Lonely Forest

Infobox musical artist |
Name = The Lonely Forest

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Img_capt = A promotional image of The Lonely Forest: Eric Sturgeon, John Van Deusen, and Braydn Krueger.
Img_size =
Landscape = yes
Background = group_or_band
Alias = Lonely Forest John Van Deusen and the Lonely Forest
Origin =
Genre = Rock, Alternative rock, Indie rock
Years_active = 2005 – Present
Label = None
URL = [http://www.lonelyforest.com/ LonelyForest.com]
Current_members = John Van Deusen Eric Sturgeon Braydn Krueger
Past_members = Tony Ruland

The Lonely Forest is an Indie rock band from Anacortes, WA. The original name of the band was John Van Deusen and the Lonely Forest which was a middle step between the lead singer and keyboard player's solo act and the current formation. The Seattle newspaper The Stranger noted "in today's growing sea of predictability, it's refreshing to hear a band like the Lonely Forest, a group of young men from Anacortes who create dynamic piano-laden pop that sounds both genuine and badass." [http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Content?oid=105159 The Stranger: Underage: The Lonely Forest by Megan Seling.] ]

History

Singer/songwriter John Van Deusen (who also plays guitar and keyboards/piano) released a solo EP titled "Yossarian" in 2005 (After the Catch 22 character of the same name) moved on to create the band "John Van Deusen and the Lonely Forest" (there was also an EP released that year with the same name). At the same time he was leading a band called Squarewave. There was a restructuring and two members of Squarewave, Eric Sturgeon (Bass) and Tony Ruland (electric guitar), replaced two existing members of The Lonely Forest joining Van Deusen and Braydn Krueger (percussion). Van Deusen's name was then dropped from the name of the band when their first EP with this arrangement of members was released in September of 2006. "Regicide" was released as a six track EP that was produced by Jack Endino of Seattle. For personal reasons (attending University), Tony Ruland left the band shortly after the release of the EP in late 2006. Instead of adding a new guitarist, the band decided to focus on the driving piano of Van Deusen. The band's first full length album, "Nuclear Winter," was released in August, 2007 to great acclaim in the Pacific Northwest including a rare review in The Stranger.

Music

"Regicide", their breakout EP as a full band, gained critical acclaim around Seattle and the Northwest. [http://www.northwestbands.com NorthwestBands.com] had this to say: "This EP is hard to categorize, it's a mixture of what has been and what is to come in the rock world."Northwest Bands dot com Reviews The Lonely Forest: Regicide EP by Jacquee Swindle [http://northwestbands.com/reviews_thelonelyforest.php] ] Along those same lines, The Stranger said "Since taking the crown at Sound Off!, the band have recorded a six-song EP, Regicide, with Jack Endino, which flaunts maturity and confidence while still sounding fresh and youthful." [http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Content?oid=105159 The Stranger: Underage: The Lonely Forest by Megan Seling.] ]

"Nuclear Winter" was recorded in Krueger's garage and was produced by Sam Winston and The Lonely Forest. It is a "a space rock odyssey into an alternate dimension, [which] showcases the raw sound of the piano, bass and drums layered with synthesizers and melodic vocals."Virb Biography (2007) [http://www.virb.com/thelonelyforest The Lonely Forest @ Virb Biography] ]

Discography

Pre Lonely Forest Recordings

"The Robot Thinks..." - EP (2004) "Yossarian" - EP (2005) "John Van Deusen and the Lonely Forest" - EP (2006)

Lonely Forest Recordings

"Regicide" - EP (2006) "Nuclear Winter" (2007) "We Sing The Body Electric!" (2008)

Awards

* Winners of Experience Music Project's [http://www.myspace.com/empsoundoff SoundOff!] competition (2006)The Lonely Forest wins EMP's SoundOff! competition [http://www.mattjonesblog.com/2006/02/13/john-van-deusen-and-emps-sound-off/ John Van Deusen and EMP's SoundOff] ] [http://www.emplive.org/education/index.asp?articleID=18 EMP's SoundOff! 2006] ]

Notes

External links

* [http://www.lonelyforest.com/ LonelyForest.com] - Official Band Page
* [http://www.myspace.com/thelonelyforest The Lonely Forest] @ MySpace
* [http://www.mattjonesblog.com/the-lonely-forest/the-lonely-forest-lyrics/ The Lonely Forest Lyrics]
* [http://lonelyforest.mattjonesblog.com/ The Lonely Forest Street Team]
* [http://www.virb.com/thelonelyforest The Lonely Forest] @ Virb