Since they formed in July 2007, the members of 70 Lewis have made manifest their hopes and dreams, triumphs and setbacks, through their unique yet familiar music. Four twenty-something’s who bring it all to the table, lay it out, and invite people to enjoy what they’ve created. The members of 70 Lewis are friends first – Mike Gray, Scott Young, Chris Hoffman, and Kenny Kerns- who through years of trial and error have finally broken the mold with their complex, harmonious, piano-fronted rock. They create an unparalleled live atmosphere capable of transporting you from a revelous celebration to the quiet countryside and back again. Their intense energy and exciting songwriting quickly invites listeners to view life through their eyes, leaving them with a sense of wonderment and a thirst for more.
The four friends spent their time before 70 Lewis honing their skills, preparing for what would be the most incredible journey they’ve been on to date. Friends through high school, different variations of the current quartet performed many times together with school groups and garage bands, often times taking stages the size of football fields, other times the size of front porches. Having to find a balance between selling out venues such as House of Blues with after school homework, gave them the understanding of and respect for what it takes to live your dream at an early age. “I've played piano since I could sit on a piano bench. I'd say I didn't have a say in the matter and maybe at the time I didn't, but it was all I ever wanted to do” says Kenny.
A strong sense of community, purpose, and “brotherhood” has remained a driving force behind the band. The starry-eyed group booked their first live performance in December of 2007 at the revered “Winchester Tavern and Music Hall” in Lakewood, Ohio and years later are still on a constant high from that evening. “For me personally, that night marked the beginning of a new chapter. Everything fell into place, it felt right, it felt.. like home” says Mike.
The day after their first show, they made a few revisions, discussed a few changes, and then raced off in search of that feeling from the night before. Immediately, they won the hearts of their audiences channeling all they had into every performance. With each show, the music of 70 Lewis evolved eventually allowing the band to speak two languages; lyrically with emotive pop tales about life's highs and lows, and subtly with musicianship unseen in their genre. The band gives off a hypnotic energy, as lonesome pianos battle up-tempo guitars to connect with the crowd, while Chris actually stands in front of his drum kit, pounding away surrounded by the whirlwind of emotion on stage.
Eventually, the time came to record their debut album – and as if by fate, the band met Mike Brown of Lava Room Recording Studios, who immediately saw potential. What started out as the search for a studio to record an album, quickly turned into the mutual pursuit of what is now “East Coast Sunday Morning”, which defines the bands entire purpose. Working with Mike, 70 Lewis was able to exploit delicate details and emotional qualities of their music that they had not seen and were encouraged along the way with words of wisdom, experience, and hopeful excitement.
The album begins with a quick, spunky, and almost comedic, “Intro”, a tribute to an ongoing tradition at live shows where the band plays a quick example of music from a different genre. Following that is “Rocker”, a biting, personal and gritty tune demonstrating the heavier, up-tempo capabilities of the group. The song details a failed romance; “You had it all just to let it go, but that’s over now and you never had the chance to know”. Masterfully placed between heavy hitters such as Rocker and Song For Someone, Hurricane and Winter, by stark contrast, show the band's more delicate, poppy side, quoting life’s trials and tribulations with soaring, positive energy.
The journey through the album continues to evoke different emotions, never letting go of the ones already stirred. Brightest London – a song inspired by a painting - is a personal one, detailing one of life’s many wake up calls. “One day we wake up and think what is this life? I’m twenty and jobless this doesn’t seem right” - This world is a setup we only live once, it’s a tough path to stay on, it’s a tough path to trust”. Throughout the next few tracks, the band expertly navigates the twists and turns of the musical road they’ve paved, with explosive tracks such as Underwater and Divided, Through My Dreams, and Chico. The first of the three an epic piano power ballad about a guy struggling with life decisions regarding college, music, family and success. Finally, when all seems to have been told and the listener is left with a warm satisfaction, Misdirection and Sylvia round out the end of the journey bringing you full circle. Sylvia stands proud as the epic ending to an epic journey- the dream-like melodies over melancholy piano, slowly building into an explosion of intense emotion leaving the listeners head spinning in amazement and dizzy with anticipation. The album picks you up, inspires your thoughts and emotions, and as swiftly as it came gently makes it’s exit after setting you firmly on your feet.
70 Lewis speaks for itself in a world where words often go unspoken, and dreams are often never achieved. Their live reputation extends into their debut album and invites any listener of any age to experience what they pride themselves on. Whether you’re on a search for your soul or in need of a thunderous burst of energy, 70 Lewis will enrapture you in their one of a kind sound.