for Dunford, Mlodzinski and bassist Forrest Pettengill to create an album that is full of diverse sounds, emotions and experiences that will resonate with many listeners. Fans on both the East and West Coast have been listening as the band has played in noteworthy venues and festivals. With a year of touring, starting with Canadian
Music Fest and the release of His & Hers, excitement is sure to build as Xenia Dunford continues to evolve.
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Praise for Xenia Dunford:
"There's something timeless about these sentiments, and that's what makes the 'Lonely
Streets EP' such a mesmerizing listen. Yearning to find "some peace of mind" would sound cliché coming from most artists these days, but like so many of the lines in these songs, when Xenia sings it, you believe it." - Gabe Vigh - Hot Indie News
"All five songs are in sync and in tune just like a flowing stream that continuously runs without missing a beat. Xenia Dunford is the VOICE and The Eastern
Exile is the SOUND that surrounds & compliments that fine voice." - Jimmy Rae - Skope Magazine
"Lonely
Streets combines the eclectic mix of east coast pedigree with west coast cool into a cocktail sophisticated enough to tempt the most discriminating palate yet as smooth and relaxing as a Pacific sunset. Pay attention folks, this is how it's done." -
William Hurley - The Alternate Root Magazine
"Lonely
Streets is proof that Xenia found the perfect group of musicians to create the music behind her voice. Like peanut butter and jelly, her voice and the music of Mlodzinski, Pettingill, Farley, and Dunford on the keys mix so well together. You can't imagine one without the other." - Melissa Landrin - Indie
Music Reviewer Magazine
"The CD has some truly impressive moments on it showcasing impressive songwriting, world class instrumentation via Dunford's honey coated vocal delivery. Dunford executes the pin drop moments well clearly proving she is an artist worthy of your attention and praise. From start to finish this EP has something for just about everyone." - Cyrus Rhodes - The Muse's Muse
"The Lonely
Streets EP is one of the few that provides listeners with a full idea of what to expect from a band; I feel that each track here touches upon a decidedly different facet than the last."
-
James McQuiston - Neufutur Magazine
"Bands like these make my job easy. I can't even remember the last time I listened to an album (or an EP for that matter) from start to finish, without breaks. But for this one, I made an exception. I couldn't help myself." -
Carlito -
Music Emissions
"Many of the tunes, like "Every Now and Again" and "High and Dry" had a very 1970s rock/folk feel to them, and a tinge of modern pop. Piercing lyrics at times combined with wonderful accents from the Eastern Exile. While "High and Dry" stung a little, "
Best I Ever Had" was charming and warm."
- Farah Fard - LaParadiddle
