Press
‘Amazing New Make-Out Music: Sydney Wayser's Bell Choir Coast’
by John Ortved“I’m overjoyed to have found Sydney Wayser, and her new album Bell Choir Coast. Nothing has stirred me out of the winter doldrums quite like her sumptuous, beautiful vocals. So who is this flaxen-haired Brooklynite who has managed to unsettle not only my blood, but also my playlist?
Wayser, is French-American and an L.A. native, but she and her band make and play their music in Brooklyn, NY. Her new album, Bell Choir Coast, takes the listener out of the harsh NYC winter (or harsh Toronto winter, or harsh Chicago winter, or anywhere there’s a harsh winter) and into an imaginary land of warmth and sunlight. Much of that warmth comes from Wayser’s siren voice, which holds us with both a ferocity and tenderness; there’s a depth to her smoky timbre that the listener falls towards with every note. What could be indulgent, or simply twee, instead projects a complex, dark romanticism.
Bullet Magazine 01/26/2012
‘Musician Sydney Wayser Chats Traveling and Children’s Toys’
by Busra ErkaraSydney Wayser, the 26-year-old New Yorker that hails originally from Los Angeles (andParis), has left her two previous albums, the cold and gloomy New York winter and the real world (as we know it) behind to create her own utopia in Bell Choir Coast. It’s a land that offers Louvrian French landscapes, California sun, and glockenspiel tunes all at once, and it comes out this March. Shortly after the release of ‘Dirty Work’, her first single from Bell Choir Coast, we had a chance to converse with the enthusiastic multi-coastal musician.
Deli Magazine 01/25/2012
‘Sydney Wayser debuts songs from upcoming album Bell Choir Coast’
by CMA packed crowd gathered around the grand piano and twinkle lights set in the sixth floor club space of New York's exclusive SoHo house last Thursday to get a sonic glimpse at Sydney Wayser's new album, Bell Choir Coast. Wayser and her band captivated the audience with a powerful set of songs written last year in the throws of desiring an escape from New York winter. Sydney’s sweet vocals drip with sincerity and passion, sometimes soft but always powerful. It will be a treat to have the album just in time for this year’s snowy days and bitter cold nights.
Bust Magazine 01/20/2012
‘Singer On The Brink: Sydney Wayser Previews New Album’
by Shannon CarlinA Thursday night at the Soho House might be the worst place to preview a new album. Especially one like Brooklyn singer Sydney Wayser’s ,with its layers of guitar, percussion and vocals, all of which you actually want to hear. At the Soho House, people would rather booze it up and listen to Rihanna; a chanteuse could get swallowed alive. Luckily Wayser is more than a pretty voice: she’s a performer who had no problem fighting back against the revelers and constant speaker feedback.
With her milkmaid braids atop her head and her chic gray gown, Wayser fit in perfectly with the modern black décor. Placed in the tiniest spot near the front of the room, Wayser and her 4-piece band of brothers huddled together as the crowd formed a protective barrier around them. Sitting behind a shiny baby grand covered in Christmas lights, Wayser started the show with “Wolf Eyes” the first single off of her upcoming third album Bell Choir Coast, due out March 27. With oohs that sounded almost like wolf howls and a heavy beat driven by the banging of pots and pans, she had the support of the crowd.
Though Wayser’s not a household name yet, there’s a sense that she’s right on the brink. She’s often compared to piano women like Regina Spektor and everyone’s favorite New Girl, Zooey Deschanel and yeah, there’s a jazzy twinge to her delivery. But if you really give her a listen, she’s much different than those two.
With her first two albums, 2007’s Silent Parade and The Colorful from 2009, she used children’s toy instruments to get her point across. But at 25 years old she moves away from whimsy and has become more confident in herself, carving out her own little indie pop niche that sounds like the French singers she grew up admiring. Even her voice sounds more convincing when she coos, “Wait a minute/ I’ll come back for you” on “Dirty Work,” a song about being an undercover spy.
The night was filled with little mishaps, like when there was so much buzzing from Wayser’s piano mic that she threw her hands up, tambourine in hand, and made her way to the front of the stage to belt out the guitar heavy “Atlas.” Though it was hard to get the full effect of quieter numbers like “Call Me Up,” it never took away from how good Wayser's voice sounded. With the hook-filled “Build It Up” she got the crowd clapping and shouting along and her last song, “Time Frame” was a bittersweet lullaby. At one point she sang sadly “I need you more than you need me,” as her ghostly choir of boys sang along. This finally got the room to quiet down, which was pretty impressive for a busy Thursday night.
MTV HIVE 01/09/2012
‘Sydney Wayser, “Dirty Work” — Song Premiere’
by Michael Tedder“Dirty Work,” the first single from Sydney Wayser’s upcoming third album Bell Choir Coast, proves yet again that when aiming for the rumbling gothic-Americana sweet spot, it’s best not to skimp on the organ. Even if it isn’t cooperating at first.
“I remember when we were recording the producer, Dan Molad, stopped in the middle of playback,” the New York by way of Los Angeles songwriter says. “I looked over at him to see what the problem was and he was bent over an old Juno (the Canadian equivalent of a Grammy) with pens and any other sharp object he could find, working like a madman to move the broken knobs. After a few minutes he hit a key and he had made that organ magic!”
Carefully stuffed with loping guitars and tumbleweed atmosphere, “Dirty Work” is a love song, but according to Wayser, who co-wrote it with her friend Adam Tressler, there’s a suitably stark worldview.
“For me the song is about loving someone so passionately that you would prefer to do the ‘worse of the evils’ so that they can be saved. We drew inspiration from Bonnie and Clyde and tried to come up with an interesting dynamic between the couple,” says Wayser. “What if every time they went to rob a bank Bonnie made Clyde stay behind to make sure his karma was clean? What if she loved him more than herself?”
The Wild Honey Pie 12/23/2011
‘SYDNEY WAYSER AND CO LEAF US SPEECHLESS IN THE WOODS [BUZZSESSION]’
by EricIn the thick of a shortened New York autumn, I took the hour long trip north from Brooklyn to Westchester with Sydney Wayser and friends Zach Mangan (drums) and Gabriel Duncan (guitar). It was in Bedford, a small town in northern Westchester, that Sydney, Zach, and Gabe set up shop for our “Buzzsession”. After a brief canoe ride with Sydney, I hit record on my camera and allowed Sydney’s voice and the backdrop of golden leaves and sun-soaked lake do the rest. Her songs, “Call Me Up” and “Dream It Up”, will be featured on her upcoming debut LP entitled Bell Choir Coast which is coming out in 2012.
Paste 12/9/2011
‘Song Premiere: Sydney Wayser - "Wolf Eyes"’
by Adam VitcavageSydney Wayser may have been born in Brooklyn, but she spent her summers in Paris and somehow has managed to merge the two cultures into one elegant sound reminiscent of Charlotte Gainsbourg and Zooey Deschanel.
Her song, “Wolf Eyes” is a stunning song off of the upcoming Bell Choir Coast is a stunning testament to the happy-go-lucky pop music she has produced on her previous two albums. You can stream the song below.
Deli Magazine 10/10/2011
‘A Touch of Paris’
by Christina MorelliWhimsical and playful, with a touch of angst and a heavy dose of emotion, Sydney Wayser’s music sings like lullabies throughout the contemporary folk scene of New York City. The young singer-songwriter’s sweet, engaging voice can be likened to Feist or Regina Spektor’s, filling up songs that seem reminiscent of a sunny day in Paris. Her second full-length album, The Colorful, is a lush mix of melodies and chords that intricately tell stories of her youth and experience. Sydney will be performing at several CMJ showcases at NYC venues this year, including Fat Baby, The Knitting Factory, Otto’s and Bar Matchless. Make sure to check the CMJ schedule for details.
