A psychedelic tribute to Frank Sinatra for his 100th Birthday from Hoboken/Jersey City based Karyn Kuhl Band. 

Produced by James Mastro
Recorded and Mixed by Tom Beaujour at Nuthouse Recording


Karyn Kuhl - vocals/rhythm guitar
James Mastro - lead guitar
Lou Ciarlo - bass
Jonpaul Pantozzi - drums

Mastered by Sean Glonek






It Was A Very Good Year - Karyn Kuhl Band

The Stars Will Bring You Home is the newest EP from the Karyn Kuhl Band. 

Home for Kuhl is Hoboken, NJ, where she was a founding member of Gut Bank and Sexpod, two staple bands during the much-revered Maxwell's club's legendary heyday. The album was produced by another Hoboken stalwart, James Mastro (The Bongos, Ian Hunter), and recorded at the local Nuthouse Recording studio by Tom Beaujour (Nada Surf, Juliana Hatfield), and Water Music by Rob Harari. 

"The songs on this collection were written and recorded in a couple of creative bursts," explains Kuhl, "so it only seemed right to present them as one "family", especially since they are a cycle of songs about relationships. I wanted to record them as they were penned: fast and live, capturing all the adrenaline that comes with it." The one cover on the collection, "It Was A Very Good Year," came about by happy accident, and was adopted into the family and included on the EP. 

"I wanted to play a Sinatra song for a show that was celebrating what would have been his 100th birthday. At rehearsal, I started singing 'It Was A Very Good Year,' but Lou (Ciarlo- bassist) kept playing the bass part to Jefferson Airplane's 'White Rabbit.' Jonpaul added the classic song's military drum beat, and a weird, unexpected hybrid of the two was formed. Kinda like peanut butter and chocolate." 

Known for their explosive and haunting live shows, The Stars Will Bring You Home captures the rhythm section's 0-to-60 hairpin dynamics, along with the weaving sonic textures of Kuhl's and Mastro's unique guitar interplay. Above it all is Kuhl's rich, expressive voice, capable of drawing you in with a whisper or a scream. 

"Most of the lyrics and even some melodies came from dreams or a place just below everyday consciousness that I can only get to when I'm alone. The collaboration with my band helps give the songs tangible shape and a way into the world." 

In the last verse of the ethereal Conjuring You, Kuhl sings "so I drove to the shore in your El Camino, waiting for instructions from Brian Eno" invoking images of an eerie, summer in the 70's, home movie. 

From the soaring slide guitar on Sad Eyes, to the raw, rolling blues of the title track and fuzzed out grind of Lobster Girl and Not Like That, The Stars Will Bring You Home rides a beautiful wave of loss and resiliency.

Karyn Kühl

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