The Sound of Ghosts are an Americana roots musical collective hailing from Los Angeles, California. The five-piece collective of accomplished musicians have crafted a musical experience unlike any other with their unique arrangements and vast variety of influences. A culmination of traditional front porch Americana, folk-laden melodies and vintage rock’n’roll, The Sound of Ghosts have succeeded in bringing their own edge to this timeless genre of music.
The Sound of Ghosts are James Orbison (vocals, bass), Anna Orbison (vocals, ukulele), Ernesto Rivas (lead guitar), Phoebe Silva (fiddle) and Jon Sarna (drums). United they have pushed the boundaries of typical Americana and created an ever-evolving sound demonstrating the diversity of each of their own different musical backgrounds. Included in this are elements of classic rock, musical theatre, country and everything in between, Rivas explains “everyone's different perspective is an essential part to the diverse sound we create”.
The Sound of Ghosts formed in memory of the band’s friend Dave Lamb, who passed away too soon from Leukaemia. Lamb headed an acclaimed band ‘Brown Bird’ with his wife that was named NPR’s folk group of the year. James Orbison was touched and inspired by the impact Lamb had made on not only him, but the community around him. James Orbison fell back into music as a mechanism to cope with his grief, where he consequently rediscovered his passion for writing and playing again. They decided to name their band ‘The Sound of Ghosts’ which was the title of Brown Bird’s first album, as a way to honor Lamb and to be constant reminder of his love for music. Their upcoming release entitled Delivery and Departure is filled with diverse soundscapes and a multitude of sonic textures. The new music is set to be an immersive listening experience. Anna Orbison explains, “I hope it inspires people to look at the world in a little different way. Notice the things around you… that’s what we write songs about”.
Lead single ‘Train to Nowhere’ is an upbeat folky song with driving guitars, catchy hooks and story-telling lyricism. Showcasing the band’s signature sound of fiddle fueled melodies and soaring harmonies, accompanied by a powerful trumpet solo, it is assured to get listeners up and dancing. "This song is a perfect mix of what we do best”, reveals Anna Orbison.
Originally inspired after watching two acclaimed Netflix documentaries entitled ‘Big Easy Express’ and ‘Festival Express', the narrative was built around the ideology of escapism and the importance of adventure. The song symbolizes the journey of self-discovery and introspection. ‘Fall Apart’ exemplifies Anna Orbison’s expressive warm vocals with a toe-tapping, rhythmically contagious beat, New Orleans style trumpet, that are all tied together with a dominating bass line. ‘Fall Apart' highlights how people find solace in the familiar feeling of never being good enough. Thematically the single evokes the notion that we as a society need to learn to love ourselves and be content with who we truly are.
The Sound of Ghosts successes to date include opening for artists such as Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, The Sisterhood and Oingo Boingo. Their music has also been featured in national commercials for major brands such as Yahoo! and Kia. The Sound of Ghosts prides themselves on delivering an engaging, explosive yet intimate live performance, winning ‘best live performance’ at The Roswell Film Festival.
With their growing California following and authentic sound, The Sound of Ghosts are ready for their next musical endeavor with the release of Delivery and Departure due fall 2017.
