Artist description Awek is a rock band from New York City.

Music Style Indie Rock

Musical Influences Fugazi, Nirvana, Chavez, Built to Spill, Pixies, My Bloody Valentine, Stereolab, Low, Pavement, Shins, Superchunk, Pearl Jam, Guided by Voices, Sebadoh, Velvet Underground

Similar Artists Modest Mouse, Built to Spill, Pavement, Pearl Jam, Sebadoh, Chavez, Pixies, Superchunk, Nirvana

Artist History Awek began in 1999 when guitarist Mike Sweeney and guitarist/vocalist Paul Schalda started trading tapes of songs they had been working on. Sweeney had been a fan of Schalda's singing for some time and Schalda had been on a self-imposed musical hiatus but was eager to start making music again. Russell Smith, who had played with Sweeney in various bands since the two were in their teens, was brought in to play bass, and the three began writing songs together. While the group was heavily influenced by the independent spirit and adventurousness of bands like Pavement and Fugazi, their songs have never been confined by any perceived limitations of indie rock. "We're a rock band," Smith has answered on most occasions when asked how he would categorize Awek's music. Indeed, no other qualifier need apply. Though the as-yet-unnamed band had yet to play a live gig and was still without a drummer, they decided to record a demo. The Realistics' Dave Patrikios was tapped to play drums for the recording. The sessions produced a 5-song demo, which circulated through the New York underground generating a considerable buzz and creating a demand for the band to perform live. It was around this time that the band finally settled on a name after several attempts: Awek. Awek began transforming themselves from a song-writing project to a live performing rock band. Enter John Carbonella, mid-2001. The drummer had heard and loved Awek's demo and volunteered his services. Carbonella's forceful backbeat added a sense of urgency the band's songs had never possessed before. The final piece of the puzzle was in place. Awek began gigging heavily around the New York City club circuit, hitting such spots as the Mercury Lounge, Luxx, Brownies (R.I.P.), Luna Lounge, Southpaw and Don Hill's, gaining a sizable and loyal following in the process. At this point, the band had discarded most of the songs from their original demo and was playing a set consisting almost entirely of unrecorded new material. Their fan base had become very vocal about wanting a record of the new songs, and it was with this mind that the band set about recording their "official" debut. Awek's self-titled 5-song EP was produced by the band, engineered by Carbonella and mastered by Alan Douches (Pedro the Lion, Ted Leo and the Pharmacists, the Promise Ring). It is the first release on the band's own imprint, New Amsterdam Records. The D.I.Y. approach to this recording was more a matter of initiative than ethics. Says Carbonella, "We didn't see the need to wait for someone else to put out our record when we could just as easily do it ourselves." The Awek EP has become a hit among the group's fans and has received a noteworthy amount of college radio airplay, making CMJ's Top 20 Most-Added (#15) for the week of August 12, 2002. It has also garnered Awek press from sources like Time Out New York and CMJ New Music Report, taking CMJ.com's Album of the Day honors for September 4, 2002. And while the EP is an adequate sampler of the band's dynamic interplay and song-writing prowess, it should only be the first of a number of excellent releases from Awek.

Group Members Paul Schalda, Mike Sweeney, Russell Smith, John Carbonella

Instruments guitars, bass, drums, voice

Albums Awek EP

Press Reviews "The raindrops may be falling in Seattle, but New York's own AWEK has captured the essence of the Northwest in five elegant songs. Currently making an impact on the charts and gaining quite a bit of attention, this quartet is on its way to indie rock bliss. Simmering in this magic are band members Paul Schalda (vocals, guitar), Mike Sweeney (guitar), Russell Smith (bass) and John Carbonella (drums), four lads with a gift for writing beautiful songs and creating exquisite sounds. The opening track, 'Is It This Easy?,' is a radiant tune, sparkling with a crystal clear quality similar to the likes of 764-HERO and Built To Spill. Proving to be a favorite among fans is 'Phototype,' a delightful present that's catchy enough to appeal to a wide audience, while 'Say Goodbye' is a must listen with its playful pausing, rocking chair tempo and soft vocals. Schalda's voice will resonate in your ear like candy on your tongue, while his bandmates chime in like a gentle breeze. Be sure to check out AWEK; New York can no longer keep the band a secret." -- CMJ New Music Report "There is more worthwhile music on this neatly packaged five-track EP than many bands can pack into a 72-minute epic. No hype! No filler! Indie rock lives, and Awek is proof." -- Delusions of Adequacy "Awek put forth an impressive five-song EP that left both fans, and press alike wanting more. As if you could blame us. I usually have to listen to this disc twice in a row just to tide me over until their full-length ... The lyrics on 'Phototype' may end in a self-deprecating, 'so we won't be a big band,' but I find that hard to believe." -- Noreasterzine.com "This is definitely an impressive first release for a virtually unknown band - hopefully they won't fade away too quickly like so many others seem to do. Awek's debut EP will make you believe that indie rock is alive and well in the new millennium." -- Punknews.org "'Awek' is a powerful opening salvo that never sounds forced, a testament to the muscle of the rhythms laid down by bassist Russell Smith and drummer John Carbonella and a showcase for the interplay between Mike Sweeney's ringing leads and Paul Schalda's laconic stoner mumble. Most importantly, Awek does what all good EPs do: it gets you amped about the full-length album. Whether or not this is the start of something big is anybody's guess, but either way, it certainly is a hell of a start. -- GRADE: A" -- The Cowl - Providence College Newspaper "Listening to Awek's self-titled EP (New Amsterdam records), you feel as if it's 1992 and indie rock still had a viable ways to go. But the band's crisp playing and simple melodies are enough to make us forget the past ten years, if only for a little while." -- Time Out New York

Location Brooklyn, New York - USA

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