Bridges and Brighter Days by Ten O'Clock Scholars

Never is this more apparent than with their first full-length release, Bridges and Brighter Days (Onken-Stein Records, 2006). The album, which was recorded at Omaha’s 843 Studios with Curt Grubb of Grasshopper Takeover, is a 10 track disc that showcases the Scholars wide range of musical influences. This disc allowed the Scholars to really analyze their songs and fine tune their sound.

Much of the Scholars’ song writing growth can be attributed to the classically trained Kosola and the self-taught Gedbaw. As the two main songwriters, the two draw from various genres, including indie-rock, folk, pop, classical, emo, and plain old rock ‘n’ roll. And in Connealy’s ear for music and Stein’s solid beat, and you have Ten O’Clock Scholars.

During the course of their existence, they have shared the stage with acts such as Marty Casey and The Lovehammers, Jeffrey Gaines, The Feds, The Nadas, Ten Cent Redemption, Old Boy Network, Lovetap, Mr. 1986, and shared festival stages with Saliva and Railbenders. In December of 2006, the band was one of 12 bands asked to play the 36 Hours of Keystone Festival, and was one of the only non-Colorado bands to play the show. They have also twice been asked to travel to Buena Vista University in Storm Lake, IA for campus events.

Over the past three years, the Ten O’Clock Scholars have had five different songs played on local radio stations; “Indecision,” “Take Me Back,” and “Follow” from their first EP release, Leaving It Behind (Onken-Stein Records, 2004), and “Smile,” “1:52” and “Don't” from their new CD, Bridges and Brighter Days. Local television station KXVO featured Ten O’Clock Scholars as their band of the week in May of 2006, prior to the release of their new CD and KXVO’s online radio station, The Source, has songs from the new disc in regular rotation. In September of 2006, the Scholars were the featured band on the Lincoln website StarCityScene.com. Local alternative newspaper, The Reader said of Ten O’Clock Scholars, “…the combination of the primary songwriters’ styles makes for something truly unique.”

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