Near Misses Hit the Mark

Marigold's first review!!!

by El Diablo (Creative Loafing)

They sing like angels and write like veterans, so for most who've heard The Near Misses, there's been little off-target about the all-female quartet since they first performed together in 2004.
Now, on the eve of their CD release party on Nov. 24 at The Evening Muse, fans of the band will hear the fruits of a year-long labor in Marigold, their official full-length debut. (An earlier EP featured live cuts, and Early Hits was a makeshift home-burn culled from crowd favorites and songs written prior to the band's formation).
The 10-song Marigold features two or three cuts from each of the band's four songwriters and singers: Etta Lea, Reeve Coobs, Shana Blake and Eva Gael (co-founding member Jill Lurie left in 2006). The songs range from Tres Chicas-like twangy country numbers and luminous pop a la Aimee Mann to Neko Case-esque indie rock and soulful, widescreen rockers. The group's signature harmonies color every song and style, and get fleshed out with equally lush instrumentation and arrangements.
But the group's calling card is their ability to create a holistic sounding record out of such disparate styles and voices.
"There was concern during pre-production that because of all the different singers it wouldn't sound like a record but something cobbled together," says Lea. "To me, it doesn't. The song can be folky or indie rock style, but once it gets Near Miss-ified, that's what makes it sound like a song by The Near Misses."
A song gets "Near Miss-ified" when the four women figure out how they'll structure the intricate harmonies. Typically, a songwriter brings a tune in with a general idea of what they want, but then the rest have lee-way to add their own ideas -- with the songwriter retaining veto power. Lea says it's not uncommon for her band-mates to start adding parts before she runs through a song the first time.
"We're all perfectly capable of doing your predictable three-part harmonies, and we don't try not to do that, it's just that we're interested in finding out what we can do that's fun and interesting," she says. "There's very rarely any 'here's what I want you to sing.'"
That's pretty much how the group has approached the process since they first sang together as The Near Misses at a Folk & Vote rally at The Evening Muse (Lea co-owns the club with husband and Marigold co-producer Joe Kuhlman). Originally a quintet with Lurie, four of the members were regulars in the Tosco Party Singalong Chorus and had all worked in other bands or sung on other records. But what began as a fun lark quickly took a more serious turn when crowd reaction to the band's sets -- initially featuring original material and covers by Gillian Welch and The Beatles, among others -- was largely positive.
Regional tours followed, and together with appearances at festivals like the Flat Rock Music Festival this summer proved that the group's music had legs. It also proved they could survive line-up changes -- after Lurie left, Gael briefly relocated to Kansas and the band performed as a trio -- and the rigors of the road.
"With all the touring we did this summer we went through that stress and hostility and could've broken up but didn't, so I think we got that out of our systems," Lea says. "Everybody has a good idea of what they want out of the project and what we want to see the record do."
Recording picked up steam in April, with locals like Jason Atkins (keys), Shawn Lynch and Jim Brock (drums), Dustin Hofsess (guitar) and The New Familiars chipping in. Together with the core members' growing confidence and expanded songwriting palates, Marigold is a far cry from The Near Misses' stripped down, folky beginnings.
"I don't think the older fans who have liked our quirky, folky ways will be put off by the drums or an electric guitar," Lea says.


don't believe us go check it out for yourself!

10:52 AM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

New Press

Go check it out...

Knoxville Sentinel

The Daily Times

10:33 AM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

Happy Holidays from The Near Misses!

Our friend Rick Lorenz made this for us.  Click on the link below and turn your sound on! 

The Near Elfs!

6:35 PM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

Flat Rock Music Festival

Okay, so we did the festival this past weekend, and besides the drunk girl who crossed my boundaries, I LOVED IT!! The people were so open and friendly and there was just a great energy flowing, I spent more time playing music than listening, which is how I like it anyway, but I do wish I could have made it to the valley below and jammed at some of the campfires as in years past. Course it was mighty kush to stay in the cabin and we did avoid that unpleasant guy passed out in front of the tent as we went on the mile hike to procure the "must..have..coffeeee.." coffee up the mountain cause lets face it we couldn't get organized enough to bring a coffee maker and where would we plug it in at anyway? Well... there you go. So, loved the festival, it's for a good cause beyond my own pleasure. It raises money for girls with cancer to go to the camp in the summer. Nothing like getting wasted listening to good music and a good cause!?! Ain't life great? Peace out ya'll!

          Evagael

Here's a picture of us playing on the BIG stage...

and leading the worship service...

1:38 PM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

Sentient Bean - Savannah, GA

Our friend Sue took us behind the glass at the aquarium she works at.  We got to play with and touch all sorts of cool things.  Here are some photos from our trip...

Our favorite little guy was the baby octopus named Diego.

Here he is playing with his toy...

As we were leaving Eva decided to get in the turtle pond.  Notice the little turtle poking its head out of the water staring at Eva.

Thanks so much Sue, we had such a great time!

1:22 PM - 1 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

Eddie’s Attic - Decatur, GA

Here are some shots from our evening at Eddie's Attic.

Danielle Howle...

Rose Polenzani and Sharon Lewis...

Sharon Lewis...

the photos below were all taken by our friend Katie Gomola!

Rose and Sharon joined us for a song...

12:45 PM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

New Article in Creative Loafing

go check it out!

Near Misses Hit the Mark
Marigold captures band's rich harmonies, bigger sound
BY EL DIABLO
Published 11.14.07

They sing like angels and write like veterans, so for most who've heard The Near Misses, there's been little off-target about the all-female quartet since they first performed together in 2004.

Now, on the eve of their CD release party on Nov. 24 at The Evening Muse, fans of the band will hear the fruits of a year-long labor in Marigold, their official full-length debut. (An earlier EP featured live cuts, and Early Hits was a makeshift home-burn culled from crowd favorites and songs written prior to the band's formation).

The 10-song Marigold features two or three cuts from each of the band's four songwriters and singers: Etta Lea, Reeve Coobs, Shana Blake and Eva Gael (co-founding member Jill Lurie left in 2006). The songs range from Tres Chicas-like twangy country numbers and luminous pop a la Aimee Mann to Neko Case-esque indie rock and soulful, widescreen rockers. The group's signature harmonies color every song and style, and get fleshed out with equally lush instrumentation and arrangements.

But the group's calling card is their ability to create a holistic sounding record out of such disparate styles and voices.

"There was concern during pre-production that because of all the different singers it wouldn't sound like a record but something cobbled together," says Lea. "To me, it doesn't. The song can be folky or indie rock style, but once it gets Near Miss-ified, that's what makes it sound like a song by The Near Misses."

A song gets "Near Miss-ified" when the four women figure out how they'll structure the intricate harmonies. Typically, a songwriter brings a tune in with a general idea of what they want, but then the rest have lee-way to add their own ideas -- with the songwriter retaining veto power. Lea says it's not uncommon for her band-mates to start adding parts before she runs through a song the first time.

"We're all perfectly capable of doing your predictable three-part harmonies, and we don't try not to do that, it's just that we're interested in finding out what we can do that's fun and interesting," she says. "There's very rarely any 'here's what I want you to sing.'"

That's pretty much how the group has approached the process since they first sang together as The Near Misses at a Folk & Vote rally at The Evening Muse (Lea co-owns the club with husband and Marigold co-producer Joe Kuhlman). Originally a quintet with Lurie, four of the members were regulars in the Tosco Party Singalong Chorus and had all worked in other bands or sung on other records. But what began as a fun lark quickly took a more serious turn when crowd reaction to the band's sets -- initially featuring original material and covers by Gillian Welch and The Beatles, among others -- was largely positive.

Regional tours followed, and together with appearances at festivals like the Flat Rock Music Festival this summer proved that the group's music had legs. It also proved they could survive line-up changes -- after Lurie left, Gael briefly relocated to Kansas and the band performed as a trio -- and the rigors of the road.

"With all the touring we did this summer we went through that stress and hostility and could've broken up but didn't, so I think we got that out of our systems," Lea says. "Everybody has a good idea of what they want out of the project and what we want to see the record do."

Recording picked up steam in April, with locals like Jason Atkins (keys), Shawn Lynch and Jim Brock (drums), Dustin Hofsess (guitar) and The New Familiars chipping in. Together with the core members' growing confidence and expanded songwriting palates, Marigold is a far cry from The Near Misses' stripped down, folky beginnings.

"I don't think the older fans who have liked our quirky, folky ways will be put off by the drums or an electric guitar," Lea says.

12:54 PM - 1 Comments - 2 Kudos - Add Comment

Charlotte Woman Magazine

Face The Music
Fem-iliar Sounds Of The Queen City
By Nicole M. Sikora

GO CHECK IT OUT!!!!

Here's what they had to say about us...

..>..>

The Cool Girls: The Near Misses
Etta Lea, her sister, Eva Gael, and their friends Reeve Coobs and Shana Blake are The Near Misses. It's a band in which every member sings, and group talents include songwriting, electric guitar, acoustic guitar and mandolin, and percussion. When asked to describe their music, Gael responds, "It's like you take plain ingredients such as flour and eggs, and you pour them all together and make cheesecake. It's a flavor sensation." The other band members laugh and nod in agreement. Gael's assessment also rings true outside the band. The Near Misses won the "Best Band" Readers' Choice Award in the 2006 Creative Loafing "Best of Charlotte: International Edition," and the "Best New Band" Readers' Choice Award in 2005. Band members and fans alike cite the challenging harmonies as crowd pleasers. "Someone will think of one part of a song and there will be three voices singing, and you have to come up with a fourth," Coobs says of their creative process.
The Misses have other pursuits as well. Lea books shows for The Evening Muse and serves as the primary marketing contact for the band. Coobs works as a nanny and bartends at The Evening Muse. Gael helps build ponds and zoo habitats, often traveling to fulfill her responsibilities. Although she has left the band, founding member Jill Lurie often joins The Near Misses as a special guest. The women practice once or twice a week, and play gigs on the weekends. The spot-on chemistry among the band members is immediately evident, making it easy to see why The Near Misses are so popular. After shows, they stick around and are the life of the party, especially when the engagement is in a venue they frequent and friends are in the crowd. Lea, Gael and Coobs agree their dream gig would involve touring Europe. The Near Misses also have a soft spot for festivals and hope to return to booking them once their new CD is complete. In addition, the Misses say they'd like to create a festival of their own. "We would like to put together a 'FemFest' to cover the Southeast in a regional, Lilith Fair kind of thing," Lea says. "But," she smiles, "we're not working on it hardcore." Current sound: Known for melodies and harmony. The Near Misses draw upon rock, pop, country and folk. Three musicians who have influenced them: Patty Griffin, Gillian Welch and Joe Kuhlmann (band member Etta Lea's husband, and owner of The Evening Muse). Releases: Early Hits, recorded during live performances. Currently working on a studio album. Song or lyric that best defines their lives: "We all have a purpose for life until death, and we get closer to it with each passing breath." — "This is Your Day," The Near Misses Find them online at: thenearmisses.com and myspace.com/thenearmisses

10:24 AM - 2 Comments - 6 Kudos - Add Comment

Crimson Moon - Dahlonega, Georgia

We previewed the new Feist record on the way down and 
enjoyed a beautiful drive on 51/52. We arrived just in time for 
soundcheck.  The Wildflower Festival was just gearing up outside 
the 'Moon and around the square. It was great to be back with some 
familiar faces as well as a few new ones... Reeve, Lea & Shana did 
a brief opening set, kind of a songwriters-in-the-round. Then we 
jumped right into our Near Misses set! The first set we were still 
warming up and working out some sound issues. Lea's amp was creating 
a buzz in the house which apparently was bad enough for Cliff the 
soundguy to tell us to play mandolin songs until Dana could go get 
her new amp. We switched out the amps and Lea was technically 
challenged by the new hardware. Luckily, Eva's setlist had about 
20 mandolin songs all in a row!! (j/k) Some highlights: When we got 
to Out There, Shana actually sang the entire song! We were tipped with
 BEER for the first time at a show - Shana had noticed the giant 
wine glass tip jar and mentioned how she'd like to see that filled 
with something! We did a rousing version of the fairly new songs - 
Brand New Familiar and Running - Running was our closing song and 
was an excellent way to end the night. 

The crowd was a bit talkative at times - luckily, Katie B. was
not there to tell them to "Shut the f*** up!" (not to worry - 
she showed up to hang out later)

We did our little Beatles block with "Honey Pie" & "Don't Let Me 
Down," and soon learned that one of our new fans is from Liverpool! 
That was Louise, and she and Ian have recently moved to Dahlonega '
cuz it's SO awesome there...

We were invited back to Kelly's for a bonfire, so after a little 
mingling with guests, we packed it all back into the van. Shana
 was pissed 'cuz some drunk guy stole her dinner off the bar before 
we left. See, the food at Crimson Moon is so good that it's worth 
wrasslin' over it - and getting up early to have the breakfast 
version the next day!

At Kelly's, there is a great firepit and bonfire that draws us
 all in like moths. Also some sweet doggies darting around underfoot
 and coupled with a bit of an incline, it's important to keep your 
balance around there! Barb played some songs that we don't know but 
pretty much everyone there was singing along with her. We passed around 
Dana's guitar a bit for some originals and the usual homage to Patty 
Griffin, with everyone chiming in.

~Etta Lea

Currently listening : The Reminder By Feist Release date: 01 May, 2007

8:42 AM - 1 Comments - 2 Kudos - Add Comment

Poe's Pub - Richmond, VA

First time in Richmond - We got there right on time, set up our stuff and had dinner with Lea's  inlaws.  We opened up for Dean Fields and Emily Easterly.  It was quite loud in there and we couldn't really hear ourselves or each other but we still had fun.  Dean was great as usual he had the whole crowd singing along with him on one song - it was cool.  Emily was great too and they both were so sweet to us.  Shana and I had fun writing down pick up lines on a to-go box. 

The Kuhlmann's put us up for the night and we had a lot of fun looking at all the old photos of "Joey".  In the morning his sister and family came over to have breakfast with us.  Then we headed off to see Eva and Lea's mom.  We put on a short little concert for her which you could tell made her day.  Then it was time to head back to Charlotte for our show at the Muse...

~R

2:10 PM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment