Album Notes

Tornado Alley is a five piece acoustic band that features four singer / songwriters: Sonny Speed, Tim Huss, Vincent Crici, Lora Kendall and Robert Langley on percussion. The sound is pure Americana with a generous helping of three and four-part harmonies. The band was formed on the concept of putting together writers that would complement each other and to create new songs that revisit the acoustic American sound of an earlier time. A time when electric guitars and big amplifiers were put aside and musicians picked up their acoustic guitars and focused on the vocals and the writing. Following that tradition, Tornado Alley offers an array of styles from the American back roads that will have you feeling like you’re on a cross-country road trip with your radio on. Tornado Alley captures the feeling in song, of traveling from New England’s folk scene to the Bluegrass Region, across the Texas prairies, up through the Rockies and out to California.
While each member of the band is an accomplished soloist who has been playing the New York scene for some time, together they find new inspiration for their writing and arranging. A typical Tornado Alley live show is just like the name implies, with songs whirling together to create a new acoustic landscape. They all blend nicely in concert, from Vinny’s breezy “Love Can Learn” to Tim’s gospel styled “Dear Lord,” to Sonny’s cowboy lament “Cowboy Blue,” and the classic delivery of Lora\'s \"Sweet Love Forever\". These songs all stir up visions of a simpler American life. On top of that, add some great instrumentation and Robert Langley’s tasty percussion and you get the authentic Americana sound of Tornado Alley. Audiences at Tornado Alley’s shows have truly been caught up in the band’s timeless American sound which has been captured here on their first full length studio release.