Album Notes: Founders' debut album, "You & Who" features original songs and arrangements by Ben Russell, Brandon Ridenour, and Hamilton Berry. The title of the album comes from the opening track, named after Radiohead's song, "You and Whose Army" and is a breakaway from the musician's classical roots as they begin to explore elements of folk and rock together. The album is a pure acoustic, all-natural sound. These orchestral instruments are the basis of sound support in the group's songwriting process. Track info: "You & Who" – Anyone familiar with Radiohead’s “You and Whose Army” might experience déjà vu with the lyrics of this track, arranged by Brandon Ridenour in a new, rhythmically stunning and driven rendition that never stops rocking. "Blooming" – As the title suggests this nod to nature starts slowly and simply, suddenly explodes into a Nino Rota-like chaos of growth, and eventually matures, as all things do, into a thing of beauty. A blossom. "JaNe" - A musical memory, this song is an homage to Jared Nathan, a friend from the Julliard school of drama who tragically died in a car accident. Even his name is an inspiration; through a musical-alphabetical system, the vowels in Jared Nathan (A E A A,) are repeated throughout, resulting in a piece that is neither dark nor sentimental, but surprisingly friendly. "Motion" - Based on Radiohead's "Motion Picture Soundtrack" but in the style of the last movement from Messiaen's Quartet from the End of Time. Both pieces contemplate life and death; here they are, together, as always. "Solace" - A meditation that manages to land acoustically between a dream and wakefulness. A thoughtful, introspective track, it lives up to its title. “The Hunt” - Originally written for Ben Russell’s solo album, this tune is a cautionary tale about finding exactly what you are seeking. This version with Founders focuses on the impending danger and the unraveling madness of the hunter. “I'll Fly Away” – A burst of pure Americana in style (and substance), this simple song about the desire to fly away from being rejected in love is at once familiar and novel. The repetition of the title words are a simple chorus of yearning to leave it all behind, but will love let him go? “Winter” - The cold, dying and distant feeling of the winter season and its association with romantic disappointment are evoked in this emotionally volatile song. In the same way that a breakup can be both happy and sad, a jaunty waltz with a piccolo trumpet provides a delightful counterpart to the grieving melody of the violin. “Oh My Love” – Written in the style of an Appalachian folk tune, this love song is sung with a permeating drone throughout, providing a meditative journey about a lifelong love. “Never” - The opening riff was inspired by the looped fragment at the very end of Sgt Pepper, after "A Day in the Life" ends. As composer Hamilton Berry explains, “I always felt like they were saying ‘never could be any other way.’ The other words were just what came out when I hit record and started singing.” Group History: The musicians of Founders all met each other through various connections in New York City, several as students at Juilliard. Well before Founders was conceived, the members often found themselves writing arrangements for various projects and collaborations. After realizing they were all doing similar crossover and writing activities, they decided to form Founders, where they could create the music they wanted to create. The ensemble was formed in an effort to make classical instruments more accessible to a general audience of music listeners. Just because you're classically trained on the cello or violin, it doesn't mean you can't rock out, in other words. Often these classical instruments are used in the background to support other instruments in your typical band of guitars, keyboards, drums, and other electronics. In Founders, these instruments ARE the sound of the band, coupled with memorable songs and vocals.