soraia

Here's some choice quotes from both this morning's Milwaukee's Journal Sentinel and 77 Square, Madison's paper (6/26/09):

"Opening for Bon Jovi was Philadelphia rock band Soraia, whose last album, "Shed the Skin" featured Sambora guesting on guitar. Singer Sue Mansour fronted the band with a voice and stage persona reminiscent of Janis Joplin."

"Opening band Soraia, a relatively new band out of Philly, breathed hard Southern rock fire into its 25-minute set. Guitarist Dave Justo lassoed thick lines of muscle around lead singer Sue Mansour's Joplin-esque wail.... Here's to seeing them back again in Wisconsin soon."

6/9/2009: Anthony Kuzminski of "The Screen Door" and "Antimusic.com" posted an amazing article about us on June 9, 2009, entitled, 'Soraia: The Real Thing (Opening for Bon Jovi at Milwaukee's Summerfest on 6/25/09)'

Read the whole article here...well worth it:

The Screen Door

Antimusic

Also, here's a few choice quotes:

"What makes Soraia different from other acts is that they feel real...."

"...Midway through the song, Mansour poured a bottle of water over herself, and as the band tore through their thick and pounding vintage rock riffs, she began to sway. Her hair flew, she shook her hips, and her sweat drenched body glistened with a sexual summer gleam as bright as a city’s lights....She sways her body like Gwen Stefani, howls like Janis Joplin and has a rock n’ roll attitude that’s akin to Joan Jett…but to say she’s intoxicating to watch because of the way she moves her body is an insult to the music; she merely happens to be a remarkable front woman."

"Soraia’s music is a commanding pre-punk celebration of rock n’ roll finding middle ground between late 60’s Rolling Stones yet packed with a breath of freshness that reminds me of the no-nonsense sound of the White Stripes. They do not fit into any specific genre of rock…"

"I wouldn’t be writing about this band if their live show was great but their music didn’t connect with the audience....this is the real thing. You can see it in the band member’s eyes, you can feel it in their music and most importantly, you can feel it in your soul."

Lots going on with us, kids. We have a few dates in the studio under our belt just after tour homecoming on April 25th...three new songs in the works. We finished two rhythm tracks so far and are going in early and mid-June to finish up as much as we can before hitting the road to our big Summerfest show with the one and only, Bon Jovi. We will have the new ones ready for your aural pleasure come late June/early July-time.

Also, we just booked a Summerfest Sendoff show in our hometown at Dr Watson's Pub on Jaxon's Local Shots Live Night: Tuesday, June 16th. We play at 9 pm, and we hope to see your faces before we go out and play to the largest crowd we've ever played to. Our hometown has been where we've grown up, developed, and become what we are this far along in our careers, so we long to see you guys and celebrate this huge opportunity with you all!!

Finally, we've been working on editing some video footage from our live show at The Note from Tour Homecoming, and also some studio gems...a few have been added to our "Media" page so check them out and more to come...below is a clip of "Not the Woman" performed live. Short tour around Summerfest to Muncie, IN and Chicago, IL.

Later on!!

Hey kids...in the interest of not clogging up our homepage, I've blogged about tour shows and some stories from the road thus far on our myspace site. You can subscribe to our blogs to keep updated on what's going on, or just read 'em straight here:

http://www.myspace.com/soraia

Just look for our latest blogs about mid-page on the right....stay in touch!

WOW!!! What news for us!!! Our record, "SHED THE SKIN", has made Screen Door, Unrated Magazine, and Antimusic's "Top 25 Albums of 2008"....We are number 7, just between Ryan Adams and Metallica. Here's what Tony has to say about the record:"Soraia is a five piece rock band from Philadelphia who has risen like a phoenix from personal calamities only to turn their tragedy into triumph. Of the upwards of one-hundred indie discs sent my way in the last year, this was the one that knocked me emotionally to the floor.....The entire album yields a windfall of truthfulness that carefully wields soul-searching lyrics that ring true especially on the title-track. Producer Obie O’Brien’s instinctive, enlivening and revitalizing production does the material justice and significantly brightens the album to A-grade levels, but always keeping the vibe organic and elegiac....As impressive as the sonic framework may be, the real star is Mansour’s cooing vocals paired with the elliptical lyrics which combined make Shed The Skin a harrowing, endearing and essential album." Read the rest and see the list (well worth the read, one of my personal faves for the year, The Black Keys, also made the list as well as a number of others....)

The Screen Door

Antimusic

YEAH!!!

You can buy any of the tracks off 'Shed the Skin' anytime on Amazon, ITunes, Napster,  and Rhapsody or the whole shebang on CDBaby...more digital locations to be announced soon....And add us now to your playlist from Playlist.com! (Or just go to our "Media" page and add them to your playlist from there)...ALSO, Positively records...the coolest record store we've ever been to...has started their own "Soraia" section, so you can buy 'Shed the Skin' there for $9.90. It's located in Levittown, PA...best independent hands down. THANKS!

Radio Orphans (Minnesota)

AmiciAmici.com (Italy)

Whitenoise (Ontario)

You Can't Make it Up! (Maine)

Read our new review on Here Comes the Flood (The Netherlands)

Dalecast.co.uk (United Kingdom)

Bestradiopodcast.net (Chicago, Illinois)

Nightguyundertherock.podshow.com (Israel)

"Here Comes the Flood" (The Netherlands)

http://mothpod.podshow.com/ (Indiana)

StrafeRight (North Carolina)

Wasting Time (Illinois)

Top of the Podsafes

Dj Ken Stone (New Jersey)

My Pocket Player (Poland)

Bernie's World (New York)

PSM Hitmakers (Japan)

The Red Light Zone (United Kingdom)

X Pat Radio (Wisconsin)

The Dawn and Drew Show (Wisconsin)

Spud Show (Ireland)

All of the above podcasts can be found on the podsafe network: www.podsafemusicnetwork.com

10/22/08

LAST NIGHT OF TOUR: Well, I'm going to go on and say, we've had some great shows, we've had some not so great...but even the ones that weren't so great, we took something away from them. So, overall....LOVE being on the road...so grateful we have the opportunity and can't wait to do it all again. NEWS: We'll be playing with our good friends Know More Robots in Muncie, Indiana on New Year's Eve at Doc's Music Hall...they'll be coming in from Austin and we'll be coming in from...well...Philly. I hear New Year's at Doc's is RIDICULOUS..it's gonna be Mike Martin Band, MC Sparkplug, KMR, and us...cannot wait.

Our last show for tour is tonight at The Rutledge with a great band, Pilot's Wish, who came out and supported us last night at The End, too. Gotta love Nashville...we'll be out enjoying this fine city pretty late tonight...but back in Philly by Friday...so...see you Philly cats next week at the Mischief Night show at Risque. Bittersweet tonight is...I always have a hard time with endings....especially when I'm just getting used to being on the road. BUT, we did get some good footage for you guys and we'll be getting it up on the sites as soon as we get back. Later on, kiddies! 

 10/19/2008

We are in Nashville...Ah...the last part of tour has been reached. I ain't gonna lie to ya....I'm EXCITED LIKE A LITTLE KID to be in Nashville. Ever since last year when I came here for the first time...I've been dying to get back to Nashville...so, yeah...I walked out into the Sunday night air and heard amazing musicians doing their thing all over Broadway. Can't beat it. Absolutely CANNOT in my book. Luckily, I even found a Kroger's...so I'm stocked up on green tea and water for the next couple days. Sittin' in tonight taking care of the cords and giving my body some tlc before the Nashville gigs. The guys are all out trollin' the downtown Nashville streets. God knows if they'll be back. But MY night is tomorrow night; I'm not responsible is all I can say. Gonna smoke some cigars and watch the bands...wish you could be here enjoying the ride with us. I'll keep you updated and let you know how it all goes--that's the next best thing. Checkin' Out....

 10/18/08

OK, as short as I can cause I only have a few minutes, kids. Last night in Muncie, Indiana....WOW...um...thanks? It was one of the most--if not THEE most---exciting, fun, alive, quite entertaining from the stage alone...don't know what you guys felt---but it looked like an awful lot. SO...yeah...what a spectacular surprise. We always expect good things when we play in Muncie...just cause you've been so great to us since we first made your aquaintance last December, but alas, continuous surprises come from you and always in the best way. I don't know if I'm makiing sense...I'm still hungover from last night's energy exchange---I call it Stage Drunk--and this is what's left in me. I live for shows like that...you guys were on FIRE.

Speaking of on fire...thanks to Anna in Chicago for turning me on to my new tour soundtrack: The Black Keys and Kings of Leon. If you haven't checked them out, chk out at least these two songs DEFINITELY: "Your Touch" by The Black Keys and "Sex on Fire" by Kings of Leon. I'll be listening to those two records on the way to Louisville today. Catch up with you guys on the way to Nashville!

10/16/08

Yes, Yes, Y'all....we've been to 4 cities in 7 days and love it love it LOVE IT. Two newbies and two oldbies. The thing with new cities is you're always unnerved a bit on the way to the show b/c of the "what if's" going on in your head...."What if we're not really booked when we get there...What if we don't have a turnout....What if they hate us..?" All those things knock round the noggin here and there...but you just keep your chin up and know that rock n roll is alive and well...so... you just go do your thing. In Hamtramck, MI...first time there. We had a great time...Melody is THEE booker and we had fun. In short---reception was gooooooood. Even better, we made some great connections with you guys for next time around...hopefully Feb/March??? Next, it was off to Athens, OH, another new place...and at first, we weren't sure they were lovin' it all that much. But alas....by third or fourth song---the Jackie O's crowd was up, dancin', and havin' a grand time...GOTCHA ATHENS!!! Third stop, Chicago...an old friend in the oasis of new havens. WE LOVE YOU CHICAGO...always have...always will. The scene on a Tuesday night in the Elbo Room---HOT, STEAMY, and the kids were ALRIGHT. Everyone there was FREEEEE...let themselves get nuts and we love it when that happens. We love when you get dirty, Chicago. That knot in the back of your head turns me on....
Now, we're in Indiana...and we're gettin ready for Muncie's show at Doc's tomorrow night. Ahhhh...another old friend...Muncie. We'll continue after Muncie to Louisville, KY and Nashville, TN.
What I've learned this time around on tour so far:
(1) If you think you have enough vitamins, Emergen-C, Theraflu, green tea, and sore throat drops...you're wrong. Double it up.
(2) If you think you don't need to take vitamins, Emergen-C, green tea, and sore throat drops just cause you don't feel sick...take them anyway. If you're going from sweaty hot to outdoor cold to sitting in the van all day to not sleeping enough...you'll never get enough of all these things.
(3) Never underestimate the persistence of outside circumstances to contribute to a cold. You may have got a flu shot, think you never get sick, think you're the epitome of good health, exercise like a dog, I don't care whatever else you think---you will get sick on the road ---especially if you don't think you will. To avoid it, see 1 and 2.
It is possible to stay healthy while touring...just remember...this takes getting used to...I usually wake up in the same place everyday and have a routine going at home. It ain't worth shit on the road, fella. It's different...and just as you're getting used to being that gypsy---it's time to come home. 
(4) ENJOY IT. There's plenty of things to complain about most days...but being on the road, playing the music you love to new people and to the coolest of the cool who come out to see us when we come back to town...what the hell beats that???? 
(5) If you get sick...get better fast. Too much to do and too little time to make an impression to be sick. Get over it---sleep it off---liquid it up---and get back to what you love to do.
This is what I've learned so far...more to come...oh...and don't pour water on yourself in a hot room then go outside in 40 degree weather when you're already a lil sick. It's just stupid.
LOVE LOVE LOVE!!!

Also, Maxmouth is going to be posting some more behind scenes video to the Soraia channel later in the week. I'll update you when it's up!

Hey Everyone,

Music Biz Advice has added a new commentary to their blog on their pages. I met with Randi last year when I was in Los Angeles...she talks about going to Irv's (a famous musicians's hangout...Oh, Janis!) and what she thinks of the new single. Check it out here:

http://musicbizadvice.blogspot.com

If you want to read the interview we did last year, go here:

http://www.musicbizadvice.com/Feature Interview with Sue Mansour of Soraia.htm 

Also, if you haven't checked out our new video for "Not the Woman" on Maxmouth, go on already! And leave a comment before you take off...love to read them.

6/15/08: Here's some new stuff for you:

A bunch of you at the shows have been asking about Soraia wallpapers, so here you go! Go to our "MEDIA" section and download any size you like. And they're FREE....for now >:>p So go on and get 'em, will ya?!?

Also new in our "MEDIA" section is a little behind the scenes video look at our recording in Sine Studios...just a little horseplay. Hope you enjoy it. We've added 2 new songs to the upcoming second pressing of "Shed the Skin"...very exciting...and been in the studio, recordin' it up. We want to give you a sneak peek..so stay tuned in and check that section often in the next few weeks for video updates....

 In a last itty bit of news, we started a new site on Ourstage.com 

We just started putting that together, but it'll be gettin' good over the next few weeks, so check it out here: http://www.ourstage.com/fanclub/soraia

And please join! It's free and you can get sneak peeks of videos, judge new music online, and hear about the newest news and bands in the music world.  You'll looooove it.

So, away we go at the beginning of the summer...the train keeps rollin', and we'll be heading out to Chicago and Indiana in late July. Help us celebrate Dave's birthday on July 17 at The Loft in Norristown, too. Late in the summer we'll be doing a live recording somewhere in fine, FINE Philadelphia. We'll let you know when that is so you can help us by adding your voice to it.  Until next time!

Soraia's "Shed the Skin" has a new review currently running on Tony Kuzminski's blog on Antimusic.com and The Screen Door:

http://www.antimusic.com/

http://the-screen-door.blogspot.com/2008/02/soraia-shed-skin-album-review.html

Here's some quotes from Tony's review...able to be found on The Screen Door's blog and Antimusic.com, a site with 3 million readers a month. Writer Anthony Kuzminski is a world-reknowned reviewer, articulate and graphic with his reviews and known for his unique and genuine style. Throughout his career, he has reviewed bands such as U2, No Doubt, Guns N' Roses, Talking Heads, and thousands more. Please go to the above links for the entire review:

"...It’s unlikely you’ll hear any album in the next year whose rock and soul architecture sounds this fresh...."

"....Soraia are not hopping on any bandwagons, they merely check vintage classic rock riffs and find a way to swathe them into a package that is intoxicating and enthralling. There is a profound depth to the lyrics which are enhanced by the layered roars of guitars that make you yearn for a time where albums and artists ruled the landscape....."

"....As Mansour belts out the title track, her voice crows with an immediate and defiant pulse which is nothing short of pulverizing. Her vocal styling’s are a throwback to the past but what’s integral is that she is well aware of the rich tradition of singers who have come before her as she reaches back further than just one decade but five decades to the inner workings of Elvis Presley, Aretha Franklin and Wilson Pickett before recording her dynamic, soulful and mesmerizing vocals...." 

 A huge thank you to Chicago-based writer/reviewer, Tony Kuzminski.

Black Velvet Magazine, one of the best U.K. rock magazines chock full of interviews, reviews, and new bands and music, has done a review of our new record in its latest edition out this month, Issue #55.

Visit them by going to http://www.blackvelvetmagazine.com/

There is a list on their site of where to order and/or purchase the zine, or you can purchase directly from their site using paypal.

 Our new record "Shed the Skin" keeps getting added to new podcasts worldwide every day. We are trying to update our list below as often as we can..so do keep checking back to see the new places we're being played. We just found out today that the Hitmakers Podcast in Japan, which is also broadcast live throughout several Japanese clubs, has a Top 6 that comes out every week: "Had Enough" is Number 5 for the week of January 21, 2008!  Check out their site for previous lists including artists such as Duran Duran and The Black Crowes. Take a listen!  

http://www.hitmakerspodcast.com