The Earth and The Ether by The Print

Peter comments, “Our goal at any show is to rock harder, tighter, and more passionately than any band we're sharing the stage with.” The Print's commitment to engaging the audience through their live performance is equaled only by their commitment to creation in the studio, giving the band the one-two punch that has marked every great musical act. Indeed, it is the bands that have been most successful at this balancing act to whom The Print reference for inspiration: Queen, Led Zeppelin, Smashing Pumpkins, Pearl Jam, the Mars Volta, Boston, Jaguares, Tool, The Who, and Radiohead. Like these bands, The Print bring the entire package to the table: artistic integrity, marketability, a distinctive sound, top-notch songwriting and musicianship, a strong work ethic, and the blend of intelligence and primal power that helps bands be more than a just passing fad.

"The Earth and the Ether"

With “The Earth and the Ether,” The Print have done what few other bands can achieve: self-produced a major-label quality record for their debut LP. Utilizing connections to track in top-notch facilities for little or no money, unorthodox recording techniques, and no less than seven separate locations, The Print stretched a meager $1000 recording budget to finish 12 tracks that are rich and detailed in their fidelity and arrangements, and feature powerful performances from all three members.

The Print spent a year in pre-production, writing, editing, and composing material and arrangements for “The Earth and the Ether.” As The Print ruthlessly cut material they didn’t feel was strong enough, they shelved a dozen songs originally slated for the album, and four of the album’s tracks were changed beyond recognition. Though basics for the album were cut in only two all-night sessions, The Print spent eight months fleshing out those tracks to become the massive sonic landscape that stretches through “The Earth and the Ether.” Some songs pack as many as 128 layers of audio. And yet, because the songs were first hammered out by The Print as a 3-piece and were designed to stand tall when stripped to their basics, live performance of the material poses no problem for the band. Indeed, The Print used live performances to gauge audience reactions to material, and incorporated those experiences into the writing process. The Print believe that production is meaningless without the foundation of superb songwriting, and “The Earth and the Ether” is certainly built on concrete.

The result of all this hard work was an album that showcases The Print's huge energy, distinctive sound, and songs that integrate originality and intelligence with instant accessibility. While some songs are short and sweet, clocking in at two to three minutes, more-ambitious songs stretch to six minutes and contain as many as 10 “movements.” With this mix of pop and progressive rock, The Print flex their artistic muscles and prove that it is possible for one band to be at ease in both worlds. The material on “The Earth and the Ether” rewards careful listener involvement, whether that includes singing along to the chorus in the car or dissecting intricate multi-melody passages.

the future...

The Print's goals for the future include continuing to rapidly grow their fanbase through touring and internet outlets, grow as artists and songwriters, and grow as individuals.

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