PERSONNEL

JON.ERICSON . vox . guitar . keys
RICH.DEVITO . guitars
ALEX.DICICCO . drums . percussion
RYAN.HOLMES . bass

HEARSAY

Echo & Drake is an acclaimed indie/alternative rock band that has garnered widespread praise from New England radio and press, most recently winning Best Band, Best New Band, Best Rock Band, Best Singer/Songwriter (Jon Ericson), Best Instrumentalist (Rich DeVito) in the Hartford Advocate’s Grand Band Slam.  This seasoned quartet draws upon the best of American and British indie-rock, giving a nod to early Radiohead, Doves, The Cure, Bloc Party, Snow Patrol, Phoenix, and Death Cab for Cutie through their unique combination of reverb soaked guitars, dynamic drum and bass grooves, catchy melodies, and poetic lyrics.

I’m calling it, friends — it’s going to be big… Echo & Drake is one of those rare bands… a speck of gold in a sea of brass… ~Gabrielle Bruney, The Wesleyan Argus

The band recently finished recording their highly-anticipated debut album, “Sundrenched Elsewhere” at Telefunken Studios (with recording engineers Joe Masters and Pat Cull), working with Juno Award winning producer Joseph Donovan (The High Dials, Stars, The Dears, Receivers, Sam Roberts Band) and mastering engineer Jeff Lipton (Wilco / Jeff Tweedy, Spoon, Andrew Bird, Bon Iver, Arcade Fire).  The album is scheduled for release in February, 2012.

Echo & Drake is the right band at the right time. ~Dan Barry, The Hartford Advocate)

Echo & Drake formed following a chance meeting between Rich DeVito (Guitars, Percussion, Bass) and Jon Ericson (Vocals, Guitars, Keys/Synths, Bass) during the summer of 2005.  Several other talented musicians rotated in and out over the next five years until the current lineup eventually solidified to include Alex DiCicco (Drums, Percussion) and Ryan Holmes (Bass). The band’s evocative moniker refers to the imitative (as represented by Echo, a mythological nymph who lost her own voice and could only imitate others) and innovative (as represented by English explorer, Sir Francis Drake) nature of their songwriting process.

Clearly a band to look out for… ~Rob Farrish, WESU 88.1 FM, Wesleyan University Radio

During the summer of 2011, Echo & Drake was invited to play prominent slots at a number of large festivals in the New England area, including Hartford’s Riverfest 2011, The Daffodil Festival (Meriden), Music Feeding Music’s annual charity concert (Niantic), and Enfield’s 4th of July festival.  They were also be featured prominently on the soundtrack to a new indie film entitled “Whole Grain,” with their songs “Letter to Olivia” and “Bright New Machine” providing opening and closing tracks respectively.

Overwhelmingly positive reviews from the The Hartford Advocate, 88.1 WESU, 91.7 WHUS, The New Haven Register, Hamden Daily News, TAXI, and Play New Haven Magazine continue to pour in as the release date for “Sundrenched Elsewhere” approaches, confirming that Echo & Drake is indeed “the right band at the right time” (Dan Barry, The Hartford Advocate).

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

• Swept the Hartford Advocate’s Grand Band Slam, winning Best Band, Best New Band, Best Rock Band, Best Singer/Songwriter (Jon Ericson), and Best Instrumentalist (Rich DeVito)
• Recently completed debut album, “Sundrenched Elsewhere,” with Juno Award winning producer Joseph Donovan (The High Dials, Stars, The Dears, Receivers, Sam Roberts Band) and mastering engineer Jeff Lipton (Wilco / Jeff Tweedy, Spoon, Andrew Bird, Bon Iver, Arcade Fire)
• Supported critically acclaimed psych rock band The High Dials in October, 2009, 2010
• Supported … And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead in July, 2009
• Selected for Moozikoo’s “Best of Indie” compilation album
• Opening and closing tracks on The University of Connecticut, Insense Music compilation album, 2007