This is the first in a week-long series of spotlights on the bands and artists performing at our CMJ party with Berklee College of Music this Friday, October 24 at Carroll Place in New York City. Seven Berklee-affiliated acts will participate in Boston & Beyond, an official CMJ Music Marathon showcase that is free to badgeholders and open to the general public. Doors are at 8 p.m. and the show runs until after 1 a.m. More info can be found here and here. To listen to all the participating bands, fire up our Soundcloud playlist.
::
Amy & The Engine, 11:45 p.m. set time
Though Amy & The Engine only recently formed last winter during snowy nights around Berklee, frontwoman Amy Allen is a known force of songwriting smarts in her native Maine. A two-time winner of Best Female Vocalist in the Portland Phoenix (2011 and 2013) and recipient of the 2013 SESAC Best Young Songwriter Award, Allen is taking her quirky pop vision and adding a brand new Engine to her sound.
The result is a sound self-described as “indie-folk-pop,” and debut single “I Got You” hints at the greatness to come, possessing a country flair with a modern edge ripe for mainstream success. We can even hear it hummed along by Anna Kendrick in a summer comedy flick. It’s probably one great placement away from bringing Amy & The Engine national recognition, and hopefully the rest of the band’s upcoming debut EP follows in similar catchy, earworm style.
“I think that now is a more fully realized version of what I’ve worked for — and what I am always working towards,” Allen tells Central Maine. “I’m drawing from influences from the Beatles to classic rock and a lot of indie influences, as well. I came from a bluegrass background when I was playing in Maine so there’s a lot of folk and bluegrass influences. We have a mandolin player, as well.”
We certainly have a soft for mandolin players. Get to know Allen’s work, from solo compositions to collaborative efforts to her recent turn with Amy & The Engine, below…
[embedvideo id=”3RDSoZRLic4″ website=”youtube”]
[embedvideo id=”rRV1pNPzeFw” website=”youtube”]
Follow Amy & The Engine on Twitter for CMJ updates and other news…
