Not Falling Down
By Bruce Von Stiers BVS Reviews
AbbySomeone is one of those bands that you'd swear you heard before but just can't place. They have a sound that is a mixture of Americana and hard hitting rock. They just recorded and released an album titled Schizosonic. What's so special about this release is it is bundled with a DVD that has music videos and behinds the scenes material about the band.
Bitz and the other members of Abby SomeOne are definitely keeping it real. You won't find a song on the album that doesn't touch upon some element of human drama. They do it with a style that should move them from the college and club date gigs to capacity filled arenas in the near future.
Read Bruce's complete review
Voters give blessing to new winners, old favorites
Rapid City Journal
By Mary Garrigan, Journal Staff Writer
RAPID CITY -- Bragging rights for everything from the best hamburger to the best hardware store were up for grabs during the second annual Best of the Black Hills Reader's Choice Awards.
More than 800 Rapid City Journal readers named their favorite foods to eat, their favorite things to do and their favorite places to shop in more than 80 different categories. ...Abby SomeOne replaced DD and the Fayrohs as Reader's Choice for best local band.
Communing with Abby SomeOne on the Road
Rapid City Journal (Steve Thorpe)
...I was planning a trip to California...All the other regional CDs I brought along stayed in their jewel cases. "Schizosonic" is still in the CD player, and I'll listen to it all the way back. Pick a favorite song? Out of the question...The entire collection is an uplifting message set to a danceable beat. This incarnation of the band is the best ever, and there's an energy in the music that is rare in recordings. Musically, there aren't any missteps, and that, combined with the energy of the recording, makes "Schizosonic" compelling. If the right people heard "Schizosonic," Abby SomeOne could easily be all over the radio.
I'm slow to get lyrics...I was through most of Wyoming before certain lines started to come clear, and I realized that Shawn (Michael Bitz) isn't just a good lyricist. He's excellent.
For me...the trip across I-80 is familiar. it is colored by old friendships, loves that have grown, endured for a while, then faded to memories--all of which are now embedded in the landscape of western America. "Schizosonic" has become part of that mix. It's a good thing.
Feeling a Little Like They're Survivalists, the Band is on the Road and on a Roll
Kearney Hub (Jan Thompson)
Abby Who?
A constantly changing lineup in its first five years left fans and promoters of the South Dakota band Abby SomeOne wondering who would be on stage at any given show, frontman Shawn Michael Bitz said. But with stable players and a new album in the past year, the group is ready to prove it’s around to stay.
“We’re kind of in the process again of gaining the trust ... of people who’ve seen all the changes,” said Bitz, who with the rest of Abby SomeOne will play a free show at 8 p.m. July 29 in the Yanney Heritage Park Amphitheatre in Kearney. Opening will be a guitar duo called Ever Onward.
Reviewers compare Abby SomeOne’s sound to American roots musicians such as John Mellencamp or groups such as Train and The Black Crowes. Bitz said a pared-down acoustic sound was part of his plan from the beginning, when he started the band with a bass player friend.
“I always wanted that (acoustic) thread to be through the music,” Bitz said, though he writes songs in many styles and has never been shy about mixing them all in Abby SomeOne shows.
"We didn’t worry about continuity,” he said, which was probably not surprising given the number of changes the band went through. Bitz estimated 29 different musicians have played with the band since it started six years ago, and the group’s been through a series of near-tragedies, too: a fire, a tornado that just about blew them offstage, a flood, three car wrecks, a heart attack and one player sent to the penitentiary.
“I’ve looked at it as an amazing adventure,” Bitz said.
“Schizosonic,” the band’s latest release, marks a new chapter in several ways. First, the musicians on the album are the same ones people now see in live shows. They’ve been together about 1½ years, Bitz said, and drummer Brad Williamson took a strong hand in producing “Schizosonic.”
“I think we looked at (the album) as an entire project,” Bitz said, and Williamson kept the sound consistent throughout the disc. Less power rock than before, Abby SomeOne is focusing more than ever on its roots in acoustic rock. Bitz said the band is also focusing more on its home base, touring this summer throughout the Midwest.
Industry Review
Jeff Lawrence - Artist Representation and Management, St. Paul, MN
"Abby SomeOne is a true slice of Americana, their music captivates you and draws you in. They were the surprising favorite at our Rockin' the Hills Fest this year, and with their polished production and sound, have all the ingredients necessary to make it in the music business..."
"Schizosonic" a step in the right direction
Rapid City Journal
Abby SomeOne continues to up the ante, releasing not only a CD but also a concert DVD. "Schizosonic" features 10 songs, including the new single "Fall Down," and a three-song-plus-bonus-features DVD..One of the hardest-working bands in the Black Hills, Abby SomeOne remains on the verge of a breakthrough...The band's calendar includes upcoming performances in Wyoming, Colorado and Ohio. If that's not regional exposure, I don't know what is.
Radio on the Records
Mei Young, KQRS Minneapolis
This band from South Dakota plays moving music with undeniable lyrics that leave you wanting more. This group will become one of the next big things, or I'll eat my hat.
Jake Michaels KRCS, Rapid City
The most worldly band to come out the Midwest...from intense energy to raw lyrical emotion, Abby SomeOne's raised a FIST for modern music.
Corey Ward, KSQY Rapid City
When I hear Abby SomeOne I think of old Van Morrison with Mellencamp and the Black Crowes thrown in.
Charlie O'Douglas, OM--Rushmore Radio Group (KKMK Magic93.9)
Heartfelt emotion best describes the latest effort from Abby SomeOne. All the pieces to this musical puzzle fit with great vocal presence and rhythm that won't let you sit still! ASO has more promise than most other bands I've heard in awhile!
Chad Carlson, PD--KSQY95.1
It's exciting to see such an entertaining group with the energy, passion, and drive that ASO brings. They're a true original and one to keep your eye on.
