Kids of Big Stars by Tryst

The album garnered significant rotation on college radio stations on the East Coast and Midwest, the praise and attention of indie press, and a growing audience from New York to Tokyo.

On June 14th 2005, Tryst's third album, "Hotel Two-Way" (MH Records) was released. Tryst celebrated with a special release show at Pianos in Manhattan on June 18th and is playing a series shows across the East Coast.

REVIEW - Kids of Big Stars

Tryst are no 'kids' By Cameron J. Woods

December 09, 2003

http://news.modernrock.com/2460

In a time when bands are being deemed great because of their innovation in the styles of yesteryear such as garage rock, psychedelic rock and British punk, the band Tryst is not to be overlooked.

Their sound is something of '60s rock mixed with the distortion of alternative rock guitar. The result is something that sounds a bit light but leaves listeners actually feeling good.

The deep and resounding vocals of Tim Cohan, who also plays electric and acoustic guitar, are offset by the dreamy vocalizations of bassist Ellen Highstone. Sam McIlvain plays electric guitar with a classic feel and a love for the high-pitched notes. On drums, Elisa Chiusano pounds out the light and sometimes poppy beats that set the tone for the rest of the band.

On the opening track, "Spin My Wheels," off their disc "Kids of Big Stars," Cohan and Highstone melt their voices together in a short song focused on getting away from bad situations. The opening drive drumbeat gives it a light and almost fun feel, but the simple lyrics have a weight to them that keeps the song from floating away. It is definitely a song that could inspire some rhythmical nodding.

The second song is the title track of the album, "Kids of big stars." Instantly the moody vocals of Cohan covey the feeling that it is pointless to live a life of trying to grow out of your parents shadows. The light sound of the track seems to carry a message telling the listener to just relax.

The next track, "Jayne Wright," sounds strikingly different from its predecessors. It has a more soulful sound and the bass guitar is much more pronounced, lending a sort of jazzy feel to it. Highstone trades in the light and airy vocals for a smoky sultry low-key style that is a sensual experience to listen to. The lyrics merely seem to be about a very juvenile love.

"Heavy and wide" is the next track, which has the deep, hard sound of a rock ballad; Cohan, with a bit of a John Travolta-esque sound, belts out a tune about a drunk man who violently loves a girl who wants nothing to do with him. Tryst's almost indelibly happy sound peaks through in this song seemingly at the worst points: "So you better step aside/ he's come off his hinges/and he swings out/heavy and wide."

The next track, "Ripple," is disturbingly light for the story that it carries. The song talks about moving to New York and then not being able to finish anything but the relationship he is in, which is left up in the air to be wondered. "No DNA to trace/ no murders face/ no smoking gun or knife to be found/ just a ripple/ where we went down."

The album continues with this theme of nicely revamped happy, yet somewhat antiquated-sounding, music accompanied by dark and - more often than not - depressing lyrics. The funny part is in listening to Tryst's bright melodies. It is not until one deeply listens to only the lyrics that you could feel brought down by this album.

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