BIG LAZY IS BACK. DON’T CROSS MYRTLE.
Big Lazy is Stephen Ulrich (guitar),Yuval Lion (drums) and Andrew Hall (bass). Photo: Marco North
“it’s to the leader’s credit that he’s kept the atmospherics spooky and compelling” Robert Christgau, Expert Witness/ Noisey Music
“Avant twang, Americana noir, garage chamber music, whatever you’d like to label composer/guitarist Stephen Ulrich’s NYC-based trio Big Lazy (drummer Yuval Lion and bassist Andrew Hall), one thing is undeniable — the vibe is unforgettable.” Dusty Wright, Culture Catch
Best of 2015 Lists!
No. 12 on Hans Werksman/Here Comes The Flood.
Honorable Mention on The Daily Vault.
“This band has sonic gravitas… and deep, dark grooves.
No lightweight stuff here, just the real sound of a band with chops,
intelligence and a sense of humor.” – Sara Willis, Maine Public Broadcasting Network (MPBN)
“All you really need to know about Myrtle is that it’s the trio’s best record to date and that’s saying a goddamn lot…The entire thing, like the group’s whole twisted back catalog, is a story of intersections: the intersection of rockabilly and icy-smooth menthol smoke, the intersection of surf music and David Lynch films, that of jazz and beatnik composition, that of big-sky country possibilities and film-noir endings. It’s all in there for the picking. Dive right in.” Justin Vellucci, Popdose
No Depression features Big Lazy’s official video, “Avenue X” created by filmmaker Marco North here. “Finger-snapping music for beat poets and dark alleys.” Lisa Knight, No Depression
“Missing this act would be a crime.” Eric Faynberg, Brooklyn Paper
“a collection of instrumental works that doesn’t serve as background music, but as something you need to listen and pay attention to from the first track to the last. …It’s also music that – dare I say it in this day and age – doesn’t require lyrics to tell that open-ended story.” Thomas Gerbasi, Examiner.Com
“Melding rootsy twang with a spooky, off-kilter, decidedly cinematic vibe…Don’t Cross Myrtle is a delightfully unsettling album full of the kind of moody instrumental music that inevitably sets the imagination to firing. What sort of unusual, compelling stories would you set to music like this? It’s an album that leaves you wanting to know.” Jason Warburg, The Daily Vault
” Groovy stuff with a totally infectious vibe.” Babysue
“Ulrich’s ringing, engaging tone blips, rolls and burbles over jazz, country, rock and pretty much whatever else you might imagine. One moment he’s Dick Dale, the next Pino Rucher (who handed most of Ennio Morricone’s guitar needs).The jazz assembly of the trio (Andrew Hall plays a lovely and fluid stand-up bass, and drummer Yuval Lion is no stranger to brushes) is one of the things that lends such a versatility to the sound. These three can create almost any sound and evoke just about any emotion..the breadth of ideas and sound within this collection of songs is wondrous.” Jon Worley, Aiding and Abetting
“Holy Santos and Johnny-this is a great hoot!” George W. Harris, Jazz Weekly
“dark, jazzy rhythms and fluid, yet fiery guitar work from leader Stephen Ulrich…The rhythm section from rock veterans drummer Yuval Lion and Andrew Hall provide a steady yet swinging back beat that leaves plenty of room for Ulrich to texture his songs with sounds that range from elements of Calypso, Blues and pre-Beatles Rock and Roll. The surf-rock inspired “Human Sacrifice” lives up to its name as Ulrich offers some his most impressive playing, soaked in distortion and blues-rock…Don’t Cross Myrtle is an ideal candidate for television soundtracks.” Matt Satterfield, Leading Us Absurd
“impressive chemistry” Jeffrey Sisk, Pittsburgh In Tune
Big Lazy:
Stephen Ulrich – electric guitar
Yuval Lion – drums (Cibo Matto, Chrissie Hynde, Meshell Ndegeocello)
Andrew Hall – bass (The Moonlighters, SparkleHorse, The Greenwich Village Orchestra).
With guest artists on Don’t Cross Myrtle:
Charlie Giordano – accordion (Bruce Springsteen)
Steven Bernstein – slide trumpet (Lounge Lizards, Sex Mob)
Peter Hess – baritone sax (Balkan Beat Box).
BIO
Big Lazy, originally called Lazy Boy, released its debut album Amnesia in 1996. Amnesia was featured in its entirety in the NBC series Homicide: Life on the Street, with the band itself appearing on one episode. This exposure caught the attention of La-Z-Boy Furniture who forced a name change. The band became Big Lazy and released its self-titled second album in 1999. An appearance on NPR elicited thousands of letters from the likes of NASA scientists, skate punks, soccer Moms, filmmakers, farmers, autoworkers, et al. Two more critically acclaimed albums followed – New Everything (2004) and Postcards from X (2008). Like Amnesia these records presented evocative cinematic music that was often featured on films and TV. After a hiatus of several years – leader Stephen Ulrich spent time as the composer for the PBS series Make ‘em Laugh, the HBO series Bored to Death and the film Art and Craft – Big Lazy is back with a new album, video and tour.
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