Artist description A hybrid mix of ethereal grit, combining cello, violin, guitar, bass and drums. Ranging from rock to melodic recitatives, to driving tours-de-force, Alfred defies categorization.

Music Style Alternative

Artist History Formed in 1997, Alfred combines the diverse experience of its memebers in a dynamic blend of musical styles. The ethereal guitar/vocals of Jane Woodman are joined with the frightening cello/vocals of Zoe Keating, the electric monstrosity of violinst Milton Cross, the driving bass of Gianfranco Pesceti, and the thundering toms of drummer Kat Zumbach.

Group Members Milton Cross - violin, Zoe Keating - cello/vocals, Gianfranco Pesceti - bass, Jane Woodman - guitar/vocals, Kat Zumbach - percussion

Instruments cello, violin, guitar, bass and drums

Albums Alfred

Press Reviews SF BAY GUARDIAN, 5/99 -- "San Francisco's Alfred play a distinctly different kind of English-born music. The absinthe-colored CD hints at the melancholia inside: think Smiths, Cocteau Twins, clove cigarettes, and long black lace skirts. 'Yellow Skies,' a Gothic exercise with minimal drums, echoey guitars, and an ominous string section, showcases singer Jane Woodman's voice as she subtly mimics the hiccuping yodel of Indian Karnatak singers. 'Come Here' starts with a staccato cello solo as singer Zoë Keating pays homage to Alison Moyet, a snare-tambourine-bodhran combo providing a pleasing percussion interlude. 'My Little Blowtorch' borrows heavily from the '80s school of Goth, sounding like a less muffled Cure-J. & M. Chain-Mission U.K. hybrid but still retaining a dynamic compositional style that Alfred can call all their own. 'No for Now' sustains a classically influenced vampirish mystery, ending with pleasingly suffocating blankets of violin." AN ANONYMOUS FAN FROM LONDON SAYS: "Stunning arrangements combine spooky, lush guitars, a sweeping cathedral string section (cello and violin), a driving yet surprisingly melodic bass and thundering drums, making their debut a rare pearl in today's music soundscape. Always dark and decadently beautiful, these four songs are a sanctuary of sound." LISTEN.COM, 9/99 -- "Staggered tempos and ornate cello/violin embellishments provide rhythmic backbone for strong-willed female vocals and watery notes that recall the Cure and Cocteau Twins. Beautiful and complex string arrangements impart elegance via disciplinary expression and independent rhythms, yet remain committed to Alfred's instinctual, heartfelt melodies and pop arrangements. Vocals also fulfill both obligations, sung richly with round vowel sounds, rehearsed tones, and disarming passion. Dark and sophisticated, Alfred are still vulnerable, nurturing a youthful exuberance for Punk agitation and picturesque beauty. Ultimately, it's the combination of each that transcends and alludes to greater things."

Location San Francisco, CA - USA

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