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Forest Ray is a psychedelic rock project whose dedication to analog recording has harbored a darker, older and more intimate sound. Forest Ray's music combines guitar driven psychedelic rock with tinges of raw synth-laced post-punk, Tropicalia flute and uninhibited performances that embody the garage punk aesthetic that fueled the group’s creation.For most of his twenties, Minnesota musician James Eugene Russell spent his days zigzagging the country in various vans playing in hard working punk bands like Cadillac Blindside, The Book of Dead Names, and The Cardinal Sin. He then began exploring new sounds with his country rock outfit, Prairie Sons. After Prairie Sons disbanded, James spent over a decade absent from the music scene dealing with alcoholism, becoming a father, and finally finding sobriety.
His first release as a solo artist, ‘As/Is’ showcases a collection of four songs that suggest James has a much clearer head and a lot to get off his chest. They are four of the many songs that James picked and penned out while on the couch during the past ten years, and having no idea on how they would ever come to fruition. This past decade’s struggles have shaped James into the introspective and mature singer/songwriter that he is today, making songs that shine stripped down solo, as well as with a band. Drawing from the venerable classic country music genre as well as his own punk rock narrative, James Eugene Russell melds all of his life experience into a sound that he describes as “country midwestern”. ‘As/Is’ is a truthful, gut-wrenching journey through his last decade of change, so buckle up and listen.
With 30 years of experience in the music business, Mary Cutrufello is everything from Texas honky-tonk heroine and fiery Midwestern roots-rocker to a powerhouse acoustic performer. Connecticut-raised and Yale-educated, Mary’s musical journey has taken her from the East Coast to Houston and now to Minnesota. With her unmistakable voice—now weathered but pitch-strong—jangly chords, and a heapin' helping of Texas twang, Mary explores the far reaches of the heartland. Over the years, she's refined and deepened her approach to playing guitar, where it’s become all about tone, feel, and rhythm, and finding the right sound for the song. But as anyone who’s seen her tear it up at live shows can attest, her lead skills put her in a class with the best of the Lone Star, North Star, or any other state. (*Eli Gardiner/Adventures in Americana*)
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Event Venue & Nearby Stays
3533 East Lake Street, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55406, United States
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