Alvord has great music flowing through him.
—Jim Dyar, Record Searchlight

Alvord explores the treacherous domain of broken bonds, lonely travels, homelessness and seedy dementia with the ease of an old soul... infallible songwriting.

The official flagbearer for North State roots rocking... Brendon Alvord is forging a path few dare to — and doing it in pristine fashion.
—Ryan Prado, Synthesis magazine

Johnny Cash meets
Bob Dylan.
—Stan Kelly
(singer/songwriter with Pete Seeger)

Synthesis 06.07
Brendon Alvord: Lost and Found

In the time it takes you to pontificate the archetypal scope of local country/bluegrass revivalism, Brendon Alvord will have written at least two more songs. And while prolificacy often tends to be both a blessing and a devil in disguise, Alvord need worry little about that right now.

Nestled within the city limits of Redding, California, and professing what amounts to the anti-ethos of rock'n'roll, Brendon Alvord's ascent to official flagbearer of NorCal roots rocking is more impressive if you don't look at the places he's playing (mainly small bars), but rather his infallible songwriting chops.

The Amazing Countrified Garage Band
About two years ago, Alvord, originally from the quiet mountain settlement of Weaverville, California, formed a three-piece bent on neo-folk rock in the vein of a countrified garage ensemble. And they were amazing...

'I Always Tell Myself I'm Livin' Free'
Since those formative months, Alvord traveled around a lot, living in Southern California, Central California and even Mexico for a while. So even though Weaverville's historically stoic façade and location within the mountains certainly could have influenced Alvord's down-to-earth storytelling, to him it seems the muse or his tribulations could have stemmed from almost anywhere.

"Maybe it'd be the same, wherever I grew up might not make a difference. Would I play techno if I lived in the city?" he quips.

Today, the band has undergone a major overhaul. Comprising the core are bassist Mikey Thompson and drummer Derek Moss, with contributions by Scott Joss (fiddler for Merle Haggard).

Broken Bonds, Homelessness
and Seedy Dementia
Lyrically, Alvord explores the treacherous domain of broken bonds, lonely travels, homelessness and seedy dementia with the ease of an old soul, a feat that belies his 24 years of life experience. And with so many diversely creative people in his corner (including the managing team of Laurie O'Connell and Ed Barger, the production duo behind early releases by the Meat Puppets and Devo), Alvord's songwriting seems only to improve over time, especially when his improvisational skills send him into feverish musical caverns, which is certainly no random occurrence.

"The last couple of years, I didn't sit down and have a notebook or anything, wasn't writing things down, keeping track of anything or even recording anything... Most of the songs do have some concrete ideas, and the choruses are the same a lot of the time. Maybe I'll make up a different verse in between," he explains.

Beyond the Living Room, a Bonfire
With upcoming gigs lined up around Northern California in the next few months, Alvord has surprisingly humble ambitions for such an engaging musical output.

"We'll probably just keep playing in the living room more than anything, which is probably the most rewarding part of it anyway, for me."

You wanted a veritable bonfire of a local rock band? You've got it. —Ryan Prado

Record Searchlight 7.06.06
... Speaking of alternative country, I caught a great set Friday night at the Red, White and Brew by an excellent new north state group.

Weaverville 24-year-old singer/songwriter Brendon Alvord and his band played one killer original tune after the next. There appeared to be no end to Alvord's barrel of songs that found raw, crunchy grooves and never failed to be captivating. The tunes are also lyrically strong and their progressions were neither tired nor predictable.

In the band's corner are Laurie O'Connell and Ed Barger, a couple who helped produce and record early work by the Meat Puppets and Devo.

"We haven't felt this excited about an artist since we first heard the Kirkwood brothers (Meat Puppets) noodling around in their Phoenix garage 25 years ago," O'Connell e-mailed me last week. I can see why she's energized. Alvord has great music flowing through him. —Jim Dyar