The Smyrk

The Smyrk formed in 2004, when singer Doron Flake stumbled upon a young instrumental trio. Guitarist/bassists Nick Logan and Ari Sadowitz, along with drummer Chris Barone, had been playing the Connecticut club circuit, receiving puzzled looks and intrigued glances from audiences across the... Read More

The Smyrk formed in 2004, when singer Doron Flake stumbled upon a young instrumental trio. Guitarist/bassists Nick Logan and Ari Sadowitz, along with drummer Chris Barone, had been playing the Connecticut club circuit, receiving puzzled looks and intrigued glances from audiences across the state. After joining forces, the nascent quartet took their time with songcraft, drawing influence from a wide variety of sources, including Prince, The Beatles and The Refused. With a handful of songs ready for recording, the band went to work with Eric Rachel (Saves the Day, Dillinger Escape Plan) to produce their debut EP, Monsters on Maple Street.

After garnering formidable critical praise for their EP, the band circulated around the internet and the Northeast, creating enough of a buzz that Monsters on Maple Street caught the ear of Incubus bassist and former Roots guitarist Ben Kenney. An instant fan, Kenney wasted no time in asking The Smyrk to finish their monthlong tour across the country by opening for him in Los Angeles. After that succeeded wildly, he invited them to record at his home in August 2006. Monsters on Maple Street was picked up for distribution by Kenney's label, Ghetto Crush, and quickly became a top seller on the label's website.

The Smyrk traveled back to Los Angeles in August to start work on six new tracks. Recorded over a month in Kenney's home studio, New Fiction is the sound of a band coming into its own -- dynamic, natural, and explosive - a sound that the Village Voice calls, "Polite, but quite righteous."