Artist description Arthur Yoria is one of those musicians that have the rare ability to churn out one gem of a tune after another. His uncanny ear for melody, hooks, and arrangement is paralleled only by his captivating voice which seems to carry the weight of a thousand break-ups but somehow manages to soar effortlessly to a place where joy, goose bumps, and repeated listens are unavoidable. Built on beefy rhythms, unforgettable riffs and clever lyrics that can quickly go from touching to venomous, Arthur's songs are models of contemporary pop song craft. After stints in the Houston based bands, The Jeepneys and Lavendula, Arthur decided to set out on his own and released a self-titled EP in 2001 to much critical acclaim as well as some interest from various major labels. With a solid backing band and a commitment to play live as often as possible, the end of the year brought with it a nomination in the Houston Press Music Awards "Best New Act" category and a management deal with Los Angeles based Kio Novina Management (Tenacious D, Actual Tigers). In 2002, Arthur released his second EP, "can you still look adorable" and this time received nominations in the "Musician of the Year," "Songwriter of the Year" and "Song of the Year" categories of the Houston Press Music Awards. Shortly before the nominations, however Arthur discovered that he had a devoted fan in former Houston Rocket, Matt Maloney. Having similar tastes in music and also sharing a strong belief in the effectiveness of solid fundamentals when it comes to winning in OT, the two rapidly became good friends. One year and several drunken conversations about the state of the music industry later, 12 Records, Inc. was formed by Matt and Arthur for the purposes of recording and promoting music that has to provide the answer, "yes" to a simple question that they will each ask themselves: "Would I buy this?" "I'll Be Here Awake" is Arthur Yoria's debut full-length on 12 Records. A stunning achievement, this record shows the Houston based, Chicago native at the apex of his talents. From beginning to end, this 37 and-a-half minute pop/rock masterpiece delivers one swift kick after another while leaving imprints, not soon erased of it's well-crafted melodies, undeniable hooks and raw emotions. One of those rare releases that not only wins over the reluctant music snob, but gets the reluctant music snob's grandmother humming-along, "I'll Be Here Awake" is that CD that becomes more reliable than your best friend. "It's funny; this record basically came about as a result of me getting laid off from my full time day job" Arthur admits, "When the news came, I decided right then that I needed to somehow make a living out of writing, recording, and performing songs; even if it meant store-brand tuna and crackers every day for a while. So the next step was to make a record that I wouldn't be ashamed to cram down people's throats for the next year or so in order to not have to return to the cubicle habitat for 40 hours a week with my rock-and-roll tail between my legs."

Music Style Pop / Rock

Musical Influences Pixies, Cheap Trick, Ramones, Blondie

Similar Artists Fountains of Wayne, Spoon, Jimmy Eat World, Weezer

Location Houston, TX - USA

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