Artist description The Hungry Mind Review is a well-established act from Wilmington, North Carolina, whose third album, "Redemption", is now available online and regionally in stores. The band, led by singer/songwriter Stephan Bayley, is a three-piece guitar/bass/drums combo with Holt Evans on bass and Gordon Cummings on drums and backup vocals. Their sound is a culmination of sixties and seventies British folk-rock and the suppressed power pop movement of the 1970's--with subtle undertones of the moodiness of Jeff and Tim Buckley, John Cale and Tindersticks.

Music Style Melodic, acoustic, British influenced introverted pop.

Musical Influences Big Star, Jeff Buckley, Crowded House, John Cale, Nick Drake, the Beatles, Tindersticks, the Byrds, David McComb, Richard Thompson, Jules Shear, Roxy Music

Similar Artists Big Star, the Beatles, Jeff Buckley

Artist History The Hungry Mind Review is a pop band with a lot of respect for their craft. Since 1994 the band has been honing that craft, writing songs that are pleasant to listen to over and over and over again, and that have something important to say besides. Think classic Brit pop (ahem, the Beatles), folk pop (from the Byrds to Crowded House) or Americanized Brit pop (a.k.a. Big Star). HMR emulates bands that were writing pop songs back when pop music was meaningful. The band's name, taken from a now-defunct literary journal, betrays something about its music. In a sense, the songs of the Hungry Mind Review are literary in that it clues the rest of us in to those things that artists are uniquely equipped to express: relationships, first and foremost (because aren't human relationships what it's all about in the long run?), but also about life itself, the situations we face and deal with. Or don't. Or can't. The band's co-founders are singer/songwriter Stephan Bayley, who switches off between piano and the guitar, and Holt Evans, who generally plays bass live but adds guitar and keyboards to his list of duties when the band goes into the studio. Holt and Stephan have been musical partners for years. The two met through Stephan's father (Holt was in his congregation at the time) in 1993 during a chance conversation. Stephan happened to mention that he had recently driven all the way to Columbia, Mo. to witness Big Star's reunion tour. Big Star is a favorite of both guys, and ever since then their love of music - playing it, writing it, recording it and fooling with the gadgets that help make it -- has bound the two in a close friendship.

Group Members Stephan Bayley - guitar, piano and vocals Holt Evans - bass, guitar and keyboards Stephanie Wallace - violin and keyboards Rob Hay - drums

Albums Hungry Mind Review - The Hungry Mind Review (1994), Hungry Mind Review - J'Abandonne (1996), Hungry Mind Review - Redemption (1999), Hungry Mind Review - Four (2002), Hungry Mind Review - ? (2003)

Press Reviews Smooth, harmony laden pop with a very artistic feel. HMR sing poetic, introspective lyrics over an intricately woven foundation of beautiful guitar meldies. It’s mellow but not boring; in fact, the music is intriguing and addictive... --Jeb Branin, The Crass Menagerie

Location Wilmington, NC - USA

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