Island Wren
Well first off I would just like to start out with this video. This is something that I have comprised throughout the past few weeks of this band. From bar shows, to house shows, and even the TV spot they had on MT10.
It has been really fun getting to know and hanging out with this new, young band. Island Wren consist of Camille Faulkner playing the fiddle and background vocals, the Godley twins, Chris and Ben, playing the mandolin and the guitar and both adding in on the vocals, Parker Deal who plays the bass and Cole Maness who plays the drums. They have been together as a band for about 4 years and Parker joined little over a year ago. They are folk band that in my opinion sometimes has a small touch of a country sound. The fiddle really adds to the country sound which isn't necessarily a bad thing, being an upcoming band this close to Nashville.  They have recently put out there EP called Fountain on March 4th which showcases seven songs. They held an EP release party this same day where they played all of their songs and they had a lot of people come through to support them. My favorite song on the EP is âHand It To You," which I used for the video above. It is the most upbeat song on their EP which is why I like it the most and is the most "folksy." âIsland Wrenâs music is a really beautiful mixture of folk and occasional hints of bluegrass. Their music ranges from very happy upbeat song to slow songs that have deeper meaning. They are each multitalented individuals,â says Ashley Clark who is a close friend of the entire band.
One week I was able to sit down with Island Wren and talk to them a little about their new EP, Fountains, that was released in March and what they hope to start doing now since they have this new EP and some of them will be graduating from Mtsu.
listen to âAn interview with Island Wrenâ on Audioboo
There was such a struggle trying to get this interview. I had gone to one of their shows in Nashville and asked if I could interview them where they happily said yes, but who wants to interview in a crowded bar? And that's when it starts raining. So what else to do then run to the nearest coffee shop and do the interview there. We were pretty much all soaking wet and dripping on the floor but the talk was good and we ended up having a good time enjoying a few chi teas.
 Afterwards we went back to the venue and I watched them play their set. This was about the third time I have seen them live and they could work on their stage presence a little but they play their instruments well. But if they continue to grow together as a band, I would work on stage presence but I think that is a problem that most bands have when just starting out. They are most worried about playing the music well than how good they look playing it which is understandable. So I think as they grow more so will their presence and they will be able to put on a more exciting show. âI definitely think our stage presence will grow more as we develop. Itâs just something comes with time and experience,â Said Parker Deal, the bands bassist.
This group is over all great to be around. They are funny, creative, intelligent, hardworking, and passionate. You can see their antics in some of their vines and Instagram videos. They are really passionate in what they do and you can tell this through their activeness on social media. Their twitter and also Instagram are always being updated whenever they have a new show or just something they would like to share.
I have high hopes for this little folk band as they continue to grow in their music knowledge and their careers. It was fun getting to hang around them these past few weeks learning more about them. Theyâre all real good hearted people and amazingly talented musicians.
