Nervous But Excited

“ahhhh... organic and rich like good soil ... makes me want to listen and hear it grow. the songs are honest and dimensional. it’s music to my ears.” - amy ray, the indigo girls "...harmonies that would make Dolly Parton swoon." - afterellen / MTV / Logo “...blending progressive politics, sharp wit, and deep introspection with nuanced harmonies...” -curve magazine “Kate and Sarah deliver high-quality, intelligent tunes with the skill and passion of legendary folksingers in the making.” - Off Our Backs Feminist News Journal The Michigan-based duo Nervous but Excited combines genuinely crafted stories and an extremely unique harmony to create what they call Pleasantly Aggressive Folk. The two quirky singer-songwriters and multi-instrumentalists, Kate Peterson & Sarah Cleaver, switch up acoustic and electric guitars, mandolin, banjo, ukulele, glockenspiel, bass and harmonica - and work in a whole lot of laughter in between. The laughter is where the “pleasant” comes in. The “aggressive” you will find weaving in and out of their hauntingly swelling harmonies and mindful lyrics. Their original repertoire ranges in topic from smart, introspective narratives to the tactfully political, interspersed with patient songs of love and loss that will undoubtedly tug on your heart. Road warriors to the core touring nearly half the year, their endless passion has landed them on stages with folks like Ani Difranco, Iron and Wine, Utah Phillips, Ben Gibbard, Lucy Kaplansky, Cheryl Wheeler, Toshi Reagon, Catie Curtis and Girlyman to name a few. Their live show will bounce you through a variety of emotions always keeping you guessing which is next. You may cry, you’ll definitely laugh, and they hope you’ll leave feeling that your heart has grown just a little larger than it was before you arrived. Since 2004, the prolific NBE has kept busy in the studio, releasing 3 full-length studio records, 1 live album and 3 EPs. Their latest release, due out September 2011, is their most exploratory volume of work to date. “You Are Here” combines song writing finesse with a lush, yet edgy aesthetic. The release is just as enticing as those previous with a certain added, though understated, sense of both longing and adventure that shows this band is not willing to sit still. True to form, the songs are still infused with an earthly charm and a genuine sense of locality and experience, full of the kind of rawness and sincerity that most bands don’t dare attempt. Riding the same lines as Kate and Sarah’s vibrant personalities, “You Are Here” hosts are variety of styles throughout it, from the traditional Americana of Ohio to Michigan to the Pop-Folk of Puppeteer, OneFourThree and Blank Pages to Indie-Folk of Hiding Out finally to the Sultry Soul that is No Telling, there is something on this disc for everyone. NBE has even tossed in a humorous song, crowd favorite Happiest We’ve Ever Been, about the stereotypes of a certain sub-culture that they happen to exist within. “You Are Here” features instrumentation by NBE band members Susie Giang and Murray Stewart-Jones as well as guest appearances by some of the best Michigan talent including Chris Bathgate, Frontier Ruckus, Theo Katzman, Erin Zindle (The Ragbirds), Mike Lynch (Kid Rock) and Kaylan Mitchell (The Juliettes). NBE’s other recent releases include the 2010 project, a 6 song EP of covers entitled “Just the Two of Us (Our Duo Doing Duos)” that captured Kate and Sarah alone in the studio conquering the challenge of interpreting soul, r&b, indie pop-rock and 80’s rock into their pleasantly aggressive style. In 2009, they released “Anchors,” a 100% carbon neutral CD project. On Anchors, Kate and Sarah’s unique vocal harmonies are enhanced by many talented players including Girlyman, among others, who joined them to color in the lines of the songs with a sweet-tasting assortment of warming-your-feet-by-the-fire-in-the-wintertime kind of instrumentation. In July 2009, NBE’s song Said and Done from “Anchors” was chosen out of more than 500 entries to be part of the award winning, Michigan made movie Annabelle & Bear. With the help of NBE’s strong and loyal fan community (nearly 30,000 Facebook fans), Kate and Sarah won a music competition to film a cameo and sing live in the movie. NBE is represented by New York label, Riot Grrrl Ink. “organic and rich like good soil” -amy ray