Album Notes

Live in the moment.

This is the theme that always comes up when the members of MOONRAKER talk about their songwriting, their live performances, and their spirituality. With the release of Connected on Velour this spring 2003, this is not only MOONRAKER's moment, this is their time.

Among MOONRAKER's members you will find a classically trained pianist, a self-taught bassist, a huge Muddy Waters fan, a chef, and a sonic healer. Their affinity for all things musical brought them together nearly four years ago. As Boston University students, Kody, David & Dan met in the BU dormitories (prior to Dan transferring to the Berklee School of Music) and immediately started jamming, playing everything from frat house events to local clubs around the Boston area. They recruited Kelli via a flyer and not long after she brought Shaolun, a fellow Berklee College of Music student and a fan of the band, to a rehearsal. He never left.

A heady year followed, with performances alongside Joan Osbourne, Lake Trout, DJ Spooky, Ice T and the Disco Biscuits. The band won WBOS' Best New Band in Boston [in 2001] and received regular airplay on the Boston stations WERS and WBCN. More recently, they were selected as one of six finalists in the Discmakers' Independent Music World Series. Their debut album, Nada Brahma, sold 3,000 copies independently, with people from all over the Northeast flocking to see the band's live performances.

Ready to take it up a notch, MOONRAKER are releasing Connected, which contains songs from the LP Nada Brahma, the Moonraker EP and three newly recorded tracks ("Salimander Skin", "Connected" and "Can I Love"). From the disco infused "Easy Fever" to the ethereal "Shalom" to the inspiring message of "Modern Way," MOONRAKER's quintet of talent delivers a unique, coherent sound that offers something for everyone. A hybrid of trance, rock, electronica and jazz, MOONRAKER have the spirit and soul to go all the way. File Under: Steely Dan, early 10,000 Maniacs, Björk, Portishead, early U2, Esthero - take your pick. Their mix of drum, bass, keyboard and guitar, accompanied by Scarr's memorable vocal phrasing & energy, is what makes MOONRAKER stand out in a crowded playing field.

The band's aim when they got together was, and still is, to let the music form itself. At an average age of [twenty-two], they still have many ideas waiting to be explored. They observe and contribute, but ultimately the music takes its course. Like a parent with a child, they take risks and realize that music can be shaped but not controlled. With talent this obvious, that's a good thing. MOONRAKER let the music flow and ride the wave. Take the journey with them.