biography
With their second album “Landing Lights” – 56 MEN delivers an engaging yet varied collection of finely crafted songs. From the opening visceral guitar chops of Big Sky to the last robotic satellite mix reprise, the eleven tracks feature the unique songwriting and musical partnership of Philadelphian Joseph Harry Borelli and Yorkshire, UK native Ian Mellanby. Based firmly in the traditions of 80’s new wave, powerpop, 90’s Brit pop and beyond, the band creates a quirky contemporary Anglo/American rock sound. Producer Stephen Butler (Quincy/Smash Palace) features on guitars throughout and the solid metronomic force of Brooklyn native Joe Dessereau on drums collectively ensure 56 MEN deliver crafted hooks with swagger and style.
Standout tracks and would be 45’s include: Big Sky, If You Can’t Tell Me, So Young and Complicated Woman. The bare bones version of Smash Palace’s Juliet To Me is a brilliantly haunting rendition featuring Borrelli’s signature vibrato voice with a bare bones open desert-scape tremolo electric, acoustic guitar and bass accompaniment.
“Landing Lights” is 56 MEN’s first release for San Francisco based indie label Zip Records. Producer and ZIP recording artist Stephen Butler played the master recordings for label head Art Herman in the fall of 2012. Art, immediately impressed by the quality of the songwriting and the live energy of the band, signed the band for the rush release of “Landing Lights” September 10, 2013.
