Merit (band)
Encyclopedia
Merit is an indie
rock band from Syracuse
, New York
.
Remaining in Syracuse after graduation, the band plays there regularly, also trekking to NYC to play. Occasional tours have taken the band as far away as Georgia. They've opened for several national acts including Thousand Foot Krutch
, Liz Phair
, Stage, Bif Naked
, The Reputation
, and Freya.
Their first demo, recorded in May 2003 found its way to a Syracuse rock station, where it not only received airplay, but also won them an hour-long interview and acoustic performance. The local radio support caught the attention of Aux Records
, a newly formed indie label
in Central New York. Merit's first full-length album, When We Fight, came out on Aux in April 2004.
Since the album release, Merit has made several more in-studio radio appearances and has received support from stations ranging from Rochester
to Albany
, NY with their single Man on a String breaking into the top ten on K-Rock
in Syracuse. The band was also honored as the recipient of the Brian Bourke Award for Best New Artist at the 2004 Syracuse Area Music Awards.
A subsequent self-titled release featured was planned as an EP but an acoustic session went so well the band doubled the number of songs in order to showcase their softer side. A second full-length album is in the works and is scheduled for release in late 2007.
Indie (music)
In music, independent music, often shortened to indie music or "indie" is a term used to describe independence from major commercial record labels or their subsidiaries, and an autonomous, Do-It-Yourself approach to recording and publishing....
rock band from Syracuse
Syracuse, New York
Syracuse is a city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States, the largest U.S. city with the name "Syracuse", and the fifth most populous city in the state. At the 2010 census, the city population was 145,170, and its metropolitan area had a population of 742,603...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
.
Band history
In 2002, Wil Mecum and Jeff Nelson (attending Syracuse University at the time) joined forces with local singer songwriter Brenna Merritt, and took a variant spelling of her last name for their new band's name. Hal Appleby rounded out the group.Remaining in Syracuse after graduation, the band plays there regularly, also trekking to NYC to play. Occasional tours have taken the band as far away as Georgia. They've opened for several national acts including Thousand Foot Krutch
Thousand Foot Krutch
Thousand Foot Krutch is a Canadian Christian rock band formed in 1995. They have released five major studio albums: Set It Off , Phenomenon , The Art of Breaking , The Flame In All of Us , and Welcome to the Masquerade . They also have one live album, Live at the Masquerade...
, Liz Phair
Liz Phair
Phair's entry into the music industry began when she met guitarist Chris Brokaw, a member of the band Come. Brokaw and Phair moved to San Francisco together, and Phair tried to become an artist there...
, Stage, Bif Naked
Bif Naked
Bif Naked is a Juno Award-winning, Indian-born American-Canadian multi-platinum record selling, rock singer, writer, poet, motivational speaker and actress.-Personal life:...
, The Reputation
The Reputation
The Reputation were an indie rock band from Chicago, Illinois. The band was fronted by former Sarge singer-songwriter Elizabeth Elmore, with other positions filled by various members....
, and Freya.
Their first demo, recorded in May 2003 found its way to a Syracuse rock station, where it not only received airplay, but also won them an hour-long interview and acoustic performance. The local radio support caught the attention of Aux Records
Aux Records
Aux Records is an independent record label from Syracuse, New York. The label was started in 2003 and has released music for several bands that are from Central New York. The most notable record the label released is the Deluxe Edition of Build Hearts From Stars from the band Honor Bright...
, a newly formed indie label
Independent record label
An independent record label is a record label operating without the funding of or outside the organizations of the major record labels. A great number of bands and musical acts begin on independent labels.-Overview:...
in Central New York. Merit's first full-length album, When We Fight, came out on Aux in April 2004.
Since the album release, Merit has made several more in-studio radio appearances and has received support from stations ranging from Rochester
Rochester, New York
Rochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...
to Albany
Albany, New York
Albany is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River...
, NY with their single Man on a String breaking into the top ten on K-Rock
WKRL
WKRL may refer to:*WKRL-FM, a radio station in Syracuse, New York*Western Kentucky Railway...
in Syracuse. The band was also honored as the recipient of the Brian Bourke Award for Best New Artist at the 2004 Syracuse Area Music Awards.
A subsequent self-titled release featured was planned as an EP but an acoustic session went so well the band doubled the number of songs in order to showcase their softer side. A second full-length album is in the works and is scheduled for release in late 2007.
Discography
- When We Fight (14-song album April 2004, Aux)
- Merit (10-song "double EP"—half electric, half acoustic) (May 2006, Aux)
- Arson Is For LoversArson Is For LoversArson Is For Lovers is the second full length album from Syracuse, NY rock band Merit , released on March 24, 2009 on Aux Records.-Track listing:#"Cut and Run"#"Fess Up"#"Arson Is For Lovers"#"Mourning Dove"#"Hold Everything"#"Static & Satellites"...
(March 24, 2009) Aux