Science Partner is a Denver band that excels at three-part vocal harmonies and pop music that anyone can get into.  I have been a fan of their quirky tunes about Miley Cyrus and the Heaven's Gate cult since about a year ago when I accidentally stumbled onto a birthday party, and I'm happy to hear that they are releasing their album, Rocky Mountain News, with Hot Congress Records.  The album has been available for download on Bandcamp for just over a year now, but is finally seeing physical release and celebrating with a show at the Larimer Lounge on Friday with support from Achille Lauro and Hindershot.


I spoke to singer and guitarist Tyler Despres from Science Partner about the official release, playing more shows in Denver and what's next for the band.  Celebrate with Science Partner at the Larimer Lounge on Friday September 14 - doors are at 8 PM and the show is at 9 PM.  All ages are welcome and tickets are only $10 the day of the show, check out Larimer Lounge's website here for more details.


CE:  How long has Science Partner been involved with Hot Congress Records?
TD:  That's a brand new development.  I just talked to Lucas, one of the main guys with Hot Congress, about a month ago right when we booked the show.  He said they were really interested with putting out the record.  It's great - we're going to be screenprinting CD packaging and all that stuff this week.

CE:  So when you talked to Lucas, were you talking about booking a show or were you trying to set up a record deal?
TD:  I've been a fan of everything Hot Congress is about, and we have friends in pretty much all of their bands . . . it just made sense.  We weren't really doing anything with [Rocky Mountain News] . . . but now that we're pushing the album it seemed like a good time [to join Hot Congress Records].  It's been a long time coming, and I'm just happy to have it happen.

CE:  Do you think Rocky Mountain News will be received differently now that you'll have a physical copy for fans to buy rather than just having your album solely available online for free?
TD:  It's going to be hard to gauge that because we haven't really pushed the album at all, we kind of just made it available on Facebook.  We never really sent it around.  But now that we're gonna have a CD we can send that, with a press kit and pictures or whatever, to places.  It will be a legit press kit instead of an electronic one.  So it's going to be a combination of us having a physical disc and making a concerted effort to push it.  Honestly, I don't know if there would have been a huge difference if we had been really pushing it this last year.


CE:  Do you think having that physical copy of an album makes it easier to go out there and send it to places?
TD:  Yeah, well it's a weird thing, because our band is made up of people from a bunch of other bands so we want people to hear it and buy the music, but we can't push [the album] on tour because people are committed to jobs and other bands.  I guess we are more interested in getting exposure and having more people hear the songs.  And by that I don't mean a big record label that's going to throw a bunch of money at us; that's not what this is about at all.

CE:  Will Science Partner be playing more shows now?
TD:  Yeah I think so.  We played the UMS back in July, and it had been six months since we had played.  So we played the show and everyone was all excited about it, both the band and the people there.  Lots of people came up to us and asked, "Why don't you guys play more?," and immediately after that we wanted to do a CD and have a legitimate release show.  Maybe get some buzz, maybe start playing around more.  So I think it was a combination of putting together this show [September 14 at Larimer Lounge] and playing at the UMS that really sparked our interest in being more of an active local band.  Yeah, I'd say for the next three or four months you'll be seeing us play at least a show or two a month.

CE:  UMS!  You guys filled up Delite, and that's saying a lot for playing on the last day of a 4-day festival at the same time as some of the headliners on the Main Stage.  I was curious what your perspective was on the weekend.
TD:  I think going into it we knew we were playing at the same time . . . and that's a restaurant, not a real venue, so we were a little apprehensive about if we'd all be able to fit in that area and if people would be able to hear us.  We were really glad they had [the front window] open, that helped . . . we were honestly really surprised there was that many people interested in coming and watching us.  When I first started setting up, I thought maybe twenty or thirty people would be there but there were fifty or more, however many could fit in there.  We were surprised and it made it more fun, and like I said, doing that is what sparked us to start playing more shows.

CE:  Will you be playing more shows with the Hot Congress bands?
TD:  Yeah totally.  And now that we are in with that group, when someone is setting up shows I think they would want to dip into those bands first.  Not only are we going to be trying to put together more shows now that we have more support, but I think some of those bands with Hot Congress will be asking us to be added onto shows that they're already playing.  And that's already happening; in November Hot Congress has a residency at 3 Kings and I think we are going to be playing one of those nights with four or five other bands.

CE:  Is it hard to book shows with all of the members of Science Partner, given the other bands and commitments you mentioned earlier?  I've seen you guys play with a couple of different arrangements and it always sounds good; I saw you guys play as a three-piece at Lost Lake and I thought it sounded great.
TD:  I'm kind of a stickler for having good sound, and I think when you have six people in a small room like that, depending on where you are sitting or where you are standing in the room you are gonna hear something different.  Especially when you have small PA's it's hard, and you never want to have the vocals fighting to stay loud enough to be above the guitars and drums.  I know what show you're talking about because we have only played [at Lost Lake] once, and going into it when we were asked to play we [knew we couldn't] have the whole band.  But Science Partner originally started as me Jess and Maria; I had a guitar and they would sing, for a period of time that was what the band was . . . And we still do that: we played a wedding this summer and we were asked to just have the three of us play.

CE:  As far as writing new songs goes, would you say there is a core group of you that works on that or do you need the full band to do it?
TD:  Well it's complicated because we don't really write that often.  I wrote most of the songs, Charley (Hine) and I did; Charley is the bass player and lives in San Francisco.  We kind of wrote all of the songs as we were recording.  When we came in we had written a few parts, but when we started to record, that's when we wrote them.  Putting the record together is what facilitated us, being in rooms together and actually writing the music. . . Now that the record is out, we are kind of scrambling to work on covers and new songs for the shows.  For Friday (September 14th at the Larimer Lounge) we'll have two new songs.  The reality is that it's hard to get everyone in a room to write together.

CE:  With the support of Hot Congress now, do you think it will be easier to get everyone in the same room?  I mean, except for that guy in San Francisco obviously.
TD:  The guy in San Francisco also did our first recording, we did it in his apartment.  And then he moved to San Francisco, but because of the album release he's gonna be flying back out to play this show.  Normally John Evans, the bass player for Achille Lauro, plays bass for us or at least for the past year.  I don't think it's going to be just Hot Congress that gets us to write more material, I think its moreso us just being an active band.  Something about this period of time right now has us all really excited.  I think after this show (September 14th at Larimer Lounge) if a lot of people turn out and we have a good time, that's gonna be the deciding factor.

So far this is shaping up to be a great year, thanks in no small part to last night's Hi-Dive show. The show had the honors of being the first one up for coverage on this blog for this young year, and it set the bar high. The show played out a little differently from what I expected, but the mix of various approaches to indie rock that performed and the exhibition of musicianship put forth by all three bands was a sight to behold, making for a very entertaining and memorable show.

Luke Price and Carl Sorensen

A little bit of lineup shuffling took place, so the show began with what was originally billed as the headliners, Dean!, from Portland. Except there was actually only one member of Dean! in town, singer/guitarist Luke Price. Science Partner drummer Carl Sorensen joined Luke Price on stage and they performed as a duo. Luke Price and Carl Sorensen performed some of Dean!'s original songs and a couple covers in a slightly stripped down style, yet there was something very mesmerizing and quite powerful about the approach they took. The pair were armed with simple tools, just an electric guitar, a simple drum kit, and Luke Price's incredible voice, yet with those tools they managed to perform a variety of songs drenched in captivating bluesy soul enhanced by the strong manner in which the two played off each other on stage. If this was just a sneak peek into the Dean! sound, I'll take it, as I can only imagine how much more enthralling the full band sound would be.

Chimney Choir + Carl Sorensen

Next up was Chimney Choir, an immensely innovative and talented indie folk-inspired rock band from Denver. It's a little difficult to describe what goes on in a Chimney Choir show, but only because so much awesomeness happens in different ways it can be a bit overwhelming to catch it all at once. Chimney Choir is the trio of David Rynhart, Kevin Larkin and Kris Drickey. The three all share vocal duties, often resulting in beautifully strong three part harmonies. They also rotate through an impressive array of instruments; guitar, banjo, keyboard, percussion, and synthesizer. Kevin Larkin also added mandolin and harmonica to the mix at times, and as an added bonus, drummer Carl Sorensen added an extra layer of goodness to their sound with a seemingly junkyard inspired drum kit - glass bottles, a trash can lid, shakers made from tin cans, a large gear from an engine.

Carl Sorensen's unique drum kit

Seeing the crazy collection of instruments on stage before Chimney Choir played made me wonder how they'd turn that chaotic display into ordered sound, but once the music began it was absolutely clear this band had a method to their madness. They began their set with "Vacation" from their album Turtle, a modern folk song with such intricate harmonies and polyrhythms that simply calling it folk doesn't fully describe what the song encompasses.

Kevin Larkin of Chimney Choir

With factory-like precision, the members of the band would then trade places and instruments between each subsequent song, showcasing each member's multi-instrumentalism. Their songs ranged from fun and energetic to more solemn, introspective and soulful but each and every one was a powerful display of creativity through performance and a testament to good songwriting - an incredible journey through sound from start to finish. Hearing their recorded music is one thing, but if you haven't seen this band live, you haven't seen the wizard behind the machine and aren't getting the whole picture - this is definitely a band to go see.

Science Partner

Science Partner came out last to close out a superb evening of music, and they delivered an amazing performance. Science Partner performed as a six-piece band; Tyler Despres on vocals/guitar, Carl Sorensen on drums (a very busy guy for this night), Luke Mossman on guitar (of Achille Lauro), Jonathan Evans on bass (also of Achille Lauro), Maria Kohler on vocals (of Mercuria & The Gem Stars) and Jess DeNicola on vocals. Together this band performed modern indie rock songs with an unreal amount of energy and polish.

Luke Mossman of Science Partner

The songs were mostly guitar driven, and the two guitar setup made for some intricate and infectious instrumentation. The rhythm section was incredibly fluid, and added a lot of oomph to some of the more energetic songs. The vocals are definitely what set this band apart, Tyler Despres' lead vocals are so soulful alone, yet exponentially enhanced when accompanied by the harmonies of Jess DeNicola and Maria Kohler. The resulting band sound is one that completely envelops the listener - soothing when it wants to be but otherwise razor blade sharp.

Tyler Despres of Science Partner

Science Partner started things off slowly but with command as they began their set with "A Little Sound". Starting with just Tyler Despres on vocals/guitar, the song builds - first with harmony and a little finger snapping, and then an all out burst in a crescendo of full band sound that grabs hold of the listener and never lets go. The set as whole was absolutely amazing, but I thought the songs "Animal" and "Bee Is A Bee" stood out and really showcased the variety of sound and strength of style that this band has. Science Partner was great on stage, guiding the audience through their set between songs with gregarious humor, and exhibited passionate stage presence during the performance of their songs, making the whole experience quite comfortable and appealing. By the time they reached the end of their set with "Eager Eyes", I was hoping they would play for twice as long - this band is just, as they've been described on their Bandcamp page, just really good.

See more pictures from this show in the Facebook photo album. Like the Concerted Effort page and stay up to date.

The brand new year is here and along with it comes a new year full of great new shows along with new beginnings. To start the year off right, Concerted Effort is proud to announce this blog's first show presentation, and is proud to present this upcoming Thursday night's show at the Hi-Dive. This show will feature a good variety of folk-rock and indie rock through performances from a touring band and a couple local bands - a great way to kick off a new year of music.


The headliner is a relatively new indie band called Dean! from Portland. This band has very little information on them available right now, but from what I've been able to hear, the band has a very intriguing sound that I'm sure will be a joy to experience. This band performs music that is a unique hybrid sound - a combination of folk-rock, jazz, and some soul. At first the folk element seems to pop out the strongest, but soon the jazz and soul aspects of the sound weave in so seamlessly that it's hard to deny this band is on to something quite different but also quite nice. Check out their MySpace page to hear a few of their songs.


Science Partner joins the line-up for this night. This local six-piece indie rock band consists of Tyler Despres, Charley Hine, Jess DeNicola, Maria Kohler, Luke Mossman, and Carl Sorensen. The band released their debut album last year titled Rocky Mountain News, a collection of well crafted modern rock songs driven by clever guitar work - clean when it needs to be, but also huge at times, tight rhythms - the bass and drums will incite dancing, and three-part vocal harmony. The combination of sounds seems to reveal folk and country influences but stays rooted in modern rock. Check out "Child Stars".
Child Stars by SciencePartner


Chimney Choir is a local three-piece band that uses folk instrumentation, but aren't what one might normally expect from a folk band due to their more experimental style that embraces other genres. The band is a three-piece, featuring David Rynhart, Kevin Larkin, and Kris Drickery, who utilize a host of instruments such as banjo, flute, accordion, harmonica and even non-instruments like a suitcase or typewriter. They use this instruments to make a folk meets world music sound steeped in psychedelia. Check out their music on BandCamp.

The Hi-Dive doors open at 8:00PM and the music starts at 9:00PM on Thurs. Jan. 5. This 21+ show is $6 at the door. Tickets can be purchased online here.

It's another pleasant Saturday in Denver and tonight there will be no shortage of live music options to check out. If you are looking to support local music tonight you'll have to make a few tough decisions, because there are many events happening that all include quality local talent. You could head to the Bluebird Theater and catch local indie rockers Mercuria and the Gem Stars open up for Low. You can go to the Meadowlark and see Gauntlet Hair, Force Publique, Tjujtuna and King Mob melt faces on the outdoor stage. The Walnut Room is hosting local blues rockers Woodrose along with Radical Knitting Circle and Slumgum. You can even go to the Soiled Dove Underground and see John Common and Blinding Flashes of Light, Eldren and Glowing House. But I'll be headed to the Hi-Dive, because tonight is the only night I'll be able to see seven local bands pay tribute to one of the most definitive bands in rock music, Nirvana, on the 20th anniversary of the release of the landmark Nevermind album.


20 years ago on this very same day, the world was introduced to an album that would prove highly influential for years to come and has been regarded as the album that introduced alternative rock and grunge to the world. I was only six years old when this album first came out, but I still remember how everyone couldn't stop talking about "Smells Like Teen Spirit". Just a few years later, Nevermind became one of the very first albums in my CD collection. Tonight, seven local bands will express their gratitude for the inspiration and influence garnered from this band by performing songs that span across the Nirvana catalog. Each band has chosen a few of their favorite Nirvana songs to be covered in each band's respective style.


There will be cover performances from; Hearts In Space, Il Cattivo, Night of Joy, Pacific Pride, Science Partner, The Swayback, and Le Divorce. These are local rock bands that span a wide range of styles, so it'll be especially interesting to see how these bands interpret each Nirvana song. It should be an incredible once-in-a-lifetime experience to be able to witness this nostalgic show, so I am very excited to take part in this event.

The doors open at the Hi-Dive at 8:00PM. The show is 21+ and tickets are $8. As an added bonus, boyhollow will do DJ sets in between bands to keep the party going. If you remember how influential Nevermind was to you, this is a concert you're not going to want to miss.