The Sidewalk Ends by Melodrome

To date, the album has helped the band account for two Independent Music and Songwriting Awards, placement in the 2004 Academy Award nominated documentary "Ferry Tales" by Katja Esson (4 songs plus original score), two separate TV ad's, and airplay on college and independent radio stations across North America. The album received immediate critical acclaim, and wound up on NPR's top-ten list for Albums Of The Year in 2002.

Melodrome began recording their second record, "Play America", as media coverage of an impending attack on Iraq began to escalate in early Spring, 2003. Once demo tracks for the album were put to tape in the basement of the old train station, Baier set off on a seven day writing pilgrimage in solitude. Upon his return, the band packed up and headed to Woodstock's famed Applehead Recording Studio to solidify the works. "We decided to make a six song EP on purpose," Baier explains. "This way, we could say exactly what we wanted without the message getting lost among other songs on a full length CD." True to their convictions, the band returned to Woodstock on September 11th to debut the work on a live broadcast over WDST Radio's "Sessions Live" program prior to heading out on tour.

"We wanted to give people another viewpoint--something other than what they are told to believe by the media", says Baier. "It would be nice if we could concentrate on taking care of our own communities, rather than going halfway across the planet to sort out 'perceived threats'. All we're trying to say is that peace starts right next door. If everyone realized this, the world might be a better place to live."

Recent highlights include being selected for a regional "in-store" tour of Borders Books & Music stores, a distribution deal into Borders Stores (handled by Redeye Distribution & The Musicians Atlas), and most importantly, the group's establishment of S.T.A.R. (Students Teach The Art of Recording), a not for profit program that has allowed the band to "give back" to high schools in and around their local community by donating thousands of dollars worth of recording equipment to under-funded music programs.

Most new fans are genuinely surprised to find that Melodrome are still an independent band. And, it is because of that fan base the band's popularity continues to grow at a steady pace, reflected in their recent increase in album sales and digital downloads. Check out Melodrome's new album, "Happens While You Blink" which was released in April 2005.

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