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PRESS
"The best of folk and country."
The Washington Post Style Section
NXNE Critics' Pick
NOW Magazine, Toronto, Canada
"The jangly guitars of the Byrds and the California dreaminess of the Mamas and the Papas."
The Washington Post Weekend Section
Web Exclusive
Comes with a Smile London, England
"Pop sensibilities and an undercurrent of '80s college rock."
WashingtonPost.com Nightlife Agenda
Interview and Acoustic Performance
WAMU 88.5 NPR/American University Radio, Metro Connection
Interview and Song Feature
Washington City Paper "One Track Mind"
"Leaves the listener pining for more."
Indie-Music.com
Where to Go, What to Hear
Richmond's Style Weekly
Review and Interview
DCist "Three Stars" Feature
"A breath of fresh air."
Whisperin & Hollerin (Ireland)
Music Monthly: Hailing from Arlington, Virginia, The Hickories combine distinctive harmony vocals with sugary sweet arrangements to make for great pop rock sounds on its debut EP Lost in Pennsylvania.
Led by the dual female vocals of Michelle Volpe and Meghan Sharp, the band sounds like the lovechild of early R.E.M. and The Softies--two great bands to be compared with. The thing that sets The Hickories apart from those other two bands is the slightest hint of Americana/alt-country music in the band's sound that adds a somber edge to the pop compositions.
The title track is one of the stronger efforts on the EP and Mike Conner's contributions with the lap steel gives a melancholy Midwestern feel to a song about the Keystone State. On the opposite end of the spectrum we have "Heather Lane," a catchy, up-tempo track with a sing-along chorus that brings the EP to an exuberant close. --Greg Yost
"These guys mean business."
Collected Sounds
On Tap: Fronted by the charismatic presence and unmistakable voice of Michelle Volpe, the Hickories write tuneful songs that are hard to forget. "Killers" builds to its climax as Mike Conner's ever-tasteful guitar work punctuates the crescendo with harmonics and twang. "Drown" is the perfect vehicle to showcase the group's serpentine harmonies, while the title track is a mid-tempo road trip taken in an old car for old time's sake. It's beautiful, leisurely and familiar; the Hickories at their finest and the ultimate headphone track of the band's debut. "1965" offers some vintage guitar sounds and superb fuzz-bass tones, but it is below their ultimate potential. To close this wonderful debut EP, "Heather Lane" is a slice of '60s-inspired pop that sounds simultaneously fresh and retro. --David Cotton
Mudsugar (7 out of 10)
Washington City Paper Pop Quiz (Interview)
Cool Noise (UK)
Smother.net Editor's Pick
Washington Post MP3.com: The Post's MP3.com editor Maria Villafana chose "Under My Sky" as one of the songs in their 2005 Summer Sound Waves feature. She describes the song as "dreamy rock."
AWARDS
48-Hour Film Project: The song we co-wrote and performed for Travesty Films' 48-Hour Film Project entry won "Best Original Song" for 2006's Washington, DC entries.
Billboard Worldwide Song Contest: Honorable Mentions for all five songs on the Lost in Pennsylvania EP in the 2005 contest: "Killers," "Drown," "Lost in PA," "1965" and "Heather Lane."
Honorable Mentions for "Sweet Time After All" in both the Rock/Alternative Rock and Country/Folk categories in the 2003 contest.
FlightSafe Music Publishing: Honorable Mention for "Killers" in Round 2 of FlightSafe Music's QuickLaunch 2005 Song Contest.
Wammies: Nominated in 3 categories for the 2005 Washington Area Music Awards (Wammies): Roots Rock - Duo/Group, Roots Rock - Recording and Roots Rock - Vocalist (Michelle Volpe)
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