Azure Ray

Azure Ray
Origin Athens, Georgia, United States
Genres Dream pop, indie pop, indie rock
Years active 2001–2004; 2008–present
Labels Saddle Creek
Flower Moon Records
WARM Electronic Recordings
Website www.azureraymusic.com
Members Maria Taylor
Orenda Fink

Azure Ray is an American dream pop duo, consisting of musicians Maria Taylor and Orenda Fink. Formed in Athens, Georgia in 2001, they later moved to Omaha, Nebraska joining the Saddle Creek Records music scene, which also included Bright Eyes, The Faint, Cursive and more. The band toured extensively until a brief hiatus beginning in 2004 to pursue solo projects. Fink and Taylor reunited from 2008-2012 releasing two new albums, before disbanding again until their recent Los Angeles reunion show in 2018 and announcement of a new EP, Waves. Azure Ray's music has often been featured in film and television including, Six Feet Under, Grey's Anatomy, The Devil Wears Prada and more.

Biography

The pair met at the age of 15 at the Alabama School of Fine Arts. They fronted a band called Little Red Rocket, often compared to Veruca Salt, in their hometown of Birmingham, Alabama in the mid and late 1990s and released two albums with the band on Tim/Kerr records.[1]

Azure Ray started in Athens, Georgia where they formed Azure Ray following the death of Taylor's boyfriend. "My boyfriend had just died and we had written all of these songs that were helping us cope with everything. We had a night where all of our friends and family got together. We played those songs, which later would turn into the songs on our first Azure Ray record..." said Taylor.[2] The pair signed to WARM and released their self-titled debut in 2001. The song "Sleep" was later featured in the 2006 Academy Award nominated movie, The Devil Wears Prada featuring Anne Hathaway.[3] In February 2015, Taylor Swift included Azure Ray's song "Sleep" on a 6-song "breakup playlist" made for a fan via her official Tumblr.[4][5] Azure Ray released their second album, Burn and Shiver in 2002. Eric Bachmann (Crooked Fingers and Archers of Loaf) produced both records.[6]

After meeting the band in Athens, Bright Eyes frontman Conor Oberst invited the band on tour and introduced them to Saddle Creek. They but relocated to Omaha, Nebraska and joined the music scene there. Taylor and Fink are also in another Saddle Creek band called Now It's Overhead, with Andy LeMaster.[7] The two have collaborated with Moby and co-wrote the song, "Great Escape" on the album 18. [8] They have also appeared on numerous Bright Eyes records. Fink also works with Japancakes.

Azure Ray went on hiatus in 2004, leaving Fink and Taylor to work on solo and other collaborative projects, including working in Now It's Overhead and Maria Taylor's solo recordings.[9]

Fink and Taylor reformed the band for a one-off show in Los Angeles at Los Angeles's iconic Troubadour[10] on November 30, 2008. The duo was accompanied by Andy LeMaster of Now It's Overhead and Nick White of Tilly and the Wall. In 2009, Taylor announced on KCRW's Morning Becomes Eclectic that the band would reform on a semi-permanent basis in July 2009 for "5 or 6" shows before working on a new Azure Ray album. Their fourth album, Drawing Down the Moon, was released in September 2010.[11]

Azure Ray's six-song EP, As Above So Below, was released on September 5, 2012, on Saddle Creek Records.[12]

In November 2017, Azure Ray announced they would once again reunite for a one-off show in Los Angeles at the Lodge Room on January 20, 2018.[13] On September 26, 2018 Stereogum premiered a new single, "Palindrome," from their first new record in 6 years, Waves out October 26, 2018 on Flower Moon Records.[14]

Discography

Albums

Singles and EPs

Soundtracks

See also

References

  1. ↑ Pastemagazine.com. Catching up with Azure Ray Retrieved 30 Nov 2012
  2. ↑ https://www.dallasobserver.com/music/maria-taylor-cant-recall-much-about-her-first-cyndi-lauper-show-but-it-made-her-dad-cry-7053496
  3. ↑ "The Devil Wears Prada". June 30, 2006 – via IMDb.
  4. ↑ "Taylor Swift Made This Break-up Playlist for a Recently Dumped Fan". Time. Retrieved 2017-01-26.
  5. ↑ "Taylor Swift Gave A Fan Breakup Advice And A "Moving On" Playlist". BuzzFeed. Retrieved 2017-01-26.
  6. ↑ https://www.popmatters.com/azureray-burn-2495829100.html
  7. ↑ Allmusic.com music biography - Azure Ray Retrieved 30 Nov 2012
  8. ↑ Billboard.com.Moby jams with Azure Ray, hosts house party Retrieved 30 Nov 2012
  9. ↑ Last.fm - Azure Ray Retrieved 30 Nov 2012
  10. ↑ http://www.laist.com/2008/11/20/maria_taylor.php
  11. ↑ Pitchfork.com. New Release: Azure Ray: Drawing Down the Moon Retrieved 30 Nov 2012
  12. ↑ Rolling Stone Magazine. EP Premiere: Azure Ray, 'As Above, So Below' Retrieved 30 Nov 2012
  13. ↑ http://buzzbands.la/2018/01/21/photos-azure-ray-elected-whispertown-lodge-room/
  14. ↑ https://www.stereogum.com/2016025/azure-ray-palindrome/premiere/
  15. ↑ https://www.tunefind.com/show/greys-anatomy/season-7/6772
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